[Archived] Dwain Chambers....

[they_think_its_all_rover]

Has joined Castleford Tigers rugby league team on a 1 month trial!

[adopted scouser]

** Looks at watch, waiting for Smithy's post **

[Rovermatt]

He's reading up on this rugby league lark before he does anything.

[Exiled_Rover]

Well Calderwood manages to get by....

[Tim Southampton Rover]

He seems to have a strong mentality and would probably have the right attributes to be a success but it will be interesting to see how he does at Rugby League once a 20 stone prop takes him out a few times.

Speaking of athletes doing different sports, after watching Darren Campbell play a few matches in the celebrity games, I always thought that he'd be a good gamble for a club below the Championship as he's a pretty decent footballer and is one of the fastest people on the planet so would easily make an impact on games.

Hmm...might be one for Southampton to consider next year when they get relegated if Lowe comes back.

[cn174]

He seems to have a strong mentality and would probably have the right attributes to be a success but it will be interesting to see how he does at Rugby League once a 20 stone prop takes him out a few times.

Speaking of athletes doing different sports, after watching Darren Campbell play a few matches in the celebrity games, I always thought that he'd be a good gamble for a club below the Championship as he's a pretty decent footballer and is one of the fastest people on the planet so would easily make an impact on games.

Hmm...might be one for Southampton to consider next year when they get relegated if Lowe comes back.

I dunno what to make of Chambers joining rugby league. It has not gone down very well with most people due to his ban from athletics. He may be strong and fast, but whether he can play rugby is a totally different matter.

As for Campbell, I'm pretty sure he was a pro footballer for a short while, for Plymouth I think

[1864roverite]

He was crap at American Football in Germany what makes him think that he will be any good at egg chasing in Yorkshire?

Mind you, he can move a bit. At 55mph down the wing, I would love someone like Mathers (pie eater) take him out at full pelt.

[T4E]

He was crap at American Football in Germany what makes him think that he will be any good at egg chasing in Yorkshire?

Huh? Have you based that on any knowledge, or is it just an (un)educated guess?

Mind you, he can move a bit. At 55mph down the wing, I would love someone like Mathers (pie eater) take him out at full pelt.

Again, huh? 55mph? Where did you pluck that figure from?!

[Ronin]

He was supposed to have had trials for American footy in the US as well or so I've heard, and well, obviously didn't last too long there either.

[broadsword]

According to my calculations, 55mph, equates to a 4 second 100m, which is some going.

You'd have to neck more than a few drugs for that.

[Exiled_Rover]

He was supposed to have had trials for American footy in the US as well or so I've heard, and well, obviously didn't last too long there either.

He was in the pre-season training camp of one of the NFL Europe teams (before it disbanded) as a wide receiver. Apparently he was atrocious and that's at a position which only requires him to be able to run predetermined routes and catch a football. If he failed at that I can't see how adding tackling and passing into the mix is going to be any help.

[Shevchenko]

He was in the pre-season training camp of one of the NFL Europe teams (before it disbanded) as a wide receiver. Apparently he was atrocious and that's at a position which only requires him to be able to run predetermined routes and catch a football. If he failed at that I can't see how adding tackling and passing into the mix is going to be any help.

You make it sound very easy there champ.

A good wide receiver needs size, speed and athleticism. He must run good routes, have good hands and be able to make yards after the catch. Not only that, he needs the heart and the guts to go catch that ball in traffic. He must also be able to block if required, and pick up the blitz should he have to.

[T4E]

He was in the pre-season training camp of one of the NFL Europe teams (before it disbanded) as a wide receiver. Apparently he was atrocious and that's at a position which only requires him to be able to run predetermined routes and catch a football. If he failed at that I can't see how adding tackling and passing into the mix is going to be any help.

Nonsense.

Chambers attended two training camps, one in Germany which he came through, was invited back for another camp in Barcelona, then finally invited to another in Tampa, after which he was given a professional contract by the Hamburg Sea Devils. He was said to be by far the fastest player in NFL Europa, and was regarded by Sea Devils coaches as "almost impossible to cover".

