Rebranding: You buying it?

[Spider-Dan]

People are having a hard time prying apart the player from the off field stuff.  In reality the player does this quite well.  No off field issues at all.  I have a little bit of an issue with the "three ring circus" thing.  Why?  Because the guy has a Twitter account and a mouthy wife?

Because he punched his coach in the face and declared his intention to participate in a fineable offense before a game (then followed through with it).

It's funny that people who were quick to bash Marshall for the ball flip at Cutler or the statement that he planned to get kicked from a game are lining up to defend Chad, who did the same things but worse.

[MaineDolFan]

Would you like to be completely defined by your past?

[Brian Fein]

Situations count.  Marshall flipped the ball at Cutler and cost the team a big play + 15 yards in a game where the offense couldn't get going and got beat 16-0.  It was stupidity that he was being ripped for, not the ball flip.  His head wasn't in the game, and that dumb ass penalty cost the team a lot for no reason.

And Brandon Marshall never said "I'm gonna get thrown out of the game?"
http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-10-14/sports/30293936_1_brandon-marshall-jets-center-nick-mangold-rex-ryan

Difference is: Brandon Marshall cost 16 million dollars.  Chad costs the vet minimum.  Brandon Marshall thinks he's the best WR in the game.  Chad just got off the biggest reality check of his career.

I still don't doubt Marshall is a better athletic talent than Chad RIGHT NOW because he's younger.  But I believe if I could trade Brandon Marshall (and his contract) for Chad Ochocinco and 2 3rd round picks, I'd do it every single day.  This is essentially what happened.

[Spider-Dan]

Marshall didn't follow through on his promise to get thrown out.  Chad did follow through on his promise to get fined.

And as far as differences:  Marshall is coming off of a Pro Bowl season.  Chad is coming off of being released by a team with a top-tier QB.

It's hard to complain about the size of Marshall's contract when Ireland is the one who signed him to it.  Are you saying that when that contract was signed, the expectations were that he would be... what, All-Pro?  If so, Ireland is an idiot and deserves to be bashed.  Marshall is what he is, and Miami got what they bargained for.  To trade him away for peanuts 2 years later is stupid.

[Spider-Dan]

Would you like to be completely defined by your past?

Wait... are you talking about Marshall, or Ochocinco?

There seems to be a rampant double-standard going on.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

I agree he stunk it up last season.  But Randy Moss stunk it up in Oakland too.  Sometimes players don't fit with a team. 

But how often does a player not fit with NE and then fit well somewhere else?

While BB has had his share of draft busts and players he signed that underperformed (Ocho for example) but he doesn't have a history of cutting players that then go on to perform well elsewhere. 

[Brian Fein]

In a new regime, when you're starting all over with a new coach, Brandon Marshall doesn't fit.

I fail to understand how you can be OPPOSED to paying the vet minimum for a guy who will probably be your 3rd best WR on the team.  A team that is PAPER THIN at WR.  Rather have Chad Ochocinco or Rolando Williams?  Marlon Moore?  Legedu Nannee?

The guy was a bad fit for New England.  True.  Its low risk, but if he's worth it, could be a big payoff.  Where's the negative?  And stop telling me about he punched a coach in the face in 2006.

[MaineDolFan]

Wait... are you talking about Marshall, or Ochocinco?

There seems to be a rampant double-standard going on.

I never had a problem with Marshall.  I have the guy's jersey, actually.  So don't point that finger at me.

I'm not the one running up and down the hall screaming about a person's past, either player.

[MikeO]

Wait... are you talking about Marshall, or Ochocinco?

There seems to be a rampant double-standard going on.

Not even close to a double standard. For one, Ocho is playing for the vet minimum while Marshall is one of the highest paid WR's in the entire league. The level of expectations are vastly different with those contracts.

Also, what Ocho allegedly did was a very long time ago (2006 I believe) and since then he has been in no trouble on or off the field. Lots of silly reality shows and antics, but no serious trouble by any means involving arrests, police and what not. While Brandon Marshall is in some sort of altercation, stabbing, fight, being arrested, or whatever every few months.



