Gates: Winslow hasn't done enough to back up boasting (1 Viewer)

[UCLAGIE]

SAN DIEGO – Chargers star tight end Antonio Gates doesn't care much for Kellen Winslow's boasting, which could make Sunday's home game with the Cleveland Browns much more interesting.

On Wednesday, Winslow hyped his matchup with Gates as “a heavyweight match. It's me versus Gates. I want to be the best tight end out there.”

Winslow, whose 40 catches lead all tight ends, mentioned that Kansas City's Tony Gonzalez is behind him on the receptions list, followed by Gates.

“So I've got to stay on top,” said Winslow, whose Hall of Fame father of the same name played for the Chargers from 1979-87.

Winslow was asked to clarify. Did he mean keep his lead in receptions?

“The best overall. I'm trying to be the best. I said I was the best. I am the best, and I'm going to prove it on Sunday,” Winslow said.

Gates, who started in the last two Pro Bowls, wasn't amused.

“I just have a problem with a guy who disrespects guys who've done it over a decade like a Tony Gonzalez and those guys,” Gates said after practice Thursday. “To put yourself in a situation where you feel like you're better than a guy who has basically been doing it since you were in high school, I just have a problem with him not embracing the game enough and respecting the guys who've proven themselves in the league.”

Winslow is in his first full season. He broke his right leg in the second game of his rookie season of 2004, then missed all of last season after tearing up a knee in a motorcycle accident.

“For you to play in seven straight games and decide you're the best tight end in the league, I don't think that's appropriate to say,” said Gates, a former basketball star at Kent State who joined the Chargers as an undrafted rookie in 2003.

“There are certain things that I will never let get to me. Obviously he's not a person I would be worried about. He hasn't played long enough.”

Winslow has 40 receptions for 393 yards and three touchdowns. Gonzalez has 33 catches for 441 yards and a score, while Gates has 32 receptions, 384 yards and four touchdowns.

Gates' 89 catches last year tied Kellen Winslow's San Diego record for receptions by a tight end, and his 1,101 yards were the most for a Chargers tight end since Winslow had 1,172 in 1983. Gates led all tight ends last year in catches, yards and touchdowns (10).

In four seasons, Gates has 226 catches for 2,838 yards and 29 touchdowns.

 

[delusional]

Winslow = sooullllja

Gates = classy response

 

[zoonation]

Winslow has loads of talent but is obviously a moron. witness his behavior over the last couple of years.

who says #### like that?

 

[Fla\/\/ed]

Winslow has loads of talent but is obviously a moron. witness his behavior over the last couple of years.who says #### like that?

 

[Otis]

What a moron.

 

[Mr. Sparkle]

"He's a soldier...damnit!!!"

 

[Bizkiteer]

Winslow has loads of talent but is obviously a moron. witness his behavior over the last couple of years.who says #### like that?

The son of the probably the greatest TE to ever play? Just maybe? You call him a moron, but do you call Chad Johnson the same thing? He's talking trash and takes it over the top at times...so be it. For the most part, he backs it all up... He's always been extremely cocky.

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

“I just have a problem with a guy who disrespects guys who've done it over a decade like a Tony Gonzalez and those guys,” Gates said after practice Thursday. “To put yourself in a situation where you feel like you're better than a guy who has basically been doing it since you were in high school, I just have a problem with him not embracing the game enough and respecting the guys who've proven themselves in the league.”

 

[trader jake]

Gates >>> Winslow

Hope that helps "Private"

 

[pinequick]

Winslow has loads of talent but is obviously a moron. witness his behavior over the last couple of years.

who says #### like that?

The son of the probably the greatest TE to ever play? Just maybe? You call him a moron, but do you call Chad Johnson the same thing? He's talking trash and takes it over the top at times...so be it. For the most part, he backs it all up... He's always been extremely cocky.

Well, I know you can't be talking about his NFL career.So you must be talking about his much-hyped, mutha-$#@*ing soljah-like last season in college. When he caught all of one TD pass, right?

 

[falconeyed]

Both these guys realize they're tight ends ... right?

