Tiquan released; Ocho active?

[supafly]

Of course his haircut had something to do with it. But not the haircut itself. The fact that he shaved the Patriots logo in his hair. He was the 2nd person to do that in the playoffs this year, and it didn't look nearly as good as Foster's. We're not trying to be 2nd in anything. If he would have been the 1st, it would have been a different story.


But really...Professionally done.

Matches up damn well...

What the hell is this?

The mouth is closed!

And for good reason. Not to mention that's just one of the many other things wrong with it. Time to switch barbers Underwood.

PS: And Foster still got made fun of for it.

Lol...

That is kind of a piss-poor emblem replication, as long as we're being honest.

Foster's was a pretty good job, that was the first time I have seen it up close.

Good stuff.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Nobody will care except for the butt hurt fans of other teams that need ammunition while basking and munching on their own hatred for this team.

The rest will have moved on.

But I really fail to see why a good leader making sound decisions deserves not to be liked. Same for the team. Not sure if that's what you meant by that statement but I can't agree with something like that.

Patriot7, I think you mistook what my point was. From my perspective, the leader of an NFL team must be cold and calculating. To be otherwise likely means to sacrifice the optimum chance of victory. The point I was hoping to make was the general public will see the headline and their will be a snap judgement regardless of the merits within the text of the story.

Ultimately if TU or anyone else being replaced means there is a better chance to win the SB, I believe you have to do it. If that means you are going to be disliked, that is the price that is paid for effective leadership. Which leads me to the point I would disagree with you on. 'A leader making good decisions should be liked'. I actually think the opposite is just as true. A good leader makes the decisions that will make him disliked.

Where my support lags for BB is, if the story is true, not having as effective discussion with TU. Unless this move was based on a disciplinary thing, why not tell him the move was a difficult one but in the best interest of the team?

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

I agree that they won't have to do much to add to it, but at the same time they won't say anything pertaining to it that makes any sense--which is just as bad.

1. We need depth on the defensive line, due to the heat and longer game, particularly indoors. The media however, won't bother to explain that.

2. We have made these types of moves before almost every single game on a Saturday all season long; but you won't hear the media explaining that. They won't explain that they normally make Saturday moves to prevent the signing by other teams, who must now wait until Monday.

3. Gronk's injury affects the ST's unit, and Silvestro will likely take over his role. I can only guess that no one will bring that up though.

Any one of these explanations would be just fine, to help fill in the casual viewer or fan, but since they are always trying to make the evil-Patriots out to be the 'bad guys,' we will not hear about any kind of reasonable explanation...and that's just as bad as building the story up. Actually, it's the same exact thing on many levels.

I agree. It is not likely most of the MSM will take the logical view. Any time they can grab a reader with emotion -- fairly or unfairly -- their job is done. But I don't know that proper text will matter in this case. The headline + BB's reputation among the public + the Patriots winning very frequently = a general public primed to make a snap judgment based on a single sentence.

 

[letekro]

This thread has me shaking my head. How is this different than the hundreds of bottom of the roster transactions the Pats have made this year? Silvestro can help them more this game than Underwood, what's the problem? And why does BB have to explain the obvious to Underwood?

 

[Gwedd]

This thread has me shaking my head. How is this different than the hundreds of bottom of the roster transactions the Pats have made this year? Silvestro can help them more this game than Underwood, what's the problem? And why does BB have to explain the obvious to Underwood?

It's not. It's people letting their emotions overrule their minds. This is professional football. It's a business, and in business you have to make decisions that will often be unpopular. Same with the military. It isn't personal. It rarely is, and those who make it personal do so at the peril of their organization.

Tiquan almost certainly understands all of that. He doesn't have to like it, and you wouldn't be human if you didn't feel for the guy. But it's business first, team first. That's why they get the bucks and the perqs and all the other good things.

Coach Belichick obviously feels that this move makes the most sense and that it helps in some way to make the team better. I can't argue with that, and won't.

GO PATS!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ivanvamp]

This thread is proof that every organization has some real first-class idiots among its fan base.

 

[CC2009]

I just read 33 pages on TiQuan Underwood. Is it 6:30 yet?

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

That's pathetic.

There have been 5-6 good reasons put out here and in the press about why this makes sense on a football level.

The Patriot sources have told the media that it had nothing to do with any infraction.

Tiquan Underwood has handled this with grace and class on his Twitter account and thanked the organization and coaches.

Then some anonymous poster typing away in his basement puts out unfounded speculation that the kid did something nefarious.

Why don't you go torture the neighborhood cats?

Until you know for sure why he was release then there is no reason to suggest I torture cats. Speculation and opinion is what this whole forum is about. I never suggested that Underwood pulled a Stanley Wilson; it could have been something as simple as missing a meeting or it could be nothing at all. I am just speculating; I am free to do that eh?

