SI's Ross Tucker

[SuperSpck]

This guy has been delivering killer commentary since joining SI a short while ago (well, maybe not that short) and provides a refreshing and sensible breath to the sensationalistic aspect of 24/7 sports media.

He's a weekly read and I recommend getting on board.

This week's taste(s):

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/ross_tucker/09/24/millen/index.html


1) The Lions players are on break for the bye week and the news this morning that Millen is out surely hit some of them like a ton of bricks. The NFL is as much about who you know as it is how well you can play, and the fact that Millen is gone can only mean that at some point in the not so distant future head coach Rod Marinelli will be sent packing as well. That can't be welcome news to the former Tampa Bay Bucs littering the Lions roster, guys who were handpicked by Marinelli. His eventual dismissal could spell trouble for guys like Chuck Darby, Dwight Smith, Kalvin Pearson and Ryan Nece. That is just the reality of life in the NFL.


2)Rodney Harrison has got to be kidding me. His Patriots got out-hustled, out-hit and out-coached for 60 minutes last Sunday, yet he had the gall to criticize Ricky Williams for a downfield block on Mike Vrabel.

Harrison felt the below-the-waist block by Williams was a "dirty" play and uncalled for. For Harrison, of all people, to call someone dirty is preposterous, but not necessarily for the reason many people might think.
I am not going to focus on the reality that Harrison has a reputation for being among the dirtiest players in the NFL, because that is not my point in the slightest. As a matter of fact, I have a tremendous amount of respect for the way Harrison plays the game. Like most players, I had an intense dislike for him when I went against him for a couple of years while I was a member of the Buffalo Bills. He is the type of the agitating player that opponents hate, which of course only means his teammates love him, something I realized during my time with the New England Patriots.

Harrison is exactly the type of safety I would love to have on my team. Tough. Physical. Nasty. Shows no mercy and always plays to the whistle. And sometimes a little after. That is why I found his comments concerning Williams hustle play to be so curious. Harrison would have done the exact same thing if he were in Williams' shoes on that play.

It was a legal block that showed outstanding effort on the part of Williams and if Vrabel no longer wanted to be a part of that play, he should have stopped chasing Brown and protected himself. I don't think it was a dirty play, just like I don't think most of the questionable plays Harrison has had over the years have been dirty. I admire that style of play and think it is of tremendous value to any team.

What I don't admire, and can't condone, is Harrison's decision to obtain human growth hormone despite the fact he knew it was illegal and would give him an unfair advantage. Harrison was suspended four games in 2007 after admitting to taking HGH. Nothing is dirtier than knowingly cheating the system to give yourself a leg up on the competition.

Harrison needs to take a long look in the mirror and think about his previous transgressions off the field before he questions the moves that other players make on the field. His decision to attempt to circumvent league policy and gain an edge on all of the other players in the league trumps any on-field actions by Williams or others.


3)According to Jeremy Trueblood of the Bucs, however, one member of the Chicago Bears went overboard on Sunday. Trueblood was seen bashing Adewale Ogunleye after a play, which started yet another round of pushing and shoving in a scuffle-filled game, this one ending in an unnecessary roughness penalty on the Bears' Charles Tillman.

What set Trueblood off? Apparently, his genitals were grabbed by a member of the Bears and he decided he couldn't let that go and I don't blame him one bit. Pushing and shoving after a play is pointless and can only lead to a stupid penalty that hurts the team. But there are certain acts that trump the rules on the playing field and have to be dealt with, and going after the family jewels is one of them.

.............................

Read the rest at the website, give the kid his shining nickle.

 

[black]

Great stuff, keep it coming.

 

[abomb]

Thanks man.

 

[CardLogic]

...there are certain acts that trump the rules on the playing field and have to be dealt with, and going after the family jewels is one of them.

Abso-freakin'-lutely!

 

[SuperSpck]

Here's Tucker's latest from Oct 1

Another good read and a lot of insight into players (agree or disagree).

