Brian Simmons

[PLaw]

Caught this thread on another board. First, I hope Brian can at least get a tryout. Second, I pray he got his degree while at OU. He seems to be a darn good kid that makes you proud to be a Sooner.

BOOMER

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Originally posted by DeMarcoMurrayRocks

This is really sad. From ESPN Mailbag:

http://espn.go.com/blog/big12/post/_/id/12205/mail bag-a-sad-e-mail-lone-star-showdown-and-more-on-dq s

Jackie Simmons in Raleigh, N.C., writes: I hoping you can help me with some answers. My son Brian Simmons played for OU last season as a OG beside Trent Williams and in front of Sam Bradford. He was not invited to the combine but scored top numbers at OU pro-day. We were thinking he would go in the 5 to 7 rounds which didn't happen. He hasn't received any free agent calls either. He has spent the last 10 years of his life preparing for this moment. This week he was told that he had been put on the NFL reject list because of his clubfoot. It has never been a problem for him so why would it be a problem for the NFL?

David Ubben: Jackie, I’m sorry to hear that, and to be honest, I wasn’t aware there was such a thing as an NFL reject list. I was aware of his clubfoot, but when I watched him last year, I never thought it had a huge effect on his gait and didn’t really seem to be a factor. He, Brody Eldridge, and of course, Trent, were by far the three best blockers on the team when they were healthy, and Brian absolutely has NFL size at 6-foot-4 and 318 pounds. I’m not a doctor, but my guess is teams see it as a higher risk for future injuries and don’t want to invest in him.

I was actually wondering myself what happened to him; I was a little surprised he hadn’t at least gotten a tryout somewhere.

I don’t know a lot about the medical specifics of the condition, but I do know that I spoke with Brian a ton during the last season, and he was easily one of the most intelligent and genuine players I've ever covered in any sport. It was pretty easy to see how much he enjoyed playing the game, too. Whatever he decides to do in the future, I don’t doubt he’ll succeed.

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[Sooner-N-KS]

Maybe they saw him whiff on a game winning block in the national championship game?

Stinks for him. I wish they would have given him a chance.

[sooner518]

what the hell does a "clubfoot" mean?

[ndpruitt03]

Half of his foot is artificial.

[rawlingsHOH]

Half of his foot is artificial.
peg leg!

;)

[PDXsooner]

Hopefully he has a plan B

[OK2U]

One foot is larger than the other

[GottaHavePride]

Actually, medically speaking, a "club" foot is a birth deformity where one foot turns inward and downward. The "club" foot being smaller than the other foot is usually just due to the methods of treating a club foot (wearing braces, and such).


EDIT: here's a cute cartoon-y drawing, so it's not all creepy like a real picture might be...

http://www.eorthopod.com/images/ContentImages/child/child_foot_clubfoot/child_foot_clubfoot_intro01.jpg

[starclassic tama]

Maybe they saw him whiff on a game winning block in the national championship game?

Stinks for him. I wish they would have given him a chance.

game winning block, huh? so touchdown's are worth 11 points now?

[VA Sooner]

Tough taking a chance when there's that much money involved.

Still... knowing Brian, he would have gotten in there and worked his butt off.

[ndpruitt03]

I think he could make it in the Canadian or Arena league or something like that. But his chances to make the NFL just weren't good.

[unbiasedtruth]

if he was in fact "blackballed" by the NFL for his physical deformity/disability.....

[StoopTroup]

SHARK ATTACK! I bet Lid would take that case if he was a whorn.

[GottaHavePride]

if he was in fact "blackballed" by the NFL for his physical deformity/disability.....


No way. I mean, considering it's a professional athletic league, I think they would have every right not to hire him based on a physical deformity that would directly affect his performance. Now, if they refused to hire him for a coaching or office job, then he might have a shot. (I almost said "leg to stand on"... holy bad taste, Batman...)

[Leroy Lizard]

No way. I mean, considering it's a professional athletic league, I think they would have every right not to hire him based on a physical deformity that would directly affect his performance...)

That sentiment is like so 60s. Where have you been?

[ndpruitt03]

It's hard to play in a league with a physical disability. Look at Cedric Jones back in the mid 90s. He was a top 5 pick but he had a blind eye and basically never did that much in the NFL because of that.

[badger]

The MLB's had a one-armed pitcher. The NFL's had a deaf player. The NBA's had a 5-foot 2-inch guy. Why can't a player with a clubfoot prove that he can play?

If it has to come down to the final cuts and he's equal with another guy they're considering with a normal foot, fine. You have a lot of money invested in players and it's a decision you have to make. But right now, when you have waaaaay more guys than roster spaces available, why not at least give him a chance - a tryout at least - to prove that his clubfoot is not a hindrance, but just something that motivates him to work even harder to prove his worth?

[ictsooner7]

Maybe they saw him whiff on a game winning block in the national championship game?

Stinks for him. I wish they would have given him a chance.



game winning block, huh? so touchdown's are worth 11 points now?

It would have been a game changing TD. It would have raised our confidence and not shot FLorida's sky high, we would have had a better chance at scoring right before half. That's 14 points.

[MiccoMacey]

The MLB's had a one-armed pitcher. The NFL's had a deaf player. The NBA's had a 5-foot 2-inch guy. Why can't a player with a clubfoot prove that he can play?

If it has to come down to the final cuts and he's equal with another guy they're considering with a normal foot, fine. You have a lot of money invested in players and it's a decision you have to make. But right now, when you have waaaaay more guys than roster spaces available, why not at least give him a chance - a tryout at least - to prove that his clubfoot is not a hindrance, but just something that motivates him to work even harder to prove his worth?

If he were a Trent Williams or Russell Okung type, he'd be drafted or selected as a free agent. As it stands, there are probably 10 OLinemen waiting around just as good as he is who don't have a club foot.

This will sound mean, but if it's all even on paper before the invite (instead of after the final cuts as in your analogy), and you have a club foot, you're probably not getting invited. If people think it's ok to ask deeply personal questions because you're going to shell out millions of dollars, it's then also acceptable to be leary of people with a higher disposition for a medical injury like a club foot when shelling out millions of dollars (or whatever an OLineman makes).

I wish him well. I hope he gets an invite. And I hope he becomes an all-pro. But I can see the business side that prohibits that dream as well.

[badger]

I know Micco, but I'd like to give a Sooner alum the benefit of the doubt.

Another argument for having another good pro league in the U.S. besides the NFL - to give the Brian Simmonses out there a chance to prove themselves when Neffel execs don't wanna take chances. Arena football is nice, but it's nowhere near NFL caliber. It's too bad it's so d@mn expensive to field a football team. It's probably what holds upstart leagues back more than anything else.

[NormanPride]

It's a cost thing. Teams don't want to spend the money on a perceived risk like that. It's ridiculous in this case, and heartbreaking.

However, I have every confidence that Brian will be fine. He's a smart, good guy and he'll have a great career doing something he enjoys. That just won't be in the NFL... :(

[BoulderSooner79]

If the NFL really is just about the bottom line, Simmons would get a look if he has pro ability. I can't believe it's about cost as top teams sign lots of free agents just for competition in camp knowing most of them have no chance of making the team. A tryout costs almost nothing relatively speaking.