The First Rule of Sconce Club
Posted: June 7th, 2013 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 60 Comments »I used to think that the ultimate nightmare would be getting wheeled into an operating room only to look up and see Jimmy Kempski holding a scalpel. That has changed. An even worse scenario would be going to court and having Cary Williams as your attorney.
Cary went on Mike Missanelli’s show on 97.5 today and talked about missing the OTAs. Regardless of your opinion on Williams actions, I don’t see how any person can think he did a good job of explaining himself. Every time I thought he hit rock bottom, he pulled out a shovel and started digging. I’m pretty sure he got within a 100 feet of reaching China.
Let’s stick with Cary’s argument for now. He had a few options, as I see it. First, don’t go on the show. Sometimes the best way to diffuse a situation is to ignore it. As of this morning, Williams was an afterthought. Eagles Nation was obsessed with Michael Vick’s comments from Thursday. Williams could have stayed under the radar, but instead chose to go on the air.
Cary could have stuck to the facts and kept his argument simple. He could have simply said that the OTAs were voluntary and that he went to some, but missed others. He could have pointed out that he was there for all the mandatory sessions. He then could have said that as a veteran cornerback he felt he got in enough work to be ready for Training Camp and the regular season.
If he felt bold, Cary could have gone for the more creative explanation that as a professional athlete he lives in a different world than we do. Being an athlete means you have special responsibilities, but also special privileges. With this strategy you actually take on an aggressive mentality. You tell the host that as an athlete different rules apply to you, some of which are good and some of which are bad.
Cary could have tried the charming/humorous approach. This is tricky, because you need the right personality. With this, you talk about how everything is being done to keep your wife happy. You joke about how she’s really the boss and you’re just following orders. Chip Kelly is the coach now, but you’re with her forever. That type of thing. This approach is easier if you have a Southern accent.
Instead, Cary chose to speak his mind and ramble all over the place. He would make a good point and then follow that up with a ridiculous statement. All I could think of is the old quote from Ben Franklin that it is “better to remain silent and thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt”.
The biggest problem is that Cary at times tried to play the victim. That is the ultimate no-no for athletes. When you make $2.5M, you cannot complain about how little time off you have.
Beyond that, athletes have tons of time off. Cary played in the Super Bowl in early February and then had the rest of the month off. He had to deal with free agency in March. After that, I think he had the rest of that month off. He did have the team’s offseason program in April. I don’t know how much the players do in May aside from the OTAs. Players do get off from early June to late July.
The average person gets 1 to 2 weeks off. Some get more. Some don’t get any at all. Williams acted as if he worked as much or more than the average person. During the season he does work 6 days a week and doesn’t get holidays off. I get that. Still, his side of things is better than ours.
Cary complained about not being able to call in sick. How many sick days have I missed in the last 15 years? 5 or 6. If you work for a small business, you also can’t call in sick. I knew a man who ran a trucking company who did not miss a day for 25 years. Not sick. Not vacation. Not a single day. He also had a wife and daughter to support. Fred never complained about this. Heck, I’d known him for 5 years before I even found this out. Talk about discipline. When his daughter headed off to college, he took his first vacation.
I’m not trying to say that athletes should be compared to Average Joe’s, but that’s what Cary did. He can never win this argument so it was incredibly foolish to bring it up.
And sconces? I had never heard that word until Cary said it the other day. I’m an idiot that lives in a place that is full of books, video tapes and DVDs. To me, the smoke alarm is a decoration. Sconces? That was absolutely the worst word he could have said. Even the Geneva Convention says that you cannot use the word sconces in a defense of your actions.
I really am confused by why Cary did the interview today. If he felt defensive about the subject, which he sure seemed to, why talk about it? I thought Missanelli asked reasonable questions. This wasn’t a case of the media being out of line. Not even close. Heck, I thought Missanelli tried to help him out a time or two.
The funny thing about all of this is that Cary might have done us a favor by missing the OTAs. His reps went to Curtis Marsh, Eddie Whitley, Brandon Hughes and Trevard Lindley. Not all these guys ran with the starters, but there were more reps to go around with Williams out of the picture. We need to know if some of these young guys can play. The extra reps should only help the young guys once Training Camp rolls around.
As for Cary, he is a veteran CB who played in a hybrid defense last year. He’s coming to a similar system. He does have a playbook to learn and he does need to get on the same page as his teammates. Cary didn’t miss all the OTAs and he was there for the minicamps. I would hope he’ll be fine by the time late August gets here. If not, we signed the wrong guy regardless of the OTAs.