On the call that sent Boldin to the hospital for evaluation:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/ross_tucker/10/01/eriksmith/index.html

Eric Smith became the NFL equivalent of a sacrificial lamb when he was fined $50,000 and suspended for one game in the wake of his helmet-to-helmet hit on Anquan Boldin on Sunday. Commissioner Roger Goodell had recently sent out a memo to all players in which he emphasized player safety. So for Smith, the timing of his hit could not have been worse.
Look, I'm all for protecting the health of players, but this fine was more than a little steep. Smith is making $445,000 this year, so figure that after all his New Jersey taxes are deducted, he would have taken home about $250,000. Not anymore. With one hit Smith lost one-fifth of his income. A one-game suspension would have been enough to scare the guys around the league.
Furthermore, I'm aware the hit looks bad in slow-motion, but that's just it, the game is not played in slow-motion, it's played at warp speed. Only players and former players realize how fast things happen between the white lines. Smith went to make a play, to do his job, and the angle of the play changed a split second before impact when Kerry Rhodes hit Boldin from behind.
That is my major problem with the ruling; I don't think the league adequately took into account that dynamic. I know the main concern was that Smith launched his body, but what else is he supposed to do to make sure he times it perfectly and is not a hair late or a tad early.
Besides, I could make a very strong argument the hit would have been even more devastating if Smith hadn't left his feet. It is the same reason why coaches often dislike running backs trying to dive over the pile into the end zone for touchdowns. You lose your power when you leave your feet.
Smith was in the right place to make the play. Unfortunately, he will pay a hefty price because of it.


..............................


On the website he also talks about the week long stay for AZ and Linehan's firing.

 

[SuperSpck]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/ross_tucker/10/08/tucks.takes/index.html


Am I the only one who doesn't understand the buzz about Kurt Warner and an impending retirement? On a number of levels, the hoopla surrounding what apparently started as an innocent text message to his wife, Brenda, is disconcerting.

So Kurt got a little scared after Anquan Boldin got nailed by the Jets' Eric Smith and relayed those concerns to his wife. Big deal. I have no problem with that, but then things got a little carried away. Warner told the story to a national columnist, who relayed the anecdote in a story that all of a sudden got picked up as national news. If it became breaking news every time a guy told his wife that he was going to quit football, or told a brother that he wanted to play for a different team, or told a friend that he was unhappy about his playing time, there would be no other news to report. The point is NFL players are human and they say things in the heat of the moment or in passing all the time, and it does not necessarily mean that it is breaking news.

I don't think Warner was wrong in telling the story, though I certainly think his contention that he would have retired had Boldin suffered a more serious injury was a bit melodramatic. Would he have really let down the other 52 guys on the roster and all of the coaches? I highly doubt it.

Warner knows this is a rough sport, and I think the combination of his poor performance and Boldin's hit was too much for him on that day. That is understandable. I am perplexed, however, that Kurt can talk about retirement so freely when it wasn't very long ago that he was clamoring for a new contract. The timing is peculiar, at a minimum.

 

[SuperSpck]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/ross_tucker/10/13/week6.grades/index.html

Grade: A+

Arizona Cardinals receiving corps. The Cardinals thrilling victory over the Cowboys was thanks in no small part to the contributions of an Anquan Boldin-less unit that still found a way to get open and make plays, including the game clincher when it mattered the most.

You have to start, of course, with Larry Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald didn't have amazing numbers with five receptions for 79 yards and a touchdown, but the numbers don't tell the whole story.

Almost all of his catches were of the spectacular variety against double coverage and it is about time people realize Fitzgerald's body control and ball skills are second to none. Only Randy Moss, among active players, can compare to Fitzgerald's Lynn Swann-esque ability to make plays on the ball in the air, in traffic.

Second-year receiver Steve Breaston has blossomed out of nowhere to become one of the breakout performers of this season, catching eight balls for 102 yards and a touchdown. Breaston has benefited from the attention being paid to Fitzgerald and Boldin, and a lot of the credit has to go to his receivers coach, Mike Miller.

Based upon his lack of consistent production in the passing game at Michigan, Breaston was considered to be primarily a return specialist when he was drafted by the Cardinals. The combination of Breaston's hard work and Miller's teaching has made the Cardinals receiving corps a true triple threat.

