Cowboys released G Marco Rivera.

[packers11]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2896966

Thursday, June 7, 2007
Back problems hampered Rivera's stint with Cowboys

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Associated Press

IRVING, Texas -- Three-time Pro Bowl guard Marco Rivera was released Thursday after two seasons and two back operations while with the Dallas Cowboys.


Rivera initially injured his back while running on a treadmill in March 2005, only a week after signing his $20 million, five-year free agent deal. He had surgery to repair a bulging disc in his lower back, but still started the first 14 games in 2005 before being sidelined by a strained neck.


Last season, Rivera started all 16 regular season games before hurting his back again in the wildcard playoff loss at Seattle and had surgery to repair a herniated disc.


When Rivera signed with the Cowboys, he was coming off his third consecutive Pro Bowl season while blocking for Brett Favre in Green Bay. Rivera played in 106 consecutive games for the Packers, including seven playoff games, from 1998-2004.


Rivera was a sixth-round draft pick out of Penn State in 1996 but was inactive for every game that season when Green Bay won the Super Bowl. He spent the next season primarily on special teams before becoming a starter late in the 1998 season.


After getting hurt in 2005, Rivera offered to tear up his Cowboys contract and return his $9 million signing bonus.


The Cowboys were already prepared for Rivera's departure, having signed another big-money free agent this spring.


Leonard Davis signed a seven-year contract worth nearly $50 million with the Cowboys that included a $16 million signing bonus. The 6-foot-6, 372-pound Davis spent the first six seasons of his career in Arizona after being the No. 2 overall pick out of Texas in 2001.


Without Rivera, Davis will almost certainly play right guard instead of tackle for the Cowboys. Dallas had already re-signed right tackle Marc Colombo and has Pro Bowler Flozell Adams at left tackle.

[packers11]

I hope he retires as a green bay packer ...
Its sad to see such a good player have bad luck with these sort of injuries...

[BallHawk]

Man, I remember some of the outrage people had when Rivera was let go. Of course, a lot of people didn't realize the cap constrictions, but people had their pitchforks out. In hindsight, it was the right move.

I do hope he signs a 1-day contract and retires a Packer.

[wist43]

Didn't mind that Rivera was allowed to walk... the Cowboys way overpaid - thought it was a bad signing from the beginning.

[Kiwon]

Well, I'm glad he got some of Jerry Jones' change. Wow, two back operations in two years. Hang 'em up, buddy, and get out with what health you have.

Thanks for the memories.

[4and12to12and4]

Isn't it amazing that Rivera injured his back right after he was signed by Dallas? Is it possible, and i know im reaching, that it was already injured and maybe the Packer Brass knew and was concerned about resigning him to a big deal, but told him they wouldn't tell if he didn't so that he could get his payday elsewhere? I had a fusion in my lower back, and i can tell you that I lived with the herniated disc for many years doing hard manual labor. I had sleepless nights, but if i wanted to fool a doctor in a routine physical that i was completely healthy, i could have. I'm sure Rivera could have to. I know its a stretch, but he gets injured on a treadmill before his 1st season with Dallas even starts? If I read that correctly, it sounds a bit fishy. I would think that struggling to hold your ground against an angry 350 lb. man every sunday for a decade is more likely to cause a disc herniation. I dont know, maybe its just me.

[BallHawk]

You bring up an interesting theory, 4 and 12.

[packers11]

You bring up an interesting theory, 4 and 12.

very interesting theory...

we can all praise the now...

[SudsMcBucky]

I, for one, wasn't upset to see Rivera go at the Cowboy's offer. My issue that year was more with them not ponying up for Wahle. Again, I liked Rivera, but not at those costs so that never upset me seeing as most everyone agreed he was already heading on the downside of his career.

[pbmax]

OK, who gave Bretsky the turtle emoticon to play with?

Rivera is also part of a current mini-conspiracy theory. He blasted Gene Upshaw of the Players Union this week, a year after Matt Birk did and a week after some veterans did (Joe DeLamielleure) about former players pension and medical benefits. Marco was alredy near the chopping block due to the continuing medical issue and contract, speculation about his release had already started.

But the theory holds that the people behind Upshaw are the agents, and Upshaw's agent in Tom Condon. Condon is the agent for several Cowboys including Tony Romo.

The conspiracy theorists have Upshaw, who earlier had threatened to break Joe D's neck, pushing Condon to threaten the Cowboys to get Rivera released. Motivation would be any criticism levelled at Upshaw from outside is survivable, but a revolt from within is a problem.

Probably not, but a fun read. Can't be a classic conspiracy theory though, until it involves 33rd degree Masons, the Trilateral Commission and be completely unprovable.

I hope Marco signs for the Packers and tries to rehabilitate the injury. Good for the young Packers, good for Marco to retire here if he doesn't make it back.

[4and12to12and4]

Can't be a classic conspiracy theory though, until it involves 33rd degree Masons

LOL!!!! That's especially funny to me, because my crazy sister-in-law has just been googling about the freemasons this past month and her and my wife have been speculating about the demons and devils that are the freemasons, dating back to the founding fathers, etc, etc, etc, more conspiracy theories than are seen on a daily basis on this forum even!!

[packers11]

OK, who gave Bretsky the turtle emoticon to play with?

[pbmax]

I love reading those websites. If you have 33rd degree Masons, TriLateral Commission, Robert Shuler or Norman Vincent Pearl in the first paragraph, I am hooked.

People go crazy over secret societies. The funniest thing about Masonic conspiracies is that people are always labeled as ranks that don't exist. The other question I always want to ask is "how do you know their rank, if its a secret society"?

Can't be a classic conspiracy theory though, until it involves 33rd degree Masons

LOL!!!! That's especially funny to me, because my crazy sister-in-law has just been googling about the freemasons this past month and her and my wife have been speculating about the demons and devils that are the freemasons, dating back to the founding fathers, etc, etc, etc, more conspiracy theories than are seen on a daily basis on this forum even!!

[pbmax]

What photo is that avatar Suds?

I, for one, wasn't upset to see Rivera go at the Cowboy's offer. My issue that year was more with them not ponying up for Wahle. Again, I liked Rivera, but not at those costs so that never upset me seeing as most everyone agreed he was already heading on the downside of his career.

[4and12to12and4]

What photo is that avatar Suds?

I, for one, wasn't upset to see Rivera go at the Cowboy's offer. My issue that year was more with them not ponying up for Wahle. Again, I liked Rivera, but not at those costs so that never upset me seeing as most everyone agreed he was already heading on the downside of his career.

I might be wrong, but it looks like a scene from "Wild Things".
Regardless, i rarely read his opinions, because my attention span somehow wanders, and i just have to continue down the page