I do think one part of this that Cary is missing is that he has hurt himself with these actions and the subsequent interviews. The organization and coaches can’t be thrilled. I don’t think those people are against him right now, but he’s caused some grief and eaten through some goodwill. If Cary doesn’t play well this year, do you want to bring him back in 2014?
Cary isn’t a great CB. Heck, you can argue he’s not even a good CB. A player like that should selfishly be doing whatever he can to get in the good graces of the coaches and organization so that they will want him back. Cary’s deal is structured so the Eagles can cut him after the 2013 season. He must play well to keep his job. He didn’t get a big signing bonus.
I’m not anti-Cary Williams. I wrote the other day that it didn’t feel right being so upset at a guy who was trying to be a good father. It just seems to me Cary has been his own worst enemy in the handling of the situation. My advice to him would be simple. Feast on the casserole of silence and play well when you get back on the field.
This can go away by him showing up big on Sundays. And then SconceGate will just be a weird side note to the 2013 offseason. The weirdest, I hope.
_
I just listened to the interview and copied the link…clicked over here to post it and bam! Now I will read you’re post.
I liked the interview… it’s coincides with my comment from last week…
I am so excited and positive about the Eagles this season… I felt it was necessary to put a positive spin on the Cary situation.
Chip Kelly said he is football smart. Therefore, he should be able
to catch up quick. Cary says the cream rises to the top when the pads go on… I like the confidence and attitude.I think his attitude is
similar to Chip’s. Just hope they don’t clash.
Cary is coming off a SB team that played a month or so longer than
most other players on this team. Plus the post season is so much more intense and demanding, it takes a toll on you physically and mentally. Not only that, he just got married and has a family. Goes to new team and city… has to work all that out at as well… it’s a good time to let the body recover and not over do it, as well as getting his personal life situated in a new city and spend a memory with his daughter that will last a lifetime. Because, soon enough it will be balls to the walls football and sacrifices to the family life will be made once
again.
And if he busts, Sconces is a great nickname. So it’s kind of win-win for us.
Good attitude.
I hope you learn how to pronounce it properly…ask Merrill
The nickname writes itself… Cary “Sconces” Williams just got lit up
After the pathetic crap we watched last year, what is the definition of a bust?
I dont view him as a probowler, thats for sure…but I dont see how he can be anything but a dramatic upgrade from the soft quitters we just watched last year.
..
Short of becoming a locker room Cancer, I think Cary is here to stay. He will struggle at times, but always fight for us and never back down (tho at times it will cost him).
Lucky for us, that Howie negotiated a parchute into Cary’s Contract in case we want to Bail after the season
He is a scrappy little fella I’ll give him that.
He’s what you would call a “pest”, love him when he’s playing on your team, hate him when you’re playing against him.
It seems like he’s on the offensive in regards to the Philly fans and media. His attitude so far has been, “I don’t care what you think” and his behavior is backing that up. That said, if I were an established pro veteran player I also would not attend voluntary OTAs if I could, as I agree with him regarding this whole ‘they’re not mandatory but they are’ thing being ridiculous…
you’d hate it too if random people started asking you why you’re missing a voluntary part of your job…
also, couple points everyone is missing here. first, cb’s can’t do much at the ota’s under the new labor agreement. they can’t press. they’re the easiest position schematically in the defense.
second, and more importantly, he probably thought he’d be on a better contract, like Revis money. this was, in essence, a contract holdout. victor cruz is basically doing the same thing in new york.
So he should punish the Eagles because he got less money than he expected? That’s a good way to get run out of the league.
you said it may have been a blessing in disguise…
And it may be a blessing in disguise.
The point is that he can’t be mad at the Eagles for not getting more money. He needs to be mad at the other 31 teams who didn’t sign him. He should be focused on making them regret passing on him.
Punishing the Eagles would be dumb. If teams thought that was the case, then he’s going to hate the deal he gets the next time he hits the market.
he probably will hate his next contract because he probably feels disrespected by the lack of money in this contract after winning a super bowl as a starting cb regardless of how he actually played.
Interesting. I was big big big on getting Williams and thought he got over paid…perspective is so interesting.
You think Cary Williams punished the Eagles?
I won’t listen to the interview, but I think this post tells me all I need to know.
I’d like an Iggles Blitz branded fire alarm wall sconce.
That is a better idea than an official Cary Williams wall sconce. I hear with those, after you order one it often doesn’t show up when you are expecting it.
Actually, it really a shame. The reason I want my official Cary Williams wall sconce to show up so badly is because I am replacing a pair of big name-brand sconces that I bought on eBay, but I think something happened to them before I got them. They were very delicate, they didn’t seem to be wired right for the Philly area, and they actually created safety concerns.