 

[Assani Fisher]

I agree with the poster who brought up Chad Johnson. Why all the hate for Winslow here? He is confident enough that he thinks hes the best. Thats a good thing!!! Its not like he was going out of his way to rub it in everyone's face either...Take a look at the article- He said "I've got to stay on top." That was his entire statement. Then the announcer asked him to clarify and he said "The best overall. I'm trying to be the best. I said I was the best. I am the best, and I'm going to prove it on Sunday." What is so bad about that? If a media darling had said that same quote we'd be appluading him.

 

[thatguy]

Reminds me of Clinton Portis's comments during the Denver/KC game in 2003. It was more or less a Denver blowout, CP ran for 220+ yards and 5 TDs, and was being interviewed on the sidelines. He put on a heavy weight champion boxing-type belt, and went on and on about how he was clearly the best RB in football, ahead of Priest, because he outperformed Priest that day. I think that was the beginning of the end for CP in Denver.

 

[pinequick]

I agree with the poster who brought up Chad Johnson. Why all the hate for Winslow here? He is confident enough that he thinks hes the best. Thats a good thing!!! Its not like he was going out of his way to rub it in everyone's face either...Take a look at the article- He said "I've got to stay on top." That was his entire statement. Then the announcer asked him to clarify and he said "The best overall. I'm trying to be the best. I said I was the best. I am the best, and I'm going to prove it on Sunday." What is so bad about that? If a media darling had said that same quote we'd be appluading him.

Why can one person tell a joke and people laugh, while another person tells the exact same joke and people think he's a jerk? I think a lot of the ill-will towards Winslow goes back to the "soljah" business. Chad Johnson has "likeability factor"--Winslow doesn't. Fair? But it would be fair to say that dealing with the media is not one of Winslow's strong suits.

 

[tombonneau]

I love any #### talking by my fantasy TE that will equate to more points. Don't understand the Winslow hate. My guess is it stems from solider comments along with overall U hatred.

I could care less. I just want a human unit who will produce fantasy points.

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

I love any #### talking by my fantasy TE that will equate to more points.

Sounds like a cool scoring system.

 

[sheetstainer]

who would you start, crumpler or winslow?

 

[Dazz]

I think it's about the intent. Chad Johnson's intent is to amuse, whereas Winslow's is to insult or....well be an idiot in general. One is dead serious and the other, while he may be, approaches it in a completely different manner.

 

[SickThing]

I think it's about the intent. Chad Johnson's intent is to amuse, whereas Winslow's is to insult or....well be an idiot in general. One is dead serious and the other, while he may be, approaches it in a completely different manner.

I don't see it as being insulting to say you want to be the best. Nor do I see it as being an idiot if when you say it you actually are one of the best. Also I think KW2 was talking in real time as the current best and not disrespecting the past of players like Gonzo. I think Gates spun it away from KW2's original intent.

 

[Sonny Lubick Blowup Doll]

Ah the U, what a pipeline of character...

 

[ffweasel]

I thought the game was Cleveland against San Diego. Not one TE trying to get better stats than the opposing one. Silly me.

 

[thayman]

I think it's about the intent. Chad Johnson's intent is to amuse, whereas Winslow's is to insult or....well be an idiot in general. One is dead serious and the other, while he may be, approaches it in a completely different manner.

I don't see it as being insulting to say you want to be the best. Nor do I see it as being an idiot if when you say it you actually are one of the best. Also I think KW2 was talking in real time as the current best and not disrespecting the past of players like Gonzo. I think Gates spun it away from KW2's original intent.

Gonzo has more yards then him, Crumpler, Owen Daniels, Heap, Shockey, and Gates all have more TDs then him. He isn't even the current best TE right now.

 

[CowboyFan]

“The best overall. I'm trying to be the best. I said I was the best. I am the best, and I'm going to prove it on Sunday,” Winslow said.

Wow, what an ### To all you whiners in the thread: Get over yourselves. You've apparently never been an athlete. That's the attitude it takes to be the best. Whether an athlete is vocal about it or keeps it more bottled up, they all have it.

The best part is, he is now in the head of his opponents. If Gates is off his game this week, it will be the result of KWII getting under his skin.

I LOVE IT I can't tell you the last time I watched a Browns game (probably the Kosar era), but I will watch this weeks game now!!!

 

[Bad_Mo]

Winslow better what his mouth. He doesn't want to offend Mr. Gates.

