• Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
  • Consider registering! Fewer and higher quality ads, no emails you don't want, access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Even if you just want to lurk, there are a lot of good reasons to register!

CB Denzel 'Hurt! My! Feelings!' Ward (All B1G, All-American, Pro Bowl, Cleveland Browns)

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Sort by date Sort by votes
There has to be a solution too many players declare for the draft then should ..I I wish you had do declare by Dec20 and then that would be ruled ineligible for the Bowl games. Then change the rule so you could red shirt but the bowl game would be the first game of the next year. This would keep players like Denzel from being put in an awkward position and have plenty players to play the game,
 
Upvote 0
Onebuckfan said:
There has to be a solution too many players declare for the draft then should ..I I wish you had do declare by Dec20 and then that would be ruled ineligible for the Bowl games. Then change the rule so you could red shirt but the bowl game would be the first game of the next year. This would keep players like Denzel from being put in an awkward position and have plenty players to play the game,
Click to expand...
You want every player entering the draft to be ineligible for bowl games?
 
Upvote 0
jwinslow said:
When players make business decisions a couple times (out of thousands of players who do not), they largely get eviscerated.

When coaches almost always make business decisions to move up to the next level of coaching (at a better college let alone the NFL), they are largely supported.

I'd submit the amount of flak that Denzel ward gets is inversely proportional to the flak that Schiano would get if he ducked out early.
Click to expand...
So much this! Fans will call a kid out for looking out for his future, but coaches like Dan Mullen don't even show up for the team that they've coached for years in their bowl game, and barely a peep is heard. Huge double standard amongst fans.
 
Upvote 0
LordJeffBuck said:

Sidney Jones was arguably the #1 cornerback in his class and he was projected to be a top-15 pick in the 2017 NFL draft (I saw one projection at #11, another at #14). After the injury, Jones was selected in the second round at #43.

Malik Hooker, who had the good sense to suffer a major injury after he inked his NFL contract, was the #15 selection in the 2017 NFL draft. He signed for $12.7 million, with $7.3 million as a signing bonus.

Sidney Jones signed for $6.2 million with a $2.6 million signing bonus. The injury cost Jones at least $6.5 million in total contract dollars, maybe more.

Now do you understand why Ward sat out in the Cotton Bowl?
Click to expand...


But wasn't Jones injured during his Pro day?
 
Upvote 0
pnuts34 said:
So much this! Fans will call a kid out for looking out for his future, but coaches like Dan Mullen don't even show up for the team that they've coached for years in their bowl game, and barely a peep is heard. Huge double standard amongst fans.
Click to expand...

No problem with this kid sitting out at all either. I may have a different opinion if we were in the playoffs, but we weren't. Even if we were I don't know that I would completely fault him, maybe be disappointed that we didn't have our 11 best on the field, but only if the outcome didn't turn out the way I wanted it to. Millions of dollars I'll probably never have to contemplate in my life so I would have a hard time faulting a kid for making this decision, regardless. I love college football and especially our BUCKEYES but we're talking about a decision a kid is making for a LIFETIME! ...With the injuries we've seen to marquee players (i.e. Smith, Butt/ASS) in the last few years, and how much it has cost them, I'm surprised anyone sober minded still has a problem with a kid, especially a projected 1st rounder be cautious. I know we all where scarlet colored glasses but sometimes we need to take a step back and put ourselves in these kids shoes/ life decisions.

In regards to Denzel, thank you for everything and all the hours of sweat, blood, and effort you gave! You were truly special to watch this year! DBU!!! Best of luck to you in the NFL and may you have a long and successful career and overshadow that shit head charles woodson by the end of it! Go BUCKS! Beat SCum!!!
 
Upvote 0
Buckeneye said:
But wasn't Jones injured during his Pro day?
Click to expand...
Yep. The point being this: Jones was injured doing something that he didn't need to do in order to secure his draft status. If he just stays home, he's a top-15 pick.

It doesn't make much sense for top draft picks to play in bowl games - or to perform at Pro Days or the Combine. Show up at the Combine and do the interviews, but don't do anything that risks injury.
 
Upvote 0
I am going to support Denzel no matter what and hope he gets a huge pay day, he was nothing but class and a really fun player to watch. I want to preface it with that because what I am about to say is not aimed at him at all, but I do feel strongly on this in general.

