black monday

Today is always one of the most bitter sweet days of the football calendar, we call it black monday. That's the day when you show up after a game and find out that one of your teammates has been cut or let go or whatever term you prefer. That's the bitter part. The sweet part is that they didn't call you on the off day or have someone waiting at the door for you. The worst is when the terk misses you at the door and you go workout and then they cut you, now that alone is enough to drive a man crazy. I remember being one of those guys who was scared to answer the cell phone, or worse, the hotel phone. Those days have passed for me for at least a year or two ago, but at some point rather if you're Steve Mcnair or Jerry Rice that day will come for us all, and it's a sad day so you feel bad for those guys. Because sometimes it has nothing to do with talent but sometimes it's just the numbers. Or some draft pick has cost too much money so the GM or scout can't afford to show their boss that they made a bad call so they don't give you a fighters chance. So all you fans, don't think that the best man always wins. For those guys, use that as your motivation. Look at me. According to the Chicago Bears scout I was really nothing to look at. Thank god the ravens took the film and watched it for themselves. Thanks da bears.

Add Comment

• gaucho said August 28, 2007

  What you went through earlier in your career with the Bears must give you a deeper connection to some of the guys fighting to make it. You all have something in common by sharing the locker room, but some guys have never had to fear the turk. Do you ever share your previous experience and the motivation it gave you with the guys on the bubble?

  Reply

  
  • BartScott replied August 29, 2007

    yea all the time see because it's easy for the new guys get the wrong impression of me. for instance a new player has know idea that i wasn't drafted or that I almost got cut from the ravens on three different times all they know is that I'm a starter and I went to the pro bowl last year. They see the fancy can nice watch and assume that's a guy who has it made he had it easy. So I share my story to show those guys that sometimes it does go the other way
    
• PhillyRapture said August 28, 2007

  With the way some teams are seemingly lopsided with talent as opposed to others, one can easily forget the impact the salary cap has on the game. Interesting to hear your side of the matter and that the best player doesn't always get the spot. At the end of the day I guess it is really about who can keep the better balance of the books. Not that it would solve the problem, but I wouldn't be opposed to a 55 or 56 man roster

  Reply

  
• General_Zod said August 28, 2007

  Great stuff Bart. Was there anyone in recent memory you truly though got the shaft?

  Reply

  
• rotodestroyer said August 28, 2007

  This is the kind of insight that makes Yardbarker my favorite site out there. Thanks, Bart.

  Reply

  
• Todd21 said August 28, 2007

  Really insightful stuff Bart.

  Reply

  
• crystalspncr said August 28, 2007

  Thank God

  Reply

  
• SVPStyle said August 28, 2007

  Greg Olsen must've really been a good Madden 08 opponent, huh?

  Reply

  
• ursportspro said August 28, 2007

  Really good to get a players true point of view on Black Monday. Good stuff!

  Reply

  
• FatMoon said August 28, 2007

  The Bears clearly blew that one. It's got to be tough seeing friends get cut. Do you ever see players lobby ahead of time to the scouts and coaches to keep guys that they think are next in line for cuts?

  Reply

  
  • BartScott replied August 29, 2007

    yeah I remember Nate Bolling who aka nasty nate from wake forest and he always perfomed in the preseason leading the league in sacks every year but on this defense who was he going to replace. and Todd Devoe who I always thought did everything in his power to stay and was better than all but one reciever on our team in my opinion. Todd is know playing with the Broncos
• Pinkpanthrrr said August 29, 2007

  This reminds me of a Documentary HBO did back in the 90's on the Ravens camp. I can't believe what all the players have to go through to get a job. Everyone is so talented, and these coaches have to look at all of them and then let them go one by one. Then the ones that get rejected have to start all over next year to get noticed. Do they ever pick guys up that they might have dropped when they lose players from injury?

  Reply

  
• RAVEN4 said August 30, 2007

  Thanks Bart,
  As a diehard fan of the Ravens I'm glad the Bears overlooked you too! ( doesn't say much for thier scouts now does it?) LOL. Anyway, I love the energy you bring to our team and our defense. I hope you'll be here for a long time and one day you'll be on the M&T Stadium Ring of Honor. I didn't get the chance to meet you when you were in HI for the Pro Bowl, but I gave a friend one of my hats to get signed ( at Aloha towers I believe), and you were the only Raven there that day. Thanks for signing my hat and having so much pride in being a Raven. In light of what's going on around the league with guys like Vick and Pacman Jones, Thanks for representing our team with class and dignity also. -RAVEN4

  Reply

  
• mrbohboh said August 31, 2007

  Being a Baltimore fan, I can tell you that your story actually increases your popularity. Its one thing to know youll be a star, its an entirely different thing to fight tooth and nail for it and come out victorius. Almost a

  Reply