Eric Weddle said if he was Phillips – he would play in the Rose Bowl

[ProudUte]

That is the type of competitor Eric Weddle is.  He will give everything he has all the time.  He kept playing in the Super Bowl after an early injury that would have kept almost everyone else out.  AT the end of his career at Utah, he was playing defense, special teams, and offense.  He did whatever it took to help his team.

I am not judging Phillips.  I think I would play too.  However, my financial future is not on the line.  I wish Clark well and hope he has a great NFL career.

[Utah]

Man, I appreciate Weddle’s point of view. BUT, when he played in the Super Bowl, he was set financially. AND he had never won a Super Bowl. AND he was never going to play again. He knew all of these things. Much different situation than Phillips is in. 

And as far as what Weddle did for Utah, it’s amazing. Playing on all three levels…amazing. But Phillips has put his heart and soul and body on the line as well. He was hurt in the PAC-12 title game. He played when he could have sat out. 

At this point, he’s played in a Rose Bowl. He has two rings. He’s done what he can and he needs to get paid. 

If he runs bad at the combine, or can’t lift as well, or whatever and he slips from the tenth pick to the 38th…that’s almost 20 million dollars. Over a two tenths of a second. It’s just not worth it right now for him. 

I love Weddle. Dude might be the perfect guy. And I understand the excitement, for him, of playing in the Rose Bowl. But Phillips has already done that (isn’t that NUTS to think about, a Utah player thinking the Rose Bowl is old hat). It’s not the same. 

It’s time for Phillips to go get paid. 

[ProudUte]

I don’t disagree.  I was just posting what Weddle said.

[EagleMountainUte]

Only one question though. Should Kincaid and Phillips get a Rose Bowl ring if Utah wins?

[PlainsUte]

Pac-12 Champion, yes, Rose Bowl, no.

[EagleMountainUte]

I think they demand both. Without Kincaid Utah doesn’t play in a Rose Bowl. Same with Clark. Body of work being the season.

[Perkus]

Terrible take. They deserve both. Utah isn’t even in this game without their contributions in the regular season and conference championship game. Kincaid won the regular season USC game with his 16 receptions and hundreds of yards receiving. And don’t forget the tides turned in the CCG when Phillips broke up a touchdown pass in the end zone to last years Biletnikoff winner. A team is made up of everyone. Those that sit the bench and never make a play in the game will get a ring. Disgusting take. 

[PhiladelphiaUte]

I agree.  They didn’t “quit” on the team.  They “gave their all”, and wound up in the medical tent.  You don’t stop paying military personnel who’ve been rendered physically unfit for duty.  You pay them a pension for the rest of their lives — even if they didn’t reach their 20th year of service.  Kuithe and Kinkaid deserve no less honors than the last string guy who’d suited up in Pasadena, having never taken the field.  And those aforementioned last string guys deserve no less than the 14-game starters.  This season was a “team” effort.

[Utah]

100% yes. 

[EagleMountainUte]

Hate to speak out against Weddle he is 100% wrong. @Utah pretty much covered it.

[ProudUte]

He can’t be wrong.  He is only saying HE would play.  He did not say Clark should play.  That cannot be wrong IMO.

[EagleMountainUte]

I love you man but look at the title of this thread. It literally says if Weddle was Clark he would play.

[ProudUte]

We’re good.  I love both Weddle and Phillips.

[Charlie]

Weddle speaks from the culture and curcumstance of sometime ago.  20 years ago plalyers enhanced their draft status with awsome bowl game appearances.  The current curcumstances do not benefit college by putting so much on spring measurables which incentivizes players to skip bowl games and begin prep for those measurables.  There is hope that expanded playoffs will minimize this.  If not, can you imagine going to the playoffs missing key players?  We all wish the current curcumstances would incentivize players to run thru the tape on their college career rather than stop short.  At this point in a players career planning to go to the NFL we have to expect them to do what the NFL values the most.  It is quite the catch 22.  I understand Phillips and Weddle, each from a different point in time.

[EagleMountainUte]

Ok so you understand me a little. I will say it like this. Weddle is 100% wrong about Clark’s situation right now.
But I can see how in the past weighing the risk of injury vs more film is important.

[DrJazzy]

I remember how terrible I felt for Julian Blackman when he tore his knee in thr CCG against Oregon in a loss. 

It’s been said a million times now that he flipped his commit from The Ohio State to Utah on signing day – so huge at the time. And kid balled out for us and fully lived up to the hype. 

He worked his ass off for this moment, and do not blame him at all for not wanting to risk injury. He left it on the field for us, and finished the season nicked up. 

I can’t wait to buy his NFL jersey. 

[DrJazzy]

Weddle and Steve Smith are my two favorite all time Utes. 

[chinngiskhaan]

Of course Weddle would… but he’s not a normal human being. He’s like Whitt and Scalley. He’s irrationally competitive almost to a fault (almost, but not quite, haha). I mean, he kept himself in game shape after he retired just because he couldn’t stand to not push himself.

He’s an outlier.

[Utah]

I don’t this is fair to Phillips. He did everything Weddle did. Take away all Weddle’s cash and put him in Phillip’s shoes and see what he does. 

I’d bet he’d sit out as well. 

And for the record, Weddle has said he wasn’t in game shape and was 20 lbs light. It’s a lot of why he got hurt. Let’s not embellish the truth here.