Pierce Will Warn Arrington Not to Be Too Emotional Against Redskins
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.--Antonio Pierce knows LaVar Arrington well. The two linebackers once were teammates on the Washington Redskins, and now they're teammates on the New York Giants.
Pierce knows that Arrington will be revved up this week as the Giants prepare to face the Redskins on Sunday. It will be Arrington's first game against his former team since he left the Redskins on less-than-amicable terms, buying his way out of the remainder of his contract to become a free agent.
But Pierce said he will warn Arrington not to be too emotional for the game. Pierce said he made that mistake last season when he faced the Redskins for the first time after leaving them.
"I was too riled up for that game last year," Pierce said here today. "You can't be like that. We really need to win this game. I talked to LaVar. He'll be all right."
Said Giants defensive end Michael Strahan: "I'm sure LaVar is going to be fired up and show them they shouldn't have let him go and show them they should have used him more when he was there."
Pierce said he watched the Redskins' triumph Sunday over the Jacksonville Jaguars on television and was rooting for the Redskins.
" I wanted them to win," Pierce said. "You always want the team you're playing to come in off a high and come in feeling good about themselves. You don't want to face somebody at their down time.... You don't want to face a team that's desperate. When a team is feeling good about themselves, you never know what they're going to come out like."
Pierce said he figured the Redskins' offense would come around after struggling in the season's first two games.
"You knew they'd come on eventually," Pierce said. "You have a quarterback that's smart. You have playmaking receivers. You have a tough [running] back. He's probably one of the better backs in the league in terms of toughness and big-gain ability.... The quarterback is probably playing the best he's played, the last two weeks."
By Mark Maske |
October 2, 2006; 9:02 PM ET
| Category:
Giants
,
Redskins
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Posted by: Anonymous | October 3, 2006 11:22 AM
the redskins should be able to beat a good team afterall its the highest paid team in the nfl. i am pleased for the players but i still don't like the way ramsey and arrington were treated by gibbs the coaches and the moneybags owner. i'll always be a fan for the players.
Posted by: jm2 | October 3, 2006 11:30 AM
the redskins should be able to beat a good team afterall its the highest paid team in the nfl. i am pleased for the players but i still don't like the way ramsey and arrington were treated by gibbs the coaches and the moneybags owner. i'll always be a fan for the players.
Posted by: jm2 | October 3, 2006 11:30 AM
Whoa, on how bad lavar and pierce were treated. It seems to me Antonio was given a chance in Williams system and was a sucess and was offered a huge raise, but declined and went to the Giants. Lavar also given many opportuntys and could not or would not follow the system and please dont tell how great he was in prior years, unless you want to discuss the won and lost records. Once Lavar learns its a team sport and not just about him, he could be a impact player
Posted by: mrpjs1976 | October 3, 2006 12:01 PM
The pending Redskins/Giants matchup will be very physical. It will probably come down to (like most football games) who can effectively rush and who can stop the run, timely penalties, turnovers. I'm really hoping the Redskins will be extremely focused and try to play an error free game. If they do the contest should be really, really competitive...
Posted by: mark - gainesville, fl | October 3, 2006 12:26 PM
Just to echo the excellent points made by "mrpjs1976": The Skins were loyal to Pierce by offering him a big contract - he stabbed us in the back for a few extra dollars in NYC, not the other way around. Lavar paid to leave here - we didn't just "let him go" or cut him as bigmouth Strahan implies. And if Lavar can't play for a Super Bowl coach, then as great as Lavar was before he got injured here, the problem is with him, not with the Skins. They were both great players for us but they wanted out of here. Pierce in particular made a mistake by not sticking with Gregg Williams, who was the main guy responsible for Pierce making the big bucks.
Posted by: The Diesel | October 3, 2006 12:26 PM
hey JM2. just curious [i actually dont know]. do the skins have the highest payroll this year or do the giants ? and i do agree about the way arrington and ramsey were treated. but after all, its a business, and the owner and coaches are free to make whatever choices they want. it isnt a popularity contest. and i have to say, i'll always be a fan of the TEAM, as in the logo on the helmet. Not nec. the players or the owner. but right now, cant help but be a fan of the the coach, its Joe Jackson Gibbs !!!!!
Posted by: Shravan | October 3, 2006 12:28 PM
they should have paid Pierce. he earned it in a way very few have. Look at Bart Scott, Lemar Marshall even. Injury gave them a chance and they really stepped up. Pierce was the same way. Gregg Williams said he was smart enough to even be a coach some day. You have to take care of the home grown guys. I'll even throw Ryan Clark there in the mix.
Posted by: Shravan | October 3, 2006 12:33 PM
Lavar is just an overrated, me first, self centered athlete. I'm so tired of Lavar. All he did was talk and not perform. Ramsey can't even start for the Jets. Pierce was nice but he went after the most money. There's nothing wrong with that but don't hate on the Skins because of it.
Posted by: givemeabreak | October 3, 2006 1:11 PM
don't you hate when someone say he's a redskins fan and before the
game their talking how bad everyone on the team is. then we win.
Posted by: kenney d | October 3, 2006 1:26 PM
I agree with some of the sentiments mentioned above. Antonio was given a chance in this league because of the Redskins and Gregg Williams. He got his big break in Washington, and he was offered a substantial raise, perhaps more than he was worth. But, the Giants offered more, and Pierce cashed in on one good year. Can't hate him for that, but he should recognize that the Redskins are the reason he's a starting middle linebacker in the NFL.
Posted by: Colin | October 3, 2006 2:24 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
Peirce will always have the "I been done wrong" mentality until he retires. He needs to get over it.