Thank you Ricky Williams

**iggyman555** · 01-25-2013, 12:55 PM

..for retiring and making us draft Bernard "Fierce" Pierce

**Jay D83** · 01-25-2013, 01:00 PM

I know he wished he would've came back now.

**RavenScallywag** · 01-25-2013, 01:23 PM

To some extent, thank you Ray Rice for holding out on your deal until last possible minute...without that uncertainty at RB, we probably wait until a bit later to draft a RB.

Just remember when he was underwhelming in TC, ending up injured most of the time? What a difference now, where's he's quite obviously injured but finding a way to fight through!

**Hammerhead** · 01-25-2013, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by Jay D83

I know he wished he would've came back now.

That's what you get when you let an email by Bill Parcells completely turn your perspective around. That said, I like Ricky and hope that he is happy in whatever he is doing.

If we win on February 3, that's when I think he might start regretting it.

**pslholder96** · 01-25-2013, 01:37 PM

Ricky Williams retiring has nothing to do with drafting Bernard Pierce. Remember the ravens scout all year round and I'm pretty sure he was already on their draft board before Ricky called it quits. The ravens are often well prepared come draft time and probably knew before the 210/2011 season that Ricky was going to retire anyway.

**iggyman555** · 01-25-2013, 01:40 PM

Originally Posted by pslholder96

Ricky Williams retiring has nothing to do with drafting Bernard Pierce. Remember the ravens scout all year round and I'm pretty sure he was already on their draft board before Ricky called it quits. The ravens are often well prepared come draft time and probably knew before the 210/2011 season that Ricky was going to retire anyway.

no they didnt

**pslholder96** · 01-25-2013, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by iggyman555

no they didnt

LOL. Way to cherry pick. In any case I stand by my opinion

**RavenScallywag** · 01-25-2013, 01:43 PM

Originally Posted by pslholder96

Ricky Williams retiring has nothing to do with drafting Bernard Pierce. Remember the ravens scout all year round and I'm pretty sure he was already on their draft board before Ricky called it quits. The ravens are often well prepared come draft time and probably knew before the 210/2011 season that Ricky was going to retire anyway.

It's not that he wasn't on their draft board, it's that Ricky's depature left us a big hole. AA and Berry were long shot to really step up to that #2 role, and we knew to succeed in the AFCN, you needed two strong RBs to pair up. We had that for awhile with Rice and McGahee, then last year with Ricky and Ray. This year, Pierce filled the role of the "one-cut" back that hits the hole hard and runs north-south.

Like I said, a bigger reason for drafting Pierce was Ray's potential holdout

**RavensDomination** · 01-25-2013, 01:48 PM

The best part about the Pierce pick was the number of fans that bitched about it relentlessly. Ravens front office showed once again why they are considered one of the best.

**iggyman555** · 01-25-2013, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by RavenScallywag

It's not that he wasn't on their draft board, it's that Ricky's depature left us a big hole. AA and Berry were long shot to really step up to that #2 role, and we knew to succeed in the AFCN, you needed two strong RBs to pair up. We had that for awhile with Rice and McGahee, then last year with Ricky and Ray. This year, Pierce filled the role of the "one-cut" back that hits the hole hard and runs north-south.

Like I said, a bigger reason for drafting Pierce was Ray's potential holdout

**mmi16** · 01-25-2013, 01:55 PM

Originally Posted by pslholder96

Ricky Williams retiring has nothing to do with drafting Bernard Pierce. Remember the ravens scout all year round and I'm pretty sure he was already on their draft board before Ricky called it quits. The ravens are often well prepared come draft time and probably knew before the 210/2011 season that Ricky was going to retire anyway.

Ricky being Ricky - I don't think he knew one day from the next he was going to retire until he did.

**Coastergenius** · 01-25-2013, 01:56 PM

We probably wouldn't have picked Pierce if there wasn't a need for a back-up RB, mainly due to the fact that we traded up for him. No way we trade up for a player that doesn't fit a need. I find it amazing that a GM can be so sure of what other teams will do, and how players are valued by other teams that he's still willing to trade up as late as the 3rd round. Not doubting Ozzie for giving away a pick to move up when 60 players were already taken, but just in awe of how he can make those decisions.

**CoverD** · 01-25-2013, 04:33 PM

You also have to thank Bernard Pierce for not going back for his senior year.

If he had, not only would he not be on the team this year, he probably wouldn't be on the roster at all, because he was projected to be a 2013 top 10 pick.

**AirFlacco** · 01-25-2013, 05:56 PM

Anyone remember this article? BTW, I remember reading that NE was interested in Pierce too. They are really sorry now.
They wanted Rice but didn't move up because we had McGahee and thought we wouldn't draft another RB.
Billicheat and Ozzie broke in together and think the same way during the draft. That's why he jumped in front of Oz to
get Gronk knowing Oz needed a TE and Hightower this year knowing Ozzie wanted him.

But Pierce was one of the manufactured runs DeCosta mentioned when so many they wanted were drafted ahead of them.
They drafted 29th and still got Pierce plus Upshaw, KO and Gino.

Man, look at the rocks on Pierce's shoulders in the pic.

http://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/201...place-ray-rice

**Ravenalytics** · 01-25-2013, 11:31 PM

Originally Posted by CoverD

If he had, not only would he not be on the team this year, he probably wouldn't be on the roster at all, because he was projected to be a 2013 top 10 pick.

How do they determine that? Who said this?