Benson Crying at Draft cause he hated Bears picking him?!

[butkusrules]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/cs-08...,3247255.column

 

 

 

He wasn't crying because he was overcome with joy or pride.

 

He wasn't crying over the honor of running in the city where Walter Payton ran or playing for a proud franchise that reveres its football stars or any other reason he has offered the past three years.

 

No, Cedric Benson cried on the day of the NFL draft in 2005 because he was upset the Bears took him with the fourth overall selection.

 

Benson was bugged that Jerry Angelo decided to draft him despite Benson's representatives making clear in a last-minute phone call that they and the Bears weren't on the same page regarding fundamental contract demanded

Benson was so filled with fury and frustration over the contentious contract battle he knew awaited him, one that eventually led to a 36-day holdout, that he couldn't fight back the tears rolling down his cheek.

 

A source familiar with that story used it to demonstrate the unfailingly uneasy relationship between Benson and the Bears, one that ended Monday when the team placed the running back on waivers two days after an alcohol-related arrest in Austin, Texas.

 

It's a telling account that reveals something about Benson that the Bears never had a chance of overcoming: From Day 1 as an NFL player, Cedric Benson was always about Cedric Benson. And always would be.

 

From holding out to leaving the sidelines early during a game to pouting over playing behind Thomas Jones to partying at 2 a.m. in a city where his bull's-eye is even bigger than it is in Chicago, Benson put himself ahead of the team.

 

That attitude might not make Benson unique in the NFL or even on the Bears. But it contributed as much as anything to Benson becoming an ex-Bear.

 

"When individual priorities overshadow team goals, we suffer the consequences as a team," Angelo said in a statement. "Those who fail to understand the importance of 'team' will not play for the Chicago Bears."

 

Criticize Angelo for whiffing on the 2005 draft class that featured Benson and second-round pick Mark Bradley, but not for the way he handled this. Angelo didn't do this to Benson. Benson did it to himself.

 

He just never committed himself to being the type of player fourth overall draft picks are supposed to be. Commitment requires passion, and Benson never displayed enough as a pro after finally agreeing to a five-year, $35 million contract that included a $16 million signing bonus. He took the money but couldn't run.

 

Forget any explanations offered by Benson's growing team of lawyers—if he piled up yards as he has billable hours this would be a different discussion—regarding his latest arrest. It doesn't matter if videotape shows Benson to be sober or if audiotape recorded Benson offering to take a blood test, as lawyer Sam Bassett suggested.

 

The decision to waive Benson had more to do with how little judgment he showed rather than how much alcohol he consumed. He was out at 2 a.m. driving recklessly enough to nearly hit a pedestrian, according to police, when any conscientious pro athlete with one arrest already pending would be home or in the back of a cab.

 

Benson apologized in a statement Monday that was too late and carried the feel of something written by a handler with experience in similar situations, probably because it was. Sunday night Benson renewed acquaintances with noted sports attorney David Cornwell—the two worked together when Benson was a minor-league baseball prospect with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

 

"I realize that the public and the Bears organization hold me to a higher standard," part of Benson's statement read.

 

Funny that he didn't come to that realization until hiring Cornwell, whose past client list includes Reggie Bush and Ricky Williams.

 

Cornwell and Benson's agent, Eugene Parker, now have the task of finding employment for a running back coming off ankle surgery, two alcohol-related arrests and enough baggage to need a valet. Somebody will sign Benson, whether it's the familiar Houston Texans or the halfway home for troubled millionaires known as the Dallas Cowboys. First-round draft picks always get second, and sometimes third chances in the NFL.

 

He simply ran out of chances in Chicago, and the Bears ran out of patience.

 

They will miss him like a migraine headache. Even before the arrests, Benson was no lock to make the roster. His failure forced the team to draft another running back, Matt Forte, in the second round to replace him. Adrian Peterson can provide a serviceable effort as Forte's backup. Garrett Wolfe needs to progress.

 

If the Bears find a suitable veteran off an NFL scrap heap and want to take a look, great. If not, it's not like a backup running back is going to make a difference between 7-9 and 5-11.

 

In the end, that's all Benson was: a backup running back. He wasn't built like one or paid like one, but he ran like one.