Once again, not close to a double standard. Not remotely close.

[MaineDolFan]

^Wasn't Marshall somehow involved in the shooting that left his teammate dead in Denver (did he instigate the shooting, something like that)?

[Spider-Dan]

Not even close to a double standard. For one, Ocho is playing for the vet minimum while Marshall is one of the highest paid WR's in the entire league. The level of expectations are vastly different with those contracts.

...which is consistent with the fact that Marshall made the Pro Bowl while Ocho had 15 catches on the year.

Also, what Ocho allegedly did was a very long time ago (2006 I believe) and since then he has been in no trouble on or off the field.

The quote I cited earlier about Chad threatening to whoop Marvin Lewis' ass the next time he saw him was from June 2011, a couple of weeks after Chad publicly took to Twitter to issue profanity-laced complaints about his treatment by said coach.

The only reason you haven't heard any circus-worthy comments from Chad in the last year is because he's been wearing the Belichick muzzle.  Do you honestly believe that he'll be the good soldier in Miami?

While Brandon Marshall is in some sort of altercation, stabbing, fight, being arrested, or whatever every few months.

Again, I find it rather disturbing that people continue to hold being a victim of domestic violence against Marshall.  I guess he was Asking For It, right?

[MikeO]

...which is consistent with the fact that Marshall made the Pro Bowl while Ocho had 15 catches on the year.
The quote I cited earlier about Chad threatening to whoop Marvin Lewis' ass the next time he saw him was from June 2011, a couple of weeks after Chad publicly took to Twitter to issue profanity-laced complaints about his treatment by said coach.

The only reason you haven't heard any circus-worthy comments from Chad in the last year is because he's been wearing the Belichick muzzle.  Do you honestly believe that he'll be the good soldier in Miami?
Again, I find it rather disturbing that people continue to hold being a victim of domestic violence against Marshall.  I guess he was Asking For It, right?

With Brandon's HISTORY and RAP SHEET of domestic violence trouble, YEAH he probably was asking for it!  Between 2006-2008 the Denver police had to go to his house 11 times for domestic violence calls.  So yeah, he probably was asking for it! That was JUST a 2 year time span. Since then he has had a number of issues. Since then he has  been charged with battery and disorderly conduct among other things by the police!

He lost the benefit of the doubt! Sorry.

If it was JUST the domestic violence issue where he got stabbed you might have a case. But it was refusing to pay a taxi driver and being arrested for that, it was the nightclub in NYC incident, it was lying to police about the stabbing, it was about 50 other things in "RECENT" history that Marshall has on his plate that he has done. Where with Chad you have a couple issues and all far less serious.

Once again NOT a double standard. They aren't even close to being equal.

[Diehard_Dolfan]

Why do people keep bringing up Moss?  Moss had no QB in OAK.  When he went to NE, he set the single-season record for TDs.

Ocho had a VERY good QB in NE... and did nothing.  The proper analogy would be Moss going to MIN or TEN after leaving NE.

People keep bringing up Moss because he's relevant!  Moss had that same QB his last season with them and also didn't do much... Moss has not lost a step either!  So, why did Moss all the sudden have problems?

They say he still has the ability to easily run past defenders...

[MaineDolFan]

Ocho ran his mouth about punching someone.  Marshall's actions might have lead to someone's life being taken.

http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/2011/04/brandon_marshall_murder_darrent_williams.php

Meanwhile, Ocho has otherwise calmed down while problems continue to follow Marshall.  Funny how that works.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

People keep bringing up Moss because he's relevant!  Moss had that same QB his last season with them and also didn't do much... Moss has not lost a step either!  So, why did Moss all the sudden have problems?

They say he still has the ability to easily run past defenders...

Okay so your theory is Brady is a WR killer.   

Moss's problem in 2010 and Ocho's problem in 2011 is that they had a horrible QB/bad system.  Of course that explains why he did such great things in Minn they cut him and in Tenn they didn't re-sign him.

Seriously?