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Post by Ff2 on Apr 11, 2016 15:55:01 GMT -5
You build a house by starting with the foundation. Thats good stuff right there.
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Post by I definitely have a cock~~~ on Apr 12, 2016 12:13:30 GMT -5
A lot of time is spent talking about NFL players behaving badly or embarrassingly -- we almost got through a weekend without Johnny Manziel opining on partying, for instance -- but D'Brickashaw Ferguson retired as the New York Jets' left tackle over the weekend, and it's worth taking a few minutes to read his farewell letter to fans. It is as impressively done as his career was. There are those who tried to squeeze Ferguson into the group of players who have retired early because of health concerns, but it is clear from Ferguson's own words that his decision to walk away after 10 years was far more nuanced than any straight-line narrative. A first-round draft pick in 2006 -- the first by former general manager Mike Tannenbaum, who selected center Nick Mangold later in that round to form the bedrock of what was once one of the NFL's best lines -- who played every game and all but one snap in his career and never missed a practice, Ferguson knew what those who watched closely had detected, too. His play had begun to slowly erode, and it was harder and harder for him to compete at the highest level."I never wanted to define myself by the size of a potential contract, but rather by my ability to compete with the best that the game could offer," Ferguson wrote. "Though I was successful in accomplishing that feat largely throughout my career, the difficulty in playing at such a level began to increase." At 32, Ferguson had made nearly $70 million, a very nice nest egg for a player with a curious mind who wanted to pursue other goals and who had to decide whether he wanted to swallow a substantial pay cut from the Jets. Would he have continued to play if no pay cut was requested? Maybe so. But the Jets are in a salary-cap bind this offseason, unlike last season, when they were flush with cash, and Ferguson's declining play opened the door to the Jets' financial considerations.There is something Ferguson does have in common with the wave of young players retiring long before they are retired by teams: He made an informed decision -- in Ferguson's case, about his remaining ability and his only team's willingness to pay for it -- with a substantial monetary cushion beneath him. That is what the league and the NFL Players Association should want for all players. It's possible that Ferguson got more notice over the weekend for retiring than he ever got nationally during his playing days. And little more than 24 hours after Ferguson retired -- and only a few days after Greg Hardy gave an interview to ESPN that should have reminded every talent evaluator to look elsewhere -- the NFL got a reminder of the ugly episodes and fumbling responses that defined the 2014 season. An arbitrator ruled that the powers given to the commissioner in the collective bargaining agreement extend to include putting players on paid leave as part of the exempt list, a key feature of the revamped personal conduct policy the NFL created in the wake of the Ray Rice-Adrian Peterson-Hardy tumult.The arbitrator even said that the commissioner cannot delegate his authority to impose discipline, something the league had sought to do -- a move that even influential owners supported -- to avoid having the commissioner's office be the judge, jury and appeals court. The only real checks noted in the decision are that the NFL must provide the player and the union with notice of being placed on the list, and the league must give the player a chance for an appeal. After a series of setbacks from arbitrators and courts in which the NFL was found to have made decisions on punishments for Rice and Peterson that did not follow the appropriate protocol laid out in the CBA, this was an affirmation for the league of the broad powers given the commissioner to decide discipline for personal-conduct violations. An even stronger and broader affirmation could come from the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, which is considering the league's appeal of Tom Brady's victory at the district court in the Deflategate case. Those are the stories that have dominated the NFL news cycle for the last two seasons, and, in Brady's case, will likely be prime topics again as the 2016 season approaches. Players like Ferguson, though, are only occasional blips on the newswire. Ferguson was what good offensive linemen often are: anonymous. He did not have Mangold's flowing beard, nor the star power of some of his contemporaries like Darrelle Revis and Mark Sanchez. But Ferguson did narrate a series of video interviews from people in the football world and beyond (Mario Batali!) for the Jets' website last offseason, an out-of-the-box venture for a guy who used to ask reporters about writing.Ferguson was a three-time Pro Bowlselection. Mostly, though, he was part of the cohort that makes up the foundations of teams -- a consistent professional. That he never missed a practice, a start or a snap to injury is astonishing. That he was also a stand-up guy in the locker room and an ever-present influence in the community was a lovely bonus. Jets owner Woody Johnson said in a statement that Ferguson would be remembered as one of the finest players in Jets' history. The Jets will hold a news conference on Ferguson's retirement this Thursday. Was he ever a Hall of Fame-caliber left tackle ? No. He was, instead, the kind of player that is often overlooked amidst the attention paid and the opportunities given to the Hardys of the world: a stalwart who didn't get in trouble and did his job well. Upon Ferguson's retirement, it's worth remembering that there are hundreds of guys like him in the NFL, too. And teams would do well to spend a little more time catering to them than bending over backwards for the others. > www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000652177/article/dbrickashaw-ferguson-was-kind-of-pro-worth-brighter-spotlight
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Post by Touchable on Apr 12, 2016 13:02:25 GMT -5
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Post by The Tax Returns Are in Kenya on Apr 12, 2016 13:12:05 GMT -5
Is there some kind of Iron Man award given in the NFL for careers like his? At his position in particular to never miss a snap (except for that trick play) is mind boggling. We have really been spoiled and I think took the position for granted a little. If Clady misses a game (which is par for the course in the NFL and his history in particular) it's going to seem disastrous. Same with Mangold.
