But outside of him not playing, being inactive, what makes one come to the conclusion that it equals he stinks and will be cut? What on field evidence? What news or words from Cameron/Mueller/etc? Anything concrete besides reading tea-leaves and claiming the stars align? Just asking, anything concrete?
Douchebaggery goes both ways, my generalizing friend. OT: To be honest, we could have put the site back up the same day. The amount of time we've been down has been our choice. The reason we were 'attacked' had nothing to do with VIP. And it won't happen again under my watch.
Nope, nothing concrete....just soggy Earl Grey tea leaves LOL but, if it walks and talks like a duck....
The fact that he can't get on the field evidence. He has been beaten out by one guy that was out of the league because he eats to much, another because he smokes to much and a practice squad player in Cobb. I don't like tea, I'm a coffee drinker!
Ok, Ok, you convinced me........NOT! Willing to wait and see what the real deal is. Maybe he is a Jason Allen type and needs playing time in a game to measure up properly.
I was only a VIP member for a couple of weeks before the site went down. This is just how this year has been going for me! Hey at least the Magic are kicking butt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Knowing that now makes it easier to take. I'm behind whatever you guys do to make the site better. As to VIP...there's nothing holier-than-thou about acknowledging that rejoicing over a player's injury doesn't happen there very often, and that we like it that way. As to Booker...Cam has a lot to answer for, but this Booker business is only the latest. Your RB situation is so desperate that you're activating a guy who hasn't suited up in 22 months - after only a handful of practices - and Booker is inactive? You take a chance with a guy who could be a valuable trading commodity, and don't take a chance on a guy with 4.3 speed, even if you can only put him in for certain plays? But as far as cutting Booker...you don't cut 4.3. Unless you're Larry Coker.
I dont think so.... He knew Ricky was right in front of it and stepped on him to keep him from getting up and having his left hand reach for it. Honestly, I did that a few times and got flagged once for it in HS...the ref said unsportsmanlike conduct. Your going after the ball and if that dude is in your way your going to do whatever to get his butt out of the way between you and the ball. So yeah, he stepped on him on purpose and it should of been flagged IMHO but it wasn't.
Actually, I am going with inadvertent....looks like he (#94) was attempting to step over and avoid his teammate (#92) and unfortunately Ricky's shoulder was there. Lot of body parts in that area, and with the field conditions any step for solid ground to fight for a loose ball was a potential disaster waiting to happen. Ricky's shoulder was caught with elbow extended outward in an unexpected and exposed position since he was just starting to crawl to recover the loose ball himself. If the guy steps on his back instead of his shoulder all would have been fine. Just a freak accident the way it happened. Sum it up to a microcosm of our entire season to date.
What gets me is this is the only shot we have seen since it happened live...I would like to see more of what is going on in the picture. Surely they have better footage than this? I could easily see him still going towards Ricky even though the ball is 3 or 4 yards away..then again, I can see him deliberately stepping on Ricky THEN going after the ball...
I'd have to disagree because the ball is comming from left to right in this shot. Also, his teammate is behind him not under his legs. The Steeler is also comming from left to right and instead of diving for the ball he instead slams into Ricky and then attempts to go for the ball. Now, you can argue that maybe he was changing direction, but in order to really prove that you'd have to see a back shot of the play ie. from the QB's view more or less. Maybe then you can determine if the player was looking at Ricky and not the ball, and then at the last second noticed the ball and tried to change direction OR (IMHO) if he saw Ricky about to extend and crawl for the ball and in order to stop that from happening he slams him down with his foot and then goes for the ball. Although you'd have to prove he was going to legitimately try to tackle/pile up on Ricky and from the looks of it, if he thought Ricky still had the ball, he was just trying to "push" him down....and thats a pretty nasty way to push someone down....heck thats WWF style. Since a sincere tackle would've shown him to be comming in body/shoulder first. EDIT: I'd also like to add that his teamate (92) sees the fumble and 'at first' is not under his legs...I said that before but I feel I must further comment on it. When he (94) comes in, his teammate is behind him and on the ground flat. When 92 sees the ball he tries to get up by moving/crawling forward. By the time he is under 94's legs, 94 was already stepping on Ricky and getting ready to jump the ball. 94 couldn't be avoiding something he didn't expect to be there (the helmet of his teamate touching his butt).
that was deliberate. he could have stepped well short of ricky to lunge at that ball. he was trying to push ricky away from the ball with his foot, and ended up injuring him.
