<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Troubled pasts are clouding their futuresEleven players with questionable pasts were at the Dolphins' minicamp. Nick Saban said it was a chance to scrutinize them.BY ARMANDO SALGUEROasalguero@MiamiHerald.comCamp Redemption ended for the Dolphins on Sunday, and now coach Nick Saban will decide what to do with the mostly untested, discarded or recycled players he hosted for the past three days.Rookie draftees certainly will be back for training camp in July, but most of the 64 athletes at the Dolphins' weekend minicamp have uncertain futures. And some are facing those cloudy days ahead in part because they have murky moments in their pasts.Eleven players came to the camp with arrest records, or drug-test issues, or issues with previous coaches or team policies.The 11 are quarterback Marcus Vick, tight end Kyle Turley, linebacker Barrett Green, defensive end Isaac Hilton, tackle Brennan Curtin, linebacker Larry Stevens, linebacker Tommy Richardson, tight end Willie Walden, receiver Frank Murphy, center Chris McNeil and offensive lineman Joe Toledo, a fourth-round draft pick.Like all tryout players, none of the 11 was made available to the media during the minicamp.TIME FOR SCRUTINYSaban said one purpose of the minicamp is to give rookie draftees added attention so they can succeed in upcoming camps. The other purpose is to study the players with questionable histories.''It gives us an opportunity to find out additional information about all these other guys,'' Saban said Sunday. ``We can find out the truth about what has been said about those guys. You know, everybody can change, everybody can choose to do things differently.``We're not Father Flanagan around here, we're not here to make people do right. We're here to support them and help them if they want to do right. But that's going to be a responsibility they have to prove. They have to come in and overcome that.''Hilton, who spent last summer in Carolina's training camp, was convicted of strong-arm robbery and is serving a 10-year suspended sentence for robbing a pizza deliveryman of his car and $20. The defensive end has served his three-year probationary period for the 2002 crime.Toledo also recently completed a two-year probation after he pleaded guilty to obstruction of a public servant following an incident in a Seattle bar in 2004.According to a police report, Toledo and two others were drunk at the Medusa nightclub and ``were picking fights with many different patrons.''The men refused initial orders to leave the scene, and when police were called, Toledo had to be subdued with pepper spray before being arrested.Not all of the players under scrutiny have criminal records.Curtin, a Palm Beach County native drafted by Green Bay in 2003, was suspended by Notre Dame officials before the January 2003 Gator Bowl because he asked a teammate to submit to a drug test in his place.Neither Turley nor Green has criminal histories of note. But they have caused headaches for some coaches.In December 2004, Turley, then with St. Louis, got involved in a shouting match with head coach Mike Martz.Turley said then in a statement that there had been a ''heated, unfortunately profane exchange'' in Martz's office, during which he said the coach told him he had come to St. Louis ``just to take the money and run.''There were allegations that Turley hurled an item at the coach. Martz filed a complaint with NFL security, alleging Turley physically threatened him.Green clashed with Giants coach Tom Coughlin last year when he was fined for being late to meetings -- by up to two hours, according to one report. Green balked at the fines, filing a complaint with the NFL Players Association.''The reason we brought [Turley and Green] here is to find out if those guys would have issues with [the Miami coaching staff],'' Saban said. ``We can learn a lot more about them.''Saban said only one player at the minicamp raised serious character or legal questions for the team before the weekend. He declined to identify the player.NO OTHER WAYSaban also said the Dolphins have to bring in players with questionable pasts because they would be unable to stock the roster otherwise.''At least 70 percent of the guys in the whole draft have had some issue somewhere along the line,'' Saban said. ``It's not, `Did they have an issue? It's, `What is the degree of the issue? What's the degree of the character, what's the degree of the attitude and personality that could affect performance or how they represent the organization?'``If you [eliminate] every guy for one flaw -- and same thing physically, because some guys lack size, some lack speed, some are not as good athletes as others -- then you'd never pick anybody. We'd never have anybody here.''Many of Miami's minicamp players already have spent their last day in a Dolphins uniform. But the ones Saban does eventually sign for the start of training camp will be handled on a short leash.''I don't think there's any question about when a guy has had a history, whatever it is, you're going to develop guidelines and restrictions on that guy and make sure he understands the consequences of behavior relative to his history,'' Saban said. ``I do the same thing with my kids. They get grounded. If they don't do the right things I say, `Hey, give me the car keys for a while.'``The only difference with your kids is, you don't give up on them, you're going to stay with them and make it work no matter what.''TROUBLED PLAYERSTROUBLED PLAYERS• Brennan Curtin, OT: Suspended at Notre Dame for faking a drug test.• Barrett Green, LB: Repeated disagreements with Giants coach Tom Coughlin.• Isaac Hilton, DE: Convicted of 2002 strong-arm robbery, served three-year probation.• Chris McNeil, C: Arrested for public drunkenness and disorderly conduct in Starkville, Miss.• Frank Murphy, WR: Kicked, punched employee of Tampa club in 2004 when he declined to pay tab.• Tommy Richardson, LB: Suspended at North Carolina for ``internal disciplinary matter.''• Larry Stevens, LB: Pleaded no contest to disturbing the peace while at Michigan.• Joe Toledo, OL: Served two-year probation for obstruction of a public servant.• Kyle Turley, TE: Reported to NFL security by then-Rams coach Mike Martz.• Marcus Vick, QB: Dismissed from Virginia Tech for ``cumulative effect of legal infractions and unsportsmanlike play.''• Willie Walden, TE: Left Oregon after disagreements with coaches.http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sport...ll/14526126.htm</div><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Dolphins DL Traylor Charged With DUI, Drug PossessionAbby Ross5/15/2006Pryor - Authorities in Mayes County have arrested Miami Dolphin defensive lineman and Broken Arrow resident Byron Keith Traylor on drug and alcohol charges.Traylor was arrested Saturday night in Pryor.Charges were filed against Traylor Monday. They include injuring a public building, driving under the influence of alcohol and possession of a controlled dangerous substance.He has since bonded out of jail.Traylor is a 15-year veteran of the National Football League and joined the Dolphins last year. He has also played with the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bears and New England Patriots.Traylor went to college at Central Oklahoma. He was a high school star at Malvern, Arkansas.http://www.ktul.com/</div>Not to mention Randy "I beat my pregnant wife" McMichael, Ricky "Blazin" Williams, and Daunte "The Love Boat" Culpepper, Will "DWI is for me" Poole, and my favorite Eddie "I get knocked out cold in barfights and waste of a second round pick" Moore.Sounds like Saban is desperate to be successful. Cant wait until this all blows up in his face.
Not all of those guys were signed, I dont condone thier actions, but its a little hyopcritical to pick on the Fins when no one in this league is a saint or anyone here in genral.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BigMike23 @ May 18 2006, 08:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Not all of those guys were signed, I dont condone thier actions, but its a little hyopcritical to pick on the Fins when no one in this league is a saint or anyone here in genral.</div>I guess so. lolBut the amount of players on the Dolphins with a recent criminal past, or major psychological issues, is kinda stunning. Lets hope they stay out of jail long enough to lose to the Jets twice.
