Volek

[Jackass]

Details are still missing...

 

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Coach Jeff Fisher lashed out at critics of the Tennessee Titans' dealings with Billy Volek, saying Wednesday that Volek lied to him and never took advantage of the opportunity to be the starter.

 

"Billy threw this organization under the bus, along with a number of his teammates."

-- Jeff Fisher

 

The Titans finally traded Volek on Tuesday to the San Diego Chargers for a sixth-round draft pick that could become a fifth-rounder depending on playing time. Fisher said Volek asked to be traded the day the Titans signed Kerry Collins late last month.

 

"I never at anytime in my career have gone into such detail [about a trade]. But I felt the responsibility, as Billy felt he was thrown under the bus," Fisher said. "Billy threw this organization under the bus, along with a number of his teammates."

 

It was unprecedented public criticism by Fisher, who repeatedly has protected his players.

 

Volek inherited the quarterback job when the Titans traded Steve McNair to Baltimore in June, and Fisher claimed it was in the first week after Volek was made the starter during the offseason that the quarterback lied to the coach.

 

Fisher wouldn't say what the lie was.

 

Fans have been vehemently critical of the Titans for not giving Volek the chance to start the season, and the team is 0-2 with Collins as a starter.

 

Fisher said he met with Volek in his office Tuesday and was told the quarterback had no hard feelings.

 

Volek told several reporters on his way to the airport that he got a raw deal and didn't know why he went from starter to third-stringer before the season.

[spain]

I have said all along that none of this made any sense the way it went down. Do you have a link to that article?

[HowboutthemCowboys]

I have said all along that none of this made any sense the way it went down. Do you have a link to that article?

 

[Randall]

I have said all along that none of this made any sense the way it went down. Do you have a link to that article?

 

 

 

Here

 

Still he didn't say what Volek lost the job.

[FishFreak]

I have said all along that none of this made any sense the way it went down. Do you have a link to that article?

 

 

I hear ya. Just curious, what kind of a draft pick do you think the Titans could have got for Volek if they traded him a lot earlier? I'm thinking 5th maybe 4th? Anyway, I've always said it didn't matter. The Titans are a 3-13 or 4-12 team with Volek or Collins starting. Since they drafted Young as their QB of the future, why not throw him out there to get roughed up and go the same 3-13? This team is young and will hopefully get better as the season wears on. You might as well give Young and Lendale White a solid dose of what NFL defenses are like.

[Pope Flick]

Of COURSE there was more to the story. How could a guy they groomed to replace McNair with get shipped out of town, after being replaced by a journeyman who doesn't know the system, 2 weeks after McNair gets traded?

 

It's called putting yourself in the doghouse with something you said.

 

ESPN is about to show a Fisher interview, and the lead in is Fisher saying he "lied to his head coach."

[spain]

From the local rag:

 

http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articl...414/1002/SPORTS

 

Thursday, 09/21/06

 

Angry Fisher puts blame on Volek

Coach says effort, trade demand, lie behind his ouster

 

By JIM WYATT

Staff Writer

 

 

Quarterback Billy Volek's belief that he "got a raw deal" from the Titans prompted an uncharacteristic response from Coach Jeff Fisher on Wednesday.

 

Fisher used the first four minutes of his post-practice press conference to say Volek gave a half-hearted effort as Steve McNair's backup last year, that he lied this past offseason, and that he didn't complete the steps necessary to transform himself from backup to starter.

 

"I never at any time in my career have gone into such detail," Fisher said.

 

"But I felt the responsibility, as Billy felt he was thrown under the bus. Billy threw this organization under the bus, along with a number of his teammates."

 

The Titans traded Volek to the Chargers on Tuesday for a conditional sixth-round pick. On his way out of town Volek told The Tennessean that coaches never told him why he'd been demoted to the No. 3 quarterback behind veteran Kerry Collins and rookie Vince Young.

 

He also said, "I think I got a raw deal," and that he felt many Titans teammates and coaches supported him.

 

Fisher, whose team is 0-2 heading into Sunday's game at Miami, painted a different picture on Wednesday in an often angry tone.

 

• Fisher said it became clear over time that Volek, the backup from 2003-05, wasn't the man to replace McNair.

 

"There is a difference in assuming a role as a starter and a backup role," Fisher said.

 

"There is a distinct difference between those two positions, and in the club's opinion, based on what transpired, Billy was not suited to be a starter."

 

Fisher declined to say exactly where Volek fell short.

 

"He had ample opportunities and, in our opinion, he didn't come through,'' he said.

 

Another decision-maker, Titans General Manager Floyd Reese, was asked what Volek did wrong.

 

"You'd have to ask some other people," Reese said. "I am not privy to all those meetings."