 

That makes him arguably the biggest draft bust in Bears history, a Texas-sized miscalculation bigger than any other the franchise has made.

 

Cade McNown and Curtis Enis make that an interesting argument. Rashaan Salaam will get dishonorable mention in that discussion too.

 

But none of them promised more and delivered less than Benson, the guy who as a rookie bragged he would be good enough to beat out Thomas Jones by Week 2.

 

That was just big talk, like so much else about Benson since his first day as a Bear.

 

Turns out the myths from Texas come bigger too.

 

dhaugh@tribune.com

 

more in /sports

 

Copyright © 2008, Chicago Tribune

Would you recommend this?

[adam]

Damn, then why draft him in the first place? Trade down or choose best available.

[BearSox]

Damn, then why draft him in the first place? Trade down or choose best available.

Most people forget that Benson WAS the best available pick back then. You can't forget that coming out of Texas, Benson was an elite prospect and was considered a can't miss. And trading down (especially from 4) is a whole lot easier said than done.

 

Looking back, the ideal pick would have been Jammal Brown (who went at 13), but that would have been a serious over-draft. That year's whole top 10 sucked besides for Brown and Edwards.

 

This is a pick we can't blame Angelo on because 9 out 10 GM's would have made the same pick, IMO. This one we have to chalk up to Benson being a bitch.

[adam]

Most people forget that Benson WAS the best available pick back then. You can't forget that coming out of Texas, Benson was an elite prospect and was considered a can't miss. And trading down (especially from 4) is a whole lot easier said than done.

 

Looking back, the ideal pick would have been Jammal Brown (who went at 13), but that would have been a serious over-draft. That year's whole top 10 sucked besides for Brown and Edwards.

 

This is a pick we can't blame Angelo on because 9 out 10 GM's would have made the same pick, IMO. This one we have to chalk up to Benson being a bitch.

 

You can't blame Angelo IF he didn't have these issues prior to drafting him. This would almost remind me of the Eli Manning or Elway stories where the player tells the team not to draft him, and they still do.

 

Either way, hindsight is always 20-20. I am just relieved that the Benson era has ended in Chicago.

[bear trap]

Most people forget that Benson WAS the best available pick back then. You can't forget that coming out of Texas, Benson was an elite prospect and was considered a can't miss. And trading down (especially from 4) is a whole lot easier said than done.

 

Looking back, the ideal pick would have been Jammal Brown (who went at 13), but that would have been a serious over-draft. That year's whole top 10 sucked besides for Brown and Edwards.

 

This is a pick we can't blame Angelo on because 9 out 10 GM's would have made the same pick, IMO. This one we have to chalk up to Benson being a bitch.

 

 

I wouldn't say he was the best. We really screwed up with that pick and angelo knows it. We already had a good locker-room presence in TJ and I had felt no need to pick benson. I remember vividly: I was at my best friends house having the usual chips and chili-cheese dip, when they announced benson with our pick. I immediatly dropped my plate in disgust and looked at my friend and said WTF!!! He's a steelers fan and pays absolutely no attention to chicago his exact words were " Don't they have a pretty good rb, what's his name Jones?" So yeah I hated the pick from the very second it was announced, and really was hoping they'd call D. Johnson's name, and look now the guy is an all-around solid and fast linebacker that could have put pressure on briggs to not be a greedy jerk. Also we could have walked away with shawne merriman, so yeah we really did bite the bullet and in the end have nothing more than an empty wallet to show for it! Let's just hope that JA has finally learned his lesson and goes with a can't miss guy. I remember the analysists saying that benson has some character issues like his older brother ricky, here's to JA letting someone else make our first rd picks in the future.

[nfoligno]

I have talked about this before, but will again.

 

DJ was my top choice as well, but in hindsight, I question how good of a pick he would have been.

 

(1) DJ is a WLB. I think we have a pretty good one in Briggs. If you played DJ at WLB (a) would he have been as good as Briggs and ( what happens to Briggs. Would Briggs even be as good as Hunter at SLB?

 

(2) If you played DJ at SLB, who knows how he would have panned out. As great as Urlacher is at MLB, he was pretty dang poor at SLB when he first started out. Just because a player is great at one position, does not mean he would be at any LB spot.

