Adios To Pittsburgh Steelers Ryan Clark
Sep 22, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers free safety Ryan Clark (25) on the sidelines against the Chicago Bears during the third quarter at Heinz Field. The Bears won 40-23. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Pittsburgh Steelers Ryan Clark gets quite a bit of flak from some of us here at Nice Pick Cowher. The decline in his performance, and his preference to “gossip with the girls” on ESPN’s First Take or SportsCenter rather than stay focused on getting better (what a novel idea) has certainly soured my disposition towards Clark and his future stake with the Steelers. His mouth has become the centerpiece of his career, and he is primed to show the world that he’s ready to take a seat at the round table of former players turned commentators/’analysts.’ That’s probably about to happen sooner than later after his comments made this past Thursday.
We all knew that someday Clark would reach the end of his career soon. I figured it would be that no team would want him due to his age and deterioration of performance after being released by the Steelers this offseason. But, it may turn out that no team will want him based on what he said off the field rather than what he’s done on the field. Clark makes
stupid
controversial remarks constantly throughout the year, but his comments on Thursday about alleged marijuana usage throughout the NFL and even on his own Steelers squad are sure to place the cross on the grave that has become his football career.
As Clark sat there with Skippy & Co. on First Take and dove into the drug usage in the NFL, specifically marijuana, I couldn’t help but chuckle. But, as Clark continued to speak and said, “I know guys on my team who smoke,” the scene quickly turned into one of those gruesome car wrecks on the highway… and I couldn’t help but look. This wasn’t going to be pretty in the aftermath.
If this were the MLB, Bud Selig would have been standing at the exit door with an unmarked black SUV to escort Clark to some interrogation room for names and dates as soon as ESPN went to commercial. Alas, Clark only has to deal with Rodger Goodell who has his head so far up his butt in trying to
make an absurd amount of money
deal with player safety that he appears lax on enforcing drug policies. Or, at least stricter policies – somehow testing ONLY during OTA’s and training camp just isn’t enough, no? Having to deal with drugs only distracts from having to deal with helmet to helmet hits – the true scourge in the NFL. No witch hunts will come from this. Come on – we’re talking about a league and a commissioner who’s willing to let Ray Lewis take some deer antler juice so that he can return from injury sooner and electrify spectators with his mediocre play and run his bible thumpin’ mouth. I can tell you they aren’t honestly fretting over some weed.
Regardless of current policy and no backlash from NFL officials from Clark’s remarks, there is no team in this league that will now want Ryan Clark on their roster. None. Clark damned himself and his future as a veteran football player when he just about called out his teammates by name for smoking pot. Being a loud mouth is one thing. Being a loud mouth who is borderline snitch is something different entirely. Teams will view him as dangerous in the locker room. What other team secrets could he reveal? What Clark did was a big no no. And, now you can say bye bye.
What I can’t seem to figure out at this point is whether Clark is that dumb to say something like that, or if he is brilliant. By putting himself out there with a bit of a stance on pot and stating that players (including current teammates) smoke pot during the football season, Clark not only killed his career but from that he’s set up a resurrection as being a hard knocks football analyst. An insider. “Pssst, hey guys, I know stuff.” ESPN will eat that crap up (I mean, come on, the let Mark Brunell on that netword for cripes sake). Clark may figure that if there was a strong chance that he wouldn’t get signed by the Steelers or another team, he might as well go down in a blaze of glory, and from the ashes arise as the Phoenix of being a know-it-all pundit for ESPN. If that was his intentions… well…. Well done, sir. :slow applause:
Just gives me one more reason to steer away from the Bristol network when it comes to football.