 

• Fisher said Volek's reaction when the Titans signed Collins two weeks before the regular season — immediately requesting a trade and repeating the request daily — convinced him he didn't want Volek on the roster.

 

"Billy never one time said, 'I am here to compete, I am going to do this.' And all it was was just a little bit of competition," Fisher said. "I am very sorry that Billy has misunderstood this situation, but we were very, very clear from the get-go.

 

"And as a head coach and the person making decisions as far as this football team is concerned, I in no way am going to play somebody that has demanded to be traded time after time after time. Now if that doesn't make sense to anybody, then I am sorry for that.''

 

• Fisher said once Collins was acquired, there was no division among coaches about who should be the starter (Young was locked in as the backup).

 

"The staff was unanimous about trading Billy Volek," Fisher said. "We felt like it was best for this organization because Billy Volek wanted to be traded, time after time after time.''

 

• Fisher said Volek lied to him this past offseason, "so we started off on the wrong page," but declined to reveal specifics.

 

"I am not going to get into it," Fisher said, "but it's the truth.''

 

He also said Volek's effort began to decline last season after his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, requested that Volek be traded.

 

• Fisher said the quarterback situation has not been a distraction for his team.

 

"I worry about no distractions,'' he said. "The biggest distraction is no longer with us.''

 

Volek, who joined the Chargers on Wednesday, said he had "no clue" why Fisher reacted so angrily.

 

"It really does surprise me because I just talked to him two days ago … and face-to-face he was very complimentary to me," Volek said. "But it happened. I don't expect anything, but I'm going to move on from the situation. I'm going to take the high road. I think I've got a great opportunity here."

 

Told of Fisher's explanation of why the Titans traded him, Volek said, "If he wants to say that, he's going to say that. I'm not going to stand up here and argue with him. He's been a great coach for me for six years. When you're losing, when you're 0-2, every little small bruise turns into a big bruise."

 

In the locker room on Wednesday, the Titans were reluctant to take sides.

 

Collins said Volek's departure doesn't make things any better or worse for him.

 

"Billy, to his credit, didn't make it an issue when he was here,'' Collins said. "He really could've made it a big stink, but he didn't.''

 

Wide receiver Drew Bennett agreed with Collins.

 

"In the eyes of his teammates, no one is down on Billy or anything like that,'' Bennett said. "It's the coaches' decision and we just kind of take it from what they say and go with whoever is out there. I think most of the players just tried to stay out of it as much as possible and support whoever is in there.''

 

Linebacker Keith Bulluck said he saw Volek "working like everyone else," and admitted that while the events of recent weeks might not have been a distraction in the locker room, they have been on the field.

 

"I don't know what was expected of him from his coaches. I thought he was doing what he was supposed to do. I am not on that side of the ball, so I don't know what was going on in the meeting rooms,'' Bulluck said.

 

"It hurt us more on the football field. … I would just say the quarterback situation, you never know who we are going with or which way we are going.''

 

Volek will continue to settle in with the Chargers behind third-year pro Philip Rivers, going from a team that appears to be going nowhere to one that appears destined for a playoff run.

 

"To be honest with you, it's tough, because I wanted to be the difference-maker in Tennessee," Volek said.

 

"I wanted to be the guy out there and try to turn that organization around. I thought this year would be the year when we would go out there and turn it around. To not be out there playing and fighting with the guys and doing all that, that was frustrating. But this is a great place for me." •

[Randall]

I wonder if what Fisher says is true or if the organization is imploding. I haven't doubted Fisher before, but events don't look good at the moment down there.

[Menudo]

Jeff Fisher makes each player promise him, when they are brought to the Titans, that they will never attempt to shave off his moustache, or even try to trim it in anyway.

 

During the offseason, Fisher was passed out after a night of drinking, and when he was awakened he noticed that someone had written all over him with a marker, his hand was in a bucket of water, and Billy Volek was standing above him, with an electric razor aimed at Fisher's moustache. That was the beggining of the end.

[Jackass]

on espn this a.m. mort said that the lie was most likely something related to volek saying he was going to be out of town when he wasnt'

[MrTed46]

When you draft someone like Vince Young you really had to plans for Volek to be in your future anyway

[spain]

More rumors flying around Nashville:

 

Apparently after the one of the preseason games, Chow "undressed" Billy during the film review session in front of the entire team. Billy got pissed and went off on Chow. From that point on, BV was dead man walking. They picked up Collins, BV demanded to be traded, and the rest is history. Chow never wanted BV to begin with. Fisher's loyalty is with his hand-picked offensive coordinator. I think Billy's telling half of the truth, and so is Fisher. Only half of the truth. They're both full of oh poopy and we've got bigger fish to fry frankly. Is Chow an NFL offensive coordinator? Will starting Vince in Week 6 hinder his progress? Does Chris Sanders have naked pictures of Floyd Reese?