Shawne Merriman: Deserving of Defensive PoY?

[Raiders Army]

On the CBS pregame show, they mentioned the fact that both Jason Taylor and Champ Bailey said this week that Shawn Merriman shouldn't be in consideration for Defensive Player of the Year due to his suspension. While everyone there shied away from there and concentrated on the appropriateness of Jason Taylor and Champ Bailey "campaigning" for Defensive Player of the Year, I thought it would be a good point for discussion.

Taylor's comments: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/9893063
Couldn't find Bailey's comments.

First of all, I don't think Shawne Merriman should've made the Pro Bowl. Second, the NFL is inconsistent with the message they try to send to fans. While I don't agree with Joey Porter a lot of the time, this makes sense after his Cleveland Browns game fine:

"I just don't understand how you can get a DUI or fail a drug test and nothing happens," Porter told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "You say something, you get fined. That just don't make any sense.

"You'd think if you get a DUI or something, you should get fined. If you fail a drug test, you should get fined. But for saying a word, you get fined. That's kind of backward to me."

[DaddyTorgo]

i just don't see HOW Tags didn't close that loophole as part of the drug-policy and say "any suspension FOR ANY REASON FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME during the season will invalidate a player from any and all consideration for post-season awards and/or pro-bowl balloting." seems pretty cut and dried

[MikeVic]

Yeah, Merriman was suspended for steroids or something close to that right? How can he possibly be considered for any player awards based on that??

[Mustang]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

i just don't see HOW Tags didn't close that loophole as part of the drug-policy and say "any suspension FOR ANY REASON FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME during the season will invalidate a player from any and all consideration for post-season awards and/or pro-bowl balloting." seems pretty cut and dried

I think for league mandated suspensions, I would agree with this but, if you say any suspension, that leaves it open for an owner to penalize a player to avoid possible $$$ bonuses for pro bowl appearances or league awards.

[Tigercat]

Bailey has a sack and an INT today.

So Bailey, who teams rarely throw it towards, has 10 INTs on the year right now. If thats not DPOY from the CB position, I don't know what is. I don't care about the suspension, Bailey is the defensive MVP this year.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Tigercat

Bailey has a sack and an INT today.

So Bailey, who terms rarely throw it towards, has 10 INTs on the year right now. If thats not DPOY from the CB position, I don't know what is. I don't care about the suspension, Bailey is the defensive MVP this year.

Agreed.

[Atocep]

Even without the suspension Bailey and Adalius Thomas have had better years. Taylor's year is very comparable and when you factor in the suspension for PERFORMANCE ENHANCERS, then I don't see how he could possibly win DPOY.

[miami_fan]

I don't think he should be eligible but I think this will be an interesting vote. It is voted on by members of the media who have annointed themselves as the protectors of sports when it comes to PEDs. I wonder how many of them would be comfortable with the idea that the best defensive player in the game also failed a drug test in the same year.

[Easy Mac]

from what i've seen and heard from the football media, merriman and every player has gotten a free pass. as long as the problem is in another sport they don't care.

[gstelmack]

He got an artifical boost to his abilities, plus only played 12 games. No clue how he can get defensive player of the year.

[Raiders Army]

Ironically he still made it to the Pro Bowl, so that means both the fans and his peers don't think it's wrong to enhance your performance. The only thing wrong with it is getting caught it seems.

[JediKooter]

Is there some sort of minimum game requirement to receive a post season award in the NFL, much like there needs to be a minimum amount of at bats for the batting title? Had Champ Bailey been hurt for 4 games and still had the numbers that he has, would he not be a likely candidate for the DPoTY?

Merriman paid the price for getting caught, has tested clean each and every time since then* and has performed at the same level. So to me, that puts doubt into the theory of how much his performance was 'enhanced' before the suspension and maybe, just maybe, he was telling the truth as to the source of the 'roids.

I honestly don't think Merriman will win it because of the steroid suspension, so I really think that all this whinning by Bailey and Taylor are products of their own teams failures during the season and should just let their own numbers do the talking and enjoy their off season which started today.

Now if Merriman gets busted again, then obviously, he was not an innocent little lamb and his ass should be thrown out of the league.

Just my 2 pennies.

*According to a San Diego Union-Tribune article.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

from what i've seen and heard from the football media, merriman and every player has gotten a free pass. as long as the problem is in another sport they don't care.

Indeed... if it isn't baseball, well then who cares. If it was even suspicion of a baseball player, the media would be all over the story, but football? Nah... it makes you wonder about the prevalence of steroids in football if the media is so uninterested in this story.

