One Winning Drive: Brandon Marshall is a Punk

[dc.]

Game balls and more recap to come tomorrow… but just one thing I have to say.

 

I sat by the Bronco’s tunnel this afternoon, in fact, just a few rows up the right side of it. And I watched a doozy of a game play out before my eyes.

 

And when it was all said and done, as the Broncos and Ravens were shaking hands across the field, and fans were streaming out of the stadium, Brandon Marshall showed his true colors. Ravens defensive back (and former Bronco) Domonique Foxworth saw Marshall exiting the field towards the tunnel quickly and quietly. Foxworth put a skip in his step to try and keep up with Marshall, calling out to him. Marshall clearly heard Foxworth, he motioned rudely several times over his shoulder. When Foxworth finally caught up with Marshall at the tunnel, Marshall hardly even turned his head, threw Foxworth’s hand from his shoulder, and disappeared.

 

Classy move, Marshall. You were shut down by a defense that was clicking on every cylinder all game long. Your former teammate played a wonderful game against you. Man up and just say it, “I got beat. Way to go, Fox.”

 

The Ravens might want a ‘big play’ receiver. I want no part of Brando Marshall.

 

www.onewinningdrive.com

[vmax]

The Ravens haven't needed him and his fat contract all year.

[52isUnstoppable]

youre both insane. Marshall is heads and shoulders above any receiver we have including mason, he would have been real nice to have against N.E. when we couldnt move the ball downfield to save our life. Same for the first 3 Quarters against the vikings. He creates matchup nightmares all over the field and who really cares he didnt want to socialize after being targeted only as handful of times in a losing effort. Great players dont act happy after losing. I would have traded the house for a big physical receiever like him during the offseason and Id do it now too. Everyone berated him for his off field issues in the offseason and no one has heard a peep out of him all year. He would have been a great pickup for us.

[dc.]

Right... because our offense averaging nearly 30 points a game really needs that much help.

 

But more importantly... our second year QB and second year RB and rookie offensive tackle need to be berated for their play when he doesn't like what they are doing. That's going to do great things for our team chemistry and growth.

 

You're right, we haven't heard a peep from Marshall all year because the Broncos have been winning. But now we see them lose one game and his old tricks are back. It's one thing to be unhappy about a loss... but you didn't see Ray Lewis or any Ravens go moping off the field after losses and ignoring the other guys. And, post-game, our guys have been man enough to say that they simply didn't play well enough (a few exceptions for officials comments after NE) instead of making it seem like every other guy on the team is to blame (a la Marshall, Owens, Rivers)

[GrubberRaven]

52 = Anita Marks...nuff said.

[52isUnstoppable]

52 = Anita Marks...nuff said.

I guess all of u have forgotten the AFC championship game. Ya kow when the steelers doubled mason and completely embarassed our offense. Your right, the current group of receivers is explosive enough to outscore the pats, the colts, and the steelers on the road. Why anyone wouldnt want to upgrade to get over hump is retarded. I dont listen to anita marks shes annoying, but if she thinks marshall would have been a smart trade shes on point.

[Spen]

Before the season I would have been in agreement that the Ravens needed another and better WR on the team. Right now I am not sure, for the most part they are getting it done with who they have.

[thundercleetz]

I am in agreement with 52isUnstoppable. Look what the Bengals were able to do to us a few weeks ago, played over the top making us dink and dump the whole game. Basically, it was the AFC Championship all over again. If we are able to have offensive success against the Steelers this season, I might change my opinion, but we still need that big, deep threat. Whether it be Marshall or Vincent Jackson (who is also a free agent at the end of the year pending the CBA situation).

[thundercleetz]

By the way, I would not read much into what you saw dc, on the NFL Network it showed Foxworth and Marshall warming up on the field together before the game. They are apparently good friends. Marshall probably saw a good ribbing coming. Since when has it been a bad thing to be competitive? Marshall just wants to win, those are types of players I'll take on my team, even if they don't shake someone's hand after the game. I think everyone is blowing this up.