Last, but certainly not least, is Cardinals receiver Sean Morey. Morey was the fifth receiver on Sunday and didn't have a catch. All he did was prove once again why he is on the roster by blocking the Matt McBriar punt in overtime that Monty Beisel returned for a touchdown, giving the Cardinals the improbable victory they so desperately desired as they grabbed a stranglehold on the NFC West.

 

[abomb]

Great stuff and for bumping an old thread.

 

[SuperSpck]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/ross_tucker/10/15/referees/index.html





I can't take it anymore. I am so sick and tired of hearing everyone and their brother complaining about the officiating in the NFL. It is hard to remember another season, or at least the start of a season, when the officials were more heavily scrutinized than this one.
Everybody seems to be getting in on the act of bashing. Owners, coaches, players, the media and fans alike seem to have one point of commonality; they all think the officials are doing a horrendous job and have pointed that out publicly.
If it isn't Jerry Jones criticizing Ed Hochuli and his crew, it's the Steelers' James Harrison suggesting an official might have had an ulterior motive for making a particular call. If it isn't the Saints putting a picture of a missed facemask call on their official Web site, it's Chargers fans incessantly booing for about five minutes straight, as they did Sunday night while their team was up more than 20 points. As for the Dolphins' Joey Porter, well, I'm not sure he even counts because he is always running his mouth about something.
I have one message for all you referee haters out there: Get over it. Project your anger elsewhere.
The officials are going to make mistakes. These errors have been going on since the dawn of the sport and will continue as long as humans are making the calls, which I would venture to guess is going to be an awfully long time. Human error is a part of every sport. It comes with the territory. The key is to accept it and not allow it to be a crutch or an excuse. Or better yet, find a way to overcome it.
Let's be real clear: I do not like officials. Not one bit. Never have and never will. I certainly felt like I had more calls go against me and the teams I played for than went in my favor. But that's the point. Everyone feels that way. The reality is sometimes the calls will go your way, sometimes they won't.
The problem is that people never really make a big deal about it or appreciate it when things go their way. Broncos' fans weren't exactly thanking the officials and deflecting all the credit in their direction after the Week 2 blunder.
What people seemingly fail to realize as they latch on to the most obvious missteps are that there are several less blatant calls that are missed every game. Yet those bad calls that may be more subtle could have had a significant impact on the game as well. The bottom line is that the next time an officiating crew has a perfect game will be the first one.
There are holding penalties that go unnoticed all the time. I distinctly remember telling an official who called a holding penalty on me one time, "How can you call that? I just held this guy three of the last four plays and you threw the flag on the only one where I didn't."
The officials and the league are constantly striving to improve, and that is all we can really ask. There is no conspiracy. The game is not played in slow-motion with HD clarity, so we can't expect it to be refereed that way. The greatest way we can get things right is the review process, and that process is constantly being tweaked by those with the best interests of the game at heart. Until we reach perfection, which will obviously never happen, teams and players need to find a way to overcome any mistakes as opposed to dwelling on them.

 

[CardLogic]

I distinctly remember telling an official who called a holding penalty on me one time, "How can you call that? I just held this guy three of the last four plays and you threw the flag on the only one where I didn't."

That's a great line!

I hate bad calls as much as the next guy, but as has been said, to be a good team you have to be able to beat the other team and the referees.

But...

Get rid of the stupid "tuck" rule.

If a QB's arm is going forward in an attempt to release the ball it's either a completion, incomplete pass or an interception. If a QB arm moves forward then he attempts to retain possession, the only two possible results should be he is either in possession of the ball or it is a fumble. Anything else makes no rational sense. If a guy is trying to throw the ball that is one thing, if he is trying to hold the ball that is another; if he is attempting to hold onto the ball, he either does or does not!

 

[HeavyB3]

He sometimes does shows on Sirius NFL Radio too. He's fun to listen to. He's a very intelligent football analyst.