So, perhaps I am overly focused on my sconces now and I’m just waiting for something to go wrong with this new set.
My Andy Reid sconce works well for 23 hours and 58 minutes each day.
Brilliantly done, ATG.
re:”safety concerns”
If this was intentional, you’re a genius.
I feel confident saying it was and it is.
quality posting. A+. would read again.
Pretty sure I read Keenan Lewis was offered a bigger deal by the Eagles than the one he got in New Orleans. Cary seems like a backup plan. Maybe he feels that way? Not a huge fan of his comments, but at the same time, I’m just happy to have a physical cornerback. That’s how bad it was with Nnamdi and DRC.
Keenan is from Louisiana and wanted to go home. I hear New Orleans can be fun. I’d love an authentic Po Boy. I’m also dying to try the fried chicken at Willie Mae’s.
If you go for authentic Po Boy it is meatless. They cooked fries in the meat sauce to give it meat flavor because they was to po for meat.
Suck it up and get the modernized version. The Cajun spices are strong enough to make even the toughest swamp critters taste good.
Dirty Rice, Craw Fish, and Gumbo, is boderline Orgasmic
Really like a Louisiana style breakfast as well, although TexMex provides a pretty badass breakfest as well
Agree. And some Etouffee over rice….dang I am hungry.
Best Po Boy I ever had was in Victoria, Canada. I waited in the cold rain for an hour to order a Po Boy made with local oysters and cooked in a kitchen made out of converted shipping container.
They call it a Po Boy ’cause even a po boy can feel like a king when he eats one of those.
Washingtond DC has a big Louisiana style restaurant culture(not sure why),,,,some incredible restaurants down in DC
I basically was cringing with each comment Cary made during that interview. He absolutely hurt himself by trying to defend himself to the media. Ultimately, I think you hit on all the important points: the OTAs are valuable, but a veteran CB shouldn’t have a huge problem getting caught up to speed in TC. In addition, if he plays well, this all gets forgotten. Still, fans will be all over him if he struggles and he will quickly become a guy the fans love to boo.
The one point you didn’t touch on is how this interview may look to other players on the team. Lots of NFL players make sacrifices in order to be at OTAs. I’m sure a lot of them wished they could be elsewhere, but felt an obligation, voluntary camp or not, to be there. Skipping those camps for sconces probably doesn’t look good to Williams’ teammates in the first place, but with the added whining about the reaction towards him skipping, I bet a few players get annoyed hearing that.
The piece was so long that I decided to leave that angle out. But you’re absolutely right. The teammates angle is important.
As one of his teammates pointed out… he is a team player.
Avant stuck up for him. Although Avant is such a class act that you should probably take it with a grain of salt
Being silent isn’t a tool in his toolbox…yet.
As long as he didn’t say anything about a dream team…
If Cary Williams picks off more than 6 passes next season, I will hang this on my living room wall with pride.
“Picks off?”
I think you mean “absconces.”
Yes. Better.
excellent work. come for the football knowledge, stay for the puns.
Nice one.
Somewhere there is a tenuous link between Dhani Jones and the emerging Cary Williams sconce thing.
He came off Rude, Abrasive, confrontational, defiant, wouldnt back down…He flat out, sounded like a “Richard”…But that might just be the attitude you need to play CB in this city…of course, if he doesnt perform then this is gonna be a disaster after the way he has behaved..
Cary was on my FA wish list, so Im more optimistic about him than most..
..
Cary basically told the fans to F OFF! and for some sadistic reason, I love him for it!
I can promise you this..Cary Williams does not take his lunch, and goes and hides in his car. If anything, Cary will make you go eat lunch in your car…lol
Doubt Cary will win any awards for player you want to share a PBR smoothie with(two straws lol)..But I think we can count on this kid NOT being Soft. I look forward to his confrontational, physical, cage fighter mentality on the field..
SCONCE LOVERS UNITE!!!! lol
Cary doesnt play “Hide and Seek”, he plays “Hide and pray I dont find you”
Cary once climbed mount everst in 15minutes, 14 of which he spent building a snowman
Some kids piss their name in the snow, Cary can piss his name into concrete
Cary Williams is Victorias secret
Cary can kill two stones with one Bird
Cary can hear sign language
The real reason Hitler killed himself was because he found out Cary was Jewish
Death once had a near Cary Williams experience
Cary is the reason Waldo is hiding
Cary’s calender goes straight from March 31st to April 2nd. No One FOOLS Cary Williams
Cary makes Onions cry
There is no theory of evolution. Just creatures Cary Williams has allowed to live
Cary doesnt wear a watch, he decides what time it is
Cary Williams Dog is trained to pick up his own poop, because Cary Williams will not take shit from anyone
Cary Williams does not “Tea Bag”, he “Potato Sacks”
Superman owns a pair of Cary Williams Pajamas
Cary Williams knits sweaters. By knits I mean kicks. By sweaters I mean puppies.