[dc.]

By the way, I would not read much into what you saw dc, on the NFL Network it showed Foxworth and Marshall warming up on the field together before the game. They are apparently good friends. Marshall probably saw a good ribbing coming. Since when has it been a bad thing to be competitive? Marshall just wants to win, those are types of players I'll take on my team, even if they don't shake someone's hand after the game. I think everyone is blowing this up.

 

I don't know... if it was just a good ribbing, I don't think Fox would have been chasing (literally, chasing) Marshall off the field... and into the tunnel even. Marshall was clearly pissed off and totally snubbing Fox.

 

And I want guys that want to win, of course I do. But we all trash Belichick for his snubs of handshakes when he loses. How do you think we would react if Ray or Reed or one of our guys was the one doing it? I wouldn't like it.

 

You play. You play hard. You win some, you lose some. When you win, you don't boast. When you lose, you say "Nice game, you outplayed us." It's simple. Too many babies that get away with being "competitive" in this league.

[thundercleetz]

I don't know... if it was just a good ribbing, I don't think Fox would have been chasing (literally, chasing) Marshall off the field... and into the tunnel even. Marshall was clearly pissed off and totally snubbing Fox.

 

And I want guys that want to win, of course I do. But we all trash Belichick for his snubs of handshakes when he loses. How do you think we would react if Ray or Reed or one of our guys was the one doing it? I wouldn't like it.

 

You play. You play hard. You win some, you lose some. When you win, you don't boast. When you lose, you say "Nice game, you outplayed us." It's simple. Too many babies that get away with being "competitive" in this league.

 

We don't play the game dc, so I don't care either way. Belichick wins, so while we trash him for being an asshole, I would not care if I were a Pats fan. It is just the double sided mirror of being a fan to trash other players/coaches while not your own. All I am concerned about is my team winning and that the best product is out there on the field, I don't care if my team's players shake hands after the game.

 

Like it matters, the Ravens are already the Raiders of the East in the eyes of the league and the rest of the fans. In the eyes of the league and opposing fans, Marshall not shaking hands is not nearly as bad as Harbaugh and Mason cursing out the refs on the sideline, or our players constantly criticizing the refs for our loses. We are already seen as a bunch of sore losers, so Marshall would fit right in, IMO. Marshall not shaking hands with a no-name corner in Foxworth doesn't make headlines, whereas Derrick Mason, Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, and Terrell Suggs constantly blaming the refs for loses does (and these guys, adding in Cmac and Scott for good measure, have done it their whole tenure in Baltimore). You tell me what tarnishes a team's reputation more.

[dc.]

Well, to start with, I've never liked our guys publicly barking about officials. And I wouldn't throw Harbaugh's NE tantrum (in game) in with the rest of that.

 

And additionally, as you said earlier, Marshall and Fox were apparently pretty good friends in Denver. So to me, it only makes it less classy and more douche-y for Marshall to treat an old friend that way.

 

You're right... we already have a rep. And I actually care that we have that rep. And I don't like it.

 

Bottom line... Marshall, in the long run, will turn out to be as much of a cancer as guys like Owens. I believe that. And I believe that while we may want some of his talent, we want/need none of the attitude. So I'm not giving anything away to go get him.

 

The way Marshall walked off the field was as much a statement about his feelings towards his team and teammates as it was a snub to us. I don't care that he snubbed Fox. I just think it showed his character. He left his team on the field while we ran for the door. And snubbing Fox, an old friend making an effort to seek him out, only makes me more sure of what I was seeing.

[geo]

I am in agreement with 52isUnstoppable. Look what the Bengals were able to do to us a few weeks ago, played over the top making us dink and dump the whole game. Basically, it was the AFC Championship all over again. If we are able to have offensive success against the Steelers this season, I might change my opinion, but we still need that big, deep threat. Whether it be Marshall or Vincent Jackson (who is also a free agent at the end of the year pending the CBA situation).

