One voter changed his vote...

[Alphadawg7]

WTF is up with this? I didnt see this posted on here and was shocked when I saw this. I dont have a problem with those who still voted for Cushing, but to take your vote away and now give it to him after a positive test is just astonishing...found this in fannation on SI.com

 

07:06 AM ET 05.13 | With Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writer Ed Bouchette changing his re-vote to Brian Cushing, a valid question is why. Interestingly, and somewhat inexplicably, one reporter (Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) changed his vote from Byrd to Cushing. I reached out to Bouchette to see what was behind his 'outside the box' vote but he didn't elaborate beyond "they asked me to re-vote and I re-voted." I'm guessing it may have been some form of protest over having a re-vote in the first place. And I'm guessing his inbox is full of emails like mine asking the same question. Not that his was a swing vote or anything - it was just something that stuck out in the tally.

 

Houston Texans Examiner

[C.Biscuit97]

Good to see he takes his vote seriously and doesn't jsut use it to make a point. He should lose his vote for that nonsense.

[Lori]

Bouchette did explain himself, just not to some "Houston Texans Examiner."

http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.p...stop-at-cushing

 

I strongly disagree with his action, but he's entitled to his opinion.

 

P.S.: Hat tip to Tim Graham for posting this link on his Facebook account.

[John Adams]

Bouchette did explain himself, just not to some "Houston Texans Examiner."

http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.p...stop-at-cushing

 

I strongly disagree with his action, but he's entitled to his opinion.

 

P.S.: Hat tip to Tim Graham for posting this link on his Facebook account.

 

What a maroon. Every example he cites for poor behavior and cheating did NOT involve a re-vote. This one did. So just re-vote and get it over with.

[DC Tom]

Bouchette did explain himself, just not to some "Houston Texans Examiner."

http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.p...stop-at-cushing

 

I strongly disagree with his action, but he's entitled to his opinion.

 

He's not without a point - AP calls for a re-vote, they run the risk of maybe not getting the results they're expecting (and yes, I know...AP's not "expecting" any specific results. Then why run the re-vote?)

 

But I don't agree with his methods. Better, I think, to just issue a "this is ridiculous" statement and not vote if you feel that way.

 

P.S.: Hat tip to Tim Graham for posting this link on his Facebook account.

 

He should spend less time on that and more time on fixing ESPN's editorial content. After which the slacker can address global warming and world hunger.

[dogbyte]

When you look at the year, here is Byrd's problem. He only played in 11 games. Had 6 of his 9 interceptions in 3 games. Four of his interceptions were on deflected passes and the Bills finished last. I think this is why some voters did not vote for him.

[Steely Dan]

Bouchette did explain himself, just not to some "Houston Texans Examiner."

http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.p...stop-at-cushing

 

I strongly disagree with his action, but he's entitled to his opinion.

 

P.S.: Hat tip to Tim Graham for posting this link on his Facebook account.

 

Anyway, you get my drift, both real and facetiously. Where could all this end? Do we some day yank people out of the Hall of Fame because they violated the law or some code we do not like? That is a slippery slope, and for an example just look at the Ben Roethlisbeger case. He violated no law, at least none anyone knows about or is willing to prosecute. Yet he has been tried and found guilty in the court of public opinion and by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Taking people out of the Hall would be simple, right? Look at OJ and Lawrence Taylor. But what about others who may have been scoundrels, such as Ty Cobb?

 

Hey, here's an idea. Why not re-vote on the award if someone is caught doing something that gives them an unfair advantage.

 

Yes, Belichick should have his coach of the year award rescinded as well. JMO

[BEAST MODE BABY!]

Me no like re-vote. Me change vote. Me show you how smart I am. -Ed Bouchette. May 13, 2010

 

Too bad Ed Bouchette is operating off a false premise. Only in the bizzaro world of AP voting could someone equivocate pushing someone down the stairs to cheating. Cheating trumps results obtained through cheating every time. In Ed's world, people can't perjure themselves if a verdict is handed down after-the-fact. Perjury? Sorry. Too late now.

 

Sorry Ed, there is no slippery slope here. It's a red herring. You cheat, you invalidate the results from cheating. You fail the test. You lose the job. You abdicate any awards obtained through false means. You're making a rocket science out of it, when it's pretty cut and dry.

 

But thanks Ed. Do whatever it takes to make yourself feel better about yourself.

[KevinRome]

It's probably not going to happen, but Cushing could clean this up by confessing at his news conference. He should just say: "ya, I was wrong in taking 'roids over last summer to bulk up, and then taking HCG to afterward. I accept the punishment and won't do it again".

[John from Riverside]

Why just not put in a vote if you are trying to prove a point?

 

This award is worthless to me now forever and it isn't because Byrd didn't win....there were a lot of deserving guys.....