[Young Drachma]

I hate the double standard between baseball and football.

[Leonidas]

Take steroids in the NFL, make the pro bowl and be considered for MVP.

Give testimony to Congress that makes it seem you took steroids in baseball, get blackballed by writers for the Hall of Fame.

Be Hall worthy before taking steroids in baseball, take steroids, approach all-time greatness, then everyone hates you but the same writers who won't vote for a guy because of bad testimony in Congress still entertain the idea of voting you to the Hall of Fame because you were really good before taking the steroids.

Yeah, we are all consistent on this.

[Young Drachma]

I don't care about steroids. Use whatever you want. Just play the games.

[Kodos]

I think he should be ineligible for any award. Cheaters should not be rewarded.

[miami_fan]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/9908994

NEW YORK (Jan. 5, 2007) -- Jason Taylor was one hard man to find on the Miami defense this season. Until, that is, the ball was snapped and he was making the play.

Taylor's superb all-around performance for the Dolphins earned him The Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. While Miami finished just 6-10 in 2006, the dynamic Taylor was having the best season of his nine-year pro career.

The end who sometimes lines up at linebacker or inside had 62 tackles, 13 ½ sacks, 14 quarterback hurries, two interceptions -- both returned for TDs -- 11 passes defensed, 10 fumbles forced and two fumbles recovered. Yes, 10 fumbles forced, making Taylor a takeaway machine.

"It's just making big plays, feeling like you elevate the guys around you sometimes, and helping them to play better," Taylor said of his role. "Being able to take attention away from other areas and free up things for other people. At the end of the day, it's just making plays and trying to lead the team by example emotionally.

"You can sit around and talk about it, but you have to go out and do it and we all like to be able to get up and go do it."

While dozens of defenders were doing it well this season, Taylor outdistanced five who received votes, in particular Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey. Taylor earned 22 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL, and Bailey got 16.

It is a measure of how effective Taylor was that he took the award playing on a losing team. But Miami's defense ranked fourth in the NFL -- thanks greatly to No. 99, naturally.

"I am playing a more complete game than I have at any point in my career," Taylor said. "I think the biggest thing that sticks out is the big plays, the touchdowns that are catching more attention.

"I think I have had some other decent years in this league, but this is probably my best."

It needed to be for Taylor to beat out Bailey, who tied for the league lead with 10 interceptions (one touchdown) even though opponents rarely test him. Bailey also is a stalwart run defender, something few cornerbacks can claim.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick, whose team faced both the Dolphins (going 1-1) and the Broncos (a loss), praised Taylor as the top guy.

"I can't imagine him not being the Defensive Player of the Year this year," he said. "There's nobody I've seen that has played anywhere near close to the level that he's at. He ruins a lot of games offensively for teams."

With the Dolphins in turmoil after coach Nick Saban dumped them for the Alabama job this week, Taylor's achievement provides at least momentary relief and pride.

"It's always a flattering point, but this is the ultimate team game on the planet," Taylor said.

He is the first Dolphins player to win the award since DE Doug Betters in 1983. Ten years before that, safety Dick Anderson won it.

San Diego linebacker Shawne Merriman, who missed four games for violating the NFL's steroids policy, got six votes. Last week, Taylor said he didn't believe any player who served such a suspension should be considered for league awards.

Chicago linebacker Brian Urlacher received four votes, followed by two Baltimore Ravens with one apiece: LB Ray Lewis and lineman Trevor Pryce.

Urlacher won the award last year.

[wade moore]

No votes for Bailey? Really?

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by wade moore

No votes for Bailey? Really?

He got 16 it says, came second in the polls

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Jari Rantanen's Shorts

He got 16 it says, came second in the polls

Seriously...

I've proven myself to be a VERY poor skimmer lately...

[Kodos]

Glad to see Taylor win.

[st.cronin]

Taylor was a good choice.

[Kodos]

Still sucks to see Tom Brady snubbed.

[stevew]

Champ Bailey is the CB that Deion Sanders thought he was.

[st.cronin]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Still sucks to see Tom Brady snubbed.

I'm used to it by now. The guy never gets any respect.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

I'm used to it by now. The guy never gets any respect.

At least we both realize what a tackling machine Brady really is. That makes us better than the others.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by Kodos

At least we both realize what a tackling machine Brady really is. That makes us better than the others.

Have to be when you throw that many picks.

OH SNAP!