Shaun Alexander: Hero to Zero

[Brando19]

Kind of sad to see a guy go from MVP to absolutely useless. He says he's willing to play for "nothing." Here's from PFT:

Shaun Alexander hasn't ruled out a return
Posted by Mike Florio on July 8, 2009 9:36 PM
Last year, the Seahawks shocked the NFL by dumping running back Shaun Alexander, only two years after he was named the league's MVP.

After he was cut, he received no real interest.

After the offseason workouts started, he received no real interest.

After the offseason workouts ended, he received no real interest.

After the training camps opened, he received no real interest.

After the preseason started, he received no real interest.

After the regular season started, he received no real interest.

Eventually, he signed with the Redskins in October. He cut in November. In the interim, he appeared in four games, running the ball eleven times for 24 yards.

Months later, he has received no real interest.

But he has not ruled out a return to the NFL.

He recently told the Mobile Press-Register than he has had "preliminary talks with a few NFL teams," but he did not name any of them.

In May, Alexander said that he would play for "nothing."

If that's the case, he might want to consider the UFL.

[bobblehead]

now that is a price even TT is willing to pay for a FA.

[Lurker64]

It's mostly just that Shaun Alexander is now useless. He could never catch the ball, play special teams, or block, his only redeeming value was his ability to run with the ball. Having lost a step or two in his old age, he no longer has that.

So if you need a guy to fail to pick up the blitz on third and 5, fall down in the flat on a screen pass, refuse to play special teams, and maintain a 2.3 yards/carry average... he's your man.

But there's not really any running back on any roster anywhere in the NFL at this point who isn't an upgrade over Shaun Alexander at this point.

[mraynrand]

This thread reminds of that sales pitch for coffee at 7/11 a while back: "If it's not fresh, you get it free."

[sheepshead]

This seems timely:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snihdG1rE0Y

[Bossman641]

So if you need a guy to fail to pick up the blitz on third and 5, fall down in the flat on a screen pass, refuse to play special teams, and maintain a 2.3 yards/carry average... he's your man.

Don't forget run out of bounds and avoid contact rather than take a hit to pick up an extra couple yards.

[Brando19]

More from PFT:

Alexander keeps talking about coming back
Posted by Mike Florio on July 9, 2009 9:40 PM
Earlier this week, 2006 NFL MVP Shaun Alexander told an Alabama newspaper that he hasn't ruled out a return to the NFL in 2009.

Despite the fact that, as some of you pointed out last night, the NFL already has essentially ruled out a return by Alexander.

On Thursday, the Associated Press tracked Shaun down and asked him about his plans.

And it sounds like he has done more than not rule out a return.

"I feel before the season is over, I think somebody will go down and they'll say, 'We want somebody who can score some touchdowns and make some things happen,'" Alexander said, per the AP. "They'll say, 'Let's go get Shaun.'"

Alexander also contends that he's a young 32, with less miles on the tires than most running backs his age.


"I've played nine years but really it feels like I played maybe four because of how the game is played and how coach [Mike] Holmgren and Stump Mitchell used me," Alexander said. "Even my MVP year, I didn't play in nine quarters because we were beating teams so bad."

So, basically, Alexander will wait for someone to get hurt, and then for the phone to ring.

"If the right team comes along . . . they will be very, very happy with what they get," Alexander said.


The "right team" came along during the 2008 season. And the Redskins were happy only for a month or so, because after that they cut him.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Stump could really tote the rock..you gotta be pretty darn special to make the NFL from The Citadel.

[cpk1994]

Stump could really tote the rock..you gotta be pretty darn special to make the NFL from The Citadel.

Then how do you explain Travis Jervey?

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Stump could really tote the rock..you gotta be pretty darn special to make the NFL from The Citadel.

Then how do you explain Travis Jervey?

NFL loves white running backs...or the hope that there could be a decent one.

Travis couldn't hold Stump's jock.

986 att, 4649 yards, 4.7 ypc. 209 rec, 1955 yards, 9.4 y/r.

punt: 156, 1377, 8.8. Ret: 177, 4007, 22.6

Jervey: 503 yards rushing. 'nuff said.

[KYPack]

Stump could really tote the rock..you gotta be pretty darn special to make the NFL from The Citadel.

Then how do you explain Travis Jervey?

NFL loves white running backs...or the hope that there could be a decent one.

Travis couldn't hold Stump's jock.

986 att, 4649 yards, 4.7 ypc. 209 rec, 1955 yards, 9.4 y/r.

punt: 156, 1377, 8.8. Ret: 177, 4007, 22.6

Jervey: 503 yards rushing. 'nuff said.

There were 3 Citadel players who had decent NFL careers.

Stump, TJ, and Paul Maguire.

Travis played for 9 years for 3 teams and kept a job based on "white speed" and potential. That, and he was an ST stud. Jervey gained more yards returning punts than he did rushing from the LOS. And he really wasn't a punt returner.

[mraynrand]

Jervey couldn't find a seam in a sweat shop or a crack behind a nudist parade.

[hoosier]

Jervey's problem was that he was going a million miles an hour from the moment he got the handoff, but he didn't have the mass to move piles. He had no patience to wait and let the hole develop, something that Dorsey Levens did really well. If the hole was right in front of him already, great, Jervey was off to the races (I remember see that happen exactly once). But otherwise a handoff to Jervey was followed quickly by the sight of him smashing into a mountain of linemen, who rarely if ever moved.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Stump could really tote the rock..you gotta be pretty darn special to make the NFL from The Citadel.

Then how do you explain Travis Jervey?

NFL loves white running backs...or the hope that there could be a decent one.

Travis couldn't hold Stump's jock.

986 att, 4649 yards, 4.7 ypc. 209 rec, 1955 yards, 9.4 y/r.

punt: 156, 1377, 8.8. Ret: 177, 4007, 22.6

Jervey: 503 yards rushing. 'nuff said.

There were 3 Citadel players who had decent NFL careers.

Stump, TJ, and Paul Maguire.

Travis played for 9 years for 3 teams and kept a job based on "white speed" and potential. That, and he was an ST stud. Jervey gained more yards returning punts than he did rushing from the LOS. And he really wasn't a punt returner.

You can't compare college football of the 50s to the modern day. Hell, Marquette had a team.

P.S. Aren't you forgetting angelo coia

[KYPack]

Stump could really tote the rock..you gotta be pretty darn special to make the NFL from The Citadel.

Then how do you explain Travis Jervey?

NFL loves white running backs...or the hope that there could be a decent one.

Travis couldn't hold Stump's jock.

986 att, 4649 yards, 4.7 ypc. 209 rec, 1955 yards, 9.4 y/r.

punt: 156, 1377, 8.8. Ret: 177, 4007, 22.6

Jervey: 503 yards rushing. 'nuff said.

There were 3 Citadel players who had decent NFL careers.

Stump, TJ, and Paul Maguire.

Travis played for 9 years for 3 teams and kept a job based on "white speed" and potential. That, and he was an ST stud. Jervey gained more yards returning punts than he did rushing from the LOS. And he really wasn't a punt returner.

You can't compare college football of the 50s to the modern day. Hell, Marquette had a team.

P.S. Aren't you forgetting angelo coia

Don't get ya Ty. Who is comparing college ball from the 50's to anything?

Yeah, I forgetting Coia all to hell and back. & I'm old enough to remember him. But I don't.

If TJ is on the list, OK. Angelo Coia had a mediocre NFL career.