It's going to be nearly impossible to outlaw cut blocking. There's really no reason for it to be axed. It's effective, and the only time defenders are hurt is when they are lazy and don't use their hands to fight it off. There are of course exceptions. (See Steve Herndon taking out Jamaal Williams.)...but for the most part it's clean.

I know everyone on this board understands the difference between a cut block, and a chop block...but a lot of people like to see the two as one in the same. As a Donks fan I've heard it all for years. I don't like the cheap shots, but all teams are guilty of those...including KC. I know to Chiefs fan...all forms of cheating were created in Denver.

Back on topic. Steroids or not Merriman is a special athlete. Understanding that the Dolts wanted him to play all a long...I wonder if the specialists made him think that going under the knife won't make him right again. Who really knows for sure...but this situation doesn't seem right.

Some interesting revelations in this article. I think we can conclude why it's rumored that AJ Smith isn't interested in re-signing Merriman.

By ignoring the doctor's advice, he's now putting the putting the Bolts 2008 season and his own future in jeopardy:

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/10950042/1

Shawne Merriman - the next Kendrell Bell.

None of it makes any sense. Why not just play some video games, sip a few beers and lift? I know the Bolts are going to be serious contenders this year, but why risk your financial and physical future? It is hard for me to believe that he is doing it for the team. He could come back next year, get 20 sacks and sign a fat contract with somebody. He has no reason to fake this injury either. Nothing to be gained. I just wonder if it's some bluff over a bonus or something. If he does truly do it, he has some combination of serious balls and mental illness. It will be interesting to see how this goes.

a roided up football player who's starting to show signs of being injury prone. who could have anticipated it.

He is a stupid mofo for not taking care of this in February when all the doctors told him to. I really hope on the first play of the game next week he blows them both out.

Tearing a knee ligament isn't a roid injury, if he had a torn muscle, especially one where it was torn off the bone, that's a roid injury.

I would have to wonder if the added weight gain in addition with the added speed from the roids would put more pressure and/or stress on the knee tendons. :shrug:

Exactly

More phisical force from every area around the knee/leg from increased steroid use that puts MORE strain on the ligaments/tendons than normal. Thus causing the injury to be somewhat steroid related.

Don't know how much water this would hold medically but it sounds good. :thumb:

is that so, i didn't realize all forms of injury were acute, and not chronic or degenerative. thanks for the insight.

His knee was injured after the cheap shot by Kevin Mawae as retaliation for the Vince Young "cheap shot" by Merriman in the Titans game.

He played on it in six games after that so I guess he feels he can play on it some more.

That's absolutely the case, and anyone who thinks this didn't have anything to do with steroids is kidding themselves.

The steroid use creates more muscle mass than the tendons and ligaments supporting them are designed to handle, and eventually, they stress to the point of tear or rupture.

is that so? so all LCL and PCL injuries are from steroids, and cannot happen during gameplay. The NFL should test the next player who suffers a knee injury, obviously the guy is on roids.

I hope he rips his whole shit up doing the "lights out" dance.

I still fail to see the benefit in this.