Portis Bashing

[cleg]

Who is this guy? This is from here

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8675 ... ----leader

Clinton Portis posted MVP-caliber numbers this past Sunday, but true MVPs don't let their squads lose to the lowly St. Louis Lambs. By now, everybody's heard Portis' grumbling about his Washington Redskins not having their mind right heading into the Rams game, but the person who really needs to pay close attention to those comments is Clinton Portis himself.

I have a hard time swallowing this "Mr. Serious" spiel from Portis. After all, this is the guy who's concocted more stupid characters than Eddie Murphy played in "Norbit." This is the guy who once chuckled with Chris Samuels about Michael Vick's dogfighting ring. This is the guy who once wore a Ric Flair-style gold title belt on the Denver Broncos' sideline, despite not being the champion of anything I'm aware of. This is the guy who guaranteed the Redskins would earn a berth in last year's NFC Championship game, but ultimately didn't deliver.

Portis can run around in phony championship belts and play all the fake characters he wants, but until he displays some real character, his Skins aren't going to win any real championships.

Portis has six rushing TDs on the season and leads the league in both rushing attempts (136) and yards (643). Recently, he has been even more impressive, posting three consecutive 100-yard rushing performances. Portis also hasn't fumbled yet this year and is a stud blocker in pass protection. But the Redskins need more -- they need Portis to be their unquestioned leader.

Jim Zorn is a first-year coach who isn't exactly Tom Coughlin when it comes to his temperament. Jason Campbell hasn't done enough yet to be the true leader of that locker room. Mr. Taylor just got to Washington. Chris ey is too busy accidentally exposing himself on the Internet. If someone's going to step up and be the face of the Redskins, it's going to have to be you, Sheriff Gonnagetcha. What's truly "gonnagetcha" team somewhere is you stepping up and becoming a leader. Portis should have let his teammates know they weren't taking a desperate Rams team seriously enough.

If Portis had stepped up, assumed a larger leadership role and talked some sense into his teammates before or even during the game -- for instance, when Marcus Washington went all "8 Seconds" and celebrated a routine play against a league laughingstock -- I wouldn't be writing this right now. Santana Moss's brutal two weeks wouldn't have mattered. Pete Kendall getting all young Tiki Barber with the pigskin? Wouldn't have mattered. None of it would have mattered, because the Redskins would have won that game.

[LORD GIBBS]

Good Lawd

[BnGhog]

If Portis had stepped up, assumed a larger leadership role and talked some sense into his teammates before or even during the game

WTF? How does he know what Portis said or didn't say to the team?

[Cappster]

That guy is a door knob

[Countertrey]

That guy is a door knob

Well... knob fits.

[jmooney]

Obviously a Pukes or Shegals fan, what an ass! Anyone knoe if JLC has an alias pen name?

[BossHog]

Somebody's weak attempt at a piece of sensationalist journalism.

Obviously Clinton is the reason we lost to the Rams.

Something my mom always used to say to me rings loud for some reason, "Why even dignify it with a comment?"

Or did I already do that?

[RedskinsRule56]

This guy needs to realize that Clinton Portis is the 3rd best running back in the NFL, not only is he an amazing running back he is also one of the best blocking running backs in the league. Portis's number do his talking for him. This guy should take a look at them.

[MDSKINSFAN]

i guess his leadership of leading the league in rushing and scoring both offensive td's against the rams just wasnt good enough.

[gibbs4president]

Portis has six rushing TDs on the season and leads the league in both rushing attempts (136) and yards (643). Recently, he has been even more impressive, posting three consecutive 100-yard rushing performances. Portis also hasn't fumbled yet this year and is a stud blocker in pass protection. But the Redskins need more -- they need Portis to be their unquestioned leader.

Really, is that what the Redskins need? How about a more consistent pass rush or maybe some decent punting?

If I'm thinking of a leader in the Redskins locker room, I'm thinking of someone like London Fletcher, and I have no problem with that at all. I'd rather have Portis leading on the field by running for 100 yards and knocking down defenders with huge blocks.

Whenever someone wants to knock a player and say he isn't doing enough, it's usually that said player isn't "a leader." Usually that only means that his team has lost some games recently.

If this guy wanted to attack the Redskins after the loss to the Rams, that's fine. But that angle is just wrong. Portis's act off the field and his characters have nothing to do with how serious he takes winning or how hard he plays.

Good try though, guy.

[Countertrey]

Good try though, guy.

