11/21/24
November 27, 2006
Quick, name a sulking NFL receiver looking bad on the sidelines: Marvin Harrison?: Showing that anyone is prone to a selfish, me-only attitude once in a while, the Colts put a hurting on the Eagles Sunday night despite Marvin Harrison's out-of-character act.
How is it that some columnists/reporters say this is what Harrison does whether he has a monster game or not and others say he is a pouter? Hype...and a need for an angle. That's all it is.
posted by forrestv at 10:34 PM on November 27, 2006
Are you kidding me? Marvin Harrison is a class act. He always keeps to himself on the sidelines!
posted by tim at 11:33 PM on November 27, 2006
Quick, name a sulking NFL receiver looking bad on the sidelines: My first thought was Randy Moss but then again he looks bad on the field as well dropping pass after pass. I'm an avid Charger fan but I'll tell you, Indy is the team to beat right now. Indy fans gotta love their consistency.
posted by hoyty at 02:44 AM on November 28, 2006
Indy is the team to beat right now. Indy fans gotta love their consistency. Are you serious? Indy will never be the team to beat until they stop getting beat up in the playoffs. Indy fans hate their lack of consistency in pressure games or in any non-regular season game. That is like saying Dallas (at 7-4) with the weakest schedule in the league, is the team to beat, just because they beat Indy. Ravens/Chargers are probably the teams to beat right now.
posted by Bishop at 04:46 AM on November 28, 2006
Hype...and a need for an angle. That's all it is. Hype? In pro sports? Nah! Indy is the team to beat right now. Indy fans gotta love their consistency. It's incredible how we go through this each and every season, only to be disappointed in the Colts once again. It's like "Groundhog's Day," the NFL version.
posted by dyams at 05:38 AM on November 28, 2006
This isn't about the Colts, get back to Marvin!!! This is the way he has played since day one. If the Colts can win without throwing to him he is fine with that. He doesn't sulk or complain to the press. As I have to watch the Colts because my wife is an avid fan, I see him always by himself on the bench if he makes a great catch or drops one. Remember a couple of weeks ago he received a 15 yarder for unsportman like conduct for spiking the ball after a TD. I told her that will probalbly never happen again. He is a CLASS ACT.
posted by coach at 05:43 AM on November 28, 2006
what a garbage column. That's what you call reaching to get a story. His team was LEADING by 3 scores and he heads to the lockerroom early and misses a FG kick? SHOCK!!?!?!?! I am outraged! How dare he! The writer also follows up this "hard hitting" story with real evidence that it actually happened in the way described and that Harrison was actually pitching a hissy fit as opposed to his coach gave him permission to go in early since with a 3 score lead knowing they wouldn't put the ball in the air again that half. Oh wait, no he didn't. Regardles, this situation is IDENTICAL to what Moss did when he team was LOSING the game and would need to THROW THE BALL if they got the onside kick. Oh wait, no it's not. Maybe the reason NBC "dropped the ball" on this disappearing act was that it wasn't a story at all?
posted by bdaddy at 07:10 AM on November 28, 2006
Dungy says that it is much ado about nothing. Harrison was getting stretched at halftime. And, he thought (mistakenly) that there was going to be a pass interference call on Sheppard.
posted by bperk at 08:56 AM on November 28, 2006
Speaking of pass interference calls, is it just me or does it seem like teams and players(mostly quarterbacks and receivers) are playing for penalties and not making plays on the ball? Example, Jeremy Stevens last night, quitting on a play because he thought he was going to get a P.I. call, and the roughing the passer call on Green Bay was ridiculous. Stop getting up looking for a flag and play a kids game that you are being paid a king's ransom for. Oh ,and here's a thought, hey NFL why don't you make your officials actual full-time employees and maybe have some accountabilty in their job performance, it could go a long way.
posted by h20man at 09:06 AM on November 28, 2006
Harrison is not, and has never been, a rah-rah guy. He acts like this every game, whether they win or lose, and this is the first time I've ever heard anyone call him a bad teammate. Aside from Peyton, no one works harder on their routes or their own internal sense of discipline than Marvin does, and if he happens to be a loner on the bench, well, it seems to be working for him and the team. Even the mighty Colts only have so many TDs to throw around every game, and really, Joe Addai was overdue for a few. Marvin is smarter than your average bear. He knows the pendulum will come back, and he'll get his touches and TDs. He knows the actual importance of statistics; he has tons of those, and by the end of his career he'll be at or near the top in every significant receiving category. And all that won't matter unless everyone contributes and they win a ring or two. I suspect he's more okay with that than most top receivers, whether he joins in the fun or not. I'd call this a tempest in a teapot, but frankly, all I see is still, calm waters.
