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Despite good stats, Holt can't catch Pro Bowl spot

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  • #1

    Despite good stats, Holt can't catch Pro Bowl spot

    By Jim Thomas
    Of the Post-Dispatch
    Sunday, Dec. 26 2004

    But receiver probably will go because of Owens' injury

    Torry Holt led the NFL in receptions and receiving yards a year ago.

    Since the start of the 2000 season, he has more reception yards (7,177) than
    anyone in the NFL. So the track record and the name recognition are there.

    This season, Holt entered the weekend's games ranked among the NFL's top five
    receivers in catches (80) and yards (1,181).

    Yet, when the Pro Bowl berths were announced Wednesday, Holt was on the outside
    looking in. Only four receivers will represent the NFC in the Pro Bowl Feb. 13
    in Hawaii, and Holt finished fifth in the balloting behind Philadelphia's
    Terrell Owens, New Orleans' Joe Horn, Green Bay's Javon Walker and Carolina's
    Muhsin Muhammad.

    "I'm disappointed," Holt said. "That's one of my goals coming into the year.
    I'm disappointed when I don't make it."

    Holt started out relatively slowly this season, with only one 100-yard game and
    two touchdown catches in the Rams' first five games. But he has had six TD
    catches and four 100-yard contests since then.

    "I had been coming on of late, so I felt like I had a pretty good shot of
    making the Pro Bowl," Holt said. "I'm still trying to figure the formula, what
    it is I have to do to make the Pro Bowl on a consistent basis.

    "I'm also disappointed that Ike (Isaac Bruce) didn't make it. Ike's been
    playing well. A lot of people had him written off this year. But he played at a
    Pro Bowl-caliber level all year."

    A wrist injury and general wear and tear have limited Bruce to nine catches for
    82 yards over his last three games. Bruce's overall numbers (76 for 1,108
    yards) aren't much different from Holt's. But two lost fumbles in a Monday
    night loss to Green Bay and a relatively low touchdown total (four) probably
    hurt Bruce in Pro Bowl balloting.

    Undoubtedly, Bruce and Holt get hurt at Pro Bowl time by being on the same team
    - in terms of splitting votes and receptions.

    "If I was probably with Atlanta doing what I was doing, I would probably get
    in," Holt said. "If I was with someone else, I would get in. With us being on
    the same team, we probably cancel each other out.

    "But it's fine. It's over and done with. I'm very excited for the guys that
    have gotten in. Javon Walker, Muhsin, and Joe, and Terrell Owens. Those guys
    had terrific years as well."

    Holt has been noticeably better this year catching 50-50 balls, passes that are
    thrown into traffic.

    "I feel like I've been consistently getting better and better since I stepped
    into the National Football League," Holt said. "And not to be mentioned, and
    not to be up there considered as that Pro Bowl receiver year after year, that
    bothers me."

    Still, Owens' ankle injury probably will keep him out of the Pro Bowl and send
    Holt to Hawaii as first alternate.

    A start for Hargrove?

    Don't be surprised if rookie Anthony Hargrove opens tonight's game at right
    defensive end ahead of Bryce Fisher. Hargrove got most of the reps with the
    first unit in practice last week.

    If that's the case, the Rams will have two youngsters starting on their
    defensive line against 13-1 Philadelphia: Hargrove and tackle Jimmy Kennedy.
    Kennedy, last year's first-round pick, has started the past three games and
    played reasonably well.

    Hargrove, a third-round draft pick from Georgia Tech, was slowed by a stinger
    in his neck and shoulder area for several games around midseason. He also has
    missed time because of two concussions suffered while running down kickoffs.

    But he has shown flashes of run-stopping ability at end, and last week in
    Arizona he recorded his first sack. On the play, Hargrove forced a fumble by
    Josh McCown, with teammate Leonard Little scooping up the ball and racing 61
    yards for the only Rams touchdown.

    "I thought that was the spark we needed," Hargrove said. "I thought that might
    be the start of something big."

    Uh, no. The Rams lost 31-7.
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: Despite good stats, Holt can't catch Pro Bowl spot

    Originally posted by Jim Thomas
    Of the Post-Dispatch
    Sunday, Dec. 26 2004

    Holt said. "And not to be mentioned, and not to be up there considered as that Pro Bowl receiver year after year, that bothers me."
    Just 'cuz you label yourself "Big Game" doesn't mean you proved you fit the bill. Quite the contrary this year in fact. Your co-workers called it like they see it, not how you see it. I doubt it will be a lesson, but it should be.

    Comment

    • #3
      Re: Despite good stats, Holt can't catch Pro Bowl spot

      False starts and dropped balls = no pro bowl. "Big Game" Holt has had fewer big games this year IMO to warrant a vote appearance. However, due to injuries around the league, he should get in through steady play, name recognition, and past performance...

      Comment

      • #4
        Re: Despite good stats, Holt can't catch Pro Bowl spot

        Originally posted by adarian_too
        Just 'cuz you label yourself "Big Game" doesn't mean you proved you fit the bill. Quite the contrary this year in fact. Your co-workers called it like they see it, not how you see it. I doubt it will be a lesson, but it should be.
        Nothing good can come from a self-proclaimed nickname. Torry, if someone else gives you a name, it means you earned it; if you give it to yourself, it just means you want it.
        The more things change, the more they stay the same.

