OT: MNF Justin Fields rant

Submitted by WindyCityBlue on December 20th, 2021 at 8:52 PM

Ok. I’m a Bears fan (yea, username checks out), so let me rant here. 
 

Justin Fields absolutely blows. WTF!!! It is so frustrating that with all the success OSU QBs have in college, they can’t seem to muster out something halfway decent in the pros. 

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mickblue

December 20th, 2021 at 9:38 PM ^

Barry Sanders was a great runner but no man at all. I will never forgive him for quitting the Lions and not telling them he was through. They had to find out by asking his father. Whenever he shows up around the team, it still pisses me off that the organization and fans have forgiven him. He never apologized and just assumed time will wash away the memory of what he did and the cowardly way he did it. I also remember him not showing up for a voluntary team bonding workout, when Bobby Ross was hired. It is the type of thing a loser and selfish non team player does. Barry Sanders can kiss my maize and blue ass.

Joined: 04/02/2010

MGoPoints: -7468

Silverware

December 20th, 2021 at 9:54 PM ^

Logged in to reply..

Barry is a legend. The Lions are the worst professional sports team ever. 

The Lions owe him an apology for never properly supporting arguably one of the best players ever to play the game. The organization has now had two generational players quit on them because they don’t actually care about winning. They care about money and do a good job of making it. The problem is fans keep supporting an organization that couldn’t give a shit about them. 

Joined: 08/03/2009

MGoPoints: 559

DennisFranklinDaMan

December 20th, 2021 at 10:58 PM ^

Well.  I mean, one year with Barry the Lions had the No. 1 offense in the NFL, and they did get to the playoffs multiple times -- and one year with him actually won a playoff game. Barry, famously, never showed up in the playoffs, averaging an astounding 64 yards per game in his six playoff games.

Payton, FWIW, only had 9 playoff games, and only averaged 70 yards in those.

I won't deny that the Lions never gave Barry the support Payton had around him in the mid-80s, but suggesting the Lions never tried to win is not quite accurate. (Like when they had Reggie Bush, Megatron, and Matt Stafford on the same offense a decade ago).

Don't get me wrong -- I'm a massive Barry Sanders fan. He's an introverted, quiet guy, and I think that affects some of the (legitimate) decisions he made, and how he announced them. And God knows the Lions deserve all the scorn they get. I think he legitimately may be the best runner of all time (though I'd still pick Jim Brown). But ... the Lions tried to support him. They just failed at it.

Joined: 01/23/2021

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Blue Vet

December 20th, 2021 at 10:58 PM ^

Not only is the opinion wrong headed, to say Sanders is not a man is stone-cold stupid.

The opinion expressed makes me think he'd never have the nerve to say it to Sanders' face.

Also, this opinionator's opinion strongly suggests he's like that idiot football coach—Gundy?—who thinks the way to be a man is to yell that you are and that other people aren't.

Joined: 05/08/2012

MGoPoints: 71143

Jason80

December 20th, 2021 at 11:38 PM ^

Clown take

 

You might want to check the meaning of voluntary if you are so aggrieved he skipped workouts.

He didn't sign a contract with you guaranteeing he would play until he took a record from Sweetness. He signed one with the Lions organization, but decided he didn't want to participate in NFL football under it and moved on. While he still had his health and all that.

Joined: 10/05/2014

MGoPoints: 4099

1VaBlue1

December 21st, 2021 at 7:38 AM ^

I upvoted your massively negged post, but with a caveat.  I do not like the way he 'retired', at all - in my mind he didn't so much retire, he quit.  He plain, flat out quit on the entire thing.  His teammates, his coaches, the fans, the Lions organization that paid him millions, and the entire NFL that made him a household name.  All he had to do was answer just one of many phone calls and say 'I'm done'.  But he couldn't even do that.  The way he went out was as cowardice and cold hearted as anything I've seen from NFL players.

The caveat is that I don't blame him for leaving, just for the way he left.  I do have to wonder why people give him so much credit for leaving.  If Hutchinson just stopped going to practice today and never showed up for the ride to Miami, never returned a phone call or text from his teammates or coaches, refused to accept an at-home visit from Warde, etc, every fan posting on this board would be livid with him.  We'd all say 'WTF, what a shitty thing to do, a shitty way to be...'  Every one of us would - and if you say you wouldn't, you're lying through your teeth.

But because it's the Lions, a crappy organization - although one that has demonstrably taken good care of its players and has done meaningful things in the Detroit community for decades - that hasn't shown a killer instinct to win at all costs, he gets a free pass.

As one of the best players the NFL has ever seen, he deserved to retire whenever the hell he wanted to.  But the way he chose to do it was complete bullshit and he should get no free pass for it.

Joined: 01/31/2016

MGoPoints: 127087

BlueinKyiv

December 21st, 2021 at 8:22 AM ^

I do not like the way he 'retired', at all - in my mind he didn't so much retire, he quit. 

I think Barry's departure was a shock in that era but today it would be perceived quite different.  I am not just talking about folks like Andrew Luck taking his millions and keeping his health, but today's view that the running back slot is a mercenary position where no team looks long-term in regard to their running back.  Most retire today far younger than Barry.  Even the Titans that have the best back in the business realize they cannot count on having just one star there as a strategy.    

Joined: 04/05/2017

MGoPoints: 4226

ahw1982

December 21st, 2021 at 10:31 AM ^

Eh, Barry said he wanted to take as long as possible to make a decision, which I believe.

As for why he didn't say something earlier to the Lions letting them know he was considering retirement, 1) based on his personality, I'd guess it's because he didn't want the Lions bending over backwards to try to convince him to stay, and 2) he didn't want to create a distraction (see: Aaron Rodgers).

