joelbolt
11-02-2006, 09:30 AM
Winslow is getting all charged up (http://www.cleveland.com/sports/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/1162460300208740.xml&coll=2)
Playing in home town against top competition stokes Browns tight end
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Tony Grossi
Plain Dealer Reporter
Returning to his San Diego roots on Sunday, to where his father forged a Hall of Fame career, has Kellen Winslow Jr. more fired up than usual.
"When I looked on the schedule, I always knew I'd be back for this game," Winslow said of his off-season recovery from a motorcycle accident.
There's another thing motivating Winslow for Sunday's game against the San Diego Chargers - Antonio Gates.
The Chargers' tight end, who played basketball, not football, at Kent State, has drawn comparisons to the original Kellen Winslow.
K2 wants to show San Diegans they're missing the real deal.
"I look at it as a heavyweight match. It's me vs. Gates," Winslow said Wednesday. "I want to be the best tight end out there, and I've got to go do it on Sunday. You know, Tony's right behind me, Gates is right behind me. So I've got to stay on top."
Winslow was referring to Kansas City's Tony Gonzalez, recognized as the sport's best tight end until Gates sprinted off the Kent State basketball floor and into the NFL highlight shows.
Winslow leads all tight ends with 40 receptions. Gonzalez has 33 and Gates 32. But Gonzalez has taken the lead in receiving yards with 441, to Winslow's 393 and Gates' 384. And Gates leads with four touchdowns. Winslow has three and Gonzalez one.
Winslow knows the individual statistics. He noted that Gonzalez has two 100-yard games and he is looking for his first. And he wants to leave no room for argument about which tight end will dominate the NFL for years to come.
"I said I was the best. I am the best. And I'm going to prove it on Sunday," Winslow said.
Comments like those have elicited a torrent of criticism from national commentators and analysts who generally respond, "What has he done in the NFL to merit such talk?"
Winslow acknowledged that he has not silenced his critics.
"Not at all," he attests. "You've got to keep going because when you play for the Browns, right now you don't get a lot of pub [publicity]. I don't even think they know what I'm doing. So I've got to prove it against a good team like the Chargers, [and] the Ravens. I've got to ball up."
Winslow, who was born in San Diego and attended Scripps Ranch High School there, said he grew up dreaming of playing for the same team as his dad. He doesn't begrudge Gates' success there, concedes he's a "great player," but you gather that he doesn't appreciate the San Diego hype that Gates is the next Winslow Sr.
"I've got all the respect for Gates. But my father, he's on a whole other level. He made the tight end position," Winslow said.
Winslow was 4½ years old when his father retired in 1987 with 541 catches, 6,741 yards and 45 touchdowns. Not even K2 can measure up to the original Winslow.
"Not even close. Not yet," he said.
"I think I'm a different type of breed," Winslow continued. "I'm not really a tight end, I'm not really a receiver. I'm kind of a 'tweener. And they figure out ways to give me the ball. Tony's more big body, big frame, like my dad. I'm kind of in between."
Winslow said he and Gates aren't alike at all "except for the speed factor. . . . We run very different routes. He has a bigger, more stocky body than me."
This was Winslow's boldest day of commentary since proclaiming in training camp that his 90 percent is "better than anybody out there." He was asked if he had received any negative feedback from other players about that statement.
"No, because I am," he said matter-of-factly. "That's not being arrogant. I am. I know what I can do. They know what I can do. The defensive coordinator knows what I can do.
"They're not going to match me up man to man. They're going to double me. They're going to do what they did to Tony, try to double him on third down and in the red zone, and I'm ready for that."
Quarterback Charlie Frye hopes so.
"Going against Antonio, going home . . . Kellen's going to have a big game this week," Frye said.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
tgrossi@plaind.com, 216-999-4670
Playing in home town against top competition stokes Browns tight end
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Tony Grossi
Plain Dealer Reporter
Returning to his San Diego roots on Sunday, to where his father forged a Hall of Fame career, has Kellen Winslow Jr. more fired up than usual.
"When I looked on the schedule, I always knew I'd be back for this game," Winslow said of his off-season recovery from a motorcycle accident.
There's another thing motivating Winslow for Sunday's game against the San Diego Chargers - Antonio Gates.
The Chargers' tight end, who played basketball, not football, at Kent State, has drawn comparisons to the original Kellen Winslow.
K2 wants to show San Diegans they're missing the real deal.
"I look at it as a heavyweight match. It's me vs. Gates," Winslow said Wednesday. "I want to be the best tight end out there, and I've got to go do it on Sunday. You know, Tony's right behind me, Gates is right behind me. So I've got to stay on top."
Winslow was referring to Kansas City's Tony Gonzalez, recognized as the sport's best tight end until Gates sprinted off the Kent State basketball floor and into the NFL highlight shows.
Winslow leads all tight ends with 40 receptions. Gonzalez has 33 and Gates 32. But Gonzalez has taken the lead in receiving yards with 441, to Winslow's 393 and Gates' 384. And Gates leads with four touchdowns. Winslow has three and Gonzalez one.
Winslow knows the individual statistics. He noted that Gonzalez has two 100-yard games and he is looking for his first. And he wants to leave no room for argument about which tight end will dominate the NFL for years to come.
"I said I was the best. I am the best. And I'm going to prove it on Sunday," Winslow said.
Comments like those have elicited a torrent of criticism from national commentators and analysts who generally respond, "What has he done in the NFL to merit such talk?"
Winslow acknowledged that he has not silenced his critics.
"Not at all," he attests. "You've got to keep going because when you play for the Browns, right now you don't get a lot of pub [publicity]. I don't even think they know what I'm doing. So I've got to prove it against a good team like the Chargers, [and] the Ravens. I've got to ball up."
Winslow, who was born in San Diego and attended Scripps Ranch High School there, said he grew up dreaming of playing for the same team as his dad. He doesn't begrudge Gates' success there, concedes he's a "great player," but you gather that he doesn't appreciate the San Diego hype that Gates is the next Winslow Sr.
"I've got all the respect for Gates. But my father, he's on a whole other level. He made the tight end position," Winslow said.
Winslow was 4½ years old when his father retired in 1987 with 541 catches, 6,741 yards and 45 touchdowns. Not even K2 can measure up to the original Winslow.
"Not even close. Not yet," he said.
"I think I'm a different type of breed," Winslow continued. "I'm not really a tight end, I'm not really a receiver. I'm kind of a 'tweener. And they figure out ways to give me the ball. Tony's more big body, big frame, like my dad. I'm kind of in between."
Winslow said he and Gates aren't alike at all "except for the speed factor. . . . We run very different routes. He has a bigger, more stocky body than me."
This was Winslow's boldest day of commentary since proclaiming in training camp that his 90 percent is "better than anybody out there." He was asked if he had received any negative feedback from other players about that statement.
"No, because I am," he said matter-of-factly. "That's not being arrogant. I am. I know what I can do. They know what I can do. The defensive coordinator knows what I can do.
"They're not going to match me up man to man. They're going to double me. They're going to do what they did to Tony, try to double him on third down and in the red zone, and I'm ready for that."
Quarterback Charlie Frye hopes so.
"Going against Antonio, going home . . . Kellen's going to have a big game this week," Frye said.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
tgrossi@plaind.com, 216-999-4670