Is Shawn Merriman in denial?

[DefenseRules]

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070106/news_1s6chargers.html

Believe him when he says he does not play to get accolades. But know also that Shawne Merriman thinks he was the rightful Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Yesterday, Miami defensive end Jason Taylor won the award by six votes. Denver cornerback Champ Bailey finished second and Merriman was a distant third.

“If anybody can honestly say they've performed as well as I have while I've been on the field . . . ” Merriman said. “You even take the four games away and I still outperformed a lot of guys.”

Merriman's statistics compared favorably, and that he was the defensive MVP on a team that finished 14-2 is an impressive credential. Playing in just 12 games, he finished 3½ sacks shy of the record for sacks by a linebacker in a season.

But the fact that he served a four-game suspension for a positive steroids test obviously worked against him. Merriman said he believed it was the four missing games rather than the positive test specifically that kept him from winning the award.

“I don't think it was my suspension that cost me the votes,” he said. “I think it's that I didn't play the full 16 games is what the people have something over me.”

I totally agree with the selection of Jason Taylor as the Defensive Player of the Year. I would love to see him in a Patriot uni someday.

But Merriman is in denial, IMO. The fact that he was suspended for testing positive for steroids in the middle of the season was a factor in the votes, IMHO. I'm still a little surprised and annoyed that he was selected for the probowl. He cheated, but I don't think that Merriman sees it that way.

 

[sieglo]

LMAO. This guy ought to be less concerned with steroids and Defensive Player of the Year and more concerned with rings.

 

[Remix 6]

he didnt deserve it. roids have no place in the league.

wouldnt even be my top 3

1. Champ
2. Taylor
3. Bart Scott

were all ahead of ihm on my list

 

[TomBrady'sGoat]

"my steroid-enhanced performance was better than everbody else. I should have won the award."

 

[zippo59]

If he just said "I did it, I'm sorry. I did my time and I want to get past this" then I would have a lot more respect for him than when says BS things like "I didn't know I was taking illegal substances."

 

[shirtsleeve]

Sounds like Merriman has 'roid rage.

 

[2_LAW_4]

A lot of people, including Merriman, fail to realize that Merriman's body is still performing under the influence of steriods. Although he may now be clean, once you take steriods it never leaves you. His muscle mass, strength, etc. were all results of steriod usage. He cheated the system and should never be recognized as anything special. Look at Barry Bonds. The guy was using steriods and now he's off of it, has his head shrunk (The steriod he was using is hard to detect, but increases the size of the users head)? Nope! ... cheater in my books.

Someone should tell Merriman where to go.

The league should instill stiffer punishment to steriod users. They will always have an advantage over the rest of the field even when they are clean. Players like R.Williams should continue to be dealt with in the current league substance abuse structure. Weed doesn't enhance performance, but it does set a bad example to the young crowd watching the game.

 

[zippo59]

Didn't Merriman gain like 20 pounds in between the end of his senior season and the combine?

 

[mtbykr]

A lot of people, including Merriman, fail to realize that Merriman's body is still performing under the influence of steriods. Although he may now be clean, once you take steriods it never leaves you. His muscle mass, strength, etc. were all results of steriod usage. He cheated the system and should never be recognized as anything special. Look at Barry Bonds. The guy was using steriods and now he's off of it, has his head shrunk (The steriod he was using is hard to detect, but increases the size of the users head)? Nope! ... cheater in my books.

Someone should tell Merriman where to go.

The league should instill stiffer punishment to steriod users. They will always have an advantage over the rest of the field even when they are clean. Players like R.Williams should continue to be dealt with in the current league substance abuse structure. Weed doesn't enhance performance, but it does set a bad example to the young crowd watching the game.

Another reason he shouldn't be in the probowl (not that the probowl actually means something). The guy cheats, and wants to be player of the year---jeez what a moron. Enjoy martyball Merriman:singing:

 

[primetime]

Didn't Merriman gain like 20 pounds in between the end of his senior season and the combine?

Between the combine and his Pro Day, if I'm not mistaken. So it was actually over the course of a month and a half or so rather than three or so months. He went from 250 to 270. Yeah, guys that size can put on 20 lbs. of muscle like it's nothing. Right.

 

[SWelker]

Merriman is a clown, he should of been suspended for the season.