 

Sure we need that kind of reciever. Should we really trade a first roundpick, and he needs money too, then we probably have to loose Suggs or Ngata and then give him 50 mill for a criminel? Give away all that for one preferes to beat women, how about that Harbs, Oz and Bisciotti? People on this forum want these types. Thanks but no.

 

And stop telling me that Marshall was the difference for us to not go to the SB. This is so arrogant. Come on Flacco in that game = Orton yesterday. Like yesterdays game Marshall was not the difference. Steelers was the better team, and no way it was only a question about a rookie QB or a standout WR. Our team was obviously more tired physical and mental, it was in their house, Steelers wanted that game much more than us. They beat us period, and we were pretty lucky that we were competive late in the game.

[thundercleetz]

No dc Harbaugh must be included in this. As we saw this week, Mason apparently thought it was OK to curse the ref out. And I did not see Harbaugh or anyone try and stop Mason as Mason stormed back onto the field. In fact Harbaugh just watched Mason storm right by him. It all starts and ends with the coach putting up with such behavior. This behavior was present when Billick was here, and Harbaugh has not done anything to change it.

 

Here is my point, dc. We don't play the game, we don't know what goes on down on the field. I would be willing to wager that this sort of thing happens more often than we know about it. You really think Marshall was the only the only Bronco who left the field early? Heck, Tom Brady left the field when the Colts finally beat the Pats. Manning was seeking out Brady, but Brady was gone. The bottom line is that these guys are just so competitive that they don't think about such things. I am sure Foxworth and Marshall called each other after the game. It is hard for some competitors to just turn the switch off instantly, anyone who has any sort of competitiveness would tell you that.

 

Bottom line is that I think your judgement of Marshall based on this event is unfair. By your same argument the crap that our guys say in the media is just as disrespectfull to our team and just as much of a cancer. Every superstar can be a cancer in sone way, even Ray Lewis and Derrick Mason have been cancers at time.

[thundercleetz]

Sure we need that kind of reciever. Should we really trade a first roundpick, and he needs money too, then we probably have to loose Suggs or Ngata and then give him 50 mill for a criminel? Give away all that for one preferes to beat women, how about that Harbs, Oz and Bisciotti? People on this forum want these types. Thanks but no.

 

And stop telling me that Marshall was the difference for us to not go to the SB. This is so arrogant. Come on Flacco in that game = Orton yesterday. Like yesterdays game Marshall was not the difference. Steelers was the better team, and no way it was only a question about a rookie QB or a standout WR. Our team was obviously more tired physical and mental, it was in their house, Steelers wanted that game much more than us. They beat us period, and we were pretty lucky that we were competive late in the game.

 

My beliefs are hardly arrogant. The Steelers had no problem stopping our offense last season because we had no deep threat. The Steelers played two deep with everyone else underneath. They were challenging us to go deep because they knew we did not have anyone that could beat them. It was the same strategy the Bengals used against us a few weeks ago.

 

Now, a receiver like Marshall is not the only remedy to beating the Steelers. Certainly our better depth at WR will help, as will Ray Rice, a better offensive line, and Joe Flacco in his second year. We will have to see though. All I am saying is that a receiver like Marshall would make us that much better and make defenses have to play us in a cometely different way.

[vmax]

I don't want Marshall in a Ravens uniform for the sole fact that he beats women.

 

The Ravens are going to need some receivers next year (Mason will retire and Clayton is up)....and some cornerbacks. If we start digging we'll find other positional needs. Then there's their own free agents to sign (if there's a new CBA)...

so how many guys to you want to wave good bye to for Marshall?

Maybe they shouldn't do anything with the secondary.

[geo]

My beliefs are hardly arrogant. The Steelers had no problem stopping our offense last season because we had no deep threat. The Steelers played two deep with everyone else underneath. They were challenging us to go deep because they knew we did not have anyone that could beat them. It was the same strategy the Bengals used against us a few weeks ago.

