HONOLULU -- Colts head coach Tony Dungy stood before the elite of the AFC earlier this week and informed his squad of All-Stars of an alarming decision. A judge had just ruled in favor of Maurice Clarett, giving the Ohio State youngster and all others the right to enter the NFL Draft.
"That poor kid," one player immediately belted out.
Every year, the fine folks at SportsLine.com banish me to Hawaii to get a pulse of a burning issue or two to head into the offseason with. This year's topic couldn't have been more hotly talked about.
This year's Pro Bowl is a bit different than in years past. Rather than the typical stress-free week where the NFL's crème de la crème can congregate together and talk about football on its highest levels, the week was marred. In fact, all week long, NFL players -- after forgetting about the nipple shot heard round the world -- reacted with outrage and couldn't let it go even days after the Clarett decision was rendered.
"I would hope whoever the first one to try it, the teams would send them a message that this is not what the NFL is about," Colts quarterback Peyton Manning said regarding a boycott of drafting such a youngster. "I've never faulted a kid in college from coming out early when he has been eligible.
"You have to go to college for three years and get an understanding of what life is about. You have to be ready or you'll never get over the hump."
Full Story @ CBS.SportsLine.com
Posted by Muddy at February 14, 2004 01:25 PM | TrackBack