Remedy for " The MeShawn Complex?"
Deactivation!
Three years ago, the New York Jets traded wide receiver Keyshawn
Johnson to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a couple of first round draft
picks. At the time, all involved thought the Bucs pulled a fast one
and got the longer section of the straw. Well, after the Jets picked
up Chad Pennington with the first pick , 2 seasons under his belt and
The "Me-Shawn Complex", taking hold in Tampa Bay, it looks like we
were all sadly mistaken.
Since then Keyshawn has recorded just fewer than 300 catches for
3,828 yards and 17 touchdowns. On Monday Mr. Johnson was handed his
walking papers of sort, and asked to find the door and don’t let it
hit him on the ass on the way out. The Bucs called it,
"De-activation."
As of Sunday’s game, Keyshawn is in the middle of an eight-year,
$56 million contract with a $13 million signing bonus attached to it.
His "de-activation" couldn’t come at a worse time for the
Buccaneers. The World Champion Bucs are smack-dab in the middle of a
miserable 4-6 record , sit in third place in the NFC south and, as of
last Sunday, show no signs of turning it around anytime soon.
With Keyshawn now set into a third-receiver role, which we all know
does not sit well with any premier player in the NFL, a definite
change was all but inevitable.
But that’s only part of the issue. Johnson’s dislike with his role
in the Bucs offensive scheme, as well as his lack of respect for head
coach John (Chucky) Gruden, has never been a secret, with Keyshawn
showing every indication that he really didn’t want to be there.
Bucs General Manager Rich McKay stated, " Keyshawn has made it
perfectly clear to us, that he has no intention of wanting to remain a
Buccaneer beyond the 2003 season, and this approach, as well as his
actions, are having a negative effect on our football team." The
disruptions, distractions, or whatever you wish to call them, were
described by McKay as: Johnson missing Mondays mandatory meeting; He
missed the return flight from San Francisco after the week 7 loss; And
he missed team curfew two times on nights preceding a game. " We are
focused on winning football games and from a players point of view, as
well as the organizations view, this has become a major distraction"
Keyshawns response to the news. " No ones explained to me why. No
ones told me anything. I go out and try to play and play my butt off
and try to win football games. I don’t know whats transpired along the
way."
3 words Mr. Johnson. " Gimme a break!" You were a poisoned pill in
New York with the Jets and your infection followed you to Tampa.
I will give him his props, though. He is always playing at 100%.
Every play. He never takes a play off. He runs 60% of his routes up
the middle, preparing for the hit. He’s not scared to take a hit. (You
should listen to this Mr. Moss) And he can lay down a block better
than most receivers in the league. Keyshawn is not one to worry about
soiling his jersey or his pants.
So what happens now?
Well, the Buccaneers will not release Johnson at the end of the
season and are prepared to pay him a $1 million roster bonus in order
to controls his rights to opening day of the 2004 season. By not
releasing Johnson, The Bucs can make sure they receive their
investment back on him, either by way of trade or via free agency.
You can’t blame the Bucs. Coach Gruden did what he thought was best
to keep the dissension in the locker room to a minimum. Everyone
involved knew that Keyshawn was not his go-to-guy anymore, if he ever
really was. Maybe in the beginning, but the
"Me-Shawn" mentality can weigh heavy on even the strongest of
minds. You really have to hand it to "Chucky." He did what needed to
be done to keep control of his team and do what was best for them.
When two egos the size of Keyshawns and Grudens collide, its pretty
much a given the one left standing would be the one in charge.
One Buccaneer player stated, "In the end, Gruden did what he had to
do. He’s not taking it from anybody. If one guy runs through you,
they’ll all run through you. That said he wasn’t just trying to send a
message. The season means to much to him to just send a message."
Regardless of the coaches’ intentions, I think we all got the
message.
I.S.
©