As I'm waiting for the next brats to show up for their treat, I'm perusing PFT for updates on injuries, etc. There's an entry regarding the settlement of Chiefs' running back Larry Johnson two week suspension where he'll only lose one game check for comments he made.
One PFT member, who's a Patriots fan, posted that we'll see Larry Johnson on our team next year.
Many of you were supportive of Michael Vick joining the Patriots so I'm curious to see how you feel about L.J. joining given his off-the-field issues.
Would you welcome him? For either vote, let us know your reasons too!
I would say he would be worth the risk IF the deal is right. Could he become another Cory Dillon for the Pats next year, or would he become a Edge James? If he signs for the minimum with incentives, it could be a good deal.
I know Corey Dillon was a malcontent on the Bengals because he hated losing. Not sure what happened with James though. Can you enlighten me?
As for Larry Johnson, I've always loved his style of running and I think he'd make a fantastic addition BUT he's hit women and his latest slurs were derogatory towards gays. Both of which he apologized for but it'd be tough for me to welcome him. Just my humble opinion!
I'm saying no but I wouldn't totally against it if they do make a move for him. The attitude doesn't bother me as much as the concern about how much tread is left on his tyres. I think this team has shown they can deal with malcontents & I don't think that will be a problem. He's had a lot of carries & a taken lot of punishment.
First and foremost he is a piece of human excrement and I am not just a fan of what he can do on a football field for you, to me a player goes beyond his football ability.
Secondly he is close to 30 and looks gassed out to me just like Shaun Alexander, way too overused early in his career!
I don't know what it is about Patriots fans and their views that we can just take on any piece of garbage. You cannot compare Corey Dillion and Randy Moss, to the Larry Johnson and Michael Vicks of this world.
Come on people wake up and see the difference!!!!!
I'd take a look for the right price, but I don't think he'll be available for "the right price".
As far as the comparison with Vick personally, what he's done isn't nearly as bad, but he's also not particularly repentant and he has in no sense done his time.
So Neil, how about you tell us what your thinking...
I think Johnson hits his women harder then he hits a linebacker. We have a lot of draft choices next year and the year after, get a stud RB then. If the O-line cant open a hole for Maroney then what makes one think they can for Johnson?
I didn't think the Patriots would turn around Randy Moss and I clearly was wrong. Maybe they could do the same for Larry Johnson. I don't think it would be worth the risk taking him. Plus he would need to not throw the Pats under the bus which I do not see him being able to do.
I vote no! He is garbage on and off the field. Moss and Dillon were different stories. They couldn't handle being on a team that kept underachieving and had a poor attitude. Johnson is just an ungrateful punk . I doubt he would fit in with the Pats. He would do the Pats more harm than good. Attitude and team play is usually more important than ability. He would ruin the cohesion on the Pats. He is a LOSER!!!!!
I don't think he has the ability to be useful to us, so I don't think his off-the-field stuff really matters. IMO, there's no upside and no reason to waste a roster spot on him...
It's one thing to pick up "troubled" guys who got that label when they acted out their competitive frustration at playing on bad teams by talking to the media or taking plays off. It's completely different when the person inside the player is a bad guy. Not only will NE not pick him up, I think he will float out there for a few weeks before some team has a major RB injury and has to sign him as a cheap backup. I would be shocked if any team picked him up right away. He is not a malcontent on a poorly run team, he is a bad guy and he is a dumb guy. Even if BB wanted him, Kraft would never OK it.
The 2 risks the Pats have taken? Dillon, a frustrated veteran who was not getting to play because of team politics and a coaching staff who did not like him personally, and Moss, whose transgression was making a conscious choice not to risk injuring himself playing for a team whose owner is senile and seems at times to deliberately trying to put together the worst team possible. Neither of them repeatedly beat up women in bars or repeatedly posted slurs against their coaches on public forums.
Regardless of what we as fans think here's Belichick's answer, per Boston.com:
The Patriots worked out a pair of running backs last week, but they did not add either to the roster. It seems the Patriots will not be adding any high-profile help in the backfield, either.
Asked during his weekly appearance on WEEI if the Patriots would consider bringing in Larry Johnson, who was released by the Kansas City Chiefs today, Belichick replied simply: "I would doubt it."