[uncle flap]

Me no like re-vote. Me change vote. Me show you how smart I am. -Ed Bouchette. May 13, 2010

 

Too bad Ed Bouchette is operating off a false premise. Only in the bizzaro world of AP voting could someone equivocate pushing someone down the stairs to cheating. Cheating trumps results obtained through cheating every time. In Ed's world, people can't perjure themselves if a verdict is handed down after-the-fact. Perjury? Sorry. Too late now.

 

Sorry Ed, there is no slippery slope here. It's a red herring. You cheat, you invalidate the results from cheating. You fail the test. You lose the job. You abdicate any awards obtained through false means. You're making a rocket science out of it, when it's pretty cut and dry.

 

But thanks Ed. Do whatever it takes to make yourself feel better about yourself.

 

What a pathetic attempt by Mr douche-ette to gain some publicity. His actions were stupid and his defense is stupider. Like I wrote in another thread, voting to make a statement is u.derstandable, but douche-ette can't even explain his statement adequately and IMO its not a worthwhile statement to make.

[The Big Cat]

When you look at the year, here is Byrd's problem. He only played in 11 games. Had 6 of his 9 interceptions in 3 games. Four of his interceptions were on deflected passes and the Bills finished last. I think this is why some voters did not vote for him.

 

Yes, and I'm sure they applied the same math to every sack Cushing got because a DLineman flushed the pocket, or every tackle he got after someone chipped the ball carrier.

[shrader]

Anyway, you get my drift, both real and facetiously. Where could all this end? Do we some day yank people out of the Hall of Fame because they violated the law or some code we do not like? That is a slippery slope, and for an example just look at the Ben Roethlisbeger case. He violated no law, at least none anyone knows about or is willing to prosecute. Yet he has been tried and found guilty in the court of public opinion and by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Taking people out of the Hall would be simple, right? Look at OJ and Lawrence Taylor. But what about others who may have been scoundrels, such as Ty Cobb?

 

Hey, here's an idea. Why not re-vote on the award if someone is caught doing something that gives them an unfair advantage.

 

Yes, Belichick should have his coach of the year award rescinded as well. JMO

 

What exactly does any of that have to do with Cushing? Regardless of what you think about those other names, Cushing did in fact break a league rule and was punished for it. As far as I can tell, that fact has never been questioned.

[Lori]

He's not without a point - AP calls for a re-vote, they run the risk of maybe not getting the results they're expecting (and yes, I know...AP's not "expecting" any specific results. Then why run the re-vote?)

 

But I don't agree with his methods. Better, I think, to just issue a "this is ridiculous" statement and not vote if you feel that way.

That's where I'm at. Do what you want with the re-vote, but count me out.

 

I'm getting close to concluding that Mortensen and Silverstein were the only two who got it right.

[Zulu Cthulhu]

Why just not put in a vote if you are trying to prove a point?

 

This award is worthless to me now forever and it isn't because Byrd didn't win....there were a lot of deserving guys.....

 

All 3 of the other 1st place vote recipients got the shaft because moralizing sports reporters like Bouchette and Don Banks were so busy constructing illogical "slippery slope" arguments and crowing about precedent that they missed the entire point. These idiots are trying to sound like jurists and legal academics when they complain about being pressured to break precedent - new flash, guys: precedents can and should be broken when conditions and circumstances change in a way that warrant it. The NFL's testing procedures and PED list has evolved over the years to keep up with cheaters like Cushing who keep trying to find ways around screeners.

 

I hope Bouchette is proud of his spite vote. It's a slap in the face of more deserving players like Byrd and Orakpo and no amount of his rambling rationalizations can change that.

[Steely Dan]

I don't have a link for this, just a reference. In the April 26th issue of TSN three 2009 rookies are asked how to avoid becoming a draft bust. The three are: Brian Orapko, Hakeem Nicks and Brian Cushing.

 

This is the beginning of Cushing's advice;

 

"Don't change the things that have always worked for you. Follow your routine. Train the way you've done successfully; eat the right way..."

[Steely Dan]

Brian Cushing-LB- Texans May. 13 - 2:40 pm et

 

 

Brian Cushing stated Thursday that he "did not inject or ingest" any substance banned by the NFL.

Cushing did confirm that he tested positive for hCG, but he chose to explain it away by maintaining that he thought a tumor may have been causing the presence of the substance in his body. Cushing never explained why he didn't consult a doctor or call for medical testing if he was so concerned about a tumor. Needless to say, we don't believe a word of his denial.

Source: Houston Chronicle

 

 

Does he really think that, other than Houston fans, people are stupid enough to believe that?!

[Russ 'Em]

His explanation was a poor attempt at trying to hide his spite for the AP, which probably pays part of his salary. He makes a valid point with the COY award Billecheat received, but the other examples are not on topic. When you have to reach back to Paul Horning and Jim Brown to make your point you are really grasping at straws. As other posters have stated, this is just a lame attempt for Douchette to drum up some pub, and get us talking about him.

 

Nice job Ed. You tool.