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View Full Version : Broncos RB LenDale White, on zero-tolerance status, says he's ready to go



Denver Native (Carol)
08-06-2010, 09:30 AM
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_15690532

LenDale White has a message for those who may not believe he wants, deserves or knows what to do with what many consider his last chance.

Bring it on.

"I want to play football, I want to be out here, I like to be out here, I like hitting pads," White said. "I like meeting new guys. . . . This is my love, this is my passion. I want to do this for the rest of my career. I'm going to stay away from everything negative. I have to, as long I can play football."

White, a Denver native who played at both South and Chatfield high schools, is facing up to a four-game suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy, but he says he's prepared to make the most of his chances over the next month.

The Broncos have basically told White he's on a one-strike-and-you're-out plan and has to stay on the straight and narrow to remain on the roster.

White's career with the Tennessee Titans ended after he struggled with his weight, clashed with his position coach and had his work ethic publicly questioned. He was traded to the Seattle Seahawks in April, where he was slated to play for Pete Carroll, his former coach at Southern California. The Seahawks cut White after being apprised of his impending suspension.

Since White, who admitted earlier this year to smoking marijuana while with the Titans, said Thursday he has been working out in Denver, preparing for what he hoped was a chance to resurrect his career.

"I'm happy to be here," White said. "When you're sitting on the sideline and you're watching NFL Network and you get to see all your friends around the league play and stuff, you definitely get an itch. Good thing I was working out. Coach (McDaniels) gave me a call and I was ready to go. I'm just really fortunate and I'm humble and I just thank God that I'm out here."

White took the field during Wednesday night's workout but didn't participate beyond individual drills. Thursday,

White took a handful of carries in team drills, including one in a red-zone drill when he moved the pile in the middle of the field.

"We're rolling," McDaniels said. ". . . We're going to catch him up in terms of a terminology standpoint."

If White shows enough over the course of the preseason — he can play in the team's exhibition games despite the suspension — the Broncos could place him on reserve/suspended when they cut the roster to 53 players. White then could be moved onto the roster when his suspension ends.

"I had other calls, but what's better than to come home and play here," White said. "My mom — she's ecstatic, she cried, and my grandma, she would have loved it if she was still here. I'm glad I'm a Denver Bronco.

"I used to watch the games when John the Great was playing with Terrell Davis. Me and my grandma would sit there and watch every game faithfully. And she was like 'One day you're going to play for the Denver Broncos.' Thank you, Grandma — rest in peace."

GEM
08-06-2010, 09:51 AM
When you have had the most important things in life taken from you or you've thrown them away...you have a greater passion to get those things back. I hope he has hit his bottom and wish nothing but the best for him on his way up the ladder. I don't see why he is seen in such a negative light...he didn't rape anyone, he didn't shoot anyone, he didn't stomp on any opponent's face, he isn't up on gun charges. He smoked weed, he got lazy, he gained weight...he sounds like a regular Joe. Hopefully having a lifelong dream fall apart with the chance of losing it all is enough for him to regain his passion and work hard for his goals.

Good Luck, LenDale. I'm pulling for ya!

Denver Native (Carol)
08-06-2010, 10:05 AM
I totally agree with you GEM. Yesterday I emailed the person I worked with - the one who had coached Lendale when he was younger, and I ask this person what his thoughts were on Lendale signing with the Broncos, and he said he did not like it, because of the distractions here. I emailed him back and said that I did not agree, because, although there are distractions here, there also are people like himself, and Chauncey here to stay in Lendale's face - people here who care for Lendale PERSONALLY, where in another city, there would not be those people.

Denver Native (Carol)
08-06-2010, 11:06 AM
I am glad that Chauncey is there this morning - he has always stated that he is a MAJOR Broncos fan - but moreso, he and Lendale are cousins.

http://blogs.denverpost.com/broncos/2010/08/06/chauncey-roaming-the-sidelines-at-dove-valley/4298/?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=twitter&utm_content=Twitter

It’s not too often we get celebrity sightings at Broncos training camp (since none of the players are dating a Kardashian or Jessica Simpson), but Friday morning, we got about as close as it comes.

Nuggets star point guard — and Denver’s favorite native son — Chauncey Billups is here at Dove Valley, getting the VIP treatment on the Broncos sidelines.

Only the biggest of the big shots get free reign of the practice field area, and looks like Billups is among them.

Billups also knows a thing or two about playing in the postseason and winning championships, so maybe Josh McDaniels will let him say a few words to the team later.

T.K.O.
08-06-2010, 11:32 AM
at this point if he does'nt get hurt in tc or preseason...i'll be thrilled to have a punishing runner like lendale to boost our playoff chances !:salute:

dogfish
08-06-2010, 11:37 AM
good lord, that is terribly sloppy journalism. . . :tsk:

the seachickens knew about lendale's suspension BEFORE they traded for him-- that was WELL publicized. . . they cut him because he was lazy, it had nothing to do with the suspension. . .

CoachChaz
08-06-2010, 11:47 AM
good lord, that is terribly sloppy journalism. . . :tsk:

the seachickens knew about lendale's suspension BEFORE they traded for him-- that was WELL publicized. . . they cut him because he was lazy, it had nothing to do with the suspension. . .

Have a source on this?

Everything I read is that he's been working out pretty hard this off-season and he didnt show up in Denver overweight. Just curious if you know something no one else does

dogfish
08-06-2010, 11:59 AM
Have a source on this?

