R.I.P. Kevin Barry

[Harlan Huckleby]

http://www.packersnews.com/archives/news/pack_26114389.shtml

Dissapointing, I hoped he might yet compete for right guard spot.

[mraynrand]

Santana Dotson
Steve Warren
Ahman Green
Kevin Barry


WTF? Pretty much the same injury in the span of about 7 years. This is a pretty rare injury, even in the NFL. I'd be pretty pissed off if I wasn't drunk from celebrating the Mavs victory.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Probably this offers a roster spot for Will Whitiker to backup RG and RT.

I think this is a pretty significant loss, but lets see if Whitiker has made some strides.

[mraynrand]

Huck, don't be sweatin' it man. Barry wasn't gonna be a guard in this offense. Maybe they lost a backup tackle, but face it, Barry was pretty much stop-gap even at tackle.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I don't know what Barry could do. It's true, last season I argued that he must not be too great if he didn't get a shot at RG with all the desperation. But hell, he looked ok in his playing time, and I've come to believe that the coaching staff failed last year, I don't trust their judgements. So, damn, I insist on being dissappointed.

[Patler]

The Packers were paying him like they expected him to be more than just a stop gap backup. Something like $2.7 million for two years. Losing Barry isn't devastating, but disappointing none the less.

[Scott Campbell]

Crap. I wanted to see if he could lose the weight.

[mraynrand]

Scott: You can still watch to see if he loses weight - just tune in to his web cam at willbarryloseanounce.com.

Shamrock - I couln't care less what the Packers were hoping for Barry based on what they were willing to pay him. He had several chances to get into the lineup as a starter and prove himself and pretty much failed. I look at it this way - if the guy couldn't get PT over Whitless last year, he has zero chance of being a guard. With Clifton and Taucher in place (current injuries notwithstanding) the only way he was going to sniff PT was as a replacement for one of those two - thus the designation stop-gap. perhaps he could routinely play as well as he did against San Fran in 2002(?), but somehow I doubt it.

[Patler]

Shamrock - I couln't care less what the Packers were hoping for Barry based on what they were willing to pay him. He had several chances to get into the lineup as a starter and prove himself and pretty much failed. I look at it this way - if the guy couldn't get PT over Whitless last year, he has zero chance of being a guard. With Clifton and Taucher in place (current injuries notwithstanding) the only way he was going to sniff PT was as a replacement for one of those two - thus the designation stop-gap. perhaps he could routinely play as well as he did against San Fran in 2002(?), but somehow I doubt it.

First, I don't think Barry ever had a chance to become a starter last year, because Sherman flat out said he was "too important" in the U71 to let him start. That was the absurd aspect of Shermans dedication to a formation he used 10-12 times a game.

Secondly, the coaches early this year hinted that they might look at Tauscher as a guard, and I think that should have been a possibility if the guard position did not otherwise resolve itself. Barry would have been fine as a replacement at RT. Their preference clearly was to first have Barry challenge for the guard position.

My only point on the salary was that to offer that to Barry, they must have considered him to be a legitimate candidate to start. You don't normally offer that to a guy you plan on having as a backup. The could simply have just let him sign with Detroit, and brought in a much cheaper backup. To lose a serious challenger for a starting position is not earth-shattering, but its not just a ho-hum thing either, unless others step up.

[Deputy Nutz]

Barry is the reason why you don't let fat over weight players take part in mini camp. The thigh just couldn't bare the weight.

Barry has had all the chances in the world, and every year he comes to camp out of shape. Hell Mike Sherman tore into his ass during a press conference, then Barry went to a fat camp. No will power, no sacrifice for this glutten. Do you really want a player like this starting on the offensive line? Do you really want him on the team?

[wist43]

I thought Barry was the natural replacement for Rivera when he left two years ago... but, of course, Sherman is an idiot, and Barry languished in the "U-71".