 

Now, a receiver like Marshall is not the only remedy to beating the Steelers. Certainly our better depth at WR will help, as will Ray Rice, a better offensive line, and Joe Flacco in his second year. We will have to see though. All I am saying is that a receiver like Marshall would make us that much better and make defenses have to play us in a cometely different way.

 

Arrogant probably the wrong word, how about respect that they were a better team overall last year, with or without recievers.

 

I try again, Ben (and Matt Ryan) was the better QB in 2008. Flacco with a standout WR would still face the NFLs best defense with a more limited playbook than even Matt Ryan, how could that ever be the difference?

Oh yeah I would love to have this standout, but come on Marshall? And then you ask for 3 things: Get a troublesome personality like Marshall, give away draftpicks too, and then give him money too.. bye bye who Ngata? Reed? Gaither? Flacco? Rice? Suggs?

You know very well none of this is common sense in the Owing Mills.

 

 

We are likely going to get a reciever next year, let it be some one like Mason with his kind of personality. I even take Chad Johnson and TO if they were ten years younger over Marshall.

 

VJ from Chargers?

[OutsideRzAcE]

He's immature, he's a chronic woman beater - no thank you.

[thundercleetz]

Arrogant probably the wrong word, how about respect that they were a better team overall last year, with or without recievers.

 

I try again, Ben (and Matt Ryan) was the better QB in 2008. Flacco with a standout WR would still face the NFLs best defense with a more limited playbook than even Matt Ryan, how could that ever be the difference?

Oh yeah I would love to have this standout, but come on Marshall? And then you ask for 3 things: Get a troublesome personality like Marshall, give away draftpicks too, and then give him money too.. bye bye who Ngata? Reed? Gaither? Flacco? Rice? Suggs?

You know very well none of this is common sense in the Owing Mills.

 

 

We are likely going to get a reciever next year, let it be some one like Mason with his kind of personality. I even take Chad Johnson and TO if they were ten years younger over Marshall.

 

VJ from Chargers?

 

No argument here that the Steelers were the better team last season. If we had a receiver like Marshall last year, would we have won? Hard to say. I will say that the Steelers would not have been able to play us the same way. Enough with the what ifs though. This year we will be benefited by better depth at receiver (last season our number three receiver was a rotation of Marcus Smith, Yamon Figurs, and Terrance Copper), a better offensive line, an emerging star in Ray Rice, and a much improved Joe Flacco.

 

Eventually we are going to have to spend money on a receiver. Pending the CBA, we will not have one receiver under contract through next season. I would love Mason back, but is he going to retire? I think retaining Washington is a must, and I would not mind Clayton back if the price was right. However, the contract the Bucs gave to Michael Clayton is going to drive up the price of average receivers a lot. I would not give that type of deal to Mark Clayton. Vincent Jackson would be an ideal fit for this team. He saw first hand that he is big, physical, fast, and would be able to bail Joe out on passes downfield. I wonder what the Chargers will do with him though, as Merriman and Sproles are free agents as well.

[dc.]

No dc Harbaugh must be included in this. As we saw this week, Mason apparently thought it was OK to curse the ref out. And I did not see Harbaugh or anyone try and stop Mason as Mason stormed back onto the field. In fact Harbaugh just watched Mason storm right by him. It all starts and ends with the coach putting up with such behavior. This behavior was present when Billick was here, and Harbaugh has not done anything to change it.

 

Here is my point, dc. We don't play the game, we don't know what goes on down on the field. I would be willing to wager that this sort of thing happens more often than we know about it. You really think Marshall was the only the only Bronco who left the field early? Heck, Tom Brady left the field when the Colts finally beat the Pats. Manning was seeking out Brady, but Brady was gone. The bottom line is that these guys are just so competitive that they don't think about such things. I am sure Foxworth and Marshall called each other after the game. It is hard for some competitors to just turn the switch off instantly, anyone who has any sort of competitiveness would tell you that.