I have a real problem with any player sitting out in a bowl game. First, the player received an extremely valuable scholarship to play through NFL eligibility by contract (3 years at least). Maybe you just don't pay for that part of the semester in exchange? Seems fair contractually (and they will make more money by apparently doing that, so they can pay it). I get that there is the opportunity to leave after 3 full years, but that is only after the season is over. Not 2.9 or 3.9 years. Second off, if I am drafting as an NFL team, I will take the next comparable player that plays the bowl game every time. You play hundreds of games, you have as much of a chance getting hurt in the last game of the year, the conference championship, etc. I see that as a sign of the player that will conveniently find an injury Weeks 14-17 when they know playoffs aren't coming. Finally..and tying into the last point...love the game and your university. I know everyone will say it is easy for me to say this without anything on the line, but I just could never be kept off the field in any situation when I played. We would be up or down by 60 and I just never wanted to leave the field because I love football so damned much. If I get a chance to play at THE Ohio State University, I would savor every last minute I have the privilege to wear the S&G on the field. I have a lot of respect for Saquon Barkley doing what he did today, kid loves the game and was willing to put it on the line even if it cost him millions. That would make me want to take him over anyone if I am a GM in the NFL. If there is a kid in the same ballpark of talent that sits out in a game, I take Barkley because he played.

I understand the career moves, the possibility of losing millions, etc. But the reality is if you are in a position to even make this decision, you are going to make millions regardless. If you are smart with those millions, you will turn it into more millions. At worse, you will break even and be more fortunate than about 95% of the population. So I am not losing sleep for those who only made seven figures instead of eight or nine. End of the day, I think if you decide to sit out the bowl game, I don't think you should dress or even be on the sidelines. If you have chosen to be a pro that early, pay for your ticket and go sit in the stands. I know this will not be a popular opinion, but it is how I feel and after hearing very educated reasons as to why I am wrong, I feel the same.
 
Upvote 0
RB07OSU said:
I am going to support Denzel no matter what and hope he gets a huge pay day, he was nothing but class and a really fun player to watch. I want to preface it with that because what I am about to say is not aimed at him at all, but I do feel strongly on this in general.

I have a real problem with any player sitting out in a bowl game. First, the player received an extremely valuable scholarship to play through NFL eligibility by contract (3 years at least). Maybe you just don't pay for that part of the semester in exchange? Seems fair contractually (and they will make more money by apparently doing that, so they can pay it). I get that there is the opportunity to leave after 3 full years, but that is only after the season is over. Not 2.9 or 3.9 years. Second off, if I am drafting as an NFL team, I will take the next comparable player that plays the bowl game every time. You play hundreds of games, you have as much of a chance getting hurt in the last game of the year, the conference championship, etc. I see that as a sign of the player that will conveniently find an injury Weeks 14-17 when they know playoffs aren't coming. Finally..and tying into the last point...love the game and your university. I know everyone will say it is easy for me to say this without anything on the line, but I just could never be kept off the field in any situation when I played. We would be up or down by 60 and I just never wanted to leave the field because I love football so damned much. If I get a chance to play at THE Ohio State University, I would savor every last minute I have the privilege to wear the S&G on the field. I have a lot of respect for Saquon Barkley doing what he did today, kid loves the game and was willing to put it on the line even if it cost him millions. That would make me want to take him over anyone if I am a GM in the NFL. If there is a kid in the same ballpark of talent that sits out in a game, I take Barkley because he played.