Johnson was averaging 2.7 yards per carry through seven games as Kansas City's primary back. Then he made a series of bizarre posts on his Twitter accout blasting his coach and defaming gays, at which point the team began to cut ties with him.
Good, that means we can put that worry aside. I hate what that guy could do for team chemistry.
The Patriots locker room has always been pretty strong but new leaders are starting to emerge and we do not need a useless BUM like Larry Johnson in there. This team is building up a great chemistry and it is clear to me a lot of the younger players are going to be the core of this team for quite a few seasons, at best Johnson has maybe one or two productive seasons left but he is a classic case of what happens when you run a single back into the ground as the Chiefs have done with this guy.
alright lets address this whole Larry Johnson idea. First thing i have to say about the matter is Damn guys y are we always so judgemental with people weve never even met i mean "golly" we have no idea about the situations this guys been in and why hes done some of the things hes done, im not saying he doesnt have character issues or this and that but people need to try and refrain from talkin crap on someone who we dont even know,if i were in the limelight like these guys are and everything i did was put under a microscope i would lose my mind , just being honest people open there mouth with there opinions and they dont even know what there talkin about. Seriously we MIGHT have about 15 percent of the info to make an accurate decision about what kind of person Larry is. And plus we usually only hear about the bad things people do because people are addicted to negativity. So the on the field part of the argument ill say that if we did end up getting him it would be about 2.1 million if im not mistaken which is kind of steep . plus i think our running backs are set so it might not be worth it, but if belichick decides to bring him in ill be all for itbecause hell have more info to make the best decision for the team and realiable resources to help him i know it sounds like a copout but either way it ends up will be good for the Patriots. Please dont talk about anyone coming in to our locker room and causing a rift its just not gonna happen period.Did i leave anything out?
dude obviously your not picking up what im puttin down man lets try this ok: i have a brother whos been arrested far more than 10 times,basicly all alchohol related what would u say about him. Then if i told u hes a former navy seal and he would no doubt risk his life to save yours and he doesnt even know u thats just who he is. What would u say about him then, Look every single person on ths planet has flaws we should just look into things before we jump on someone for what they have done and not for who they are or what there GOING to do, people can always turn it around with the right people around him and good association, can i atleast get a push on this?
Let me save you some trouble this is via an obviously outdated Wikipoedia entry. Now you might think the following is acceptable personally I do not:
Johnson has been arrested four times since 2003 on various assault charges against women. In 2003, he was arrested for felonyaggravated assault and misdemeanordomesticbattery for waving a gun at his then-girlfriend, during an argument at his home. The charges were dropped when Johnson agreed to participate in a domestic violence diversion program. In 2005, he was again arrested for assault when a woman accused Johnson of pushing her to the ground, but the case was dropped after the alleged victim failed to appear in court for three different hearings.
His third arrest for assault came on February 24, 2008, after allegedly pushing a woman's head at a nightclub that night.<sup id="cite_ref-Chiefs_Johnson_faces_assault_charge_19-0" class="reference">[20]</sup> On October 10, 2008, Johnson was arrested for the fourth time and charged with one count of non-aggravated assault for allegedly spitting a drink in a woman's face at a Kansas City nightclub on October 11.<sup id="cite_ref-Chiefs.27_Larry_Johnson_investigated_in_new_case_20-0" class="reference">[21]</sup> The woman involved, Ashley Stewart, has since filed a civil suit against Johnson, accusing him of negligence, assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent infliction of emotional distress.<sup id="cite_ref-SI_21-0" class="reference">[22]</sup>
It was announced on October 16, 2008 that Johnson would be deactivated for the October 19 game against the Tennessee Titans in response to violating an undisclosed team rule.<sup id="cite_ref-Chiefs.27_Larry_Johnson_to_miss_game_against_Titans_22-0" class="reference">[23]</sup> The team said his suspension for this game was unrelated to the newest criminal investigation.
In March 2009 Johnson pleaded guilty to the two incidents in 2008 and was sentenced to two years probation.<sup id="cite_ref-probation_23-0" class="reference">[24]