It is true that, despite getting open in almost every play, he had to work on his catching, which is nowhere near as easy as you suggest. Unfortunately he fractured his foot in practice and whilst he was out injured NFL Europa was disbanded.

I would not be in the slightest bit surprised if he made a go of Rugby League. After all, it's a far less techinical sport than American Football, and the guy is a World class athlete.

He was supposed to have had trials for American footy in the US as well or so I've heard, and well, obviously didn't last too long there either.

Please see above.

[Exiled_Rover]

Nonsense.

Chambers attended two training camps, one in Germany which he came through, was invited back for another camp in Barcelona, then finally invited to another in Tampa, after which he was given a professional contract by the Hamburg Sea Devils. He was said to be by far the fastest player in NFL Europa, and was regarded by Sea Devils coaches as "almost impossible to cover".

It is true that, despite getting open in almost every play, he had to work on his catching, which is nowhere near as easy as you suggest. Unfortunately he fractured his foot in practice and whilst he was out injured NFL Europa was disbanded.

I would not be in the slightest bit surprised if he made a go of Rugby League. After all, it's a far less techinical sport than American Football, and the guy is a World class athlete.

So by your own admission he can't catch for toffee which, as a receiver, is a pretty big requirement.

[Exiled_Rover]

You make it sound very easy there champ.

A good wide receiver needs size, speed and athleticism. He must run good routes, have good hands and be able to make yards after the catch. Not only that, he needs the heart and the guts to go catch that ball in traffic. He must also be able to block if required, and pick up the blitz should he have to.

I'm well aware of what a receiver has to do. However with somebody like Chambers, a guy who's never played a down in his life, you'd be foolish to ask him to do anything more than run Fly/Post/Corner routes from the slot.

[BuckyRover]

The combined speed if the tackler was running in the opposite direction would be probably greater than 55mph.

That's why a head on collision is more devastating than crashing into a wall.

I think thats what he meant

[T4E]

So by your own admission he can't catch for toffee which, as a receiver, is a pretty big requirement.

You said he took part in pre-season training. This is wrong, he was signed to a professional contract.

You said he was atrocious, the feedback suggests that is not true.

Yes, it was said that he needed to work on his catching, which as you say is a big requirement. Getting open as a receiver is the toughest part of the position, and it's something that he did well by all accounts. If you cant run routes and get open you will never be thrown to, and never have a chance to put it down.

If the league hadn't gone under Chambers would still be there.

[they_think_its_all_rover]

The youngsters Hull FC are having to play would love having to tackle someone like him.... when the press are all over somebody, the kids pick up their game and totally take em out of it.

[1864roverite]

Its based on the multi media reports that have been appearing since he made his ill fated media entrance in a rugby shirt.

I dont follow American football, its crap simple as that.

I dont follow drug cheats personal goal, but agin I do believe he was crap at A Football in Germany.

As for the 55mph, it came from an excert mentioning the "collision factor", I am not too sure that a man can reach 55mph on his own considering a cheetah reaches 60mph at full pelt.

Common sense, or lack of it, show Chambers the druggie to be a clown, like John Bond, Gordon Brown and the rest of the world of gimps.

[Dunnfc]

I admire him in a way because hes come back from his ban with all his money stripped and trophies been taken away, hes got a wife and a little girl to support so hes got to try and do something to earn a living hasen't he?

I personally think he should return to athletics and run for us, if Castleford's gamble pays off and Chambers is quality it would be intresting to see if hed stick around at them or go to Wigan or Bradford etc.

He comes accross as a strong character and i wish him all the best personally i also hope he does well.

[T4E]

I admire him in a way because hes come back from his ban with all his money stripped and trophies been taken away, hes got a wife and a little girl to support so hes got to try and do something to earn a living hasen't he?

I personally think he should return to athletics and run for us, if Castleford's gamble pays off and Chambers is quality it would be intresting to see if hed stick around at them or go to Wigan or Bradford etc.

He comes accross as a strong character and i wish him all the best personally i also hope he does well.

I'm not sure he was actually stripped of any money. I think he's been told that any prize money he wins in athletics in future will be withheld from him until he's earned enough to cover the amount he earned during the period where he admitted to using performance enhancers. I believe that is the main reason for him looking to find another vocation.