Riq Woolen Apology

rjdriver

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I remember in my marriage counseling being told to take a walk and cool down before saying something that I would regret. I’ve had time to take a proverbial walk since the NFCCG.

Yes, I have serious problems with Riq’s inability to recognize the team over himself. It’s becoming a pattern, he becomes so laser focused on his accomplishments that he can’t objectively self critique. Hell, even his apology had to include the fact that he made a “great play”.

I value and completely understand the opinions in this thread. However here’s my take now that the raw emotion has settled-

We just went 14-3, earned the number one seed playing in the toughest division in football and are headed to the freaking Super Bowl. We went through stretches where the defense carried us. They allowed 9 points in two must win games recently against a team that had been on fire offensively. This is the best D in football. ………..

Do you really want to mess with that if you don’t have to? Have you looked at Riq’s stats over the course of the season? Are you certain you can easily replace his speed and length? Yes, he almost blew the NFCCG, but was it game we wouldn’t have even been in without his mid-to-latter season play?

If JS and MM decide he should be back, then I’m on board and will hope he finds a way to mature.
 

LeveeBreak

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What I was reacting to was the telling of others to 'chill.' That's not an opinion; it's an admonishment for expressing an opinion. And I did say 'please.'
Philosophically, I understand the point. But if your response is to someone posting "chill", IMO it's a bit sensitive. I'd translate that as an opinion people are overreacting, which is a legit take.
 

rjdriver

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No thanks. One last game for Reek in Seattle. Send him off with a ring. Let someone else deal with that selfish crap.
I totally get you brother and respect your opinion.

My issue is having someone else to deal with opposing WR’s next year. Riq’s stats are actually pretty good this year, it’s just the boneheaded plays were LOUD. Remember all those games where the QB couldn’t find anyone to hit and had to dump for a three yard game? Well, Riq played in those games too, not just the ones where he had huge mental lapses.

I’m cool with whatever, but he’s more than just his mistakes.
 

RiverDog

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Philosophically, I understand the point. But if your response is to someone posting "chill", IMO it's a bit sensitive. I'd translate that as an opinion people are overreacting, which is a legit take.
It wasn't just "chill" that I was reacting to. It was the manner in which it was said: "yall need to chill" and "get the f** over it!" To me, that was unnecessary and bit overboard, more than just someone expressing an opinion over an apology.

Sorry if I got a bit sensitive. It happens sometimes when someone starts dropping F bombs, especially when its a mod.
 

RiverDog

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Apparently, some of us that can't chill out and get the F*** over it aren't the only ones that feel that a simple apology isn't enough:

According to team sources, Seattle issued Woolen an internal fine equivalent to one playoff game check, a punishment handled entirely within the organization and separate from any league discipline.

The fine was paired with a mandatory closed-door address, where Woolen spoke directly to the defensive unit, accepting responsibility and emphasizing the importance of composure in high-leverage moments.

The discipline was not intended as a reactionary measure, but as a preventative one.

With a Super Bowl matchup against the New England Patriots looming, Seattle’s leadership wanted to send a clear message to the entire roster that emotional penalties will not be tolerated on the league’s biggest stage.

Coaches stressed that while accountability is respected, actions must follow words when championship stakes are involved.


 

glenwo2

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Glad he apologized, but it doesn't change one fact: there is NO excuse for not just walking away.
At least he acknowledged it. Now do something about it, ball out in the SB. And please please please.........CELEBRATE WITH YOUR TEAMMATES :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:

Am I over it, kind of I guess. However, not changing my mind on him or how I feel about him being a Hawk after this season. This is a pattern with him, not a one-time thing. Refs gave him a warning, he didn't care. At that moment, AGAIN, he made it about HIM. He nearly cost his team the SB, his TEAMMATES bailed him out.

I hope he's gone next year.

I agree.

He sealed his fate with that hare-brained decision.

Now his mission the following Sunday is to rebuild his Brand so some other team will pony up the cash to give him.

And the way to do that is for him to, as you said, ball out.

Which means picking off Drake Maye-NOT several times and being very effective in PBU's.

Also not acting like a jackass helps, too.
 

glenwo2

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Apparently, some of us that can't chill out and get the F*** over it aren't the only ones that feel that a simple apology isn't enough:

According to team sources, Seattle issued Woolen an internal fine equivalent to one playoff game check, a punishment handled entirely within the organization and separate from any league discipline.

The fine was paired with a mandatory closed-door address, where Woolen spoke directly to the defensive unit, accepting responsibility and emphasizing the importance of composure in high-leverage moments.