I understand the career moves, the possibility of losing millions, etc. But the reality is if you are in a position to even make this decision, you are going to make millions regardless. If you are smart with those millions, you will turn it into more millions. At worse, you will break even and be more fortunate than about 95% of the population. So I am not losing sleep for those who only made seven figures instead of eight or nine. End of the day, I think if you decide to sit out the bowl game, I don't think you should dress or even be on the sidelines. If you have chosen to be a pro that early, pay for your ticket and go sit in the stands. I know this will not be a popular opinion, but it is how I feel and after hearing very educated reasons as to why I am wrong, I feel the same.
Click to expand...
Like I've stated before, it's funny and unsettling how fans hold kids to a higher standard than the coaches who are adults. So by your metrics, coaches should have to pay back some of their exorbitant salaries if they goose to leave their teams before bowl games. If Grunch left WSU for OSU before his bowl gme, imnsure not a peep of negativity would be heard, but a kid sits out a meaningless exhibition game to protect his body and now posts like above are written. That's great that you love, im sure the kids do to. But a fans love is far different than a players. Same with fans in any sport, notice how players applauded guys like Lebron and KD for leaving their teams, but the FANs wanted the players to be loyal. Those same fans would more than likely leave their company for another if the opportunity for a higher salary arose. These kids on scholarships give their bodies for schools in exchange for a scholarship, but no actual revenue and as expected to play in meaningless games at the end of a season for a shiny trophy so that fans can pump their chests. If a kid like Jaylon Smith gets injured, those same fans just saw oh what a shame andnthen look for the next man up, while this kid has to pick his life up and now face the realization that he just flushed Millions of dollars down the drain. I applaud the players for taking a stand on the archaic culture of college athletics, and not caring what fans who will never be in their shoes and don't know their personal lives think.
 
Upvote 0
If college football is about training men for the job of football without jeopardizing their health . Play a six game season of flag football. College football is much more than being a NFL minor league. We had college football before the nfl .a minority of players make the nfl . Why cater to these few?$$$$ is why. I thought Baker was holding back this year but I apologize to him he balled out. Davis was helping him to improve it took time to show on the field. Baker is ready if he chooses to go. Denzel I don’t know.,.
 
Upvote 0
Fear of loss is more powerful than the hope for gain. It is one of the most basic, and powerful, behaviors we flawed human beings are driven by.

Quick example from investopedia:

Here is one experiment: offer someone a choice of a sure $50 or, on the flip of a coin, the possibility of winning $100 or winning nothing. Chances are the person will pocket the sure thing. Conversely, offer a choice of a sure loss of $50 or, on a flip of a coin, a loss of $100 or nothing. The person will probably take the coin toss. The chance of the coin flipping either way is equivalent for both scenarios, yet people will go for the coin toss to save themselves from loss even though the coin flip could mean an even greater loss. People tend to view the possibility of recouping a loss as more important than the possibility of greater gain.

1st round NFL picks get about 70% of their contract guaranteed so, as a recent comparison, Lattimore went #11 last year with a total contract of $15.37 and $9.3 guaranteed.

So now change the money in the coin flip example to $9.3 million dollars and tell me with a straight face anyone here is going to say "fuck it" and take the chance of losing it.

Playing in a non-playoff Bowl game is pure risk for a top 10/#1 at position type pick. They aren't going to move up much, if any, while anything that happens that lowers their draft stock costs them millions.
 
Upvote 0
LordJeffBuck said:
Yep. The point being this: Jones was injured doing something that he didn't need to do in order to secure his draft status. If he just stays home, he's a top-15 pick.

It doesn't make much sense for top draft picks to play in bowl games - or to perform at Pro Days or the Combine. Show up at the Combine and do the interviews, but don't do anything that risks injury.
Click to expand...

So at what point during a season does a player recognize his future value, then becomes acceptable to sit the remainder of their games?
Suppose we have a losing record one year, would you be comfortable with a top 10 projected player sitting out vs scUM? After all, at that point, it's a "meaningless" game for all intents and purposes.

I see the point being made here by most, lord knows I don't disagree with it. I guess I'm just playing devils advocate.
 
Upvote 0
Buckeneye said:
So at what point during a season does a player recognize his future value, then becomes acceptable to sit the remainder of their games?
Suppose we have a losing record one year, would you be comfortable with a top 10 projected player sitting out vs scUM? After all, at that point, it's a "meaningless" game for all intents and purposes.

I see the point being made here by most, lord knows I don't disagree with it. I guess I'm just playing devils advocate.
Click to expand...

The NFL sets the market so I'd say it's whenever they, tacitly, say it's "ok" to sit out.

Right, wrong or indifferent the precedent has been established that sitting out a Bowl game doesn't make one a "quitter" in the NFL's eyes. If someone tries to sit out the last game of a bad regular season we'd just have to see how that was interpreted by the NFL.
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top