 

[Fla\/\/ed]

“The best overall. I'm trying to be the best. I said I was the best. I am the best, and I'm going to prove it on Sunday,” Winslow said.

The best part is, he is now in the head of his opponents. If Gates is off his game this week, it will be the result of KWII getting under his skin.

 

[Jagov]

Too bad the beast is suspended. Would like to see Winslow get planted trying to catch one over the middle.

 

[Two Deep]

"He's a soldier...damnit!!!"

If that is the case he should be out there with the real soldiers fighting the war on terror not bumping his gums in a war of words. Soldier my ###.....#### him.

 

[Wheelhouse]

Prediction: Chargers win, but Winslow has better stats than Gates. Winslow is asking to get jacked up with his comments.

Didn't Winslow get plowed early in his career (maybe a preseason game a few years ago)? I think someone here had an animated avatar of the hit. Does anyone remember that hit?

 

[H.K.]

I could care less. I just want a human unit who will produce fantasy points.

I wish Gates would have said the truth, though. Winslow has more receptions and yards with fewer targets, and Gates knows he'll never be the best TE in the AFC with Winslow around, so its kind of sad he just wouldn't give the guy credit for being better than him. That would have been the classy move.

 

[thayman]

I could care less. I just want a human unit who will produce fantasy points.

I wish Gates would have said the truth, though. Winslow has more receptions and yards with fewer targets, and Gates knows he'll never be the best TE in the AFC with Winslow around, so its kind of sad he just wouldn't give the guy credit for being better than him. That would have been the classy move.

It would have been even better if Gates just started laughing insanely and said "Yeah but he is on the Browns, the Browns!!! HAHAHAHA" That would have been much more entertaining.

 

[Banger]

Shouldn't Winslow worry about getting his team some wins? Nah, his stats are all that matters...

 

[Two Deep]

I could care less. I just want a human unit who will produce fantasy points.

I wish Gates would have said the truth, though. Winslow has more receptions and yards with fewer targets, and Gates knows he'll never be the best TE in the AFC with Winslow around, so its kind of sad he just wouldn't give the guy credit for being better than him. That would have been the classy move.

It would have been even better if Gates just started laughing insanely and said "Yeah but he is on the Browns, the Browns!!! HAHAHAHA" That would have been much more entertaining.

Cleveland also has no running game whatsoever to speak of to offset the passing game. And as the previous post said it is Cleveland BRAHAHAHBRAHAHAHAcough/choke##$% Whew! I was laughing so hard I damn near puked.

 

[Wheelhouse]

Shouldn't Winslow worry about getting his team some wins? Nah, his stats are all that matters...

That was my thinking too. He sounds like the next version of TO?

 

[Resident A]

All I know is that Winslow sounds fired up. SD is his hometown. I will be starting him & hoping for a huge day.

 

[Cowboys#1]

gates is far better than winslow, no contest. the chargers have multiple weapons, lt scores BOATLOADS of td's, they are often ahead not needing to throw the ball.

the browns.. are the browns, they suck, they have no running game, they are always behind (throwing the ball) and winslow's stats are still on par with gates.

what a joke

 

[Otis]

gates is far better than winslow, no contest.

I don't know that you can say that. KW's comments are nothing short of idiotic, but that doesn't mean he may not end up being a better football player than Gates. As it stands, statistically, he is at least close.

 

[BigTex]

I could care less. I just want a human unit who will produce fantasy points.

I wish Gates would have said the truth, though. Winslow has more receptions and yards with fewer targets, and Gates knows he'll never be the best TE in the AFC with Winslow around, so its kind of sad he just wouldn't give the guy credit for being better than him. That would have been the classy move.

It would have been even better if Gates just started laughing insanely and said "Yeah but he is on the Browns, the Browns!!! HAHAHAHA" That would have been much more entertaining.

Cleveland also has no running game whatsoever to speak of to offset the passing game. And as the previous post said it is Cleveland BRAHAHAHBRAHAHAHAcough/choke##$% Whew! I was laughing so hard I damn near puked.

Winslow should at least have the common decency to finish an entire NFL season before he opens that trash can AKA his mouth. This is why stupidity should be painful.

