Merriman Discusses His Achilles Tendon Injury

[YardRat]

http://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/2012/5/13/3017015/shawne-merriman-discusses-his-achilles-tendon-injury

"Honestly man I was just talking with coach about this. It’s probably the best I have felt in three years. The first time I got the chance to have full surgery on my Achilles and have a real off-season. I am looking for a big year."

[Oaf]

Re: Merriman Discusses His Achilles Tendon Injury

What did SM say before last season?

[Skooby]

Re: Merriman Discusses His Achilles Tendon Injury

What did SM say before last season?

Merriman's supporting cast has changed quite a lot, so he'll probably get quite a bit more support around him. It isn't like our opponents are going to blow over our D-line, times are a changing.

[zone]

Re: Merriman Discusses His Achilles Tendon Injury

Merriman's supporting cast has changed quite a lot, so he'll probably get quite a bit more support around him. It isn't like our opponents are going to blow over our D-line, times are a changing.

What does that have to do with what he said about his injury before last season?

[gr8slayer]

Re: Merriman Discusses His Achilles Tendon Injury

What did SM say before last season?

And Spikes was going to come back "bigger, stronger, and faster". This is one of those injuries where you really have no clue until you actually start playing. Of course he feels a lot better post-surgery, but that doesn't mean that he's ultimately any better off. I still don't really expect much from Merriman in the way of total production. I think he'll be a fine rotational player, who can offer some pressure in certain situations, but an every down player he is not.

[Cali512]

Re: Merriman Discusses His Achilles Tendon Injury

I actually got upset when i saw this because i skimmed it real quick and saw Merriman achilles tendon injury!

[TigerJ]

Re: Merriman Discusses His Achilles Tendon Injury

That website only has a small excerpt for the interview that is found on another website. Here is a larger piece with a link to the original.

"Shawne Merriman joined XX 1090 Sports Radio in San Diego with Darren Smith to discuss the status of his Achilles tendon injury, being at the Buffalo Bills off-season workouts, his reaction to Junior Seau’s death, not worrying about his physical and mental health after he retires and the word ‘bounty’ being used too much in the NFL.
How is your health?
“Honestly man I was just talking with coach about this. It’s probably the best I have felt in three years. The first time I got the chance to have full surgery on my Achilles and have a real off-season. I am looking for a big year.”
So has it got to the point where it is all systems go? How tough is it to battle all the injuries you have had?
“It’s been rough man. It was a rough process just going out there on the field and not knowing if I was going to be 100% or whether I am going to be able to play next week, practice next week. I dealt with that my last year in San Diego and my first full year when I got out here and that’s not the case or the scenario this year. I’ve been here every day for the past 3 or 4 weeks doing everything the team has been doing with the off-season workouts. It’s been good.”

How shocking was the news of Junior Seau’s death?
“It was very shocking. One of the first reports that came out was on TMZ. It was something that was devastating. You wouldn’t think that it would come out on TMZ and things like that. I really didn’t believe it. I didn’t believe it. I was laying down and watching TV and I got a few text messages on the phone. After the third or fourth text message came I looked through and it was a link to TMZ about Junior Seau’s passing and I just went downstairs. I couldn’t even hold it together. I called my grandmother and I was just so out of it. I couldn’t believe it happened.”
How much do you worry about what you are going to feel like mentally and physically 20-30 years down the road?
“I’ll worry about that then. I take pretty good care of my body and you are never going to stop all the injuries in football from happening. Like I said it is a collision sport, but at the same time I take very good care of my body year around and just trying to put as much effort into playing the game the way it is supposed to be played. I don’t think I am ever going to stop playing the game the way it is supposed to be played because the way I learned how to play the first time I put on the helmet. I was always taught to run through a guy and not around a guy. I was always taught to look for contact and not shy away from it. Those things are never going to change for me.”
What did you think about the penalties being handed out to the Saints?
“I think it was justified to a certain point. Jonathan Vilma and all of those guys they are great guys. They are not bad guys knowing all of them guys for years and we can’t really specifically sit back and say hey he told this guy to take him out of the game . . ."

http://sportsradiointerviews.com/2012/05/11/nfl-bounty-shawne-merriman-buffalo-bills/

[better days]

Re: Merriman Discusses His Achilles Tendon Injury

That website only has a small excerpt for the interview that is found on another website. Here is a larger piece with a link to the original.