 

So while I loved DJ, the emergence of Briggs puts into question how good of a pick DJ would have been.

 

Then there is Merriman. He is a stud in SD, but in a totally different scheme. His #1 asset is rushing the passer. He is similar to Colvin. Better, but the point is, similar. I am not sure we would have utilized him in such a way so as to make him into the stud we see today.

 

Some other players who I recall mention back then have turned out as bad, or even worse, than Benson. Pac Man, Troy Williamson and Mike Williams.

 

Benson has turned out to be a total bust, but I am not sure many of the players considered at the time would have turned out better, and as good/great as DJ and Merriman have turned out, I question how well they would have fit w/ us.

[jason]

I have talked about this before, but will again.

 

DJ was my top choice as well, but in hindsight, I question how good of a pick he would have been.

 

(1) DJ is a WLB. I think we have a pretty good one in Briggs. If you played DJ at WLB (a) would he have been as good as Briggs and ( what happens to Briggs. Would Briggs even be as good as Hunter at SLB?

 

(2) If you played DJ at SLB, who knows how he would have panned out. As great as Urlacher is at MLB, he was pretty dang poor at SLB when he first started out. Just because a player is great at one position, does not mean he would be at any LB spot.

 

So while I loved DJ, the emergence of Briggs puts into question how good of a pick DJ would have been.

 

Then there is Merriman. He is a stud in SD, but in a totally different scheme. His #1 asset is rushing the passer. He is similar to Colvin. Better, but the point is, similar. I am not sure we would have utilized him in such a way so as to make him into the stud we see today.

 

Some other players who I recall mention back then have turned out as bad, or even worse, than Benson. Pac Man, Troy Williamson and Mike Williams.

 

Benson has turned out to be a total bust, but I am not sure many of the players considered at the time would have turned out better, and as good/great as DJ and Merriman have turned out, I question how well they would have fit w/ us.

 

I agree almost entirely. However, whenever I see this discussion, I must always state that none of us know how a player would have turned out on another team. There is plenty of proof of players doing poorly on one team, in one situation, and then moving on to do great things with another team (e.g. Wes Welker). We can never know how well DJ or MW would have ended up on the Bears, just like we can't know how well Benson would have done elsewhere. Track records are one thing, but I truly believe that many of these guys are emotionally fragile, much like children in many ways. They are so used to getting the attention, getting everything that they want, that when they are faced with true adversity, and possible failure, they buckle. So, even though a player's track record is an indicator towards behavrior, it's not a guarantee that a completely different situation wouldn't have caused a completely different outcome.

[madlithuanian]

I can't resist to say...

 

As I wanted DJ too...I'd have rather chanced DJ in Hunter's spot than what we got out of Bustson!

 

I have talked about this before, but will again.

 

DJ was my top choice as well, but in hindsight, I question how good of a pick he would have been.

 

(1) DJ is a WLB. I think we have a pretty good one in Briggs. If you played DJ at WLB (a) would he have been as good as Briggs and ( what happens to Briggs. Would Briggs even be as good as Hunter at SLB?

 

(2) If you played DJ at SLB, who knows how he would have panned out. As great as Urlacher is at MLB, he was pretty dang poor at SLB when he first started out. Just because a player is great at one position, does not mean he would be at any LB spot.

 

So while I loved DJ, the emergence of Briggs puts into question how good of a pick DJ would have been.

 

Then there is Merriman. He is a stud in SD, but in a totally different scheme. His #1 asset is rushing the passer. He is similar to Colvin. Better, but the point is, similar. I am not sure we would have utilized him in such a way so as to make him into the stud we see today.

 

Some other players who I recall mention back then have turned out as bad, or even worse, than Benson. Pac Man, Troy Williamson and Mike Williams.

 

Benson has turned out to be a total bust, but I am not sure many of the players considered at the time would have turned out better, and as good/great as DJ and Merriman have turned out, I question how well they would have fit w/ us.