Ahh this one is so dumb but the delivery of the guy who regaled me with it has forever endeared me.
I’ve listened to enough of the H2H podcasts that I now hear Tommys voice when I read these articles…
You have my deepest sympathies.
Some are saying Foles closed Mini Camp with a Monster day. I wonder how much Foles performance that day led to Vick spazzing out? Coincidence? Maybe..
For a detailed account of Foles Big Day:
http://www.nj.com/eagles/index.ssf/2013/06/eagles_minicamp_spotlight_trac.html
Man, I just started laughing as I scrolled through that.
I now live in the Baltimore area and I can tell that there wasn’t much concern over him leaving amongst the fan base. Many seemed more relieved than anything, as he was often viewed as the problem child & also felt that he gave up too many catches (particularly on 3rd down). Don’t have the stats in front of me, just going off the local view points.
Personally, I don’t have issue with him missing some of the OTAs. What concerns me more is the fact that he’s undisciplined with his choice of words, states that he doesn’t care about what the fans or the organization think, yet was defensive of his actions. That screams immaturity. If he really didn’t care, why go out of your way to be overly defensive? He may be deemed football smart, but it’s obvious that he is not a wise individual. You don’t bite the hand that feeds you AND your family, especially when your choices were limited.
I also have found that no one misses him. Thing is they have Graham and Smith. Two young promising players. Actually its funny that my buddies think he plays too much off and lets up short completions to keep everything shorter. Where as here he is touted as a press guy. My thought is if he keeps everything in front of him he is already leaps and bounds better than last years duo. 6 picks is nothing to shake a stick at either.
Baltimore fans are sort of stupid in general though imo.
In fairness to Cary, Baltimore fans expect Ladarius Webb back, and with Jimmy Smith also on the roster, I wouldnt be too happy about my team droping 5Mil on a 3rd corner…especially since they dont have the most cap flexability, and they have a GM who drafts diamonds in the rough on a regular basis..A fanbase that has had to deal with the Loss of Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, Kruger, Ellerbe, Anquan Boldin isnt exactly going to get too upset over losing their 3rd corner
..
Cary also only really has 2 years of NFL game continuity. Its not impossible for him to still improve with some more experience under his belt. I also think he stepped his game up in the playoffs, which is encouraging
Right I meant jimmy and Corey were 2 young promising options for the #2 role. Though Carey was above both those guys on the chart last year, and Jimmy the year before, since Graham wasn’t there.
Tbh so far Smith has bot panned out and Graham is more suited to nickle. Which goes back to my point that Ravens fans are not wonderlic wonders.
And The First time her tackles a wr, all will be forgotten
When we have topics and threads like this, it is a tradition to insert Allen Iverson.
In Williams we have a corner who is coming off a Super Bowl win and is damn proud of his performance. That’s fine, but as a fan it sits in the back of your head, is he satisfied now? Does he still have that fire? Will he become complacent?
As fans we hoped he would bring some of the winning Raven’s culture with him. A leader, a vet that is convincing the younger guys to show up. Keep in mind, because of the CBA the OTA’s are one of the few opportunities to be on the field with your coaches and teammates during the off seasons. New teammates, new coaches, new schemes. If you can go, every practice helps.
So he missed with silly excuses and it raised our concerns further…and his words simply inflamed things. His only redemption now is good if not excellent play, something he finds to be a given when the season starts…but to us fans and hopefully the coaches…..not so much. That is the gap between the average fan and Williams. That gap will remain there until he gets on the field.
The whole thing was unnecessary, but to be honest, I think Williams feeds off of this sort of thing. I can’t help but wonder if the whole situation was on purpose. Playing mind games with himself.
Well, there is a silver lining. I hope you are right.
Cant stand Carey “Sconces” Williams, he seems like he always wants to argue even in interviews with spuds and others well before this situation, the guy is just an asshole, the fact that he keeps saying he is a good fathyer like that has something to do with anything is crazy annoying, the whole well if i had 20 babies by 20 different women then yall would have something to talk about is just out of this world stupid, like he made no sense at all.
There is no off-season in the nfl CARRRRRRRRY, you chose this career,you chose to have your decay ridden teeth pulled now,you chose to get married now,you self absorbed modern day spoiled rotten athlete,dont sweat it Cary we hate you already