Kudos To Terps/rivers

[ravenjoe]

I'd just like to take a moment and congratulate our Maryland Terrapins and Gary Williams for that upset win over UNC on Saturday. While we were all focusing on our new HC, Coach Williams, once again, demonstrated why he is a Hall of Fame coach!

On another front, SD QB, Rivers underwent surgery on his injured knee a week before the AFC championship game in order to play in the game. This kid is a real tough player, and deserves a lot of credit for his grit and determination to carry his team to the SB!

[JimBone]

Too bad Rivers is a total douche. I seem to remember another douche with letters TO doing the same thing a couple years ago. I'm not gonna give him much credit either even though they deserve it.

[purplepoe]

Rivers may be a dick but he showed some serious heart as did Gates.

Im STUNNED that most of the national media hasn't brought up the fact that LT sat almost the whole game. Not only that, but he said on the bench with his helmet on sulking.

Im sorry, but if Rivers can play on a shredded knee less than a week after having the knee cut on and Gates can play with what is one of the most painful injuries, then why can't LT sack up with an injury that is CLEARLY much less severe.

In fact, since the NE loss in last year's playoffs, I've lost some respect for LT. He has really started to whine about things.

But Sunday very telling to me.

PP

[highwater]

Im STUNNED that most of the national media hasn't brought up the fact that LT sat almost the whole game. Not only that, but he said on the bench with his helmet on sulking.

Actually, I heard it being discussed this morning on a national FOX Sports radio show. It sounds like Rivers earned the respect of his teammates, and LT may have lost some of their respect. He (LT) said all week he would be able to go, and basically took himself out of the game after just two running plays.

As you said, Rivers may be an ass, but he played on two bad legs. He wanted to play.

I could be wrong, but I'm under the impression that LT was afraid of not looking good.

[RavensNTerps]

Rivers may be a dick but he showed some serious heart as did Gates.

Im STUNNED that most of the national media hasn't brought up the fact that LT sat almost the whole game. Not only that, but he said on the bench with his helmet on sulking.

Im sorry, but if Rivers can play on a shredded knee less than a week after having the knee cut on and Gates can play with what is one of the most painful injuries, then why can't LT sack up with an injury that is CLEARLY much less severe.

In fact, since the NE loss in last year's playoffs, I've lost some respect for LT. He has really started to whine about things.

But Sunday very telling to me.

PP

I'm leaning towards agreeing with you, but IMO, it's also a question of depth. The Chargers have it behind LT, and he may have well known that 75% LT is not better than 100% michael turner.

That being said, i'm absolutely SHOCKED that he didn't at least play a few SERIES throughout the game even if he didn't take the bulk of the carries.

[ravenjoe]

I seem to remember a certain playoff game involving Dallas a while back, when Emmit Smith was really hurting; in fact, the pain in his shoulder was so acute that you could see tears in his eyes when he was on the bench. Well, he played through it! I'll never forget his grit during that game. LT, on the other hand, should've at least played a few more series before heading for the bench. So, on one hand, you have Rivers who was of the mindset that there was no way in hell that he was not going to play, even when the Cowher et.al. were saying that he was close to being pulled; while, on the other hand, there's LT who did not seem to give it the 'ol college try. Defining moments in each of their respective careers.

[Galen Sevinne]

I'm leaning towards agreeing with you, but IMO, it's also a question of depth. The Chargers have it behind LT, and he may have well known that 75% LT is not better than 100% michael turner.

That being said, i'm absolutely SHOCKED that he didn't at least play a few SERIES throughout the game even if he didn't take the bulk of the carries.

I am surprised that LT didn't play in the redzone. I could see maybe not grinding it out in between the 20's but he has always been a touchdown machine. The chargers lost because of their redzone offense.

[duffybr]

If Rivers injury had been ot his arm he would have been out. LT had leg injuties, as a runner it is a different story. Smith playing with a shoulder injury is comparing apples ot oranges. Maybe Turner, the head coach, took him out and he was sulking because he couldn't play

[ravenjoe]

Smith playing with a shoulder injury is comparing apples ot oranges.
I beg to disagree. A painful shoulder injury, when on every play you're having to lower your shoulder to engage a tackler; I don't think so. If anything, it could be worse.

[Losac]

Rivers is a douchebag. Totally classless and immature the way he screams at and taunts both his own fans and opposing ones. Not to mention what he did to Jay Cutler this year. He was the reason it was hard to root for the Chargers.

[Lee Van Cleef]

I don't really buy this whole knock on LT. Whilst he's come across as slightly classless in certain instances over the last year, playing at running back on a bad knee is pretty damn difficult. When your knee isn't good how can you cut or take tacklers on? A weakened knee could give at any time under that kind of pressure.

Luckily for Rivers, Wilfork was in facemask mode, not knee torpedo mode.

[Rochardrik]

I seem to remember a certain playoff game involving Dallas a while back, when Emmit Smith was really hurting; in fact, the pain in his shoulder was so acute that you could see tears in his eyes when he was on the bench. Well, he played through it! I'll never forget his grit during that game. LT, on the other hand, should've at least played a few more series before heading for the bench. So, on one hand, you have Rivers who was of the mindset that there was no way in hell that he was not going to play, even when the Cowher et.al. were saying that he was close to being pulled; while, on the other hand, there's LT who did not seem to give it the 'ol college try. Defining moments in each of their respective careers.

There's a whole lot of difference in playing with a shoulder injury, and a leg(s) injury, esp. if you are a RB. The shoulder injury, you just have to play with the pain... A leg, knee, foot injury can prohibit you from being effective, even if you can eschew the pain.... All I can say is... Quien Sabe?

[Ravenswarrior19]

How much time has LT missed before these last 2 games?

I seem to remember him sitting out the preseason every year, and then playing all 16 games. I don't believe for a second that he can't play through pain, or doesn't have the heart to.

It couldn't have been easy for him to sit on the bench Sunday. It least he had the stones to say he couldn't go. A certain QB held our team hostage for 2 months trying to play through injuries.

[Ravenswarrior19]

For further clarification, LT himself -

""After all the injuries I've played through for this team, I can't believe that all of a sudden I'm not tough," said Tomlinson, who added he wouldn't play in the Feb. 10 Pro Bowl in Hawaii. "Do you think I wanted to sit on the sideline during the championship game? Come on man. That's ridiculous."

""The thing that was so hard was that I've played in games that were meaningless when I was banged up, yet I couldn't go in such an important one," Tomlinson said. "For me to get to this point, to reach the AFC Championship Game and not be able to play, was incredibly difficult. I've fought through a lot of stuff, but this was something that I couldn't work through. It was a horrible feeling to be in that situation."

source:http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2008/01/22/sports/professional/chargers/23_07_301_21_08.txt

[Losac]

I thought I heard the announcers say during the game that LT being on the sidelines was a coach's decision and he didn't take himself out. Guess Norv figured a 100% Michael Turner was better than a 90% LT.

[UKRavenStockers]

I'm not even sure Tomlinson was 90% tbh, I think his two runs on that first series were straight ahead weren't they? No cuts. With the impact and stress he took on that knee in the divisional game I wouldn't be at all surprised if there was some serious damage in that knee. With what cruciate injuries take out of a back like Tomlinson's arsenal and the quality of his backups, why put him in?

[highwater]

I don't really buy this whole knock on LT.

Welcome to the board, Lee. Loved your work in "The Master" and "Escape From New York" and many westerns, but I could have sworn you were dead.

Well, dead or alive, welcome!