OT: Porter's Motivational Speech to the Patriots "Last Straw" before benching

[JoeSixPat]

Yeah I know there's a thread on this in the football forum but the notion that Porter's smack talk against the Patriots is why Parcells and Sparano benched him needs to be chortled about a bit more

Porter's piehole has finally overcome his production | ProFootballTalk.com

The thinking in some circles is that Porter's misguided decision to stir up the Patriots (quarterback Tom Brady has said that the veteran defender's verbal ramblings added extra motivation in their Week Nine game) was the last straw, and that Porter will remain on ice unless and until the rotation of Jason Taylor, Matt Roth, and Cameron Wake doesn't work.

 

[RayClay]

Re: Porter's Motivational Speech to the Patriots "Last Straw" before benching

You know that made sense until I read a comment below.

I have an alternate theory. The Dolphins took a look at the Bucs and decided the game would probably be well in hand and the looked at Porter and decided that he wasn't going to get back to dominating as a pass rusher until his hamstring really had a chance to heal up. So they give him the week off and get him ready for the rest of the season which they will need to win a lot of their remaining games to get in.

Hmm, made me reread, then look at the byline [Florio]. Is this fact, or just...the usual stuff?

As folks around the league try to make sense of the sudden decision from Dolphins coach Tony Sparano to deactivate linebacker Joey Porter, the theory that makes the most sense is that the team was willing to tolerate his propensity for popping off only when he was producing at a high level.

The thinking in some circles is that Porter's misguided decision to stir up the Patriots (quarterback Tom Brady has said that the veteran defender's verbal ramblings added extra motivation in their Week Nine game) was the last straw, and that Porter will remain on ice unless and until the rotation of Jason Taylor, Matt Roth, and Cameron Wake doesn't work.

He's a master. This whole article is made up. Unless you credit the unnamed "little birds" where is there anything but speculation on Florio's part?

I'm willing to admit I'm wrong if i missed something.

Doesn't mean he's not right. Just means he made it up.

 

[patchick]

Re: Porter's Motivational Speech to the Patriots "Last Straw" before benching

YHe's a master. This whole article is made up. Unless you credit the unnamed "little birds" where is there anything but speculation on Florio's part?

I'm willing to admit I'm wrong if i missed something.

Doesn't mean he's not right. Just means he made it up.

That's some good reading, RayClay. You're right, there's actually no reporting going on in that story at all.

 

[fnordcircle]

Re: Porter's Motivational Speech to the Patriots "Last Straw" before benching

If a friend of Florio's says 'I bet the benched him because of his comments about the Pats' then that is technically the 'thinking in some circles' right there.

 

[PatsFan24]

Re: Porter's Motivational Speech to the Patriots "Last Straw" before benching

good the guy is an a-hole and i hope the fish cut his ass.

 

[RayClay]

Re: Porter's Motivational Speech to the Patriots "Last Straw" before benching

If a friend of Florio's says 'I bet the benched him because of his comments about the Pats' then that is technically the 'thinking in some circles' right there.

Or if Florio is walking around in circles thinking about Joey Porter.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Re: Porter's Motivational Speech to the Patriots "Last Straw" before benching

You know that made sense until I read a comment below.



Hmm, made me reread, then look at the byline [Florio]. Is this fact, or just...the usual stuff?



He's a master. This whole article is made up. Unless you credit the unnamed "little birds" where is there anything but speculation on Florio's part?

I'm willing to admit I'm wrong if i missed something.

Doesn't mean he's not right. Just means he made it up.

Yeah - that's pretty much classic Florio... and his little birds are right enough to make his theories a very real possibility... and should the little birdies be making things up well, that in and of itself is interesting because it just showcases how many within the Dolphins have had it with him (i.e. they'd leak this rumor even though he's sitting primarilly for other reasons.)

That being said, the Dolphins have no less than SIX teams ahead of them as they attempt to claim a wild card spot. It doesn't matter who they're playing.. they desparately need a win and Tampa's coming off a win themselves.

I tend to agree that if Porter could play, he would play... but if he can't, and you're Parcells, why not leak this rumor and get the added benefit of teaching a key player how NOT to motivate an opponent to beat you?

 

[Rob0729]

Re: Porter's Motivational Speech to the Patriots "Last Straw" before benching

You know that made sense until I read a comment below.