And honestly, if Barry said something earlier, the Lions would NOT have brought in a RB to replacement (see: 2021 Packers off season).  They would've gone all-in to try to convince him to stay, which could've put them in an even worse position if they invested draft picks and spent on free agents around Barry, only to find out Barry was still leaving.

Joined: 06/09/2010

MGoPoints: 1852

chrisu

December 21st, 2021 at 8:49 AM ^

All the Lions did for Barry...Calvin...Stafford...Sims...etc, was to take their potential and tie a fleet of Pintos to them. While it pissed me off the way Barry left, would anyone blame you if your worked for an organization that excels at mediocrity and decided to retire early, or go elsewhere to work? The only player not fully scathed by the Lions is Stafford. They at least developed enough class to let the man try to win somewhere else. 

Joined: 12/27/2014

MGoPoints: 3240

WestQuad

December 21st, 2021 at 7:41 AM ^

If you count the five cuts and five yards Barry had to make to get to the LoS on every play he had 4,000 yards every year.  GOAT.  
 

Agree about Emmet not being deserving. The O-line he had thanks to the Hershel Walker deal was amazing.  It is known as one of if not the best ever.  Emmet was good but he couldn’t carry Barry’s bags without that line. 

Joined: 07/22/2011

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Eat Your Wheatlies

December 21st, 2021 at 10:04 AM ^

I used to be, but gave it up about 5 years ago. I was tired of the same crap from the organization. They don't care about the fans. So I quit caring and watching. It was weird at first, because I've never been that type of "fan" for any of the other teams I enjoy rooting for, but the Lions were different. 

My brother still gives me shit about it all the time, but I feel pretty good about no longer committing to cheer for a franchise that continues to care about nothing other than making money.

I actually tried to open up my fandom and find another team to follow, but it seemed forced/fake so I gave up. I just pull for my fantasy football roster and that seems to keep me content.

Joined: 11/17/2010

MGoPoints: 7618

ShineBox

December 21st, 2021 at 10:50 AM ^

I was a begrudging Lions fan until 2008 when I moved to DC. The Nation's Capital is a place where nobody cares about Saturday football. As a kid who grew up thinking Sunday was mostly an afterthought, I was forced to admit to everyone I worked with that I was from Michigan and did, in fact, root for the Lions.

After 16 straight Mondays of "How'd your Lions do this weekend?!?" I vowed to never root for the Lions again. Not root against them, per se, but just not invest any emotion in them whatsoever. Haven't regretted it for a second.

Of course, I replaced them with the Washington Football Team which has been about 0% better.

Joined: 12/19/2016

MGoPoints: 268

MarcusBrooks

December 21st, 2021 at 6:56 AM ^

Walter was a very special runner 100% agree. I always watched when he played, loved his style and the way he ran the ball & caught the ball. 

Sanders was at another level with cutting ability, both are great backs, no need to downvote someone's opinion on 2 great backs.. 

Joined: 07/25/2013

MGoPoints: 3035

1VaBlue1

December 21st, 2021 at 7:49 AM ^

+1

Having seen both Walter and Barry run at their peaks, they are both special in different ways.  I wouldn't think twice about adding either of them to my team.  If I had to choose between the two, well, that would suck.  

Walter was a well-above average runner that could also block respectively and catch decently.  Sanders was as pure and dangerous a runner as I've ever seen.  Two somewhat different skillsets in two electric players.

This is why Jim MF'in Harbaugh refuses to compare players - you can't praise one without diminishing the other.

Joined: 01/31/2016

MGoPoints: 127087

Harball sized HAIL

December 21st, 2021 at 11:38 AM ^

Upvote

Guessing the downvotes never watched Walter.  I started watching football around when Walter started playing.  He was and is the best I ever saw.  Barry 2nd.  Never saw Brown so can't say.  Walter like Barry played for very average/below average teams for most of his time until Bears got good very late in his career.

Smith wasn't even the best RB in Cowboys history.  I'd take Dorsett every day of the week n 2x Sunday.  

Joined: 10/05/2018

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MadMatt

December 20th, 2021 at 10:19 PM ^

Add let me add: how many Super Bowl victories do the Bears have?  How many Super Bowl appearances?  How many playoff wins in the Super Bowl era?

1, 2, and several, respectively.

What about the Lions?

0, 0, 1.

Hey, I'm a Lions fan (in the same way I'm a fan of improvisational comedy), but I have no problem with any of my friends sticking with whatever NFL team they prefer.

Joined: 11/06/2013

MGoPoints: 13910

HAIL-YEA

December 21st, 2021 at 9:13 AM ^

Yeah the Lions are a joke to me but if they packed up, moved to a different city and became an elite team and won 3 superbowls, I don't know if I could take it. I might have to consider ending it at that point...my sports fandom that is. 

Joined: 07/15/2009

MGoPoints: 10810

superstringer

December 20th, 2021 at 8:57 PM ^

I believe this trivia, from a few years ago, still remains true, which pretty much summarizes their whole NFL-QB problem.

1. Name the only former OSU quarterback to take a snap in a Super Bowl as a quarterback?

2. Name the only former OSU quarterback to start at his position in a Super Bowl?

(scroll down for answers)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 - Mike Tomsczak, Bears, Super Bowl XX (1985) (third-stringer in mop-up mop-up in 4Q v. NE).

2 - Tom Tupa ... as a punter.

Joined: 02/04/2009

MGoPoints: 18176

befuggled

December 20th, 2021 at 9:37 PM ^

I don't think Tomczak actually played at QB in the Super Bowl. Steve Fuller was the backup and did play a little at QB (see box score and play by play).

Tomczak allegedly (see here) talked the coaching staff into letting him cover a kickoff, where he got a facemask penalty. However, the penalty doesn't show up in the box score.

Joined: 07/01/2008

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