ckparrothead
Premium Member
I didn't read any reports our there regarding any team trying to trade w/ the chargers for Boston for a 2nd , 3rd , (4th or 5th rd isn't much of a difference). did you? I'll gladly accept my mistake if there's any proof.
Boston himself may have discouraged that because he let it be known that his interest in Miami and his cooperation in getting this deal done were due to Jerry Sullivan's presence in Miami. There were plenty of other teams who would have loved to have given up what we gave up for Boston, and negotiated the re-worked deal that we negotiated, but they knew it couldn't happen, because Boston wanted to resurrect his career and he wanted to do it where Jerry Sullivan would be his WRs coach. We know he thinks of Jerry as a father figure he's even admitted it, but also I think he wanted to go to a place where he would be trusted from the get-go and I think the only place that could happen was Miami because he'd have to know someone who likes him and has had success with him in order to be trusted somewhat wherever he went. That last is just my own suspicion I have no proof or anything.
Anyway as for Marion yes I agreed with the upgrade in speed. But, after the indictment, and the fact that Wannstedt flat out admitted that Marion was not released for speed reasons, saying that speed was not an issue....I seem to remember hearing a while ago about this whole stolen car/insurance fraud thing...and I really think Miami had become apprised of how serious the situation was looking and they released him based purely on that. If that was the case, it is still a loss, even if the loss of talent is due to criminal reasons. I would think the whole argument is a bit circular, because people spun the loss of Marion as a speed issue (including myself), and then the coaches came out and said that Marion hadn't lost speed...and then the indictment came out.
So I really think the Marion loss had nothing to do with talent and everything to do with the indictment. And this also means to me, that yes, its a position the coaches were worried about. They openly wanted to draft someone (Matt Ware, Sean Jones, etc). They signed Antuan Edwards, and lastly Wannstedt himself admitted that it was a position he was worried about until only recently.
The whole Marion got into the pro bowl on name alone, ok yeah that had something to do with it but he was still a very solid safety for us, top ten in the league probably, and he will be missed the first time a ball gets tossed deep for a streaking WR and instead of Brock Marion ripping it away from the receiver, Arturo "stonehands" Freeman goes to swat the ball and misses and the WR gets a TD, or Antuan "ouchy" Edwards pulls up mid-stride limping and the WR goes on to score, or either one of them gets out of position or takes the wrong angle on a tackle and allows the WR to score.
I'm hoping Bell is all we hoped he could be. And I think he has a good shot to be just that. I'm pulling for him. Once again I agreed with the decision because of the criminal stuff...they made the right choice, and our position will be better talent-wise long term I think, but for this season, it could be rough out there thats what I'm saying. Good thing our safety position just isn't all that important...