Before the Patriots even secured their place in the AFC Championship Game by beating the Texans yesterday, Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo was ripping them on Twitter.
The rant started with a simple complaint — Ayanbadejo thinks the Patriots fast-paced hurry-up offence is unfair.
Photo: @brendon310
The Patriots are the fasted team in the NFL. This year they’ve borrowed elements of Oregon’s offensive philosophy — trying to get to the line as fast as possible to keep the defence on the back foot.
It makes the game more exciting and throws the defensive for a loop, but some old-school football types (like Alabama coach Nick Saban) think it dilutes the purity of the game.
Ayanbadejo falls into that category:
Photo: @brendon310
Ayanbadejo then hedged, smartly:
Photo: @brendon310
But then he moved beyond the moral failings of the hurry-up and attacked the Patriots for some questionable organizational practices.
1. Spygate, the Patriots were fined $500,000 for video tapping a Jets practice in 2007.
2. Cutting Tiquan Underwood the day before the Super Bowl last year.
Photo: @brendon310
He rubbed in that 2007 Super Bowl loss to the Giants:
Photo: @brendon310
And finally he ended the rant by coming full circle. This time he said the hurry-up violated the masculine spirit of the game.
Photo: @brendon310
UPDATE: He apologized today:
I made selfish comments on twitter last night that reflected poorly upon myself, my teammates, and the organisation. For that I apologise.
— Brendon Ayanbadejo (@brendon310) January 14, 2013
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