Well, whatever he did it was enough to lose Ricky for the rest of the season with a torn muscle in his chest. It's about a 4 month recuperation and that brings us up almost to draft time. As long as he's injured, I don't think he can be traded, can he? We can't win for losing - in fact we can't win regardless.
I agree, he is stepping over his teamate and sees the ball and goes for, Ricky just happened to be laying there.
That was no accident. I'm pretty sure he wasn't planning on stomping on Ricky, just to get him outta the way. If you see it in slow-mo, you can see ball still being in Ricky's grasp, and Ricky reaching out for it...before gettin stopmed on. Hard.
Ok, Im coming into the thread alittle late, but i JUST saw the news and they showed an AWESOME angle of this wreck.It is the OPPOSITE angle of the clip thats posted here, and it CLEARLY shows that #94 did indeed stomp down with full intent. The angle on the thread here shows it looking quite different, but what I just saw, I rewound 8 times to be sure and it was soo clear. They also said that he will be out for 4 months. Can anyone confirm that? I usually dont trust local news casts, but the video cant lie. ;-)
he stomped ricky to keep him from the ball because ricky was just beginning to crawl toward it and it was close by. i doubt that he meant to injure ricky, but the net effect is the same regardless of intent.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d80492474&template=with-video&confirm=true I think the video shows that he had every intent on stepping on Ricky. He went away from the ball, and put force into his plant foot. He actually had his right foot on the ground about the same time his left foot contacts Ricky. His left leg was way outstretched from the rest of his body. Whatever, whether it was meant to injure him, or just keep him away from the ball, I think it is pretty obvious that he purposly stepped on him, and I think that is dirty. Just my opinion, you don't have to agree.
Prior to seeing the other video, I was convinced the placement of his foot was intentional. After seeing it, a better understanding is provided of the rookies footing, and surprising dexterity to maneuver within the play. Due to the speed at which everything takes place, the placement of his foot appears arguably incidental, but his exhibited degree of control adds incriminating evidence to the claim, that excessive force was used to intentionally inhibit Ricky's ability to recover the ball. Whether or not that rises to the level of conduct, the league will determine exceeds the limits of fair and spirited play, I have no idea.
It surely was intentional...I watched it over and over...it was almost like he was afraid Ricky was gonna help the Dolphins win...so he was afraid..and pounded him into the ground with his foot....in other words...he was saying.."I want to keep you down where you are now so you never get back up...or play again at your probowl level" Honestly though my worst fear came true...I knew if they rushed him back he'd get injured....his body just wasn't ready for that kind of pounding.. But HOPEFULLY this will lead to not being able to trade him...and hopefully he'll play for us next year..after all he is signed through 2008... And he is by far the best RB we've got...even when he's at 65%... I seen last night Ricky still has those skills and natural instincts.. And I love what In_Flames said how he felt a little chill when he seen him run... Ricky if you read this please don't let that play end your career...show everyone what you can do...
After watching the replays from various angles on ESPN this morning, there is ZERO doubt that it was both intetional and extremely viscous in nature. I think there will be fines forthcoming.... That being said, Ricky is by far the best RB on our team???? Well maybe if you dont include Both Ronnie and Jessie than you might have an arguement...
Things aren't going on at "blink of an eye" speed....I mean, really...I'm sure the guys said.."OH! I'm goig to step on RW and injure him. Whatever.
I can understand you saying that Ricky isn't as good as Ronnie...I'd agree with you there...maybe. However, I don't understand how you can say that, out of two backs who BOTH were out of the league for two years, that Chatman is better. Chatman was NEVER as good a back as Ricky at half his capacity. Chatman in preseason, and early in the year was terrible. Now, 11 games in, he's actually able to hit some holes...that just tells me that Chatman was in better playing shape than Ricky, and that should surprise nobody. If Ricky had been here since preseason, he'd be light years ahead of Chatman.
