Kindle had a hard time digesting the playbook.

[NC Raven]

Interesting about drawing and filling it in himself, helping him learn. They do a lot of that at Montessori schools. As opposed to lecture -> note -> memorize -> regurgitate. It's a different way of encoding the information. I knew people in college who relentlessly "re-copied" their notes. Yes, they re-wrote their already hand-written notes. I thought they were crazy but that's how they learned. Mostly biology majors -- folks who had to memorize long lists of things, and all the taxonomies and classifications. I never could deal with any of that stuff, but I can see the comparison with a complicated NFL playbook.

It's not like he's learning some easy system -- the Ravens have a highly evolved defense that is difficult for opponents to figure out -- it stands to reason then it's also hard to learn.

[52decleetzu]

Interesting about drawing and filling it in himself, helping him learn. They do a lot of that at Montessori schools. As opposed to lecture -> note -> memorize -> regurgitate. It's a different way of encoding the information. I knew people in college who relentlessly "re-copied" their notes. Yes, they re-wrote their already hand-written notes. I thought they were crazy but that's how they learned. Mostly biology majors -- folks who had to memorize long lists of things, and all the taxonomies and classifications. I never could deal with any of that stuff, but I can see the comparison with a playbook.

I can say from first hand experience that when you write stuff down it is almost burned into your brain for some reason. I used to hate trying to memorize all this shit for school, but started doing just what you said and it was AMAZING how much stuff I could retain. I am almost exclusively a visual learner doing things with my hands as well, so it isn't like I have problems seeing something and remembering it.

[MarkS]

To give you a little background, I've been a Longhorn fan for quite sometime, even marrying a UT fanatic, and I have known the name Kindle for quite some time.

When the Ravens signed him, I had very cautious optimism. He struggled in Mack Browns system (a very straight forward defensive scheme) but had success since they catered a lot to his talents since he is a freak athlete.

His problem now is that he's an athlete among athletes and has to apply his smarts. I'm sure he's a nice enough guy, but that's his knock. It doesn't surprise me at all he's not grasping the intricacies of an NFL defense.

OK, but he wouldn't be the 1st player to struggle learning how to play in the NFL - James Harrison got cut 4 times in his first three years (3times by PGH, once by us), primarily due to his inability to learn the playbook:

"He was just like any other rookie(2002)," says Steelers veteran linebacker James Farrior. "He didn't really know the D. We'd be in practice, in training camp, and he might not know what he was doing so he'd just stop and throw his hands up and tell them to get him out of there."

"In late July '04, the Steelers called after linebacker Clark Haggans suffered a freak injury lifting weights. They wanted Harrison back for training camp. It wasn't the same Harrison. He went to camp armed with 1,000 flash cards, and laid on a mattress on the floor at night with his playbook and handwritten notes."

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playof...ory?id=3855349

It takes some guys longer than others. So I'm still cautiously optimistic.

[DarthCorvax]

I see good points all around this thread. They didn't put a huge financial investment into Kindle, so what they get out of him will be gravy. There might be a good upside with a very low downside.

Great point about Harrison. It took him getting cut and going to bigger lengths and doing non-standard things to learn the playbook and become a good player. Kindle being willing to put in the time shows, IMO, something about his character and desire to get to the field. (I think it also shows that Monachino is a coach we want to keep. You guys who said he'll one day be DC, I believe, are on the money)

As far as Kindle's inability to learn the playbook, there is also the physical aspect that his accident probably impaired. If Kindle's having issues with complicated actions like driving a car or walking steps (actions themselves predicated upon muscle memory and in the case of driving, intuition), I'm sure he's having a tough time developing the muscle memory that helps him to physically remember what to do in the moment without having to overthink it. This is on top of the basic mental-only learning that goes on in football.

I don't know what kind of ROI the Ravens will get on their minimal investment in Kindle, but it sounds like if he continues to work hard to better himself as a player, it might pay off for both him and the Ravens.

[CoverD]

I also think the fact that he has hearing loss in one of his ears from the stairs incident isn't helping him at all.

[Mista T]

I'm afraid that Kindle = Cody II. All this optimism is great, but combination of slow learner, skull, partial deafness, lack of common sense re night life, etc creates a huge challenge.

Let's hope that Jarrett Johnson sticks around another few seasons and dip back into draft pool.

