It's Not Too Late To Apologize to These Five Players

In everyday life, we all make mistakes and accidents. Sometimes those mistakes and accidents affect others negatively, and someone then owes someone else an apology. 

Things are no different with the NFL.

Things are done, drama is caused, and someone deserves an apology. Maybe Steve Smith needed to say sorry to that one guy he jacked that no one had ever heard of before that incident. Or maybe that guy should say thanks to Steve for getting his name out there.

Anyway, my point remains the same. Even in the NFL, people deserve apologies. And who do you think deserves apologies the most? I'll tell you what five people I think deserve one.

5. Jeremy Shockey

This poor guy has to have caught one of the rawest deals ever. Jeremy missed the playoffs with a broken fibula while his team won the Super Bowl without him. No one was thinking about him while the Giants were making Vegas oddsmakers cry. Not only that, but being asked not to be on the sidelines for the Super Bowl? That's a slap to the face.

And of course he was going to be unhappy. Being replaced by Kevin Boss would have made me cry (past tense because Boss isn't half bad) too if I was Jeremy Shockey. In fact, I'd still be upset. Boss isn't anywhere near the blocker Shockey was and is. Running averages fell a yard when Boss replaced Shockey.

And now he gets traded to the Saints after a horrible minicamp and an alleged shouting match with GM Jerry Reese. For a second and fourth-round pick. Now that's not a bad deal, but now he has a sports hernia. He's frequently injured, and he was such a promising guy.

What's happening to a good-natured guy like Shockey is an insult. He's a great patriot to this country (says he got his tattoo because "It speaks for itself. I'm proud to live in this country, to have the right to express anything you want...I'm very American." ) and an overall great guy.

I think the big guy upstairs needs to cut Shockey some slack. Or if the guy upstairs does have a plan for everybody, he better roll out Shockey's plan fast.

4. Tony Romo

After the whole thing with Jessica Simpson, Tony deserved an apology. But after the way T.O. has been treating him this week, he not only deserved an apology, but a spot on this list. T.O. is unfairly calling him out, just like the media was unfairly invading his privacy. ESPN's almost constant coverage of both events is airing on the side of ridiculous.

T.O. complaining about not getting enough balls is stupid. Marion Barber got all of eight carries on that day. He and Jason Witten both deserved the ball more. But are they complaining? No, they aren't. So T.O., please kindly shut up before you ruin your team's chances of going to the Super Bowl, which they so rightly deserve.

There is no way you have that much talent on your team and don't make the Super Bowl. 

His relationship has taken a life of it's own, though. US Weekly and all sorts of magazines are spying on the two. Tony Romo going ring shopping is big news. Jessica Simpson referring to Romo as her "future husband," is news.

Give the man and his girlfriend some privacy. It's completely outrageous that he can't catch a break. I heard more about his relationship with Jessica Simpson than his helping of a couple that had a flat tire after more than 100 cars passed by. 

I mean, come on. If T.O. and the media don't get their act together and apologize, this promising young man is going to crack.

3.  LeCharles Bentley

LeCharles got a raw deal, too. After getting signed by the Cleveland Browns, he was injured for what seemed like forever. He had a torn patellar tendon, a staph infection, and a virus that made doctors consider amputating his leg. Now, besides the obvious, why does he deserve an apology?

Because no one from the Cleveland Browns organization made Bently feel cared about. 

LeCharles was new to the team, but that's no excuse for not keeping constant tabs on him. Or for the players to check up on him. He's your teammate, not a co-worker. He's your brother, not that one guy at work you talk to whenever you see him.

The Browns then redid his contract to give him the league minimum with incentives. Wow, incentives? What good people the Cleveland Browns are.

Now I understand their position and how they felt about LeCharles, but come on. He is a proven Pro Bowl player, and you treat him like that?

And how come LeCharles was so out of place when he grew up in that very area? He went to the prestigious St. Ignatius High School and gave them a $100,000 check for scholarships. A guy as good as LeCharles doesn't deserve this. He deserves an apology from the Cleveland Browns, pronto.

2.  Vince Young

Does anything really need to be said about this? Vince Young has been the victim of the media more than Tony Romo and his girl. But being booed by your home crowd is criminal. Come on people, be a fan, not a fanatic. And yes, this paragraph is going to be considerably shorter than the others, because all that is needed to be said has been said. 

1.  Tiki Barber

Even in victory, New York Giants fans have been nothing but rude to him. This has to be one of the nicest guys ever, and he gets booed. If his jersey isn't hung in the rafters of the Meadowlands, it's a crime. With as many franchise records as he has, and as numerous the career highlights, he deserves some love. Not this hate that he has been dished.

His brother and himself have written five children's books. Tiki Barber is a genuinely good guy, who's getting raw deal because the fans want him to take more abuse by being a halfback for the Giants. What is your deal, Giants fans?

You have capable backs in your lineup now, yet you'll still shun NBC broadcasts that include Tiki. People should be praising him for leaving at the top of his game, not denying him the credit he so rightly deserves. Retire that jersey and publicly apologize. 

And don't run him down for his comments on Strahan's contract talks or his criticism of Coughlin. Coughlin had to change his coaching style and he did. And what happened? They won a Super Bowl. Just saying. 

Honorable Mentions

Cleveland Browns fans to Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns players of the 2001 season. Throwing beer bottles at them was totally uncalled for. Boo if you want, but physical violence is out of line. They had their reasons to be mad—a play being overturned a full play after it, but come on C-Town, you're better than that.

Ohio fans are jerks. This past week, during a Cleveland Browns victory, a Cincinnati Bengals fan hit fullback Lawrence Vickers with a beer bottle. Is it me, or does anyone else feel Prohibition Part II coming up?

Me. I deserve an apology from Brett Favre. While Green Bay offered you the chance to come back numerous times, you refused them. And what happened? You ruined SportsCenter and all media outlets for what felt like an eternity. 

I'm pretty sure you would have gotten more news coverage than if Iran tested more nuclear weapons. Seriously, get your act together Brett. I expect an apology in the mail in a week, so get to work.