 

[redman]

I agree with the poster who brought up Chad Johnson. Why all the hate for Winslow here? He is confident enough that he thinks hes the best. Thats a good thing!!! Its not like he was going out of his way to rub it in everyone's face either...Take a look at the article- He said "I've got to stay on top." That was his entire statement. Then the announcer asked him to clarify and he said "The best overall. I'm trying to be the best. I said I was the best. I am the best, and I'm going to prove it on Sunday." What is so bad about that? If a media darling had said that same quote we'd be appluading him.

I'm a lifelong subscriber to the "Shut Up and Play" school, but there's a very fundamental difference that I sense between the two that leaves them worlds apart in terms of peoples perceptions. Chad Johnson IMHO looks like a guy who talks and jokes around and can laugh at himself- that's fundamentally where his talking comes from. I rarely see animosity from other people towards him. He strikes me as a guy who is approachable and who I could walk up to in a bar and shake his hand and comfortably tell him I'm a fan of his. Winslow looks like a guy, OTOH, who takes himself extremely seriously. The last thing in the world he would ever laugh at would be himself. He's always had a chip on his shoulder dating back to when he was being recruited at college - I recall an article quoting him and his father about him perceiving he'd been disrespected at some such school and that that was why he went to UM. He seems like the kind of dude who if you or I or anyone he didn't know tried to approach him he'd blow us off. In a sense (and ignoring the steroids issue), it's the same sort of reason why people generally liked Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa, but detest Barry Bonds. He looks and acts like a jerk.

 

[mr blond]

Being in Cleveland, I've read/heard most of Winslow's comments over the years. Lately, it sounds like he is trying to say the right thing, but can't quite get there. His initial comments about the heavyweight matchup of TE's, and wanting to be the best doesn't seem all that disresepctful to me. But when he's asked to clarify by reporters is when he has the issues and puts his foot in his mouth. I've seen it happen a couple times this year. I don't necassarily think he's intentionally being disresectful, he's just not smart enought to know the difference.

 

[redman]

Prediction: Chargers win, but Winslow has better stats than Gates. Winslow is asking to get jacked up with his comments. Didn't Winslow get plowed early in his career (maybe a preseason game a few years ago)? I think someone here had an animated avatar of the hit. Does anyone remember that hit?

It's a pity that Merriman won't be there to jack him up.

 

[redman]

Being in Cleveland, I've read/heard most of Winslow's comments over the years. Lately, it sounds like he is trying to say the right thing, but can't quite get there. His initial comments about the heavyweight matchup of TE's, and wanting to be the best doesn't seem all that disresepctful to me. But when he's asked to clarify by reporters is when he has the issues and puts his foot in his mouth. I've seen it happen a couple times this year. I don't necassarily think he's intentionally being disresectful, he's just not smart enought to know the difference.

I think he has a blind spot towards humility - literally. I think he's been told all his life - primarily, I'm sure, by his father - how great he is and he simply can't comprehend that not everyone believes that. BTW- in case it sounds like I'm just out to blindly bash him, I'm not. I drafted him as a rookie two years ago, suffered through two seasons on my bench, and now am enjoying nice production out of him. My comments are really directed towards the person more than the player - his talent is undeniable.

 

[Otis]

I agree with the poster who brought up Chad Johnson. Why all the hate for Winslow here? He is confident enough that he thinks hes the best. Thats a good thing!!! Its not like he was going out of his way to rub it in everyone's face either...Take a look at the article- He said "I've got to stay on top." That was his entire statement. Then the announcer asked him to clarify and he said "The best overall. I'm trying to be the best. I said I was the best. I am the best, and I'm going to prove it on Sunday." What is so bad about that? If a media darling had said that same quote we'd be appluading him.

I'm a lifelong subscriber to the "Shut Up and Play" school, but there's a very fundamental difference that I sense between the two that leaves them worlds apart in terms of peoples perceptions. Chad Johnson IMHO looks like a guy who talks and jokes around and can laugh at himself- that's fundamentally where his talking comes from. I rarely see animosity from other people towards him. He strikes me as a guy who is approachable and who I could walk up to in a bar and shake his hand and comfortably tell him I'm a fan of his. Winslow looks like a guy, OTOH, who takes himself extremely seriously. The last thing in the world he would ever laugh at would be himself. He's always had a chip on his shoulder dating back to when he was being recruited at college - I recall an article quoting him and his father about him perceiving he'd been disrespected at some such school and that that was why he went to UM. He seems like the kind of dude who if you or I or anyone he didn't know tried to approach him he'd blow us off. In a sense (and ignoring the steroids issue), it's the same sort of reason why people generally liked Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa, but detest Barry Bonds. He looks and acts like a jerk.