Everything I read is that he's been working out pretty hard this off-season and he didnt show up in Denver overweight. Just curious if you know something no one else does

nope, just know what i read at the time. . .




Seahawks stunner: LenDale White released
So much for the LenDale White era with the Seahawks.

The veteran running back, acquired in a draft-day trade from Tennessee, was waived on Friday in a surprising move by the NFL club.

LenDale White said Monday he was happy to have a fresh start in Seattle after losing his role last season in Tennessee, but then was released on Friday. "It became apparent at this time that LenDale was not ready to be a member of the Seattle Seahawks," general manager John Schneider said in a statement. "It just did not appear to be the right fit at this point in our program. We wish LenDale all the best with his future."

The wording of Schneider's comment makes it clear the team wasn't in love with White's commitment, though it's not clear if some particular incident led to his release.

(UPDATE 3:20 p.m.: NFL.com's Jason LaCanfora is now reporting White is likely facing a four-game suspension from the league for a drug issue. Read more on that situation here.)

Various reports are hinting that White's attitude and approach weren't pleasing the team. It's surprising that a player could get sideways that quickly with the organization, but White obviously was on a short leash with his former USC coach Pete Carroll.

While White was saying all the right things, I had noticed little red flags like White standing on the sidelines talking to people once when the rest of his teammates were stretching before practice.

White also sat out some of the early offseason workouts with a sore groin and then was absent from one OTA (organized team activity) when head coach Pete Carroll said he was home in Tennessee dealing with flooding.

White said this Monday that he'd had family issues involving a grandfather that actually caused him to miss that time, though he'd also dealt with flooding in his neighborhood in Nashville.

But the running back spoke glowingly of his new opportunity in Seattle and certainly was saying all the right things, it seemed, including how much he'd grown up in recents months after some "trials and tribulations" earlier in his career.

Here's a story I wrote earlier this week after talking to White on Monday.

"I feel great and this is a long time coming," White said then. "I appreciate the opportunity and as long as Seattle fans stay patient with me, we'll be alright. I'll bring a lot of fight to this team, believe me."

White was entering the final year of a contract that would have paid $1.8 million this coming season.

Seattle acquired White along with defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson in a trade that basically just moved them down in the draft order in the fourth and sixth rounds.

The Seahawks moved down seven spots in the fourth and then took cornerback Walter Thurmond. In the sixth, they moved down nine spots and selected Anthony McCoy.

But while the cost was light, there had been much ballyhoo about what good shape White was in and how much he was ready to contribute.

Carroll had talked up White during the team's off-season minicamps and workouts, saying that at 219 pounds he appeared in the best shape since his high school days.

White, 25, played for Carroll at USC, helping the Trojans win back-to-back national titles, and then spent four seasons with the Titans.

He rushed for 1,110 yards and seven touchdowns in 2007 and scored 15 touchdowns in 2008 when he became the Titans' short-yardage back after Chris Johnson was drafted.

But when Johnson became a 2,006-yard rusher last year, White lost his playing time and asked out of Tennessee. The Seahawks seemed like a good landing spot ... until Friday's news.

The move appears to bolster the chances of veteran Julius Jones to remain part of the squad. Jones and fellow returnee Justin Forsett have been splitting time with the first unit during offseason sessions.

The club also acquired former New York Jets veteran Leon Washington in a draft-day trade, though he is still recovering from a fractured leg and isn't expected to be healthy until training camp at the earliest.

Seattle also signed four-year veteran Quinton Ganther in free agency and has ex-Husky Louis Rankin returning from last year.

http://blog.seattlepi.com/football/archives/208172.asp

that's just the first article i could find-- i'm sure there are plenty of others out there, but i don't have time to look right now. . .

CoachChaz
08-06-2010, 12:09 PM
I was just curious. I guess I'll hold judgement until I see the negatives in Denver.

Denver Native (Carol)
08-06-2010, 12:18 PM
I was just curious. I guess I'll hold judgement until I see the negatives in Denver.

I am hoping there will be no negatives in Denver

TXBRONC
08-06-2010, 12:45 PM
nope, just know what i read at the time. . .





http://blog.seattlepi.com/football/archives/208172.asp

that's just the first article i could find-- i'm sure there are plenty of others out there, but i don't have time to look right now. . .


I am hoping there will be no negatives in Denver

For the time being he's a Bronco so I hope his release from the Seahawks finally woke him up to the fact he's been ruining his career.

It's troubling that the guy who coached him in college for four years and is now his head coach cut him loose before he even had a chance to play for the Seahawks.

SOCALORADO.
08-06-2010, 12:51 PM
I was just curious. I guess I'll hold judgement until I see the negatives in Denver.

If this guy can keep his head outta his @$$, and keeps working hard, he could be an absolute beast for DEN.
The one-two of White/Moreno would be brutal with Bucky coming in fresh in for specific plays.

slim
08-06-2010, 01:32 PM
If this guy can keep his head outta his @$$, and keeps working hard, he could be an absolute beast for DEN.
The one-two of White/Moreno would be brutal with Bucky coming in fresh in for specific plays.

That is a lot of ifs, ands and could bes :welcome:

Superchop 7
08-06-2010, 01:39 PM
It is entirely up to him.

The odds are stacked against him, but I wish him well.

TXBRONC
08-06-2010, 04:17 PM
That is a lot of ifs, ands and could bes :welcome:

That's undeniable, there are a lot of ifs, but he might be able help.

slim
08-06-2010, 04:19 PM
That's undeniable, there are a lot of ifs, but he might be able help.

I agree. I don't reall see a downside here.