Now that he's done for this year, he probably doesn't have a future with the team, and I suppose that means that fat slug Whitticker now has a spot on the roster.

I wouldn't move Clifton or Tauscher to accomodate any other position... Colledge is pencilled in at LG, and it appears Coston has the inside track at RG.

Center is a toss up between Wells and Spitz. I'd prefer to see Spitz win that battle. Wells is undersized and doesn't play with very good leverage... an undersized player absolutely has to play with good leverage - Wells doesn't.

[mraynrand]

I thought Barry was the natural replacement for Rivera when he left two years ago... but, of course, Sherman is an idiot, and Barry languished in the "U-71".

Sure, Sherman was an idiot - to the tune of the best running attack in the history of the Packers, using a FA rookie pick-up as an added tackle/TE. Maybe Barry 'languished' in the "U-71" because he wasn't good enough to play guard. It's possible you could be right - Barry may have been better than Whitless had he played guard start to finish last year, but your analysis is clearly flavored by irrational, over-the-top anti-Sherman bias.

[retailguy]

but your analysis is clearly flavored by irrational, over-the-top anti-Sherman bias.

WIST??? Nah, say it isn't so...... :mrgreen:

[Harlan Huckleby]

We really don't know that much about Barry, we're speculating. He came to camp in good shape last year - still not shot at a starting job. This year he comes in heavy. He was a good drive blocker. No, it's no great tragedy to lose him. But I hadn't given up on him.

[Deputy Nutz]

Basically, when the team all but hands you a starting job, by the contract you sign, and all you have to do is manage your weight correctly, and you blow that then I have little empathy for you. It is not like this guy is working as a furniture salesman to make ends meet in the off season. Work out for two or three hours a day, and go on a diet. Thats it, all you have to do. But that fried chicken is just too tempting....

[mraynrand]

MMMMMMmmmmmmmmm........Fried Chicken.....My one weakness!

Bye Bye Belt!!!

[Murphy37]

Finally a thread about fried chicken. I don't eat it that often, but damn is it good on special occaisions
Kevin Barry, well I'm a bit dissapointed. I wasn't counting on him being a super star, but he is what you need on this team, an experienced O-lineman. Doesn't matter if he's starting material or not. He's an experienced body that you can plug a hole with if needed. His contract is a different matter.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I think KFC and other chicken chain stores have made people forget what real fried chicken tastes like. Come to think of, I forget too. But it was damn good.

[Noodle]

I'd forgotten too, so I tried to make a batch of Fried Chicken recently.

Total friggin' disaster. Set off smoke alarms, and my house smelled like a McD's deep fat fryer for a week.

Still, crunchy on the outside, moist on the inside ... MMMMmmm ... deep fried dead bird.

[Harlan Huckleby]

i think the trick is you have to pluck feathers first.

[Murphy37]

Pluck the feathers, then you have to choke it. Get it, Choke the chicken! Ah, I'm the funniest thing since Carrot Top.

[Scott Campbell]

Updated: May 23, 2006, 2:26 PM ET
Barry tears quad tendon, likely out for year
By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com

Four-year veteran offensive lineman Kevin Barry, who was contending for a starting job on the Green Bay Packers' revamped blocking unit, likely will miss the entire 2006 season after tests revealed he sustained a torn left quadriceps tendon during a workout last Sunday morning.

First-year coach Mike McCarthy confirmed the torn quadriceps Tuesday after Barry underwent two days of testing to determine the extent of the injury.

Barry, 26, will undergo surgery, likely within the next week, and Green Bay officials will wait for results of the operation to determine whether to place him on injured reserve for the year. Such quadriceps injuries, however, require a long rehabilitation period, particularly for linemen.

The injury occurred during a one-on-one pass blocking drill and, when Barry crumpled to the ground, the immediate suspicion was that the injury was a severe one.