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Post by BEAC0NJET on Apr 12, 2016 15:24:11 GMT -5
32 yrs old, well spoken, hopefully banked a good chunk of that 70mm. The world is his oyster. Good for him. He can do TV, he can get into writing like the article above suggests, he could get into the business world.. He's set and hopefully free of debilitating injury.
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Post by BEAC0NJET on Apr 12, 2016 15:26:27 GMT -5
Now... they have to... HAVE to... focus on getting Mangold's replacement. Another guy who's bright, probably saved his money, and could be looking to walk away in a year or two. Start grooming someone.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2016 12:16:57 GMT -5
What I can't stand is that Rex relied heavily on that oline and never shored it up.
This is why I cried the day they signed Tim Tebow. The Day the Music Died.
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Post by I definitely have a cock~~~ on Apr 14, 2016 9:19:53 GMT -5
The retiring D'Brickashaw Ferguson will say goodbye to the NFL in a news conference at 11 a.m. Thursday at One Jets Drive. Current and former New York Jets teammates are planning to attend, along with owner Woody Johnson. One person who won't be there is former coach Eric Mangini, who played an integral role in the decision to draft Ferguson in 2006.Mangini and general manager Mike Tannenbaum, both rookies in their respective jobs, made Ferguson their first draft choice -- fourth overall. Obviously, it worked out well. Mangini, currently out of coaching after working last season as the San Francisco 49ers' defensive coordinator, shared his memories and thoughts on Ferguson this week in an interview with ESPN.com. Mangini coached him from 2006 to 2008. The team's thought process leading into the draft: "The decision came down to Vernon Davis and Brick. Brick was just so ridiculously athletic for a guy his height. From a left-tackle perspective, athletically, he was everything you were looking for. We thought he'd play 10 to 15 years in the league, and be 'that guy.' He was very mature for his age. We were looking for someone with strong intangibles, and he hit all the benchmarks. The one thing that concerned us was his weight; it was a huge issue his rookie year. He was on the skinny side and he took his share of lumps early on, but he grew into his body and got better."Ferguson's pre-draft visit to the Jets: "I'm pretty sure he showed up in a suit and tie. He was really well spoken and he did a great job in the interview. Everybody liked him. We did a ton of research on him and there weren't many people who had anything negative to say about him." Early memories of him as a player: "Brick struggled early on. Remember that player we had from Ohio Northern, Jason Trusnik? He'd wear Brick out in practice. He was a high-motor player, and he'd wear him out. But I tell you what, Brick kept going back at him. He was so long and had those long arms. Once he built up his weight and strength, he was tough to deal with. ... He had a rare combination of talents, not only what he presented on the field, but off the field as well. For me, personally, it was very satisfying. He was the type of player I wanted to fill the building with.Ferguson's durability -- only one missed snap in 10 years: "That's amazing. God, that's fantastic. And he's healthy? Wow. He's walking away healthy and very wealthy. Things worked out for him, too [laughing]."His only missed snap was a gadget play at the end of the 2008 season, when Mangini replaced the entire offensive line with skill-position players (Darrelle Revis took Ferguson's spot at left tackle): "Well, at least I put in a good draft pick for him [laughing]." Final thoughts: "I couldn't be happier for him. I saw that [former Jet] Mike DeVito retired, too. Those were great guys to have in your locker room. They played so hard and it's so nice to see them have success. For Brick to get so much out of the league, and be financially secure, it's a real success story. Not only should the Jets celebrate it, but the NFL should celebrate it as well." > espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/59682/ex-jets-coach-eric-mangini-recalls-first-draft-pick-a-skinny-kid-named-brick
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Post by Hotman on Apr 14, 2016 10:24:17 GMT -5
DeBrick going live on jets site
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Post by Hotman on Apr 14, 2016 10:27:13 GMT -5
Brick say he walking away because his play slipping right in the feels brick, good jet.