The discipline was not intended as a reactionary measure, but as a preventative one.

With a Super Bowl matchup against the New England Patriots looming, Seattle’s leadership wanted to send a clear message to the entire roster that emotional penalties will not be tolerated on the league’s biggest stage.

Coaches stressed that while accountability is respected, actions must follow words when championship stakes are involved.


I bet Emmanwori rolled his eyes to the friggin' heavens as Woolen was "accepting responsibility".
 
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jammerhawk

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When you are on a team and the team is together like this team truly is, being selfish is extremely tough for the collective to forgive.

The team has punished Woolen so he has said, he has apologized specifically and generally, and for now is forgiven (sort of). Whether he is kept on is a matter for the front office. Keeping him is a much more complicated metric than some here would realize. Woolen has talent, length, size and amazing speed, but he's just a head case who needs careful and firm coaching to keep in line. Whether his positives outweigh the negatives appended to his 50 cent head depends a lot upon what else is available and how expensive it will be to keep him on several levels. He was undoubtedly a great 5th round pick, that can't be argued.

Woolen is hard player to completely be on side with because there is little doubt he can play at a high level, is an exceptional athlete, long, and fast as blazes. His athletic ability allows him to cover and catch up to WRs assuming he doesn't get blown of at LOS, when he is on he is quite good as a man corner. I don't believe he is very talented as a zone corner and believe he is best in man coverage. I am not sure Woolen has the head to be special as a zone CB which reduces his value. MM likes to do both and so has Woolen playing almost exclusively in man coverage and for the most part he plays well. I recently have thought he was improved as a CB up until this stupid mindless and selfish penalty. Now I'm of the mind he'll have to prove himself yet again. Of our CBs he is by far the most athletic and clearly one of the fastest players on the team, but in terms of mental abilities he's just not up to abilities of either Witherspoon or Jobe, though few are are up to the level of Witherspoon. Woolen though has some physical size advantages over those two. That said finding a man CB with the length and speed of Woolen to replace him won't really be all that easy. The problem is if he gets paid will he change his attitude towards being a me player rather than being all he can be with his exceptional physical talents. There I've some trust in MM and JS in deciding if the risk is worth the reward. We'll see if he has got the message or not.

He's still on the team and it's time to move on from this situation there is a big game upcoming to focus upon.
 

LeveeBreak

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When you are on a team and the team is together like this team truly is, being selfish is extremely tough for the collective to forgive.

The team has punished Woolen so he has said, he has apologized specifically and generally, and for now is forgiven (sort of). Whether he is kept on is a matter for the front office. Keeping him is a much more complicated metric than some here would realize. Woolen has talent, length, size and amazing speed, but he's just a head case who needs careful and firm coaching to keep in line. Whether his positives outweigh the negatives appended to his 50 cent head depends a lot upon what else is available and how expensive it will be to keep him on several levels. He was undoubtedly a great 5th round pick, that can't be argued.

Woolen is hard player to completely be on side with because there is little doubt he can play at a high level, is an exceptional athlete, long, and fast as blazes. His athletic ability allows him to cover and catch up to WRs assuming he doesn't get blown of at LOS, when he is on he is quite good as a man corner. I don't believe he is very talented as a zone corner and believe he is best in man coverage. I am not sure Woolen has the head to be special as a zone CB which reduces his value. MM likes to do both and so has Woolen playing almost exclusively in man coverage and for the most part he plays well. I recently have thought he was improved as a CB up until this stupid mindless and selfish penalty. Now I'm of the mind he'll have to prove himself yet again. Of our CBs he is by far the most athletic and clearly one of the fastest players on the team, but in terms of mental abilities he's just not up to abilities of either Witherspoon or Jobe, though few are are up to the level of Witherspoon. Woolen though has some physical size advantages over those two. That said finding a man CB with the length and speed of Woolen to replace him won't really be all that easy. The problem is if he gets paid will he change his attitude towards being a me player rather than being all he can be with his exceptional physical talents. There I've some trust in MM and JS in deciding if the risk is worth the reward. We'll see if he has got the message or not.

He's still on the team and it's time to move on from this situation there is a big game upcoming to focus upon.

Completely aligned. MM/JS know Woolens pulse and we’ll find out their perspective in the offseason.
 

RiverDog

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When you are on a team and the team is together like this team truly is, being selfish is extremely tough for the collective to forgive.

