Tuesday, October 25, 2011

SHUT UP AND PLAY FOOTBALL

Is there any way to put a gag order on all NFL players.  I mean, really, we didn't sign on to the NFL season to hear your interviews.  We didn't get the NFL package to hear your thoughts about your team's coaching.  We signed on to watch your talent as it is displayed on the gridiron.  Since when did we ever care about what you thought about coaching?

Terrell Suggs decided to publicly question his coach John Harbaugh and his offensive coordinator Cam Cameron after Monday's unexpected loss to the 1-5 Jacksonville Jaguars. 

"I don't really know what the game plan was," Suggs said. "When I have a Pro Bowl running back, and he's not getting his touches, I'm going to feel some kind of way about it. He wants the ball. And I think we should feed him. Ray Rice is a phenomenal player. You have to use your phenomenal players. I have to question how many touches Anquan [Boldin] had. We've got guys on this team that can do some great things. We have to use those guys. It's that simple."

Really?  You didn't know what the game plan was?  You had a whole week of practice installing the game plans for both the offense and defense.  Your job was to keep points off the board.  You did a decent job of that but not a perfect one.  Your offense failed to execute the game plan, but was it because it was a bad game plan?  Or was it that they just got beaten up by a more physical Jaguars team on that particular Monday night.  And how would you know if you didn't really know what the game plan was?

You see, the problem with Terrell Suggs' comments is that not only do they contradict themselves, but they serve no one's purpose.  They don't serve Suggs because last time I saw, Suggs plays defense.  He should concern himself with keeping the Jaguars from moving the football, which they did most of last night.  Had the Jags gotten out of their own way, the night would have been a lot more lopsided than it was.  Second, it doesn't serve Cam Cameron.  First, he put it out there in the public spotlight that he, not the Ravens defense, but that he, Terrell Suggs, disagrees with his offensive coordinator.  Publicly criticizing your coach may get your voice heard but won't win you any fans among the administrative staff in the process.  Third, it doesn't serve the Ravens locker room or higher ups to worry that Suggs will run his mouth whenever he might feel it is appropriate.  This means that come contract time, they have to be careful about what gets said when Suggs is in the room.  It puts a question in their minds, albeit a small one, but still a question, of whether they can trust him.

You think Terrell Owens has the trust of anyone he speaks with these days.  He might be in great shape, and might even be ready to play for all we know, but the first question every GM and every Head Coach will ask is do they want a guy they can't trust playing as one of their own.  So far, the answer has been clear.

Terrell Suggs needs to do what a lot of professional players need to do.  First, worry about your game.  Second, worry about your teammates and remind yourself that what you do and say reflects not only you, but them as well.  Third, protect the sanctity of your fraternity that is the happenings inside your team's locker room by keeping them private, for your sake and the sake of your team.  And last, and I say this most respectfully, shut up and play football.

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