Yeah... you were on a roll... right up to then.

Not a good try. More like pathetic hate mongering. Guy's desperate for attention.

[Fios]

Once again a columnist proves you need not have even a basic understanding of football in order to be paid to write about it.

[andyjens89]

Portis is on pace for 1,715 yards and 16 TDs... both career highs and the yards being a team record by 200 yards.

[gibbs4president]

Good try though, guy.

Yeah... you were on a roll... right up to then.

Not a good try. More like pathetic hate mongering. Guy's desperate for attention.

Oh, don't worry. That was sarcasm....

[skinfaninla20]

Maybe he should have said something... but then again I'm high right now, but he did make a few good points. The truth hurts me, but that's what some of those things are.. I think...

[PulpExposure]

Portis is on pace for 1,715 yards and 16 TDs... both career highs and the yards being a team record by 200 yards.

His own record....

[gibbsfan]

i guess he used a #2 pencil to write that too. alot of errors..

[Deadskins]

By now, everybody's heard Portis' grumbling about his Washington Redskins not having their mind right heading into the Rams game...

I haven't. But I can't imagine he would say something like that, and not be pointing the finger at himself, after the hunting Rams video on ey's blog.

[cleg]

This morning on the NFL Network Warren Sapp and Marshall Faulk were saying CP would think Zorn brought Alexander in to take his job. They said Portis was a bad teamate and generally made fun of him for his "characters" in the past. Honestly, I don't know where all this hatin is coming from.

[Fios]

This morning on the NFL Network Warren Sapp and Marshall Faulk were saying CP would think Zorn brought Alexander in to take his job. They said Portis was a bad teamate and generally made fun of him for his "characters" in the past. Honestly, I don't know where all this hatin is coming from.

I saw that too, it was mostly Sapp, in fact, that's precisely why I started a thread in Smack about Sapp.

[MiamiJoe]

Sapp was never a teamate of Portis at Miami and should remember that the Miami Alumni are a fraternity and shouldn't bash one another.

[John Manfreda]

the media trying to get a story.

[John Manfreda]

Sapp was never a teamate of Portis at Miami and should remember that the Miami Alumni are a fraternity and shouldn't bash one another.

speaking of Sapp what a great quote
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multim ... ent.6.html

[SkinsFreak]

"If Portis had stepped up, assumed a larger leadership role and talked some sense into his teammates before or even during the game -- for instance, when Marcus Washington went all "8 Seconds" and celebrated a routine play against a league laughingstock -- I wouldn't be writing this right now."

Just another idiot without a clue. Just because someone can write or say it doesn't make it true. The fact is, Portis is a team leader and many in that locker room have a great respect for him, including the coaching staff.

From Redskins.com today...

Portis is approaching the point in his Redskins career where he’ll be etching his name in record books, both with the franchise and the NFL.

Records might have mattered to him a few years ago, but now winning games is what counts.

"All the personal stats, wanting to do this and wanting to do that--that is out for me," he said. "I want to win. It does not matter if I have 175 yards or 75 yards, if we come out with a win, I come out with a smile on my face."

<snip>

This season, Portis has often been asked to compare himself to his heady days in Denver from 2002-03 to the franchise running back he has become in Washington.

Back then, he was a sparkplug for a multi-faceted Broncos offense. He rushed for 3,099 yards and 29 touchdowns in two seasons there.

Now, in Washington, his role has more significance.

“I think I have changed for the better, and that’s to do what is asked of me," he said. "I think I have changed into the leadership role of carrying the team and putting the team on my shoulders.

"When I was in Denver, I didn’t carry the organization. That organization had great names and great people. Shannon Sharpe and Rod Smith and Eddie McCaffery and Brian Griese--all of those guys were the focal point at that time.

"Now I’ve come here and helped carry an organization as the focal point, helped mold young guys and keep my teammates involved."

His leadership and team-first approach can best be seen in his pass blocking. He loves to level a rushing defensive lineman, much like he did when he knocked down Giants defensive end Matthias Kiawanuka in Week 1.

This is not cockiness or arrogance from Portis, but a desire to be the best for his team and his teammates. I really like what I see from Portis so far this year.

[SkinsJock]

Sapp is just trying to create something here - this guy is really a tool - we will most likely see an apology at some time but it matters not - he has made a fool of himself and continues to show that he was a good football player but it looks like that was all he was good at - he is certainly not going to be on TV for very long.