In my mind it does not add up. Why was he not released two weeks ago. Releasing him now is very bad timing for a number of reasons. It is a distraction to the team and humiliating to Underwood; I don't think we are getting the full story. I think that the full story will come out; maybe tomorrow or maybe months from now...

 

[stcjones]

Re: Tiquan released

Wow, Bill. That's cold.

Yeah.....that's like breaking up with a girl over the phone.....the day of your wedding!!! !!!! (not that I have ever done that by the way...ahem)

 

[voluntarysaftey]

This thread has me shaking my head. How is this different than the hundreds of bottom of the roster transactions the Pats have made this year? Silvestro can help them more this game than Underwood, what's the problem? And why does BB have to explain the obvious to Underwood?

I would hope BB explained the reasonig to Underwood:

In a workplace, you want to foster a sense of loyalty and you want your employees to care about their employer, the product, the team; so they work harder and more dilligently. If you treat your employees like crap on the way out constantly it gets noticed and employees become less loyal when they see their friends shown the door without explanation.

If Underwood is released with no explanation from Bill, he might think that was his last day in NE, and could feel a bit spiteful that he worked hard and the day before the big game he was let go without explanation. Which could then lead to him talking negatively if a friend who is cosidering signing with the Pats asks.

If BB says 'we like you, but this game we need ___ more, so since you're not playing I'm going to release you but I hope to resign you, and we can talk more after the game' then he'd probably understand, wouldn't feel resentful (unless he was thinking he was a starter), and the extra effort on Bills part would've amounted to a 1 minute coversation. If Bill was't planning on resigning him, he still could've said something similar 'thanks for the service but in this game we need someone else more, blah blah' which might've left Underwood leaving the org but with good feelings.

Obviously you can't escape all tough employer/employee breakups, but there's plenty of situations where the two can amicable split; and a manager staying silent wouldn't help those situations.

 

[Dutchmaster617]

IFC was playing House Party all last night too.

 

[Urgent]

Thank God it wasn't Ventrone!
Imagine how stewed up we'd be on that one.

And to those 50 or 60 pages back suggesting 'he'll probably be added to the Practice Squad once he clears waivers" -- I'm not sure they are practicing next week.

 

[ivanvamp]

In mind it does not add up. Why was he not released two weeks ago. Releasing him now is very bad timing for a number of reasons. It is a distraction to the team and humiliating to Underwood; I don't think we are getting the full story.

Fred, please. I know it's Super Bowl weekend and everyone is going a bit stir-crazy. But seriously, this does add up. Follow the logic (I'm not sure all this is true, but it makes perfect sense):

1. BB had an idea that he probably would prefer to have an extra DL in the game because he's already discussed in the past about how important that is to keep guys fresh in the SB.

2. Gronk got hurt and BB wanted to see his progress before deciding if he would play on special teams or not.

3. Based on (1) and (2), it looks like BB realized there was a need for an extra DL that could also take Gronk's spot on special teams. Voila - they have such a guy in Silvestro.

4. In order to put Silvestro on the active roster, they need to cut someone. Who is available to cut? The best option is someone that you can afford to lose not only in the short term (i.e., someone who wasn't going to be active in the SB) but also in the long run (i.e., someone who was essentially a practice squad level player and not a Ron Brace or something like that). Voila - they have such a guy in Underwood.

5. They were probably making some contingency plans from the moment the final gun sounded in Baltimore, especially vis-a-vis Gronk's injury. But, because of the waiver rules, if they had made this move too soon, the Giants *could* potentially have claimed Underwood. Moreover, if they do this too soon, they don't have full information about Gronk. So they needed to wait as long as possible.

6. Thus, Underwood is cut as late as they really can. Probably with the understanding that, hey, we like you and we want you back, but this is a move we had to make for the following reasons: A, B, and C.

Underwood's classy response seems to indicate that he "gets it". There's probably a pretty good chance that they give him a sideline pass or, at worst, good seats for the game. Yeah, big bummer, but if they win he'll get a ring, he'll get paid (Kraft will pay him, if nothing else for the PR), he'll participate in the duck boat parade, and he'll be given every chance to play for them next year.

Now, is all of that above true? I don't know and neither does anyone else. But it's a perfectly, completely, totally sensible scenario. There is no need to suspect BB of a "cold heart" or of some conspiracy theory. They just needed a different body and had to cut someone to make it happen.

Believe it or not, cuts right before the Super Bowl have happened before.

 

[fair catch fryar]

I can't believe this thread is getting this much "love". For crying out loud! Underwood was a member of a professional sports team getting compensated very well for what he did. BB is the head coach of 'said' professional sports team and did what he thought gives his team the best chance to win. I'm sure Bill wasn't laughing maniacally when he Tiquan left his office. He gets paid to make these decisions, much in the same way when he had to cut ties with Big Willie and Mike Vrabel. If by chance Silvestro makes a huge play and forces a fumble(which I highly doubt), but you'll all be claiming how brilliant BB is.