posted by chicobangs at 09:31 AM on November 28, 2006
what a garbage column. That's what you call reaching to get a story. Very possible. Coming from an Indianapolis paper, from a reporter who covers the Colts, I tend to put a bit more credibility in it. As for Tony Dungy downplaying it, I would have fallen over if he would have approached it any other way. It's just funny how we get so conditioned to story after story about Randy Moss, Owens, etc. that we read things such as this and become outraged at their continuous flaunting of the accepted norms of NFL conduct. When it applies to Peyton's Darlings, though, the Colts, with their seemingly-spotless reputations, this type of situation gets thrown in the "Garbage" category. Do I expect it to have lasting repercussions for the remainder of the season? No, not at all. But it could crop back up after the year's over and Harrison possibly begins lobbying to go elsewhere. I don't know how Harrison conducts himself around the team daily, or on the sidelines every game; I don't get to see it. When a person who's around them, with access to it, makes a strong point about it, I give it a little more credence. For a writer for the hometown paper to bite off something like this, it seems like it might be a bit more than an attempt to sell a few more papers. One thing I do think the Colts will be able to successfully do, however, that many teams are incapable of doing, is covering any problem up enough internally so it won't impact their season negatively.
posted by dyams at 10:03 AM on November 28, 2006
It's just funny how we get so conditioned to story after story about Randy Moss, Owens, etc. that we read things such as this and become outraged at their continuous flaunting of the accepted norms of NFL conduct. When it applies to Peyton's Darlings, though, the Colts, with their seemingly-spotless reputations, this type of situation gets thrown in the "Garbage" category. Good point, dyams. I read a bit yesterday on the Patriots website about Junior Seau apparently going nose-to-nose with a coach in the parking lot after a practice one day. You didn't hear anything about that on the national wire either. I guess it goes to show that mud stucks to a mud reputation.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 10:59 AM on November 28, 2006
Very possible. Coming from an Indianapolis paper, from a reporter who covers the Colts, I tend to put a bit more credibility in it. Funny, but my reaction was just the opposite as it seemed to me a local guy trying to get some national attention by making a semi-sensational claim (none of which was substantiated in his article at all). It's just funny how we get so conditioned to story after story about Randy Moss, Owens, etc. that we read things such as this and become outraged at their continuous flaunting of the accepted norms of NFL conduct. When it applies to Peyton's Darlings, though, the Colts, with their seemingly-spotless reputations, this type of situation gets thrown in the "Garbage" category. it's lumped in that "garbage" category, not because of the WHO but the WHAT. A WR walked into the tunnel early after a 3 score lead. Why on earth is that shocking? Were the Colts offense going to come back out? Nope. If they did come out would they be throwing with a 3 score lead? Nope. And according to Dungy he was getting "stretched" which indicates he had something bothering him. Players who are dinged go in early to halftime all the time, especially given the circumstances (the lead, seconds left, etc.) Doesn't all of those make a lot more sense than a guy who's never been a distraction to his team in his life, completely acting out of character and throwing a hissy fit because he only had 1 catch? Given that he's never done that before even in games they lost? Again, just seems like a reach, especially with no evidence to back it up (such as a comment from Harrison talking about how he only plays when he wants to play for example :-) For a writer for the hometown paper to bite off something like this, it seems like it might be a bit more than an attempt to sell a few more papers Why does it seem like that? If the story had some more meat to it, I may agree, but what is there to suggest that there's something more there?
posted by bdaddy at 11:01 AM on November 28, 2006
No one (except bdaddy) ever addressed why Harrison went to the locker room before half-time. Maybe he had to use the restroom? Maybe he needed to get some treatment on a stinger or a cramp? It's not like he came out and said, "Yeah, I was pissed, so I left." I must admit that I am more willing to give Harrison the benefit of the doubt because of his past, but this just doesn't seem right. With everything going so good for the Colts, they (the media) had to find something to spice up their news. We used to deal with the same thing in LA all the time about Shaq vs. Kobe. The media needs bad news or else there is no news. Until his coach or one of his teammates questions his attitude it is really a non-issue.
posted by yay-yo at 11:57 AM on November 28, 2006
There's no research done on this article; he sits like that, winning or losing, 1 catch or 10 catches. He went to the lockerroom early, but he doesn't always do that, and had no "hissy" fit. It's probably got an explanation; I, as a pro athlete, would probably not go out of my way to give an explanation for my every move to a reporter who can't even do basic research. The fact this drivel even gets published lets me know that someday it probably won't be very hard to become a sports columnist if I choose to. That's comforting.
posted by dfleming at 12:39 PM on November 28, 2006
I can't wait to see how they spin this into two minutes of fascinating banter on Around The Horn tonight. Oh wait, yes I can.
posted by chicobangs at 12:50 PM on November 28, 2006
Please don't even put the classy Harrison on the same page as Owens, Johnson or Moss. Harrison is one of the only role models in Football period! I believe Harrison accepts the reality that he makes millions of $s per year to play a game of pitch and catch. Do your job, thank God for the opportunity and be humble in the process. He does that.
