Where Have You Gone Peter Warrick??

I remember watching #9(Peter Warrick) make defenses look like they were standing still in his four seasons at Florida State. He was a two time All-American and the front runner for the Heisman Trophy when Dillards Gate shook the Seminole Nation to the core.

Peter Warrick and teammate (current NFL standout) Laveranues Coles were caught in a shoplifting scam at a Tallahassee Dillard’s. Warrick was suspended for two games and Coles was kicked off the team. The suspension and subsequent negative publicity cost Warrick the Heisman Trophy in his senior season when he was the proverbial “Man Amongst Boys”. To this day I remember Warrick running crazy in the 2000 Sugar Bowl with 163 yards receiving (including 2 touchdowns), a 59 yard punt return for a TD, and also a 2 point conversion. He was the type of player that could literally take it to the house any time he touched the ball from anywhere on the field. Who would have thought that it would be his former teammate and fellow Dillard’s conspirator, Laveranues Coles who would go on to have the productive NFL career.

Warrick was drafted 4th overall in the 2001 NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals and it seemed that his NFL career was off to a good start when he led the team in receptions his first two seasons. In his third season he was replaced as the team’s leading receiver by some guy named Chad Johnson. Warrick still had a respectable showing with 53 catches, 606 yards receiving, and 6 TDs. It seemed that this would be a duo that would frustrate and confound defensive coordinators for many years to come. In 2003, Warrick again had a solid season and seemed well on his way to achieving all the promise that he displayed while shredding Defenses at FSU. Then it happened…..he was injured and missed the bulk of the ’04 season allowing little known seventh round draft pick TJ Houshmandzadeh (championship!) to take over as the teams #2 receiver, and the rest as they say is history. Warrick was released before the start of the 2005 season and signed with the Seattle Seahawks.

Seattle was not the redemption that PW was looking for. He did not make an impact as a WR but he did serve as the teams punt returner in their run to the Super Bowl. Warrick was released before the start of the 2006 season and has not played significant football since. He has worked out for numerous teams and has also had stints in the Arena and Canadian Leagues. His most recent transaction was being signed by the Bloomington Extreme of the Indoor Football League in 2009. It seems like it was so long ago when he was in the garnet and gold and seemed to be almost as sure of a thing as death and taxes that he would be a star in the NFL. Did he peak as an elite college player? Did his skills/size not translate to the NFL? Was he just not able to comeback from the injury that allowed TJ Houshmazilly to ascend to super stardom? I hate to think that when football fans hear the name “Peter Warrick” that they automatically associate it with “Peter Wardrobe”. Maybe I’m just a delusional fan, but I think Warrick still has some gas in the tank and I believe he will surface in an NFL city once again.


Peace,



Jonathan " I was never shot" JR Reynolds

Trendsetter

There is a difference between LaDainian Tomlinson and Marvin Harrison. Beside position, height, weight, favorite color, favorite food etc. Those are besides the point, the difference I want to point out is their pride.

Marvin Harrison was asked to take a pay cut by the Indianapolis Colts a few weeks back, which he did not want to do. He asked for his release and the team gave it to him. Understandable. No, I take that back, not understandable. Before I get into my rant, I feel that the Colts should have done everything in their power to keep Marvin. I know that Marvin was not 100% last season, and I know his skills have not diminished and that he is still a #1 receiver. But Marvin could have given in a little as well. Why not restructure your deal to help your team bring in a few more pieces to the puzzle to win another championship, why not end your career as a Colt, and you have to realize that although your skills have not eroded just yet that they soon will and you will not be worth the money you signed for several years ago.

LT on the other hand by all accounts is aware of these facts. Set to make 24 milli over the next three years, the Chargers felt LT wasn't worth it. They can say cap space, smap space, but in the end that is what it comes down to. They feel he isn't worth it. Are they correct? I'm not sure. I mean LT was injured last year and his offensive line didn't help him all that much. For those so quick to jump on the Darren Sproles band wagon and annoint him the starter, he only had one rushing td all last year. Whether LT was worth the 24 million or not, he knew he wasn't getting any younger, he wants to help his team win a championship, and he wants to stay loyal to his team and fans. Now, I commend that.