 

[Uncle Rico]

I can't believe this thread is getting this much "love". For crying out loud! Underwood was a member of a professional sports team getting compensated very well for what he did. BB is the head coach of 'said' professional sports team and did what he thought gives his team the best chance to win. I'm sure Bill wasn't laughing maniacally when he Tiquan left his office. He gets paid to make these decisions, much in the same way when he had to cut ties with Big Willie and Mike Vrabel. If by chance Silvestro makes a huge play and forces a fumble(which I highly doubt), but you'll all be claiming how brilliant BB is.

Yup. Or, as the guy from NEPatriotsDraft.com tweeted: If Rob Gronkowski tweaked his ankle on special teams, fans and media would be upset with BB for NOT promoting Alex Silvestro.


Of course, media will turn this into a sign of BB's evil. NYT already ended their blog item on this move with "depending on your point of view, the move shows off the Patriots’ ruthless commitment to winning no matter the personal cost, or exposes them as the coldest-hearted team in football. Which is it for you?

(Edit: I actually expected this thread to turn a big discussion on Ocho! Now where is THAT weekly thread?)

 

[MaineMan]

That was the entire basis of my post.

It was the ONLY thing I quoted before I went into my theory.

here it is again:

The Pats not providing a player's agent with an explanation is not equal to the Pats not providing the player himself with an explanation.

Personally, I figure that it was a sort of last minute decision on something BB had been considering, possibly since Gronk was first injured, that involved several moving parts - a decision that the coaching and medical staffs were waiting to make until they saw how things fell out in practice and the training room. If Lock hasn't been in Indy all week - and I don't see why he necessarily would have been (certainly not just for Tiquan) - I don't think the Pats would have gone out of their way to keep him "informed", though they might have given him a courtesy call post facto, perhaps this morning.

OTOH, they might have been discussing the possibility with Tiquan through the week, to get him personally prepared - with the understanding that he, as a professional and a Patriot, not leak "company info" to folks who might go blabbing it all over the media (like an agent) while the Giants might still have time to adjust (assuming the Giants would have thought it necessary).

 

[MaineMan]

Yup. Or, as the guy from NEPatriotsDraft.com tweeted: If Rob Gronkowski tweaked his ankle on special teams, fans and media would be upset with BB for NOT promoting Alex Silvestro.


Of course, media will turn this into a sign of BB's evil. NYT already ended their blog item on this move with "depending on your point of view, the move shows off the Patriots’ ruthless commitment to winning no matter the personal cost, or exposes them as the coldest-hearted team in football. Which is it for you?

(Edit: I actually expected this thread to turn a big discussion on Ocho! Now where is THAT weekly thread?)

That's hilarious. The reader gets the "choice" of the Pats being sh**s or, OTOH, being a**holes.

 

[letekro]

I would hope BB explained the reasonig to Underwood:

In a workplace, you want to foster a sense of loyalty and you want your employees to care about their employer, the product, the team; so they work harder and more dilligently. If you treat your employees like crap on the way out constantly it gets noticed and employees become less loyal when they see their friends shown the door without explanation.

If Underwood is released with no explanation from Bill, he might think that was his last day in NE, and could feel a bit spiteful that he worked hard and the day before the big game he was let go without explanation. Which could then lead to him talking negatively if a friend who is cosidering signing with the Pats asks.

If BB says 'we like you, but this game we need ___ more, so since you're not playing I'm going to release you but I hope to resign you, and we can talk more after the game' then he'd probably understand, wouldn't feel resentful (unless he was thinking he was a starter), and the extra effort on Bills part would've amounted to a 1 minute coversation. If Bill was't planning on resigning him, he still could've said something similar 'thanks for the service but in this game we need someone else more, blah blah' which might've left Underwood leaving the org but with good feelings.

Obviously you can't escape all tough employer/employee breakups, but there's plenty of situations where the two can amicable split; and a manager staying silent wouldn't help those situations.

You can't be serious. This is a bottom of the roster player that has been with the organization for what, 3 months, off and on? Do you think the head of any 100+ person organization would take any time at all to explain the reasons for termination to such a temporary employee?

 

[Bella*chick]

Personally, I don't kow what it says about me that I barely batted an eye at this and so many people are falling to pieces about poor Tiquan Underwood and his fragile psyche.

One of the comments to the BB is human story posted today compared this to Lawyer Milloy. LAWYER MILLOY! The thought being the stunned Patriots, angry and humiliated on behalf of team leader and indispensable locker room presence Tiquan Underwood, will now go out and lay and egg to the tune of 31-0 to the honorable Giants.

Tiquan Underwood! Hasn't the dude been cut like three times already?! He's barely even touched the field and was obviously not even going to play!

Get a frickin' grip!

 

[NinjaZX6R]

Sigh..34 pages of comments to a player who barely had an impact on the game.