Hmm, made me reread, then look at the byline [Florio]. Is this fact, or just...the usual stuff?



He's a master. This whole article is made up. Unless you credit the unnamed "little birds" where is there anything but speculation on Florio's part?

I'm willing to admit I'm wrong if i missed something.

Doesn't mean he's not right. Just means he made it up.

Personally, it made sense even after seeing that post. I can see them selling Porter on sitting out due to coach's decision now.

"Joey, we are going to kill the Bucs anyway and you need to heal up. Instead of having you sit out due to injury though, we are going to say it is a coach's decision so the rest of the league talk about how you are an arse and we are pissed off at you. And on top of that, if the league finds out that it was an injury thing and not a coach's decision, the team gets a fine. This is a lose-lose for everyone. You game?"

If it was because of them sitting out due to him not being 100%, they would have made it due to injury. No team would hang their player out to dry by saying they are held out for a coach's decision if they are being held out for health reason. A coach's decision is always implies that the player is in the doghouse.

The fact of the matter is that neither Sporano nor Parcells like Porter's trash talking. Last year they had to put up with it (like when Sporano tried to pull Porter out of the game because he got a personal foul and he refused come out) because he was a sack machine. This year he is been playing pretty poorly. So his mouth is far more a liabilty than his play on the field is an asset.

 

[Gwedd]

Re: Porter's Motivational Speech to the Patriots "Last Straw" before benching

All I know is that Porter seems to be trying to take over where TO left off: Team Killer.

Regardless, I doubt he'll ever change. He's been this way for far too long to start adding some humility to his makeup, let alone thinking about what he wants to say BEFORE he says it.

 

[Patspsycho]

Re: Porter's Motivational Speech to the Patriots "Last Straw" before benching

Personally, it made sense even after seeing that post. I can see them selling Porter on sitting out due to coach's decision now.

"Joey, we are going to kill the Bucs anyway and you need to heal up. Instead of having you sit out due to injury though, we are going to say it is a coach's decision so the rest of the league talk about how you are an arse and we are pissed off at you. And on top of that, if the league finds out that it was an injury thing and not a coach's decision, the team gets a fine. This is a lose-lose for everyone. You game?"

If it was because of them sitting out due to him not being 100%, they would have made it due to injury. No team would hang their player out to dry by saying they are held out for a coack's decision if they are being held out for health reason. A coach's decision is always implies that the player is in the doghouse.

The fact of the matter is that neither Sporano nor Parcells like Porter's trash talking. Last year they had to put up with it (like when Sporano tried to pull Porter out of the game because he got a personal foul and he refused come out) because he was a sack machine. This year he is been playing pretty poorly. So his mouth is far more a liabilty than his play on the field is an asset.

This is the assessment I agree with the post. No sense in covering anything up with a "coach's decision" because then you have to deal with the media fallout for a long time to come (a.k.a., "spygate" or Moss being some kind of "spoilsport.") because you know those happened a long time ago, but the media will always bring it up until the cows come home.

 

[efin98]

Re: Porter's Motivational Speech to the Patriots "Last Straw" before benching

Florio is making an opinion piece into a story based on what he has read and heard but he isn't wrong in his assumptions...it isn't an injury according to this blog: Miami Dolphins In Depth

Club spokesman Harvey Greene tells me that is different than the coach deciding Porter cannot play because of an injury. Were injury the reason, the Dolphins would say Porter is out because of a knee or ankle or whatever.

He wasn't benched for lack of production either, if anything it sounds like Sparano was going to play him until he came out of his slump:

“No, I don’t, certainly not," Sparano said. "I see no frustration, I don’t think that he’s affected, but what I do see is a guy that’s played in enough football games to know ‘there’s some things I need to do better out there.’

Porter had to have said or done something to really piss off Sparano on Friday, something bad enough to get yanked before the game.

 

[RayClay]

Re: Porter's Motivational Speech to the Patriots "Last Straw" before benching

Yeah - that's pretty much classic Florio... and his little birds are right enough to make his theories a very real possibility... and should the little birdies be making things up well, that in and of itself is interesting because it just showcases how many within the Dolphins have had it with him (i.e. they'd leak this rumor even though he's sitting primarilly for other reasons.)

