No Country for Old Receivers, Part Deux

by BigBlueShoe on Oct 20, 2009 11:42 AM EDT in Analysis Comment 15 comments

Remember all the grief Marvin Harrison took from people because he refused to take less money and play a lesser role on another team? People said he was "washed up", "finished", and "over-valuing himself." Well, it turns out that Marvin has this thing many folks call "pride." And while pride is not always the best trait in a person, it can sometimes help an individual stand by their principles.

Yes, I know. That sounds mushy and silly in our cynical world were principles are bought and sold every minute of every day. But what Marvin Harrison felt was that if teams were not going to give him his asking price and use him as a starting receiver, then he had no interest in playing for anyone.

This meant that he wasn't going to take less money so he can be a third or fourth receiver for some crap team. Why would he hold firm on this?

Because he didn't want to end up like Terrell Owens (languishing with the Bills), Amani Toomer (cut by the Chiefs), or Joey Galloway (the "splash" free agent signing by the Patriots this off-season who was cut today because he hasn't done squat for the team).

Such is the fate of old wide receivers in a league which seems to favor younger, more dynamic players. Veteran receivers, once viewed as a prized commodity (like Tim Brown, Cris Carter, and Jerry Rice back in the day) are now shoved aside in favor of the Jeremy Maclins, Austin Collies, and Johnny Knoxs of this league.

So, while it probably would have been smart for Marvin to stay with the Colts, I do applaud him for not "going out like a chump" the way some of these other veteran receivers are going. As I have long said, Marvin Harrison the best wide receiver this league has seen not named Jerry Rice. He is a first ballot Hall of Famer. If by some silly, petty, ignorant reason he isn't, the Hall of Fame is a sham and a farce and not worthy of fan attention or respect. By not signing with some other team just so he can collect a paycheck and pad some worthless stats, my perception of Marvin is reinforced.

He has nothing left to prove. I'm glad he's staying out of football.

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Getting paid guaranteed money

to hang at home and play with your son ain’t a bad way to live.

We should give props to Issac Bruce, though, he’s got a lot of mileage on his tires but he’s still playing really good ball in SF.

by slash196 on Oct 20, 2009 11:47 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Another question

Do you think the clown-ass media will let this “Nobody wants Marvin because a convicted perjurer said he was bad and nobody would sign him at the end of his HoF career” affect their votes for the hall? I’m looking at you, Peter “No Signature Catches Because I Wasn’t Watching Colts-Pats in 2005” King.

by slash196 on Oct 20, 2009 11:49 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Sad Truth

Fact is most players who aren’t forced out of the league by injury tend to get too old and beat down to go out with a bang (still waiting for the inevitable Favre late-season collapse). Marvin’s pride and that giant chip on his shoulder is what made him the best. Last year’s Marvin was almost tragic to watch, but I’m glad his stubborness has lead to his retirement. To see Marv struggling in someone else’s uniform only to be cut halfway through the season would be borderline torture. It would be like watching Michael Jordan dog it in a Washington Wizards uni.

PLEASE DON’T MAKE ME WATCH THAT MARVIN!!

Stay home. Relax. And wait for that HOF phone call.

by EddieDean on Oct 20, 2009 12:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It's too bad though

that he couldn’t have announced his retirement while still with the Colts and have a big ceremony of some kind? He deserves to go out of Indy with some style. Too bad he didn’t realize that.

by Ayrshire on Oct 20, 2009 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

maybe he doesn't want that

… this is a guy who avoided the media like the plague. Do you think this kind of private person wants that kind of public hype?

An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less until they know everything about nothing...

by bluegirl on Oct 20, 2009 12:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Glad Marvin isn't playing for the sake of playing

For players who have done as much as Marvin.. it is pathetic to watch them keep hanging on for as long as they possibly can. I am REALLY glad he has enough pride not to keep hanging around the way Jerry Rice did. I want to remember Marvin as a colt who got his ring and caught 143 passes in one season and 100+ TD’s from Peyton. Not as a third WR for the eagles.

An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less until they know everything about nothing...

by bluegirl on Oct 20, 2009 12:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I still say Marvin's got some game left.