[wickedsolo]

I'm afraid that Kindle = Cody II. All this optimism is great, but combination of slow learner, skull, partial deafness, lack of common sense re night life, etc creates a huge challenge.

Let's hope that Jarrett Johnson sticks around another few seasons and dip back into draft pool.

He has a lot going against him, but honestly the hard part is over. He's already proven he can hit and be physical. That was something most of the medical evaluators said he'd likely never be able to do again.

I think that the Ravens will definitely look at pass rushers/OLB's in this draft and free agency, but there is nothing that says that Kindle cannot contribute.

[JAB1985]

The Ravens do employ one of the most complex defenses in the league. Theres plenty of smart guys that cant decipher it very well (Tom Brady for instance). I dont think its a huge knock on the guy, and coming off a head injury im sure he wasnt diving into a playbook as much as he was just trying to get his ability to talk normally and vision/hearing back. I think 1/2 way through the year would be a good thing. I dont think many other "rookies" really fully learn the playbook until 4-6 weeks in anyway. I mean look at torrey as an example. early season id say he wasnt nearly as good as he ended up, because he learned what he had to do as the season progressed. that includes adjusting to the NFL, which hopefully Kindle has done during practice to some capacity.

[wickedsolo]

There is also a lot to be said about studying a playbook vice studying the playbook and actually physically doing it on the practice field.

If you take that into consideration, this past season was basically Kindle's rookie year.

[Terpsfan82]

Simple solution. New DC (to Kindle): "Hey kid, here is your assignment. You ready?". Kindle: "Yes sir." DC: "See that guy over there wearing number 7?" Kindle: "Yes sir." DC: "Kill him."

[Irish Raven]

Anyone else reading this and thinking of Jim Brown in Any Given Sunday lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=871Is5e8va8

[alien bird]

Simple solution. New DC (to Kindle): "Hey kid, here is your assignment. You ready?". Kindle: "Yes sir." DC: "See that guy over there wearing number 7?" Kindle: "Yes sir." DC: "Kill him."

The old Bobby Boucher method. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120484/

[GOTA]

Kindle is going to have to earn a spot next season. They aren't going to automatically keep him this year.

[The Fanatic]

Simple solution. New DC (to Kindle): "Hey kid, here is your assignment. You ready?". Kindle: "Yes sir." DC: "See that guy over there wearing number 7?" Kindle: "Yes sir." DC: "Kill him."

This is what I thought they would do with him this year in obvious passing situations at minimum.
Seemed to work for the 49ers with Aldon Smith.

[Terpsfan82]

This is what I thought they would do with him this year in obvious passing situations at minimum.
Seemed to work for the 49ers with Aldon Smith.

Aldon Smith didn't have to play special teams.

[B-more Ravor]

OK, but he wouldn't be the 1st player to struggle learning how to play in the NFL - James Harrison got cut 4 times in his first three years (3times by PGH, once by us), primarily due to his inability to learn the playbook:

That's a very good point.

They don't seem to be ready to give up on him yet, and based on the way they worked his contract and being on the "Non-Football Injury List" in 2010, he's only now completed his first accrued season in the NFL, so contractually he's just completed his rookie year. As such, they've got 2 more years to see what happens before he becomes a RFA - at which time their salary commitment would increase greatly.

Personally, I'm not real optimistic about him ever being what we had hoped him to be, but there's certainly no reason to not let it play out and see what may happen. At this point, anything we get would be a bonus.

[mommathurgoesthatman]

OK, but he wouldn't be the 1st player to struggle learning how to play in the NFL - James Harrison got cut 4 times in his first three years (3times by PGH, once by us), primarily due to his inability to learn the playbook:

And you can see when the broncos played the steelers and had James harrison looking confused all day shows why it took him so long to learn a playbook. all muscle and no brain. He cant read plays and his awareness sucks. I hope kindle is not like that.

[jhoff66]

Is that bad awareness? just saying I dont like the guy either

[ravensinva]

The Ravens do employ one of the most complex defenses in the league. Theres plenty of smart guys that cant decipher it very well (Tom Brady for instance).

Tom Brady plays for the other team, he doesn't have the playbook. Kindle and defense probably have study sessions all the time.

[Kevlar]

Maybe they should give him a shot of tequila every time he remembers a play correctly. Positive reinforcement. It worked for that pavlov guy.