Alexander’s toughness questioned
Published 11:02 pm Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Former Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander has been unemployed for barely one day, and already the critics are coming after him.
On a Fox Sports Network television show, New York Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce and former NFL running back Eddie George questioned Alexander’s toughness Wednesday. The network thought enough of the quotes to circulate them to media members, hoping for a little publicity.
Here’s what FSN sent out from a show called “The Best Damn Sports Show”:
Antonio Pierce (about Alexander): “He’s soft. You will hurt yourself as a defender trying to tackle him. You ain’t gonna hit him because he’s going to fall down before you get there. … The guy runs hard. I have a lot of respect for how he runs the ball. But when it comes down to the toughness of the game, the physicalness of the game, he doesn’t want no part of it.”
Eddie George (about Alexander): “Losing (guard) Steve Hutchinson exposed him for the runner he is. And he’s not an aggressive running back to begin with. When Steve was there, the holes were bigger than this room. My grandmother could have run and got those yards. Now when it calls for him to get the hard two and three-yard runs, he’s not accustomed to doing that.”
Jeremy Shockey? A Seattle Seahawk?: A report out of New York has linked the Seahawks and New Orleans Saints to the New York Giants’ controversial tight end.
The New York Daily News reported that Seattle and New Orleans have inquired about trading for Shockey, who missed the final two regular-season games and the playoffs due to a broken leg. The Daily News did not reveal what the Seahawks offered, and the article said that the Giants are not necessarily committed to trading Shockey.
The tight end position seems to be one of Seattle’s most obvious needs heading into draft weekend. Veteran Marcus Pollard, who started last season, is not expected to be back. Will Heller and Jeb Putzier are the most viable options on the current roster.
