PhinPhan1227
09-22-2003, 01:28 PM
Saw this article by the same guy who wrote up the first piece on the Moulds/Surtain spitting incident. On the one hand he admits that he blew things out of proportion...but then he proceeds to take credit for galvanizing the Defense...sheesh!!
Ethan Skolnick:
"A good grudge is hard to find.
So from time to time, the media embellish a controversy or conflict. Often athletes scold us for this, and often rightly so, since the resolutions of their disagreements tend to get far less attention than their starts. Someday the Dolphins may quietly quash their differences with Moulds and no one will call a press conference. Maybe they will kick it in Hawaii, or before some shotgun start, and all will be cool.
But, as they also say, the tape doesn't lie. And the tape will show that on this night, the Dolphins didn't care much for Moulds. If Brock Marion hadn't made it apparent by criticizing Moulds last week for allegedly spitting on Surtain last season, and Surtain hadn't made it even clearer by going on ESPN with Knight and denying Moulds' claim that they had smoothed it all over by "kicking it" in Hawaii and Mississippi, and Surtain hadn't hammered it home further by calling him "unmanly" on Friday, the Dolphins put any rumors of peaceful resolution to rest Sunday night.
It wasn't all Surtain. It was Jason Taylor jawing at Moulds as he broke the huddle. It was Marion standing over him on the Bills' first series of the third quarter, when he couldn't pull in a pass slightly in front of him. It was any other Dolphin you could think of trying to get a word in. It was a team that acted like one, guys taking up for their teammate.
And, yes, it was Surtain.
On that same pass Marion stood over Moulds, Surtain was also in coverage. He did a little dance and swung his fists at the air.
Didn't spit.
Didn't need to.
Moulds, one of the league's four best receivers by nearly any assessment, did nothing of note Sunday. His first catch didn't come until 12:32 remained in the half, a 17-yarder down the middle. Four plays later, his crossing route netted 13 yards as he split through the area vacated by a blitzing Zach Thomas.
Maybe he would have had a touchdown three plays later, but Marion leaped to pick off Drew Bledsoe's pass before it could sneak through.
And that was it.
Two catches.
Thirty yards.
One point proved by a secondary that didn't need stats to say it was about as good as one can be. Knight darting through to make his first true big play as a Dolphin, stealing a pass intended for Moulds. The entire group taking Bledsoe out of rhythm early, with strong coverage. Surtain sliding to intercept Travis Henry's halfback option pass. Marion picking off Bledsoe, then ending the game with an end-zone breakup, just for punctuation.
Moulds trudging off a loser.
Which will give them all something to talk about the next time they kick it in Hawaii."
Ethan Skolnick:
"A good grudge is hard to find.
So from time to time, the media embellish a controversy or conflict. Often athletes scold us for this, and often rightly so, since the resolutions of their disagreements tend to get far less attention than their starts. Someday the Dolphins may quietly quash their differences with Moulds and no one will call a press conference. Maybe they will kick it in Hawaii, or before some shotgun start, and all will be cool.
But, as they also say, the tape doesn't lie. And the tape will show that on this night, the Dolphins didn't care much for Moulds. If Brock Marion hadn't made it apparent by criticizing Moulds last week for allegedly spitting on Surtain last season, and Surtain hadn't made it even clearer by going on ESPN with Knight and denying Moulds' claim that they had smoothed it all over by "kicking it" in Hawaii and Mississippi, and Surtain hadn't hammered it home further by calling him "unmanly" on Friday, the Dolphins put any rumors of peaceful resolution to rest Sunday night.
It wasn't all Surtain. It was Jason Taylor jawing at Moulds as he broke the huddle. It was Marion standing over him on the Bills' first series of the third quarter, when he couldn't pull in a pass slightly in front of him. It was any other Dolphin you could think of trying to get a word in. It was a team that acted like one, guys taking up for their teammate.
And, yes, it was Surtain.
On that same pass Marion stood over Moulds, Surtain was also in coverage. He did a little dance and swung his fists at the air.
Didn't spit.
Didn't need to.
Moulds, one of the league's four best receivers by nearly any assessment, did nothing of note Sunday. His first catch didn't come until 12:32 remained in the half, a 17-yarder down the middle. Four plays later, his crossing route netted 13 yards as he split through the area vacated by a blitzing Zach Thomas.
Maybe he would have had a touchdown three plays later, but Marion leaped to pick off Drew Bledsoe's pass before it could sneak through.
And that was it.
Two catches.
Thirty yards.
One point proved by a secondary that didn't need stats to say it was about as good as one can be. Knight darting through to make his first true big play as a Dolphin, stealing a pass intended for Moulds. The entire group taking Bledsoe out of rhythm early, with strong coverage. Surtain sliding to intercept Travis Henry's halfback option pass. Marion picking off Bledsoe, then ending the game with an end-zone breakup, just for punctuation.
Moulds trudging off a loser.
Which will give them all something to talk about the next time they kick it in Hawaii."