 

[SuperSpck]

Oct 30

If you like his stuff click the link and read it so we can keep him employed.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/ross_tucker/10/29/tucks.takes/index.html

Recent rash of positive tests goes beyond gaining performance edge


All positive tests for banned substances under the NFL's steroid policy are not the same and should not be treated as such, despite the league's inclination to the contrary.


My first reaction to the news that six to 10 players had tested positive for water pills was probably similar to most people in and around the league: Every player is solely responsible for what he puts into his body, and if he fails a test, it is his fault and he should pay the consequences. Part of me, to some extent, still feels that way.



But when you peel back the onion, so to speak, on this one, you realize there is more to it than a typical positive test for anabolic steroids.


I know some of these players and highly doubt any of them were taking substances in order to enhance performance or gain a competitive edge. Yes, evidently, the particular water pill or diuretic that some of them were taking, Bumetanide, can be used as a masking agent. But let's get serious here. If these guys were really intent on trying to beat the system, they would take human growth hormone, which is still undetectable in urine tests. There's no need to take an anabolic steroid and then a masking agent because that only complicates matters.


No, the reason these players were taking water pills was so they could make their assigned weight and not have to pay a hefty fine. Players are typically assigned a weight at which they are to report to training camp. They are then asked to stay under that weight for the remainder of the season as they get weighed on a weekly basis, typically Thursday or Friday for most NFL teams.



The weight issue can be a point of contention at times between players and staff. Sometimes the weights are unrealistically low or not at a weight at which the player feels comfortable competing. Other times the players are simply lazy and looking to cut corners. Either way, this is the root cause of the current dilemma now facing the league.


According to one team's 2008 players manual, the fine is $431 per pound that a player is overweight. The fine used to be per pound, per day when I played, but this particular manual indicates the fine can only be assessed twice per week. Still, do the math. Being 10 pounds overweight in a given week could cost a player $8,620.00 and that is nobody's pocket change. In fact, I was once on a team in which three players paid over $500,000 in fines one season as a result of being over their prescribed weight. It is no wonder players are taking diuretics to make their weight.


I distinctly remember some players arriving two hours early on weigh-in days during the season in order to work out in sweats and plastics and then head into the sauna or steam room, all in the name of saving some money. That makes a lot of sense, by the way, having a process in place that will ultimately leave several players dehydrated within 48 hours of game time. Give me a break.


With the process being what it is, players are clearly going to try to find supplements that can help them lose some weight and save some of their hard-earned cash. You can call it taking the easy way out; I'll just call it reality. The problem is there are a number of potential pitfalls inherent in taking any type of substance.



The team and the league tell players to check with their trainers before taking anything. This doesn't always work. First, what player is really going to tell a trainer he is trying to take something to make weight and wants his advice? And that isn't the only problem.


"I asked one of our trainers if I could take a supplement and he didn't want anything to do with it," said one active player, "He completely shirked any responsibility and just told me to call the 800 number or send an e-mail" to the independent group that the NFL has retained to answer such inquiries.
That doesn't always work either, according to the same active player. "I e-mailed them to find out whether or not I could take something and I never got a response back," he said. "Nothing."


Complicating matters further is that even when a player seemingly does all the right things, there is a chance the ingredient label does not mention a banned substance that is, in fact, in the supplement.



This is supposedly the case with Saints guard Jamar Nesbit, who is suing the maker of "StarCaps" after he tested positive for Bumetanide, which isn't among the listed ingredients in StarCaps but does show up in testing, according to his attorney.


Ironically, Nesbit's decision to take the four-game suspension for violating the steroid policy, rather than file an appeal like teammates Will Smith, Deuce McAllister and Charles Grant have done collectively, is likely to cause some consternation during the process as it unfolds.



Can the league really lessen the proposed suspensions of the trio of Saints as well as Vikings defensive tackles Pat and Kevin Williams when Nesbit has already done the time?



If the answer is yes, Nesbit is likely to be furious due to his belief that the NFL's policy said he was strictly responsible for anything in his body and thus he did not really have any reason to believe he could get a lesser suspension.



