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ESPN: Steelers not going to keep Hines Ward


Hitman21ST

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http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7564969/pittsburgh-steelers-plan-keep-hines-ward-report-says

The Pittsburgh Steelers, with a Hines Ward roster-bonus deadline fast approaching, have decided not to keep the veteran receiver, the NFL Network has reported, citing unnamed sources.

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That's a little surprising. I would have thought that Pittsburgh would have let him retire a Steeler, especially considering he said he would be willing to take a pay cut to stay.

...and no, we shouldn't try to sign him.

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http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7564969/pittsburgh-steelers-plan-keep-hines-ward-report-says

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That's a little surprising. I would have thought that Pittsburgh would have let him retire a Steeler, especially considering he said he would be willing to take a pay cut to stay.

...and no, we shouldn't try to sign him.

They have a brutal cap situation. Estimates had them around $150 million including the $5 million needed for draft picks. They have a ton of cutting and restructuring to do.

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They need to give him the Riggo talk.

For young'ns.. Gibbs called Riggins into his office and told him they could not keep him they were moving on, and he could recognize the end and retire with a nice ceremony and live like a king forever in Washington, or the alternative.

Riggo made the right decision. Hines Ward ought to do the same. Like Riggins at the time, he probably has a few more good games in him. But not enough. He can gain so much more by simply retiring in Pittsburgh.

~Bang

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They need to give him the Riggo talk.

For young'ns.. Gibbs called Riggins into his office and told him they could not keep him they were moving on, and he could recognize the end and retire with a nice ceremony and live like a king forever in Washington, or the alternative.

Riggo made the right decision. Hines Ward ought to do the same. Like Riggins at the time, he probably has a few more good games in him. But not enough. He can gain so much more by simply retiring in Pittsburgh.

~Bang

It sounds like Riggo was told the alternative (playing somewhere else?) was bad. I know this was before official free agency, but so what if we cut Riggo and he played somewhere else. Nobody held it against Namath, Monk, and other greats, when the team made the cut. What does a player gain by not playing somewhere else? :whoknows:
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It sounds like Riggo was told the alternative (playing somewhere else?) was bad. I know this was before official free agency, but so what if we cut Riggo and he played somewhere else. Nobody held it against Namath, Monk, and other greats, when the team made the cut. What does a player gain by not playing somewhere else? :whoknows:

Because of all of those guys you mention, each of their last stops is a bit of tarnish. No one holds it against them, per sé, but it sure is pretty sad looking at a guy who doesn't know when it's over.

Namath was past it in LA, and it was obvious. Unitas in San Diego, Dorsett in Denver..Monk in NY and >gag< PHILLY.. it was rather pathetic. Knowing when to go out with grace is good for the legacy when a guy has played his best and most glorious years in one place.

~Bang

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Hines should retire (because he's the #4 or #5 receiver if he comes back), but the rumor is just a rumor at this point.

"I don't normally like to respond to rumors, but as I've said all along, I want to finish my career with the Pittsburgh Steelers," Ward wrote on his Facebook page yesterday. "And as I've already told the organization, I am willing to work with them to restructure my contract to make sure this happens."

Ward's representatives have not heard from the Steelers since the report surfaced late Friday, but the team already has restructured the contracts of three high-profile players this offseason to save money against the salary cap. Ward, who turns 36 next month, has two years remaining on a contract that will pay him $4 million per season.

Read more: Ward goes on offensive in bid to remain a Steeler - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/s_781277.html#ixzz1mAbLeYZ3

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I thought this was a good read.

http://kansascity.sbnation.com/kansas-city-chiefs/2012/2/12/2793271/hines-ward-peyton-manning-highlight-the-lack-of-respect-shown-to-nfl

I didn't like how Monk was treated at the end of his career in Washington. Monk carried the team in some of the games in 1992. Then, in 1993, he's playing from the bench (only starting 5 games) on a 4-12 team and still had about the same stats as Hines Ward (starting 9 games) did this past season. In 1994, Casserly tells Monk to take a 54% pay cut (or he's gone) because of salary cap issues; but then, after Monk is cut, Casserly signs Henry Ellard for the same $1.3 million that Monk would have gotten. They could have kept Monk for 1 more year (which BTW, he started 15 games as a Jet), let him break the "consecutive game with a catch" record as a Redskin, and retire as Redskin. I doubt he would be in the HOF right now if he didn't play that one more season.