I feel Marvin's stance, and like I said, he is still a #1 receiver in this league in my eyes as LT is a #1 back. The sooner big salary aging veterans realize their skills are deteriorating the better. If you are over the age of 32 you need to be playing at a Peyton Manning, Kurt Warner, Terrell Owens, and Donovan McNabb level to be making A+ money. If not, swallow your pride, take the paycut, stay on your winning team, and bow out gracefully especially if the only team you've ever known still wants as a member of their team.


That's all I've got to type,



Ricky Writer

Good Morning Buffalo, New York

Terrell Owens is now playing for the Buffalo Bills, duh. I'm sure you know this fact by now. My take is why and how did he get there.

T.O. releasing by the Cowboys was about as unexpected as birthday cake on Thanksgiving. No one saw it coming. The murmurs were being rumored around various sports networks, but no one believed it. Why would you, Jerry Jones just signed the receiver to a 4 year $34 million dollar deal last year. Releasing T.O. cost the Boys a $9 million dollar salary cap hit.

Jones said the release had nothing to do with T.O.'s perceived locker room perception. More so that he was slowly starting to deteriorate as a player. Jerry Jones was getting rid of T.O. so he wouldn't have to pay him over the last three years of his contract. Also, there was a thinking as the more T.O. started to deteriorate, the more volatile he'd become in the locker room and the more friction would build between him and quarterback, Tony Romo.

Jerry Jones is sleazier than the serpent who tricked Eve in the Garden of Eden. He did it to Tom Landry, Jimmy Johnson, Bill Parcells(twice, the first being going behind his back to sign T.O. and then firing him) and now with Owens. Romo, your day in the sun will come too. He claimed in the offseason that T.O. would be around. I don't even know why it would even be questioned. Jones is a highly skilled business man and bs'er. He could have given the media a better excuse than T.O.'s skills deteriorated.

The great Shawn Carter once said, "Men lie, women lie, but numbers don't". Take a look at T.O.'s numbers over the past three years with the Boys.

2008	Dallas Cowboys	16	16	69	1,052	15.2	75T	10
2007	Dallas Cowboys	15	15	81	1,355	16.7	52T	15
2006	Dallas Cowboys	16	15	85	1,180	13.9	56T	13

As you can see T.O.'s skills clearly diminished in one year. He had a 12 catches less than a year ago, 300 yards less, and 5 TD grabs less. It doesn't matter than Tony Romo missed three games with an injury, and backup QB Brad Johnson stunk it up over those three games. Johnson completed only 52% of his passes, and only threw for 2TDs and 5 picks. Don't also forget to mention that Romo didn't have his greatest season either. Yes, he was sixth in the 8th in the league in QB rating at 91.4, sixth in the league with 26 td strikes, but was tops in the league with 14 picks thrown. We are not going to bring up offensive coordinator, Jason Garrett's, play-calling inconsistency.

Ultimately, T.O. was let go because they no longer wanted the distraction in the locker room, which in my opinnion there wasn't much of. No I'm not a T.O. lover, I tend to lead more towards the side of T.O. hater, but he got a raw deal in Big D.

Onward soldiers to Buffalo. T.O. is going to keep his same consistency as he has over the 3 years and help vault the Bills into the playoffs finally. After his one year deal is done, so will T.O. be done in Buffalo. His career will not end, nor will his traveling circus following of the media either, but his short-lived tenure in Buffalo will be done.

Either way you shake it, Jerry Jones has a lot of bad karma on his way(When was the last time the Boys got out of the first round?), T.O.'s still getting paid, Lee Evans is the happiest man in New York, and the real Romo will finally stand up.


Holla for a Dolla,


Risky Richie