So he took it in order to get it out of the way. And now his teammates and others around the league may be directly affected by the precedent he set.

 

[Spielman]

That whole thing is a mess. It's all well and good to say that you're responsible for what you put into your own body, but when there are products that contain ingredients that aren't listed, how the hell is anybody supposed to be sure what they actually are putting in their bodies?

Unregulated supplements... fun stuff.

 

[SuperSpck]

That whole thing is a mess. It's all well and good to say that you're responsible for what you put into your own body, but when there are products that contain ingredients that aren't listed, how the hell is anybody supposed to be sure what they actually are putting in their bodies?

Unregulated supplements... fun stuff.

It doesn't seem fair, does it?
Your not just asking a player to be aware of what they put in their bodies, but you're essentially demanding they keep a chemical lab on retainer to test out everything they put into their bodies.

The simple solution would be to avoid taking any supplements, but during the year if there is really a dumb "weigh-in" rule like this is wrestling (not football), I can see why players take them.

It's certainly a case of being stuck between a rock and a hardplace.

 

[Skkorpion]

Good read. Sorry. I don't buy it. The stuff on diuretics, I mean.

 

[SuperSpck]

Good read. Sorry. I don't buy it. The stuff on diuretics, I mean.

You mean as a water-weight control method or do you believe they're using it as a more sinister way to mask a controlled substance?

 

[Skkorpion]

You mean as a water-weight control method or do you believe they're using it as a more sinister way to mask a controlled substance?

I mean they know the rules and the rules are simple. Used as either weight control or masking agent, the intent is to cheat. To cheat team-mandated weight targets agreed upon in advance by the player in signing his contract. Or cheat to obtain a competitive advantage.

It's all cheating related to getting more money than the player can earn by not cheating.

The author admits some of the cheating is because the player is lazy. I'll buy that. And some of it is because the weight limits are set too low. Again, I'll accept it. Then the players should not have accepted the limits or they did so planning to cheat from the very beginning.

As for his statement that players intending to cheat for performance would just have used HGH anyway, that's laughable and proven wrong all the time. Steroid users continue to use them in every drug-tested sport the world over and continue to often get away with it despite being caught every now and then.

Baseball minor players again were caught and penalized this summer. Tour De France participants were again nailed for using masking agents. There were more Olympics positives, though none of stars.

 

[Russ Smith]

I mean they know the rules and the rules are simple. Used as either weight control or masking agent, the intent is to cheat. To cheat team-mandated weight targets agreed upon in advance by the player in signing his contract. Or cheat to obtain a competitive advantage.

It's all cheating related to getting more money than the player can earn by not cheating.

The author admits some of the cheating is because the player is lazy. I'll buy that. And some of it is because the weight limits are set too low. Again, I'll accept it. Then the players should not have accepted the limits or they did so planning to cheat from the very beginning.

As for his statement that players intending to cheat for performance would just have used HGH anyway, that's laughable and proven wrong all the time. Steroid users continue to use them in every drug-tested sport the world over and continue to often get away with it despite being caught every now and then.

Baseball minor players again were caught and penalized this summer. Tour De France participants were again nailed for using masking agents. There were more Olympics positives, though none of stars.

I agree with Skorp and some. First off nobody in the history of the NFL has ever admitted it when they first get caught. it's always 2nd hand smoke or tainted supplement or I forgot armed robbery was illegal.

I don't think using a diuretic to make a weight limit is cheating I think it's assinine as the author says all you're doing is weakening yourself right before a game. I think NFL teams are smart enough that if players were doing that just to make weight limits they'd realize it was counter productive to the team and they'd do something. So I don't really buy that is why they're using the diuretic, I think they're using it as a masking agent.

I mean am I really to believe that Deuce McAllister, a guy who's never had a weight issue to my knowledge, is using a diuretic because of a weight clause?
Or is it more likely that in rehabbing from his last injury he started using steroids and one of his teammates introduced him to the masking agent?

Sorry not buying the it's an innocent mistake line.

 

[SuperSpck]

Sorry not buying the it's an innocent mistake line.

