Not-steely-enough-Dan
The Ravens finally gave up on injury-ravaged linebacker Dan Cody, releasing him on the same day they reacquired defensive lineman Marques Douglas from Tampa Bay for a late-round draft pick in 2009 and a conditional pick in 2010.
It's a sad conclusion for Cody, who came to the team with great promise as a second-round pick in 2005, but suffered a series of debiliitating injuries that limited him to just a handful of plays over three seasons. He ended his Ravens career by playing 10 snaps at the end of Saturday night's preseason loss to the Rams.
Cody (right) suffered a sprained anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during his first year with the team and a torn posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in 2006. Last year, he proved to be both fragile and snake-bitten, tearing cartilage in his right knee and a suffering a foot injury in a charity run.
Schmuck media overload: Watch me tonight on the MASN pre-game show with Amber Theoharis and then listen at 7 p.m. when I join Steve Davis on Sportsline on WBAL (1090 AM). If you're out of the area, you can also listen to the radio show by going to WBAL.com and clicking on the "Listen Live" icon.
Sun photo: Gene Sweeney, Jr.
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Comments
If I remember right, he was out the very first day of the very first training camp of his very first year. He makes Heap look like Cal Ripkin.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 27, 2008 6:30 PM
Nothin' but pathos for Dan. On the one hand, he was frequently hurt, and a terminal (literally, in the football sense) member of Injured Reserve.
On the other hand, out there are guys like me who harbored NFL dreams, only to be steps to slow, pounds too light (then--we won't even talk about now), and never having had the opportunity given to Cody. I can only say I wish I had his opportunity. Until I was in my 30s, all I wanted to do was play football. Even as I went through the various stages of work, family life, graduate school, etc.
I always look at the NFL (or CFL, or USFL, or Arena, or NFL Europe) and ask what if? What if that recruiter from Oklahoma took a flyer on me with a walk-on opportunity? What if the scout from Oregon had signed me as a two-for-one package with Ed Stringer (from OCC)? What if I had gotten a chance to play in the spotlight (even for the Titans of CS Fullerton--my dream school) and caught the attention of an NFL team.
I would have busted it, come heck or strained hamstring. Just to get my picture taken in a pro uniform, my name announced in an NFL stadium, and to have my wife waiting at the players' entrance? It would have been awesome.
For that, I say I'm sorry for Dan. I'm sorry he lost his self-confidence along the way and could not make it in the NFL.
Posted by: logiopath | August 27, 2008 6:45 PM
Speaking of the Marquez Douglas deal...what a mistake. A team trying to get younger & re-identify itself trades two picks for a 31 yr old journeyman??? Seriously....what has happened to the "Wizard of Oz" .... ??? I have lost confidence. The roster is dreadful.
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Pete's reply: It's not a bad move. They needed to fill a hole after losing Dwan and they moved decisively to get an experienced player. It isn't a move for the future. It's a move to hold things together now.
Posted by: Cereal Blogger | August 27, 2008 9:25 PM
Welcome Casey Bramlet, Fair well Kyle ProBoller
Posted by: Slim Charles | August 27, 2008 10:52 PM
Are you hearing anything about Bowie's team possibly moving south to Richmond? Here the story link from the Richmond Times Dispatch:
http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/sports/more.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-08-26-0051.html
Given how the Richmond metro governments keystone-copped the Braves organization out of town, and down to Gwinnett County, GA, I pity any team that goes there.
Posted by: Ken in Louisville | August 27, 2008 11:48 PM