04/18/24
December 08, 2012
The New England Patriots are regularly accused of being poor sports: for running up the score. Any number of writers see karmic justice in Rob Gronkowski's injury (a Bills' reporter even hoped for an injury during the Pats/ Jets tilt). This, however, is a new one: Miami Dolphins' defensive tackle Tony McDaniel feels "It was disrespectful to us to run the same play over and over and be successful".
McDaniel should have been playing for Denver in the Super Bowl against Washington when the Broncos gave up over 200 yards on the same counter gap running play to rookie and one shot wonder Timmy Smith, who was making his first NFL start.
posted by beaverboard at 11:07 AM on December 08, 2012
"It was disrespectful to us to run the same play over and over and be successful".
I'm not a Patriots fan, but if he wants them to stop running the play, it's his and his coaches' jobs to figure out how to stop them on it. They're supposed to be professional football players. If they can't figure it out, they deserve to have their opponents run the score up.
posted by NerfballPro at 11:23 AM on December 08, 2012
I am a Dolphins' fan and I agree. McDaniel needs to shut his hole - either the one in the defensive line or the one in his face. You want them to call a different play? Then stop this one.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 01:58 PM on December 08, 2012
As I posted on the article, after about the fifth time the Pats' ran that play, wouldn't the thought process have been they would run the same play over and over to run down the clock? They should be happy Tom Brady didn't throw a couple of TD passes (given the apparent porous defense, that would have been possible) ... that's where fans get ticked, when he's in there, still throwing passes in the fourth quarter of a blowout.
posted by jjzucal at 02:01 PM on December 08, 2012
If you don't like them running the same plat then stop them. Like a little kid crying to his Mother. "Mom, Tommy is beating me, make him stop."
posted by ic23b at 05:44 PM on December 08, 2012
The "karmic justic" and "hoped for an injury" links are disgusting, especially the latter. Calling the Patriots unsportsmanlike for "running up the score"... make no sense to me, and never has. Maybe it's because I'm principally a baseball fan and no lead is truly safe, but this isn't Pee Wee league, this isn't even college sports; you're in the pros, there is no higher level, and you aren't owed respect or a less embarrassing score. There are various reasons a team may not ease up when they're winning- maybe it's a chance to try some new plays out, or maybe it teaches your team to go the full 60 without a break, or see how they perform when tired, so those situations don't bite you in the playoffs.
Of course, since Gronkowski was injured the Patriots have been fine- and I laugh at the "karmic justic" author watching his team get spanked by 30 points two days after he wrote that. And in the Dolphins game, I'm surprised the Patriots didn't laugh themselves hoarse when they kept running the same play and it kept working. At a certain point, you can't stop running it until they actually try to stop it and succeed.
posted by hincandenza at 08:14 PM on December 08, 2012
So are the Patriots supposed to run plays to see if they're successful? Then if they work, stop using them? Then go on to another play and see if that is successful? Find a play that doesn't work and stick with that so the other team doesn't pout and go home?
posted by roberts at 08:20 PM on December 08, 2012
In regards to running up the score, every team in the AFC East should really remember The Comeback and remember that 28 points can be erased in a single quarter. Indeed, the Jets learned that the score can change by 21 points in under two minutes.
So, yeah, its unlikely that a team is going to come back and wipe you out if you have a big enough lead, but you should never assume that they won't. Also, everything that hicandenza said about running up the score.
In regards to gloating about a player's injury or feeling like it was somehow justice, that is bullshit regardless of the team or the player. I strongly dislike Tony Romo and The Cowboys, but I want nothing but health and long lives for them. Indeed, its more fun to see them beaten when they lose at full strength than otherwise. Its sick to derive pleasure from seeing a player injured.
Edit: and I just read about the tragedy that befell the Cowboys this weekend. That is awful and I feel terrible for the families, teammates and friends of the players involved. Wouldn't have made the comment if I'd read it first, but don't feel its right to delete it once I've posted it.
And as for Tony McDaniel, that's just silly.
posted by Joey Michaels at 04:01 AM on December 09, 2012
Since the Dolphins have to play New England once more this season, Tony McDaniel might have nominated himself for "Big Mouth of the Year". Do you think the Patriots aren't going to have this on their bulletin board? The offensive line may become dehydrated because of the excessive saliva generated while drooling at the prospect of mauling the Miami defense over and over again. Perhaps McDaniel was trying to call out his teammates for playing poorly. If so, he certainly did not phrase it very well.
posted by Howard_T at 02:42 PM on December 09, 2012
So, what, do the Patriots have one of those "unstoppable plays" from the original TecmoBowl days? The Bears' crossing route, or the 49ers pass to Craig across the middle? If they do have one of those, it really is disrespectful to run it over and over. But if they don't then nut up and stop it, you jackass.
posted by tahoemoj at 11:16 AM on December 10, 2012
I was worried this was an Onion link. Running up the score, I can see annoyance at. But running the same play to both gain yardage and run the clock- in a close game, no less- is not disrespectful. It's calling playing to win the game. I cannot see the angle for disrespect on this one.