Apology Unaccepted?
By Brian Miller
UPDATE: According to several local media sources, Tony Sparano will NOT suspend Joey Porter for his actions in last weeks game.
(Reminder: Finsradio.net tonight at 8PM Eastern time. Join me as we look ahead to St. Louis and discuss this issue with JP)
Joey Porter waits. Fans wait. His teammates wait. Everyone is waiting. Even Tony Sparano waits. No, not for Bill Parcells to decide the fate of Joey Porter and his inexcusable actions on Sunday, for the NFL to decide whether or not LB Channing Crowder gets suspended. In the meantime, Joey Porter on Monday stood in front of his team and apologized. Is it an apology unaccepted?
Tony Sparano has not rendered a decision on the LB as he awaits word on his LB’s fate for the fracous that occured between CC and Patriots tackle Matt Light. The NFL is reviewing the game tape and has talked to the refs involved with first hand knowledge of the situation as it happened on the field. The question is was Crowder’s involvement enough to warrant more than simple fine?
First, Sparano should not hold his breath for an NFL announcement any time soon. A penalty of either player this week won’t likely come before this weekends game because frankly the NFL loves the Patriots (Bill Belichick must have filmed more than defensive signals…say of Roger?), and taking away their best lineman before facing a daunting Pittsburgh Steeler defense and pass rush would be absurd. Why give the Patriots any disadvantage? You can bet that the gray hoodied bum in NE has been bending the ear of his good pal RG since Sunday.
So Sparano should just figure that Crowder won’t find out his status until Monday…of course, just because the league won’t likely rule on Light, doesn’t mean they won’t stick Miami with a suspension this week.
In reality though, the “wait and see” approach that is being taken by Sparano leads me to believe that Porter very well may find himself watching a game from his home rather than on the field. If Sparano was leaning toward a fine, he would have already levied it. He hasn’t so the waiting makes me think suspension.
In the locker-room on Monday, players were sticking up for Porter saying “the guy was engrossed in the game”, “he has 14.5 sacks on the season…who else are you going to put in”. Comments like those can quickly lead a team, especially a young one to dissension. We all saw how easily a team can be lost to such in fighting.
The apology was definitely something that Porter needed to do. His actions cost the team a touchdown, not the game was already out of control by that point. Still the Phins were only down by 13 at that point in the game.
The Dolphins are a team that is playing way over the ropes this season and they are starting to smell the playoff possibilities. For some of these guys it’s the first time in their careers that the word playoffs meant something other than what you watch on TV after your season review interviews with the HC.
The Dolphins lost their poise and composure and then they lost the game. Joey Porter has to step back and take some accountability for his actions on the field and a simple apology will not be enough. The Dolphins needed Joey Porter to act like a leader and instead got the Las Vegas thug without the thrown punches.
Does Joey Porter deserve to be suspended? You decide.