        Comment

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        • RamWraith
          Another Big Game for Holt
          by RamWraith
          Monday, February 14, 2005

          By Nick Wagoner
          Staff Writer

          For Torry Holt, lining up alongside superstar wide receivers has become old hat. His running mate since he entered the league is another All Pro, Isaac Bruce. Even with another Pro Bowler teaming with him, Holt has been able to post some impressive numbers.

          So, it came as no surprise when the receiver known as “Big Game” had another one in Sunday’s Pro Bowl. Playing with the likes of Carolina’s Mushin Muhammad and Green Bay’s Javon Walker, Holt managed to catch five passes for 99 yards to lead all receivers.

          In an ironic twist, Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick, the man who was one of the biggest thorns in the side of the Rams this season, hit Holt for a 27-yard touchdown in the third quarter.

          Holt earned his spot on the Pro Bowl team after Philadelphia’s Terrell Owens was ruled out because of an ankle injury. Based on Holt’s season, though, there was little doubt that he belonged in his fourth Pro Bowl. He had 94 catches for 1,372 yards and 10 touchdowns.

          Holt has made his presence felt in recent years, staking his claim as one of, if not the best receiver in the league. Holt became the first player in NFL history to have 1,300 receiving yards in five straight seasons.

          “Once the season is over I will get a chance to sit back, have a drink or something, and just sit back and chill, and just think about what has taken place,” Holt said after setting the mark. “But the time that I have had a chance to think about it, it's a tremendous honor. A lot of great receivers came through the NFL, and are coming through the NFL now. For me to be able to do that is a testament to my dedication, my hard work, to Coach (Martz) believing in me, to my teammates believing me, and the guys helping me and encouraging me to go on everyday and be productive. It's a tremendous honor, but I needed help to get there. When I got the record, I thanked my teammates, because they helped me be able to go get that record."

          There was probably no better time than his stay in Hawaii for the Pro Bowl that reflection. Holt has put himself in elite company in the history of the league, not just among current players.

          To wit, Holt has more receiving yards than any player in the league since 2000 with 7,368, more than 400 yards ahead of his closest competition (Marvin Harrison of Indianapolis). He is third in touchdown receptions (33) since 1999. In his first six seasons in the NFL, Holt ranks only behind Randy Moss with 33 100-yard receiving games.

          Although his numbers this season might not have been at the level they were last year, Holt might have been better. For the first time in his relatively young career, defensive coverages began to be aimed directly at Holt, making what he did accomplish that much more satisfying.

          "This is the first year...
          -02-14-2005, 05:36 PM
        • ramsbruce
          Don Banks Wants To Snub Torry Holt From The Pro Bowl
          by ramsbruce
          By Don Banks SI.com

          "My list of glaring Pro Bowl snubs starts with explosive Tampa Bay receiver Joey Galloway, who lost out to St. Louis' Torry Holt. Galloway had more yards than Holt (1,152 to 1,128) on fewer catches (71 to 88), with a better average (16.2 to 12.8) and the same number of scoring receptions (eight). Galloway has had a true renaissance season for the Bucs, who are on the cusp of making the playoffs for the first time since winning the Super Bowl in 2002. Holt's Rams are going nowhere."

          What this fool Don Banks doesn't mention or realize is that Torry has missed 2 games plus some of a 3rd game, where as Galloway has played in every game this season.

          So Holt is deserving over Galloway. :tongue:
          -12-21-2005, 09:01 PM
        • RamWraith
          Holt carrying no baggage to Pro Bowl
          by RamWraith
          By Bill Coats
          ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
          Saturday, Dec. 29 2007

          Unlike last year, when he was facing offseason knee surgery, wide receiver
          Torry Holt is planning on attending, and playing in, the Pro Bowl. Holt
          probably will be the Rams' lone representative in the NFL's all-star game,
          which is scheduled for Feb. 10 in Honolulu.

          "I feel a lot better at this point this year than what I did last year," Holt
          said. "I definitely want to go over and show my appreciation by being there and
          playing."

          Holt, who has earned a Pro Bowl trip after seven of his nine seasons, isn't
          planning to lug any extra baggage with him, though. To that end, he sought
          Friday to jettison any aftereffects lingering from his Dec. 20 sideline blowup
          with coach Scott Linehan, which was caught live by NFL Network cameras and
          replayed many times by various local and national outlets.

          "It was just a situation where I was venting some frustration," said Holt,
          addressing the subject publicly for the first time. "It may not have been the
          appropriate place to do it, but it is what it is. We talked about it at the end
          of the game. He spoke his piece and I spoke mine, and that was it. … As far as
          I'm concerned, that's put to bed."

          Linehan, too, has dismissed the incident as an aggravated competitor simply
          losing his cool. But … Torry Holt doesn't lose his cool.