[nfoligno]

I expected you to respond by saying Mike Williams would have been good for us. I know you were high on him then, and continue to be. While I agree that a player can be a bust w/ one team, but would have been good w/ another, I simply do not see that for MW. W/ MW, some of the pre-draft concerns did in fact play out. Is it possible that if he went to a better/different team, he may not have been a bust. Sure. But I would argue we were not that team. I think he needed to go a team w/ a solid track record of developing young, offensive talent. Further, he needed to go to a team w/ a solid QB and a solid #1, that would take heat off him. That was not us. So I continue to believe that if we drafted MW, he would have sucked just the same.

 

If I were to re-visit 2005, players I think we could have drafted that would have been good.

 

- Ware - Many talk about Merriman, but in our system, I think Ware would have proven the better choice. We like quick, speed rushers, and I think he would have been a solid fit and been added to a unit which already had talent.

 

- Jamal Brown - While I do not think we develop OL well, he would have been an upgrade for our team.

 

- Roddy White - Not a WR that burst onto the scene, but I do not think Atlanta does a good job developing WR talent, thus development seen there would have had a solid chance to happen here.

 

- Frank Gore - I think his tools would have better played out in Chicago, and w/ TJ on the roster, he would have had the time to develop. Further, as his style is more similar to TJ's, it would not have meant changing the offense when you changed RBs.

[nfoligno]

But do you think we would have played a #4 pick at SLB? I don't. So to me, adding him would have meant DJ at WLB, and Briggs to SLB, where I simply do not believe he would have ever developed.

 

Sure, we can say now that the above trio would be better, but my point is, I question how much.

 

I liked DJ, and continue to as well, but I simply question his fit for us.

[DrunkBomber]

Most people forget that Benson WAS the best available pick back then. You can't forget that coming out of Texas, Benson was an elite prospect and was considered a can't miss. And trading down (especially from 4) is a whole lot easier said than done.

 

Looking back, the ideal pick would have been Jammal Brown (who went at 13), but that would have been a serious over-draft. That year's whole top 10 sucked besides for Brown and Edwards.

 

This is a pick we can't blame Angelo on because 9 out 10 GM's would have made the same pick, IMO. This one we have to chalk up to Benson being a bitch.

You keep saying that but you know there were lots of people that didnt think he was such a sure fire prospect. The Bears had greater needs at that point and Benson had issues that should have raised red flags. At this point, no matter how many people liked Benson or thought he was a cant miss prospect might want to consider the fact that they were wrong. If he was that much of a slam dunk there wouldnt have been so many people that hated the pick and we all know there were.

[nfoligno]

I think you are confusing fans looking at the team and needs, w/ scouts who were simply looking at talent and prospects.

 

Few (not talking about fans) questioned Benson in terms of a talent or prospect. He was rated as a top 5 pick by most every "expert" I recall reading. He was considered a "can't miss" prospect, though we all know there is no such thing. Many can't miss prospects do in fact miss.

 

There were many fans who didn't like the pick, but that was FAR more due to TJ than simply Benson. If TJ were not on the team, I think most all fans would have liked the pick of Benson.

 

I recall some years back when Phily took McNabb. Nearly every Phily fan at the draft roundly boo'd the pick, as they wanted Ricky Williams. That didn't mean McNabb was a bad pick, but fans wanted another player who they felt filled a greater need. Turns out, the GM made the right choice. Point is, just because fans do not like the pick, that doesn't mean the player picked is bad, just that they felt others would have been better. I think that is the case here.

[DrunkBomber]

I think you are confusing fans looking at the team and needs, w/ scouts who were simply looking at talent and prospects.

 

Few (not talking about fans) questioned Benson in terms of a talent or prospect. He was rated as a top 5 pick by most every "expert" I recall reading. He was considered a "can't miss" prospect, though we all know there is no such thing. Many can't miss prospects do in fact miss.

 

There were many fans who didn't like the pick, but that was FAR more due to TJ than simply Benson. If TJ were not on the team, I think most all fans would have liked the pick of Benson.

 

I recall some years back when Phily took McNabb. Nearly every Phily fan at the draft roundly boo'd the pick, as they wanted Ricky Williams. That didn't mean McNabb was a bad pick, but fans wanted another player who they felt filled a greater need. Turns out, the GM made the right choice. Point is, just because fans do not like the pick, that doesn't mean the player picked is bad, just that they felt others would have been better. I think that is the case here.