The loss of Barry, a promising lineman who has struggled with weight issues throughout his NFL career, is a setback for the Packers, who have dramatically changed their line philosophy to a zone-blocking scheme under McCarthy and offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski. Because of the switch, which requires quicker linemen, and the departure of center Mike Flanagan in free agency, Green Bay is rebuilding the interior of its offensive line.

Even though he is bigger (6-feet-4, 341 pounds) than the new staff prefers, Barry was challenging for a starting spot at guard. He was also the team's most experienced backup at tackle, behind starters Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher, and spent part of the offseason working at tackle. In the past, Barry often lined up as an extra tight end in short-yardage and goal-line situations, or when former coach Mike Sherman opted to go to his so-called "U-71" personnel package, to stress a power running game.

If Barry is lost for the season, the Packers could line up with rookie Daryn Colledge, a second-round draft choice, and second-year veteran Junius Coston at the guard spots. Two-year veteran Scott Wells is the likely successor to Flanagan as the starting center.

A former University of Arizona standout, Barry made the Green Bay roster in 2002 as an undrafted college free agent. In four seasons, he has appeared in 59 games and logged eight starts. Barry has always been an intriguing prospect, a physically gifted player the Green Bay staff believed possessed starter-level skills if he could get his weight under control.

[jack's smirking revenge]

Well that just sucks chicken gizzards.

tyler

[Noodle]

Thanks for the update, SC.

Very bad news. Same injury that Green had. But Green's an athletic specimen -- Barry's a specimen too, I guess, but the not so good kind.

You gotta feel badly for the guy. There's no good injury, but to cash your chips in shorts in May has got to be a serious bummer.

Bad for Barry, and bad for us. Even with zone, I liked the idea of having Barry around in case something were to happen to Cliffton or Tauscher. He may not be athletic, but Barry could anchor in pass pro and drive block like a mofo, two handy skills to have in a pinch.

[Scott Campbell]

He could really balloon with an entire year off. I wonder what the cap ramifications are to letting him go after this year if he can't put the fork down.

[Pack0514]

Looks like Klemm just guaranteed himself a roster spot as long as he doesnt get caught screwing any of the coaches daughters.

[jack's smirking revenge]

Maybe we should base the cap on $$$/lb.

tyler

[Patler]

Guys like Barry are important for inside the 5 yard line and "goal to go" situations, especially if our regular O-line are all the anorexic type needed for zone blocking.

[Noodle]

As for cap hit, that's a good question, and beyond my abilities. I think he just signed a new 2-year contract, which paid him 1.2 in bonus money this year, along with a base salary of $625k and a $25k workout bonus. Next year, the contract was going to pay him $910,000 and had the $25k workout bonus, with no other kickers that I'm aware of.

The good news for Barry is that the $1.2m was up front money that I think has been paid.

The bad news for Barry is that you can do a lot of damage at Sizzler with $1.2m.

[Patler]

The only significance to the cap this year is that another player will also be paid to take his place. They certainly won't be releasing him before June 1, he was injured so absent a miraculous recovery they are on the hook for his full 2006 salary just as they would if he played the full year. It was a 2-year contract so all the remaining bonus amounts were due next year anyway. If he doesn't recover they can release him and save his 2007 salary.

[jack's smirking revenge]

As for cap hit, that's a good question, and beyond my abilities. I think he just signed a new 2-year contract, which paid him 1.2 in bonus money this year, along with a base salary of $625k and a $25k workout bonus. Next year, the contract was going to pay him $910,000 and had the $25k workout bonus, with no other kickers that I'm aware of.

The good news for Barry is that the $1.2m was up front money that I think has been paid.

The bad news for Barry is that you can do a lot of damage at Sizzler with $1.2m.

Or Old Country Buffet...

tyler

[MJZiggy]

Old Country Buffet cannot, as a business, afford for Kevin Barry to have 1.2 million dollars and nothing to do...

[Joemailman]

i think the trick is you have to pluck feathers first.

What? And lose all that fiber?