          "No, I don't," he said. "I don't like getting to that point, where I'm (a
          jerk). I can be (a jerk) with some of the best of them. But I hate getting to
          that point, and I hate that I let the frustration build up to that point. …

          "Never do I ever lose my composure like that. I try to remain calm, I try to
          remain like a bottle of wine — smooth and good. But that time, I guess that old
          whiskey came out of me."

          Holt erupted in the final minutes of a 41-24 loss to the visiting Pittsburgh
          Steelers that dropped the Rams to 3-12. A defeat Sunday at Arizona would result
          in the team's worst single-season record since moving here in 1995.

          "It's not good, especially coming off of a season last year where we were 8-8,
          we finished on a good note, so you come back into the offseason with much
          promise — bring in guys, add guys, gives you that much more promise," Holt
          said. "Then to start out the way we did (0-8) and to see things just become a
          domino effect to where we are now, it's disheartening … especially if you're a
          winner.

          "If you're a competitor and you like to win and you've had a taste of success,
          it can be draining."

          Holt obviously has done enough individually to add another Pro Bowl to his
          ...
          -12-29-2007, 08:15 AM
        • RamWraith
          Holt To Miss Pro Bowl
          by RamWraith
          Saturday, January 13, 2007

          By Nick Wagoner
          Senior Writer

          Torry Holt’s streak of six consecutive 1,300 receiving yard seasons came to an end in 2006. Now, another streak is over because of a knee injury.

          Holt was slated to head to Hawaii for his sixth Pro Bowl and fourth in a row at the beginning of February, but while he could still attend the NFL’s annual all-star game, he will not be able to suit up as he ponders the options for his injured knee.

          Detroit receiver Roy Williams was announced as Holt’s replacement for the Pro Bowl on Friday afternoon.

          Holt injured the knee on a touchdown catch against Arizona on Dec. 3. On the play, it appeared that Holt landed awkwardly on the knee, then it worsened in the excitement following the play.

          Although he spent most of the final few weeks listed as probable on the injury report, Holt played through the pain and finished out the season healthy enough to suit up every week and still have an impact.

          Now, Holt faces a difficult decision on what he will do about the injured knee in the offseason. Should Holt opt for surgery, it won’t be anything major, rather it would likely be of the arthroscopic variety. The always upbeat and optimistic Holt doesn’t believe that any procedure would be the type that could keep him down for a long period of time.

          “I have a lot of stuff that I need to make decisions about fairly quick, but I do like the fact that I can take it at a controlled pace and get done what I need to get done,” Holt said. “I think by having an injury like this before, I would say that it is cartilage. I don’t think it’s anything that’s going to end me. I think it’s just going to take some minor things to go in, punch a couple of holes in, straighten some things out, and let me get back to those hills and back to playing football. I’m looking forward to making this decision, relaxing, and enjoying ’07.”

          Some good old rest and relaxation could be just what the doctor ordered for Holt, who has been one of the driving forces of the Rams dynamic offense for the better part of his career.

          Holt has long been one of the NFL’s most active players in the offseason. He has become somewhat of a draftnik after doing some work for ESPN and has gotten more involved in it since the arrival of noted draft fan Corey Chavous. He has also done commentary in the Super Bowl.

          This year, though, Holt thinks he might lay low for a while.

          “Right now, my gut feeling is I won’t do any media stuff and just step back and just enjoy Torry for a little bit and my family,” Holt said. “I haven’t really had a chance to do a lot of that for awhile. So I have always been trying to jump into new things, see what I like, what I don’t like, who likes me, who doesn’t like me. So right now I think I will take a little time for Torry and just relax.”
          ...
          -01-15-2007, 05:27 AM
        • RamWraith
          Holt replaces Eagles' Owens at Pro Bowl
          by RamWraith
          STLtoday.com Sports
          02/08/2005
          Bucs Rams
          Torry Holt will take the place of Eagles wide receiver
          Terrell Owens at the Pro Bowl on Sunday.
          (Gabriel B. Tait/P-D)
          Advertisement

          Rams' wide receiver Torry Holt has been added to the
          NFC Pro Bowl team, the NFL announced Tuesday. Holt
          will replace Philadelphia Eagles' wide receiver
          Terrell Owens, who is out with an ankle injury.

          This is Holt's second straight Pro Bowl appearance and
          his fourth Pro Bowl of his career.

          Holt finished tied for first in the NFC and tied for
          third in the NFL with 94 receptions and amassed 1,372
          yards, good for fourth in the NFL this season. It is
          the second season in a row that he led or tied for the
          NFC lead in receptions, as he made 117 receptions in
          2003.

          Holt's 1,372 receiving yards made him the first player
          in NFL history to have five consecutive 1,300-yard
          receiving seasons.

          The Rams No. 1 draft pick in 1999 from North Carolina
          State has gained 8,156 yards for his career. He is the
          second player in NFL history with at least 8,000
          receiving yards through their first six seasons, the
          other being Minnesota's Randy Moss (8,375).

          Holt and tackle Orlando Pace will represent the Rams
          at this year's Pro Bowl. The NFC-AFC game will be
          played Sunday in Honolulu, Hawaii and will be
          broadcast on ESPN at 6:30 p.m. (St. Louis time).
          -02-08-2005, 06:30 PM
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