The team has punished Woolen so he has said, he has apologized specifically and generally, and for now is forgiven (sort of). Whether he is kept on is a matter for the front office. Keeping him is a much more complicated metric than some here would realize. Woolen has talent, length, size and amazing speed, but he's just a head case who needs careful and firm coaching to keep in line. Whether his positives outweigh the negatives appended to his 50 cent head depends a lot upon what else is available and how expensive it will be to keep him on several levels. He was undoubtedly a great 5th round pick, that can't be argued.

Woolen is hard player to completely be on side with because there is little doubt he can play at a high level, is an exceptional athlete, long, and fast as blazes. His athletic ability allows him to cover and catch up to WRs assuming he doesn't get blown of at LOS, when he is on he is quite good as a man corner. I don't believe he is very talented as a zone corner and believe he is best in man coverage. I am not sure Woolen has the head to be special as a zone CB which reduces his value. MM likes to do both and so has Woolen playing almost exclusively in man coverage and for the most part he plays well. I recently have thought he was improved as a CB up until this stupid mindless and selfish penalty. Now I'm of the mind he'll have to prove himself yet again. Of our CBs he is by far the most athletic and clearly one of the fastest players on the team, but in terms of mental abilities he's just not up to abilities of either Witherspoon or Jobe, though few are are up to the level of Witherspoon. Woolen though has some physical size advantages over those two. That said finding a man CB with the length and speed of Woolen to replace him won't really be all that easy. The problem is if he gets paid will he change his attitude towards being a me player rather than being all he can be with his exceptional physical talents. There I've some trust in MM and JS in deciding if the risk is worth the reward. We'll see if he has got the message or not.

He's still on the team and it's time to move on from this situation there is a big game upcoming to focus upon.
Excellent take, and I agree completely.

Had this happened in mid-season, the coaching staff might have acted differently. I remember when Percy Harvin refused to go into a game when told to, and the coaching staff shipped his ass out the following week. But with less than two weeks left in the season and the biggest game in everyone's lifetime up next, Woolen can't be benched. We can't afford to as even with his warts, he gives us the best chance to win. There is no tomorrow.

IMO if the report I linked is accurate, Macdonald and Co. handled this just about as well as anyone could. And as @Ozzy stated earlier in the thread, they could turn a negative into a positive. I can imagine what the locker room was like when Woolen gave his apology. My guess is that Woolen goes out there and plays his ass off.
 

SNDavidson

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Dude, I am excited for Darkside Woolen, do it Riq, turn a corner, talk to Sherm about how he added physicality and took the next step in the run game, if you added that we'll repeat.
 

HawaiiD

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For the ones here that have a short fuse in regards to Woolen. He is a Human Being that's imperfect just like the rest of us. Yeah what he did was pretty bad in the heat of the moment. I bet every single one of us here has done something spontaneous,selfish weather or not giving it much thought that we regret. The key here for me about Riq is that he was apologetic,he did not make any excuses why he did it? Riq simply manned up, and said it won't happen again. I truly believe Riq understands what could have gone wrong he deserves the opportunity to make amends. Let's take Riq's word for it and collectively move forward and project positive energy towards our up coming Superbowl 🤙🏼
 
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jammerhawk

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Let's hope he goes back to calling himself Tariq Woolen again b/c Riq Woolen reeked of attitude lazy play, and selfishness.

BTW I'm good with whatever the team decides as far as his future with the team. Perhaps this was learning moment for him.

This player if he were to get his head on straight could be a top level CB, presently it's hard to say he is now.
 

Rugged96

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Agreed, but I think the question is more about what are we willing to pay him? If someone else offers him a huge bag, this mistake makes it harder for us to be willing to match th

Someone will pay him. He is not coming back

That said it’s a weak link. He is still the best at his position on the team. For his sake he better does good in the SB. His next paycheck depends on it.
He just doesn’t fit our scheme that’s all, he is a man coverage person not a zone guy like we like to run. I like to think of “unlikely but big splash scenarios “ like us trading woolen & Kupp for a player like davante Adam’s or tee higgens. I see a bright future for Tory Horton as well I just hope this injury was a “one off” & not something that is going to be common with him. I can also see Woolen being used as ammo to trade up in the draft or gain some more picks . Adam’s is a big cap hit for rams (28 mil) which is about what someone like George Pickens can expect to get around. AJ Brown would be a nice addition, he does scare me a little bit because he strikes me as that he puts himself above the team type of character and I don’t know if he could accept that WR2 role as good as Davante Adams did with the Rams in regards to Puka but players have a way of having a good season after being traded. It’s like they feel like they have something to prove.
 

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