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Post by I definitely have a cock~~~ on Apr 14, 2016 12:33:57 GMT -5
Class Act !.. Congrats Brick ! ! ... 1 of my ALL time fav.'s
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Post by Gunnails on Apr 14, 2016 13:38:35 GMT -5
Class Act !.. Congrats Brick ! ! ... 1 of my ALL time fav.'s ========================================= I can only name half these guys, is that Copples on Bricks right?
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Post by Peebag on Apr 14, 2016 13:45:28 GMT -5
Class Act !.. Congrats Brick ! ! ... 1 of my ALL time fav.'s ========================================= I can only name half these guys, is that Copples on Bricks right? I think that's Geno.
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Post by Harrier on Apr 14, 2016 13:55:12 GMT -5
Class Act !.. Congrats Brick ! ! ... 1 of my ALL time fav.'s ========================================= I can only name half these guys, is that Copples on Bricks right? I got Bart Scott, Harris, Folk, To-Bo, Dozier, Colon, Mangold, Geno, Cro and Mauldin. Not sure on the other two.
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Post by I definitely have a cock~~~ on Apr 14, 2016 14:34:07 GMT -5
-- D'Brickashaw Ferguson has a 10-inch vertical scar in the middle of his chest. He hasn't discussed it publicly in years, probably not since his rookie year in 2006, but he chose to address it Thursday at his retirement news conference at One Jets Drive. To celebrate the end of his career, Ferguson went back to the beginning -- before football. As a 9-year-old, he underwent open-heart surgery, a life-changing event on so many levels."This all started because a young boy who had to have open-heart surgery desperately wanted to prove his toughness -- not only to himself but everybody -- by playing football," he told a packed auditorium.Ferguson marveled at how a youngster initially restricted from playing contact sports could go on to play 10 years in the NFL, never missing a game or a play due to injury. He called himself "blessed." It was a classy exit by Ferguson, 32, who stunned teammates last week by announcing his retirement. Speaking for the first time since his bombshell, Ferguson, who never appeared on an injury report, said he decided to call it quits because it had become "harder and harder and harder" to maintain his usual level of play. He said he's "not retiring because of CTE."Although he never suffered a concussion, he has been outspoken on long-term concerns associated with head injuries and chronic traumatic encephalopathy.Ferguson downplayed a proposed pay cut as the reason for retiring. He was due to make $10.3 million this season, and the Jets approached him recently about taking a significant reduction. He said he wasn't surprised when the organization broached the subject, but he admitted he was stung by the recent speculation about his job security."It was difficult," he said. "I think not to be the guy who is automatically the left tackle was ... something new to me. I was taken aback. I just wasn't used to that. But at the same rate, I also recognize this happens in football. You play your game and, at a certain point, the game must end. There's a natural progression in sports. No matter who you are ... there's an end. "To me, that was a sign that things are changing, it's just not the next season, something is different. I wanted to be able to see those things and what they meant to me. It gave me time to think, 'Brick, what do you want?' This is what I want." The Jets courted other left tackles in free agency, eventually trading forRyan Clady, formerly of the Denver Broncos.The organization gave Ferguson quite a sendoff. Commemorative pins, featuring Ferguson's No. 60, were handed out before the news conference. Video highlights were shown on the big screen. Several current and former teammates were in attendance, including Nick Mangold, James Carpenter,David Harris, Geno Smith, Antonio Cromartie, Willie Colon and Bart Scott."I kind of expect these guys to go on forever," owner Woody Johnson said. "For 10 years, we never looked at left tackle. And there was Brick." Ferguson, nattily attired in a blue suit, brought a small notebook with him to the podium -- his cheat sheet. Typical Brick, always prepared. He maintained his composure throughout the session, avoiding any tears. He called it an "exciting" day for him.Offensive linemen rarely are celebrated during their playing days. They're the anonymous grunts upfront, the engine underneath the hood. On this day, Ferguson, always content to stay out of the headlines, lapped up the attention. He joked about how lucky he is to have a commemorative pin in his honor. "I mean, who has pins?" he cracked. Turning serious, Ferguson recounted his journey, telling the heart-surgery anecdote."I was not born to play football," he said. "I had to go to the hospital to have surgery to correct something in me that was abnormal. Because of how I felt, that feeling of being handicapped, spurred some type of desire in me that I'm going to prove to you and myself that I could do this. I picked football. Out of everything else, I picked football." The man with the surgically repaired heart showed plenty of it over a 10-year career. > espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/59707/former-jets-ot-dbrickashaw-ferguson-bids-a-heartfelt-goodbye-to-football
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