"Shawne Merriman joined XX 1090 Sports Radio in San Diego with Darren Smith to discuss the status of his Achilles tendon injury, being at the Buffalo Bills off-season workouts, his reaction to Junior Seau’s death, not worrying about his physical and mental health after he retires and the word ‘bounty’ being used too much in the NFL.
How is your health?
“Honestly man I was just talking with coach about this. It’s probably the best I have felt in three years. The first time I got the chance to have full surgery on my Achilles and have a real off-season. I am looking for a big year.”
So has it got to the point where it is all systems go? How tough is it to battle all the injuries you have had?
“It’s been rough man. It was a rough process just going out there on the field and not knowing if I was going to be 100% or whether I am going to be able to play next week, practice next week. I dealt with that my last year in San Diego and my first full year when I got out here and that’s not the case or the scenario this year. I’ve been here every day for the past 3 or 4 weeks doing everything the team has been doing with the off-season workouts. It’s been good.”

How shocking was the news of Junior Seau’s death?
“It was very shocking. One of the first reports that came out was on TMZ. It was something that was devastating. You wouldn’t think that it would come out on TMZ and things like that. I really didn’t believe it. I didn’t believe it. I was laying down and watching TV and I got a few text messages on the phone. After the third or fourth text message came I looked through and it was a link to TMZ about Junior Seau’s passing and I just went downstairs. I couldn’t even hold it together. I called my grandmother and I was just so out of it. I couldn’t believe it happened.”
How much do you worry about what you are going to feel like mentally and physically 20-30 years down the road?
“I’ll worry about that then. I take pretty good care of my body and you are never going to stop all the injuries in football from happening. Like I said it is a collision sport, but at the same time I take very good care of my body year around and just trying to put as much effort into playing the game the way it is supposed to be played. I don’t think I am ever going to stop playing the game the way it is supposed to be played because the way I learned how to play the first time I put on the helmet. I was always taught to run through a guy and not around a guy. I was always taught to look for contact and not shy away from it. Those things are never going to change for me.”
What did you think about the penalties being handed out to the Saints?
“I think it was justified to a certain point. Jonathan Vilma and all of those guys they are great guys. They are not bad guys knowing all of them guys for years and we can’t really specifically sit back and say hey he told this guy to take him out of the game . . ."

http://sportsradiointerviews.com/201...buffalo-bills/

I heard a podcast of that interview. It starts off with the San Diego radio hosts making jokes about Buffalo.

They then ask Merriman what kind of football town Buffalo is.

Merriman replied; "You said it, Buffalo is a FOOTBALL town." "You KNOW where everyone will be on Sunday & what they will be doing. They will be watching the Bills." Merriman went on to say he was happy to be in Buffalo playing for the Bills.

[NOT THE DUDE...]

Re: Merriman Discusses His Achilles Tendon Injury

i love merriman, hes the rare superstar that has embraced buffalo!

[NOT THE DUDE...]

Re: Merriman Discusses His Achilles Tendon Injury

And Spikes was going to come back "bigger, stronger, and faster". This is one of those injuries where you really have no clue until you actually start playing. Of course he feels a lot better post-surgery, but that doesn't mean that he's ultimately any better off. I still don't really expect much from Merriman in the way of total production. I think he'll be a fine rotational player, who can offer some pressure in certain situations, but an every down player he is not.

merriman didnt tear his achilles...

massive difference...

[BillsOverDolphins]

Re: Merriman Discusses His Achilles Tendon Injury

i love merriman, hes the rare superstar that has embraced buffalo!

He was/is no longer a superstar.

[casdhf]

Re: Merriman Discusses His Achilles Tendon Injury

We don't need him to be a super star. We need 12-15 quality plays each game from him. It sounds like he knows this role and will embrace it. We'll see.

[Forward_Lateral]

Re: Merriman Discusses His Achilles Tendon Injury

The only thing that pisses me off is that he didn't have the surgery 2 offseasons ago. I still don't know why they collectively decided to hold off.

[jamze132]

Re: Merriman Discusses His Achilles Tendon Injury

If he stays healthy, our defense will be a beast. Even if he's not able to play at the level he used to, and I doubt he can, just being out there setting the edge and chasing QBs is a huge difference.

[streetkings01]

Re: Merriman Discusses His Achilles Tendon Injury

All we need from Merriman is to be what Maybin is for the Jets. A pass rush specialist........it's a shame Maybin wasn't motivated enough to be that for us.