For me it was when Benson said he would rather win the Heisman than a national championship. That one statement gave us a look at what kind of person he was and even to this day we can see how that statement applied to him as a player, teammate and person.

[madlithuanian]

no arguement there at all....

 

I'm just pining away for something vs nothing...

 

But do you think we would have played a #4 pick at SLB? I don't. So to me, adding him would have meant DJ at WLB, and Briggs to SLB, where I simply do not believe he would have ever developed.

 

Sure, we can say now that the above trio would be better, but my point is, I question how much.

 

I liked DJ, and continue to as well, but I simply question his fit for us.

[nfoligno]

Benson is a gone, and was a bust. W/ that said, I still have to comment on your quote you mention. It was one of the most tumpted up things ever. I recall it very well. It got tons of national press, but was so blown out of proportion, it isn't even funny.

 

In the interview, Bensonw as asked which he wanted. He said he wanted the hiesman, but also went on to say he believed that if he won the heisman, it would mean a national championship for the team. The follow up question asked him to choose, under the believe he could not have both. Then he said he would choose the national title.

 

A reporter threw out only part of the discussion, and that led to many papers picking it up, but it was a joke. If would be like someone asking Manning if he would rather the MVP or a SB victory, and his saying he wanted the MVP because he believed that if he won the MVP, it would lead to a SB win. Something like that.

 

I am NOT trying to defend Benson at this point. IMHO, his actions are beyond that point. But I do have to tell you this quote was a big joke. Here in Texas, we knew the truth, and could not believe how quickly only a part of the quote was talked about.

[DrunkBomber]

Benson is a gone, and was a bust. W/ that said, I still have to comment on your quote you mention. It was one of the most tumpted up things ever. I recall it very well. It got tons of national press, but was so blown out of proportion, it isn't even funny.

 

In the interview, Bensonw as asked which he wanted. He said he wanted the hiesman, but also went on to say he believed that if he won the heisman, it would mean a national championship for the team. The follow up question asked him to choose, under the believe he could not have both. Then he said he would choose the national title.

 

A reporter threw out only part of the discussion, and that led to many papers picking it up, but it was a joke. If would be like someone asking Manning if he would rather the MVP or a SB victory, and his saying he wanted the MVP because he believed that if he won the MVP, it would lead to a SB win. Something like that.

 

I am NOT trying to defend Benson at this point. IMHO, his actions are beyond that point. But I do have to tell you this quote was a big joke. Here in Texas, we knew the truth, and could not believe how quickly only a part of the quote was talked about.

Well heres the quote that I am talking about. Im not saying its possible that it might have been taken out of context but seeing it like this sure makes him look selfish. It doesnt matter to me anyway. Ive said since day one I didnt like his attitude or character and for as much as the people who have always defended him criticized anyone who didnt like him it has become very obvious which side was right about him.

 

"If I could win the game entirely by myself – both offense and defense, punt returns, kickoffs, kicking field goals, do everything – then I'd take the win over OU," Benson said. "But for me personally, the hard work I've been through, growing up as a kid and the dream I've had, I'd love nothing more than to win the Heisman."

[azbearsfan]

And the part where he says he'd rather win the Heisman vs the national championship is where....

[madlithuanian]

"I'd love nothing more than to win the Heisman"

 

 

That pretty much means, he would want nothing more than the Heisman. That means he'd rather have the Heisman than world peace, finding alternate fuel sources, ending hunger in the world, curing AIDS...and winning the national championship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the part where he says he'd rather win the Heisman vs the national championship is where....

[Bears4Ever_34]

And they know this how?? I call B.S

[Ed Hochuli 3:16]

And I wanted Mike Williams, WR out of USC instead of Benson.

 

Could have gone wrong either way.

[ElmhurstMarcus]

This was wrote by a columnist, not a beat writer, meaning this is just his opinion. No matter how much he didnt want to play for the bears, i highly doubt he would cry in sadness after being drafted 4th overall.

[Bears4Ever_34]

And I wanted Mike Williams, WR out of USC instead of Benson.

 

Could have gone wrong either way.

 

Unfortunately I'm in that same category as well :/