 

Bottom line is that I think your judgement of Marshall based on this event is unfair. By your same argument the crap that our guys say in the media is just as disrespectfull to our team and just as much of a cancer. Every superstar can be a cancer in sone way, even Ray Lewis and Derrick Mason have been cancers at time.

 

We'll just have to disagree.

 

First, Mason was flagged for throwing his helmet - not for anything he said to an official. And (according to Mason as I heard tonight), the official followed him off the field to watch him do it. Whatever. I'm not putting Harbs in that boat.

 

As for other Broncos who stormed off... remember the story... I was sitting over the tunnel. Marshall was the only one booking it for the exit. A teammate was 10-20 yards behind, but he stopped and chatted to a few guys.

 

And you're right, he's definitely not the first and won't be the last to do it. Doesn't mean I like it. Doesn't mean it isn't an asshole move, especially when it's an old teammate seeking you out (Manning and Brady aren't best buds). And I maintain that it reinforces my notion that Marshall is a douche. His own team has apparently thought so as well at times, or they wouldn't have been discussing trading him just like Cutler.

[Spen]

The Ravens offense was stopped by more than just the Steelers last year in the playoffs. In fact it was pretty poor the entire playoffs. The Miami game saw the defense score and play big.

 

Would a big time receiver have gotten them further? I am not so sure.

 

I'd like to have a great # 1 receiver but wouldn't want to trade for one or over pay for one. This team has more pressing needs IMO.

[52isUnstoppable]

I don't want Marshall in a Ravens uniform for the sole fact that he beats women.

 

The Ravens are going to need some receivers next year (Mason will retire and Clayton is up)....and some cornerbacks. If we start digging we'll find other positional needs. Then there's their own free agents to sign (if there's a new CBA)...

so how many guys to you want to wave good bye to for Marshall?

Maybe they shouldn't do anything with the secondary.

didnt samari rolle beat his wife? I remember something like that.

 

I would LOVE to see vincent jackson in a ravens uni, but that wont happen cuz SD will pay him. They have no choice they just released chambers and have no other WR weapons. It would be like us letting mason walk and clayton being our #1

[ForceEight]

I would LOVE to see vincent jackson in a ravens uni, but that wont happen cuz SD will pay him. They have no choice they just released chambers and have no other WR weapons. It would be like us letting mason walk and clayton being our #1

I think they're going to pay Jackson, too, but Floyd and Naanee are both very good receivers...and both would probably be starters on this team.

[thundercleetz]

We'll just have to disagree.

 

First, Mason was flagged for throwing his helmet - not for anything he said to an official. And (according to Mason as I heard tonight), the official followed him off the field to watch him do it. Whatever. I'm not putting Harbs in that boat.

 

As for other Broncos who stormed off... remember the story... I was sitting over the tunnel. Marshall was the only one booking it for the exit. A teammate was 10-20 yards behind, but he stopped and chatted to a few guys.

 

And you're right, he's definitely not the first and won't be the last to do it. Doesn't mean I like it. Doesn't mean it isn't an asshole move, especially when it's an old teammate seeking you out (Manning and Brady aren't best buds). And I maintain that it reinforces my notion that Marshall is a douche. His own team has apparently thought so as well at times, or they wouldn't have been discussing trading him just like Cutler.

 

First on Mason. I am not arguing the penalty, I am arguing that Harbaugh made no attempt to constrain Mason as he came BACK on the field to argue after the penalty. Obviously Mason thinks he can act in such a manner (for Harbaugh has nothing wrong with doing such himself). Harbaugh needs to put a stop to this behavior, for one if Mason would have been ejected, we might not have won that game. In my opinion, this is a much worse reflection on our team than what Brandon Marshall did.