posted by mikemora at 01:51 PM on November 28, 2006
All that said....Thank you for looking up on this site my Addai prediction of stardom for this rising star this NFL Draft when everyone was bashing Polian for letting Edgerrin what's his name go. Anyone with copies of Reggie Wayne's sideline catch .... save to show your Grandchildren,almost as great as Harrisons TD catch against the Pats.(see I did not mess up the blog by not talking about the subject Marvin the marvolus).And lastly,"How bout dem Colts"?
posted by goodknight at 03:13 PM on November 28, 2006
Thankfully, it doesn't appear that this will be on AtH. God, it's got Mariotti and Bob Ryan today... it can't get any worse. Dyams: Very possible. Coming from an Indianapolis paper, from a reporter who covers the Colts, I tend to put a bit more credibility in it. bdaddy: Funny, but my reaction was just the opposite as it seemed to me a local guy trying to get some national attention by making a semi-sensational claim (none of which was substantiated in his article at all). Point for bdaddy. Kravitz is nothing but a muckraker. While he is occasionally right, he's always been notorious for finding stupid things to criticize just to stir things up. Ask Polian [or any other Colts staffer or fan] what people think about him. But give your kid the earmuffs first. Marvin is about as quiet and private as they come. He has seemed a little crankier this year in a few other instances, but I don't think there is any reason to be worried, or to make a story out of this. Unless this becomes a pattern, it's a non-issue. Oh, and it wouldn't have been the bathroom, yay-yo. They have those on the sidelines. I learned this fun fact when I saw Feeley (and later another guy) emerge from the little ball bag tent on the sideline while re-lacing his pants... they just duck into there and have a ball boy zip it up for a minute or two. Not sure what they do if they've got to have a number two though.
posted by Bernreuther at 04:26 PM on November 28, 2006
Marvin Harrison has always been a class act in the NFL. You never see him doing them fancy bullshit dances after a TD catch, or after any catch matter of fact. He simply usually tosses the football back to the ref and maybe a little celebration with his teammates, if that. From what one announcer said "thats the way Marvin is. He always always sits by himself at the end of the bench" I think one of the announcers said that Marvin was pouting. I watched the game, but don't remember who was calling it. As I said above, MH is a classy player. The only thing he might have to pout about is no Super Bowl ring. And I don't think he'd pout about that if that never happens either.
posted by Ghastly1 at 05:35 PM on November 28, 2006
The media needs to stop making a deal out of everyone getting mad on sidelines. People get frustrated, it's understandable.
posted by a24kurtz02 at 06:47 PM on November 28, 2006
Thank you for looking up on this site my Addai prediction of stardom Yeah, he was a real sleeper, that one. Not like he was drafted in the first round or anything. Yep, you really put your ass on the line with that one. Oh, and just a suggestion: you might actually let him play a whole freakin' season before you call him a "star." I'm just sayin'.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 06:50 PM on November 28, 2006
Yeah, he was a real sleeper, that one. Not like he was drafted in the first round or anything. Yep, you really put your ass on the line with that one. Oooh, somebody got served (or F'd in the A, as Cartman would say.)
posted by forrestv at 08:39 PM on November 28, 2006
I have a son who is 8 and is starting to play football. Marvin is one of the players I hope my son looks up to.
posted by livewire at 05:44 AM on November 29, 2006
How tall is your son that you're not sure he looks up to him?
posted by yerfatma at 06:13 AM on November 29, 2006
That isn't nothing compared to what happened to my Browns last week when Brayln Edwards spouted off against his own teammate Brian Russell on a hit he made on Chad Johnson in the first meeting with the Bengals. Than follows that up with a sideline tiraid with Frye and his linemen...during the game with the Bengals. It was really the lowest point in years! He did a TO impression on the sidelines!
posted by The Tribster at 07:14 AM on November 29, 2006
As someone who lives in Indiapolis, I'd just like to affirm that Kravitz is a bit of a blowhard. In typical Kravitz style, by the end of the article you realize this is how he congratulates the Colts for "playing their best game of the year", and now they just need to "perform in the playoffs". The article is disjointed, inflammatory, completely without evidence, and refuses to stay on topic to boot. "I'm your number one fan, BUT...." perfectly describes Kravitz's mindset as a fan, and as a sports writer. I'm guessing the editor put the title up.
posted by chmurray at 10:46 AM on November 29, 2006
Sweet! Maybe he'll get the Ball after he gave me a Zero for my Fantasy Team.
posted by yachts360 at 03:35 PM on November 29, 2006
Receiver do not get the credit they deserve sometimes
posted by msusportsguy at 09:07 PM on December 02, 2006
It's my fault. I've got him on my fantasy team. Mine either break or sulk.