Just about every athlete uses supplements, so I'm not going to find every player who uses one guilty of using steroids to boot, or trying to mask it.

As far as players agreeing to weight limits, what leverage do they have to deny them? A superstar DT might be able to say no, but what about a backup veteran? He knows he'll be easily replaced by the hungry kid off the street, so he has to agree, no matter how ridiculous or he's out of a job.

Also, let's not assume the league has the players' best interests at heart, if there's a weight loss clause and a player is intentionally dehydrating himself to make weight (how many times have any of you spit in a cup in your high school days, just to make weight) the coaches may not know or may not take responsibility for preaching hydration.

I agree that a player should be on top of his body, but tainted supplements are real and self dehydrating to make weight does happen, so I'm just won't assume mass guilt.

 

[CardLogic]

To cheat team-mandated weight targets agreed upon in advance by the player in signing his contract.

Then the players should not have accepted the limits or they did so planning to cheat from the very beginning.

Your saying that a players playing weight is in their contract?? I could see that if it were a player known for letting himself get to heavy, but all players? Or are you speaking of a "contract" between the coach and the players specifically for playing weight?

On the second point, you state the player "should not have accepted the limits". Do you really believe a player has that option? I have to believe that it is pretty much the coaching staff telling a player what weight they want him at rather than a negotiation.

As far as the question of cheating goes, I think for many if not most, it's about getting any advantage you can...

 

[clif]

I absolutely buy the weight issue. I had the same problem when I was in the military. They used some crazy ass chart to tell me I was supposed to be a certain weight which I could never achieve. They then put me on the "fat boy's" program and in essence made my last year or so in the Air Force miserable. I was working out damn near 5 days a week and was lifting weights the whole nine. I just could never make this unrealistic weight.

So years after I cut my enlistment short... they finally figured out that the weight chart was inaccurate and a poor indicator of overall health of a person. So long story short, I know all about being forced to make an unrealistic weight. Some people just have more mass than others no matter what they look like.

Ever heard the term "light in the ass"... well that was never a problem of mine.

 

[Russ Smith]

Just about every athlete uses supplements, so I'm not going to find every player who uses one guilty of using steroids to boot, or trying to mask it.

As far as players agreeing to weight limits, what leverage do they have to deny them? A superstar DT might be able to say no, but what about a backup veteran? He knows he'll be easily replaced by the hungry kid off the street, so he has to agree, no matter how ridiculous or he's out of a job.

.

Of course they're not all guilty, my point is they're not all innocent either and yet NOBODY admits it when they get caught.

These days my assumption is if someone tests positive they are guilty, if it turns out these Star Caps things are tainted then they're welcome to sue the manufacturer, the thing is Merriman during his rookie year made a big deal about how tainted supplements caused him to get suspended and he was going to sue, and he never did. Why? Because he knew it wasn't the supplement that was tainted it was him, and that if he sued, he'd now be subject to actual laws that required him to prove things and he knew he was lying. So he never sued.

I hope in this case someone does sue the makers of Starcaps, until that actually happens(not just saying we're going to but actually suing) I will assume this is just like Merriman was.

 

[SuperSpck]

Because he knew it was the supplement that was tainted it was him, and that if he sued, he'd now be subject to actual laws that required him to prove things and he knew he was lying. So he never sued.

I hope in this case someone does sue the makers of Starcaps, until that actually happens(not just saying we're going to but actually suing) I will assume this is just like Merriman was.

I understand your feelings for sure, and I agree with you about Merriman wholeheartedly, perhaps it's the dupeable part of me, but I hope this has a different outcome.

It already has a different start, Merriman had no evidence to back up his claim. It sounds like the kid from the Saints does.

 

[CardinalChris]

Ross Tucker is also one of the better hosts on Sirius NFL Channel. If I am not mistaken he wrote the article a couple of months ago talking about the toughest position on the O-line to play.

 

[Skkorpion]

Interesting counter-arguments. I just can't accept them. The last 15 years of steroid era revelations has ruined my ability to believe anything about that subject that comes out of any professional athlete's mouth.