 

I am going to say this again, dc, competitive is not something you can just turn on and off. Some players take a little while to cool off. Being friends with a guy make no difference, in fact, it may make it more difficult. Heck, I sometimes get so mad after losing a game of Madden to a friend that I do not want to even look at my friend. Does that make me a douche, dc? I would wager that Foxworth and Marshall called each other after the game to congratulate each other. Here is the bottom line, dc, we don't know what goes on on that field. We do not know how competitive it got between Marshall and Foxworth, or what type of words might have been exchanged. And as a fan, I honestly could care less.

 

If players not shaking hands after a game angers you, maybe football is not a good sport for you to watch. Maybe you should watch soccer where players are required to shake hands after games. Some football players have to be douches in order to play at a high level. Jared Allen is the biggest douche around, but that is part of what makes him so good. I would take him on my team in an instant. The same could be said about James Harrison on the Steelers. When I played high school I was the biggest trash talker on the field, cursing and everything. I don't curse in real life, this is just how I got fired up. And let me tell you, this was not an attitude I could just stop when the final whistle blew. Am I a douche or disrespectful to my team? I do not think so. The bottom line is that any player, whether they are a douche or not, has the potential to be a cancer. Tell me of a losing team that had great chemistry. Sure, there are some, but it is rare, and not always dependent upon what types of players you have. The Pats are able to keep such a tight locker-room because they win.

[dc.]

First on Mason. I am not arguing the penalty, I am arguing that Harbaugh made no attempt to constrain Mason as he came BACK on the field to argue after the penalty. Obviously Mason thinks he can act in such a manner (for Harbaugh has nothing wrong with doing such himself). Harbaugh needs to put a stop to this behavior, for one if Mason would have been ejected, we might not have won that game. In my opinion, this is a much worse reflection on our team than what Brandon Marshall did.

 

I am going to say this again, dc, competitive is not something you can just turn on and off. Some players take a little while to cool off. Being friends with a guy make no difference, in fact, it may make it more difficult. Heck, I sometimes get so mad after losing a game of Madden to a friend that I do not want to even look at my friend. Does that make me a douche, dc? I would wager that Foxworth and Marshall called each other after the game to congratulate each other. Here is the bottom line, dc, we don't know what goes on on that field. We do not know how competitive it got between Marshall and Foxworth, or what type of words might have been exchanged. And as a fan, I honestly could care less.

 

If players not shaking hands after a game angers you, maybe football is not a good sport for you to watch. Maybe you should watch soccer where players are required to shake hands after games. Some football players have to be douches in order to play at a high level. Jared Allen is the biggest douche around, but that is part of what makes him so good. I would take him on my team in an instant. The same could be said about James Harrison on the Steelers. When I played high school I was the biggest trash talker on the field, cursing and everything. I don't curse in real life, this is just how I got fired up. And let me tell you, this was not an attitude I could just stop when the final whistle blew. Am I a douche or disrespectful to my team? I do not think so. The bottom line is that any player, whether they are a douche or not, has the potential to be a cancer. Tell me of a losing team that had great chemistry. Sure, there are some, but it is rare, and not always dependent upon what types of players you have. The Pats are able to keep such a tight locker-room because they win.

 

You say I should watch soccer and that they are required to shake hands as if it's a bad thing...

 

We give athletes too much credit and too much leeway when it comes to things like this. We tell ourselves that's "how they have to be" and so on and so forth and we use it as an excuse for their behavior. And then we act shocked when they are bad people off the field and when they commit crimes or whatever. But it's a ridiculous standard, because then turn right back around again and want these guys to be role models.

 

You're right... some guys can't just turn it off. They are all paid to play a game. That's what they do with their lives. They are little boys who play games for a living. But we call them men and they expect to be treated like men.

 

Well, to me a man is a guy that can take his beating and admit he got beat and say good job to the other guy. And all the crap about "oh he was too pumped up" and "he's too competitive" and "its hard to turn off that fast." It's all a bunch of excuses. And I'm tired of excuse. I'm tired of allowing millionaires to act like little kids and then treat them like gods on Sundays. Man up. To me that means showing sportsmanship.