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94 Ellard > 94 Monk

Ellard had some real goods years here on some bad teams.

I read once that Ellard only caught something like 3 balls while he was here that did not result in a first down.

He's a forgotten bright spot on some mediocre teams.

~Bang

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94 Ellard was also younger than 94 Monk. What was sad was that the salary cap era had started and we had to cut loose a bunch of our good players (Clark- Miami, Arizona, Rypien- Cleveland, Sanders and a few others).

If Hines wants to play, let him play. It was much more traumatic to see Namath in a Rams uniform, Monk in a Jets/Eagles uniform or Dorsett in a Denver uniform then it is now. Hell, most players play for at least 2 or 3 teams in their career now. And anyway, a much better player than Hines Ward will be in another uniform this season and he wears #18.

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Because of all of those guys you mention, each of their last stops is a bit of tarnish. No one holds it against them, per sé, but it sure is pretty sad looking at a guy who doesn't know when it's over.

Namath was past it in LA, and it was obvious. Unitas in San Diego, Dorsett in Denver..Monk in NY and >gag< PHILLY.. it was rather pathetic. Knowing when to go out with grace is good for the legacy when a guy has played his best and most glorious years in one place.

~Bang

That's very applicable to Donovan McNabb. Brett Favre actually had a little more in the gas than I thought, but he destroyed his legacy by playing for the Vikings. Green Bay fans hate him now, but he could have been a king over there.
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94 Ellard was also younger than 94 Monk. What was sad was that the salary cap era had started and we had to cut loose a bunch of our good players (Clark- Miami, Arizona, Rypien- Cleveland, Sanders and a few others).

If Hines wants to play, let him play. It was much more traumatic to see Namath in a Rams uniform, Monk in a Jets/Eagles uniform or Dorsett in a Denver uniform then it is now. Hell, most players play for at least 2 or 3 teams in their career now. And anyway, a much better player than Hines Ward will be in another uniform this season and he wears #18.

Emmitt in a Cardinals jersey :puke:

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Emmitt in a Cardinals jersey :puke:

Franco Harris in a Seahawks jersey

Rice in a Broncos, Seahawls jersey

OJ Simpson- 49ers

Unitas - Chargers

Namath- Rams

Dorsett- Broncos

Tim Brown- Bucs

Dickerson- Falcons/Raiders

Monk- Jets/Eagles (Bleh!!):puke:

Gary Clark- Cardinals/Dolphins

Herb Adderly/Jackie Smith (bwah ha, nice catch!)- Cowboys (Bless his heart, he has to be the sickest man in America).:pfft::ols:

Andre Reed/Bruce Smith- Redskins

Thurman Thomas- Dolphins

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  • 2 weeks later...

Steelers To Ward: So Long

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7631234/pittsburgh-steelers-announce-hines-ward-released

Article on ESPN, officially over for Ward in Pittsburgh

"We had a conversation today with Hines Ward and informed him that we plan to release him of his contract prior to the start of the 2012 NFL calendar year," Steelers President Art Rooney II said in a statement on the team's website. "Hines has been an integral part of our success since we drafted him in 1998, and we will forever be grateful for what he has helped us achieve."

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  • 3 weeks later...

I, for one, always loved the hard nosed way Hines played. I loved watching him take on linebackers. Hines held it together in his press conference until he started thanking his fans that cheered for him wearing his jersey out in the cold and whatnot. I hate the Steelers, but enjoyed watching Hines play. Happy Retirement Hines. :cheers:

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