 

[Cowboys#1]

gates is far better than winslow, no contest.

I don't know that you can say that. KW's comments are nothing short of idiotic, but that doesn't mean he may not end up being a better football player than Gates. As it stands, statistically, he is at least close.

nfl football, fantasy football, school yard football id take gates over winslow every day of the week and 3 times on sunday. winslow's team has to pass 35-40 times a game, his team sucks, no running game.. compare that to gates' team and the #'s they are both putting up and Gates is doing it with a ton of weapons and the best rb in the league taking away a lot of yards, and a lot of scores

 

[playin4beer]

who would you start, crumpler or winslow?

I have both....

 

[UCLAGIE]

Gates, twice an All-Pro in his three seasons, mostly laughed at the bravado that has become common from Winslow.

“I don't care about him saying he's the best in the league,” Gates said. “It's cool to be competitive. But when you disrespect guys who have done it over a decade like Tony Gonzalez – I mean, you have to learn to embrace the game and respect the guys who have proved it. I think that's the part of his game he lacks. He lacks respect for guys who have done it before he was even in college, guys like Tony Gonzalez. I don't care if he respects me or not.”

Winslow, who played in just two games his rookie season before breaking his leg and who missed all of last season after an offseason motorcycle injury, has made fairly frequent headlines with his boasts. And he acknowledged this week his words are intended to generate publicity.

“I guess he feels like he has something to prove,” Gates said. “You don't have nothing to prove until you prove it to yourself and play a whole year. I can't get caught up with a guy talking about him being the best tight end and it's a heavyweight fight. . . . I don't see it that way. You have to have credibility to say that.”

Winslow, the son of former Chargers tight end Kellen Winslow, a Hall of Famer, attended Scripps Ranch High. His father, along with numerous relatives and friends, will be at Sunday's game.

“I respect his dad a lot, because his dad is definitely the icon of this position,” Gates said. “Hopefully he's not just living off his dad's name. . . . He's not his father. The credibility is not there yet to take (what he said) as a challenge.”

 

[(HULK)]

The people who are saying its a shame that Merriman won't be in this weekend to hit Winslow need some perspective.

Merriman is a cheater.

Thats about 10X worse than being a bravado.

As much as I don't care for Winslow's undeserved cockiness, I much perfer him to a cheater.

 

[ready5]

Gates' 89 catches last year tied Kellen Winslow's San Diego record for receptions by a tight end, and his 1,101 yards were the most for a Chargers tight end since Winslow had 1,172 in 1983. Gates led all tight ends last year in catches, yards and touchdowns (10).

fairly misleading... way to conflate your winslows...

 

[kevinray]

Chad Johnson is a comedian and an entertainer. Winslow is a blow hard moron. If you just read written transcripts you might be able to compare them but when you look at their character and put some context and history to the statements you can see there’s a difference.

 

[Bizkiteer]

The people who are saying its a shame that Merriman won't be in this weekend to hit Winslow need some perspective.Merriman is a cheater.Thats about 10X worse than being a bravado.As much as I don't care for Winslow's undeserved cockiness, I much perfer him to a cheater.

 

[Bizkiteer]

Being in Cleveland, I've read/heard most of Winslow's comments over the years. Lately, it sounds like he is trying to say the right thing, but can't quite get there. His initial comments about the heavyweight matchup of TE's, and wanting to be the best doesn't seem all that disresepctful to me. But when he's asked to clarify by reporters is when he has the issues and puts his foot in his mouth. I've seen it happen a couple times this year. I don't necassarily think he's intentionally being disresectful, he's just not smart enought to know the difference.

I think you basically hit the nail on the head here. Though I don't agree that he's not smart enough, he just doesn't think before he speaks. That is a common problem people in sports and out of sports have too.He clearly has many people that dislike him, but most cocky people/players do...it's a love & hate thing, not much inbetween.