That being said, the Dolphins have no less than SIX teams ahead of them as they attempt to claim a wild card spot. It doesn't matter who they're playing.. they desparately need a win and Tampa's coming off a win themselves.

I tend to agree that if Porter could play, he would play... but if he can't, and you're Parcells, why not leak this rumor and get the added benefit of teaching a key player how NOT to motivate an opponent to beat you?

Obviously the article was titled as if something happened.

Porter's piehole has finally overcome his production

I don't doubt Porter was being sent a message, and it's about time if so.

Florio just kills me, though. I read through the entire article thinking something was confirmed and didn't realize it was total speculation until I slowly reread it.

Of course he has sources. He also "hears whispers", notices "there's a buzz", knows "people are saying" and I think those are all euphemisms for, "it sounds good, so I'm going to say it's true."

The hierarchy starts at a named source, someone in the negotiations, a team source, a league source, all of which might refer to actual people IMO.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Re: Porter's Motivational Speech to the Patriots "Last Straw" before benching

I'm not surprised at the way the media is twisting the story. But the original story I read was on ESPN from the AP, and it mentioned his injuries this season quite early in the article, while also mentioning he had missed a few practices as well this week:

MIAMI -- Joey Porter won't be making any tackles this week, either.

Less than 24 hours before kickoff, the Miami Dolphins' outspoken linebacker was ruled out of Sunday's game against Tampa Bay because of a coach's decision. The Dolphins didn't give any information about the reason for the move Saturday by coach Tony Sparano.

Porter made no tackles in last week's loss to the New England Patriots after calling them cheaters and saying he hated them. New England quarterback Tom Brady said his team was inspired by Porter's comments.

Porter has been slowed most of the season by a sore right hamstring. The four-time Pro Bowl player sat out practice Wednesday and Thursday but participated in full drills Friday.

It also mentions later how he missed a game earlier in the season against Buffalo because of the injury.

So I think RayClay is right on the mark here.

 

[DaBronxPats14]

Re: Porter's Motivational Speech to the Patriots "Last Straw" before benching

I'm No Houdini, would be sweet if J Porter can disappear like F Mitchell. That would be a nice "Last Speech".

 

[spacecrime]

Re: Porter's Motivational Speech to the Patriots "Last Straw" before benching

Porter had to have said or done something to really piss off Sparano on Friday, something bad enough to get yanked before the game.

Why couldn't Porter's hamstring have acted up after practice Friday? Why is it he HAS to have done something bad?

Maybe he did, or maybe he didn't. The guy didn't practice at all on Wednesday or Thursday because of his hamstring. He could have gone out Friday, and was unable to practice effectively, so he was ruled out.

 

[Rob0729]

Re: Porter's Motivational Speech to the Patriots "Last Straw" before benching

Why couldn't Porter's hamstring have acted up after practice Friday? Why is it he HAS to have done something bad?

Maybe he did, or maybe he didn't. The guy didn't practice at all on Wednesday or Thursday because of his hamstring. He could have gone out Friday, and was unable to practice effectively, so he was ruled out.

Because he is officially out for a coach's decision, not due to injuries. It isn't his hamstring or he would be out because of injury. Coach's decision means either he isn't talented enough (at least against a certain team) to make the final active roster or he is in the doghouse. Coach's decision has nothing to do with a player's healthy.

 

[efin98]

Re: Porter's Motivational Speech to the Patriots "Last Straw" before benching

Why couldn't Porter's hamstring have acted up after practice Friday? Why is it he HAS to have done something bad?

Maybe he did, or maybe he didn't. The guy didn't practice at all on Wednesday or Thursday because of his hamstring. He could have gone out Friday, and was unable to practice effectively, so he was ruled out.

If he reinjured himself they would have stated it was because of an injury. They have said otherwise to the point that they stated clearly their policy regarding an injury would have been a downgrade and the problem in their announcement.

You can make up whatever excuse to justify it any way you like, but it is what it is: he is being kept out because of a coach's decision.

 

[Rob0729]

Re: Porter's Motivational Speech to the Patriots "Last Straw" before benching

Chris Mortensen implied on his Twitter that Porter's injury that held him out of practice this week wasn't really an injury but more of a punishment.