Peyton was leaving the deep ball short ALL last season, Marv had his man beat on a couple of big ones that wound up as picks. A few of those connect (and the refs in Jacksonville learn how to call pass interference) and the “Marvin’s lost a step” meme never gets off the ground.

Marv’s career was as much a victim of Manning’s knee as his own.

by slash196 on Oct 20, 2009 12:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

In interest of full disclose

He did fumble two HUGE balls, the one that cost them the San Diego game in 07 and the one that killed the opener in 08. That was just hard to watch.

by slash196 on Oct 20, 2009 12:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Such is the fate of old wide receivers in a league which seems to favor younger, more dynamic players. Veteran receivers, once viewed as a prized commodity (like Tim Brown, Cris Carter, and Jerry Rice back in the day) are now shoved aside in favor of the Jeremy Maclins, Austin Collies, and Johnny Knoxs of this league.

Forget ‘younger, more dynamic players’ — the Patriots were just hoping to get a veteran receiver that could catch the ball and run the route he was supposed to run, without worrying about getting hit.

Keep the faith!

by Marima on Oct 20, 2009 12:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It's kinda funny, but I thought I'd really miss Marvin,

And It turns out I haven’t. He didn’t exactly endear himself to the fans, with his Garbo act. But on the field of course I respected him. But as far as REALLY missing him? It hasn’t happened.

"You can't defend the perfect throw, what can I say?" Peyton quoting Marino

by Indy Lori on Oct 20, 2009 12:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Lori's right. I don't miss him anywhere near as much as I thought I would either

I mean, I love the memories I have of him – man, that guy made some sick catches in his day – but really, moving on’s been a ton easier than I thought it would be. He may not have been happy with the Colts offer, but he didn’t Prima Don his opinion all over the press like some other athletes would have, and he didn’t publicly trash anyone in regards to this situation (whether he did so in private is something I have no way of knowing). It’s an easy chapter of the book to close: Marv did great, and was a foundation stone of the team for many years. But his leaving hasn’t degraded the team any, and his leaving without fanfare hasn’t created a public perception of a messy exit. We’re able to move on. And with his money, Marv’ll be able to move on okay too. Sure, it’s possible that he bears a grudge. But if he does, he hasn’t blathered about it, and that by itself is a classy move. Everyone’s able to move on. And when a future Hall of Fame player’s release is involved, that’s as good as it gets.

"How can a pickup truck contain enough mass to unfold into a towering machine? I say if Ringling Brothers can get 15 clowns into a Volkswagen, anything is possible."

Roger Ebert, Transformers review.

by E.M.H. on Oct 20, 2009 1:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

On the other hand

Torry Holt’s looking pretty solid down in Jacksonville, now that Mike Sims-Walker is scaring the crap out of people on the other side of the field.

I still think there could have been a place as a WR2 in this league for Marvin, but not on someone like the Bucs or Redskins where he’d be wasted with a useless QB. I think, with DeSean Jackson and Maclin in Philly, or even in Detroit facing single coverage because Megatron is taking triple coveage, he might have been a nice veteren presence for a year or so there. But hey, football moves on.

by eltharion_doa on Oct 20, 2009 2:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I do miss Marvin

but not at all in a football way, in a sentimental one. He was one of the people who made us relevant, and with Peyton and Edge, he built this team. I comare it to the Red Sox of recent years. Edge was our Nomar.Marvin was our Pedoro. Peyton is our Manny/Big Papa (without Roids). The other two were there for the process. Marvin reaped the beginnng of the reward. But Peyton is there for the finale.

EVH+DLR=BFFr........ God I Hope So!!

by dmstorm22 on Oct 20, 2009 2:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

missing marvin

Winning cures alot of ills. if this team was struggling, Im sure a few of us would miss marvin much more. But with the development and success of the Colts younger recievers it allows the machine to keep churning. Just like we will all be writing when Reggie’s day comes. Although I believe he’ll be a little more media friendly…lol. Soon it will be Gonzo-Garcon-Collie!

sean smither

by izzystradlin67 on Oct 21, 2009 7:20 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs