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Dareus Story (Panthers.com)

Mr. Scot

By Mr. Scot,
in Carolina Panthers

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Mr. Scot Grand Master

Mr. Scot

Posted
Posted

Ironically titled: Dare to be Great

Excerpts:

Even though Marcell Dareus was bigger than his classmates growing up, he needed a little push on the playground before he gave football a try.

"I started playing when I was in the fifth grade. I was swinging on swings and people came up and said, 'You're a big guy, why don't you come play?" Dareus said. "So I started playing. I didn't have the money for it, but we played and we had a good time."

A decade later, Dareus is still playing football and still having fun with it.

Now, he's grown into a gentle giant of sorts, a 319-pound force ready to try to take the NFL by storm.

"I describe myself as a nice guy, a real nice guy," Dareus said. "Everybody I tackle, I pretty much help 'em up, but I'm coming after you the next play."

Early on in his pursuit of football, Dareus patterned himself after Warren Sapp, a vicious but vivacious defensive tackle known in part for his intense but mostly good-natured battles with quarterback Brett Favre.

Sapp has called Dareus the best three-technique tackle (the tackle that lines up closest to the right guard) in this year's draft.

"I like that Warren Sapp thinks that highly of me," Dareus said. "But I'm going to go out and try my best, and the teams have got to decide."

Like Sapp, Dareus has dealt with his share of controversy. He was suspended for the first two games of the 2010 season for violations of NCAA preferential treatment and agent benefits rules stemming from two trips to Miami last May. His mother died while he was on one of the trips.

"Everything that sounds good, it ain't what it's all cracked up to be," Dareus said. "I apologized to the team, I apologized to my coaches, everybody. I'm just moving on from that. You can't look forward moving back."

Dareus' suspension was big news because of the name he had made for himself the previous season, when he helped power Alabama to its first national title since 1992. In the BCS National Championship, Dareus knocked out Texas quarterback Colt McCoy with a bone-jarring hit in the first quarter and then closed the half with a 28-yard interception return for a touchdown.

"I played pretty hard the whole year," said Dareus, named MVP of the game. "But that game really put me up there."

I'd have to say that's the first time I can recall seeing Warren Sapp described as "vivacious" :sosp:

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micnificent28 Mentor

micnificent28

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Posted

Soild football player good at everything great at nothing. Low ceiling...I think he is already almost as good as he is ever going to be. I pray i don't see the day this team uses the number 1 pick on a guy to clog lanes and help other players make plays. the number 1 pick should be a playmaker in his own right...can't see it...just can't.

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Mr. Scot Grand Master

Mr. Scot

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Soild football player good at everything great at nothing. Low ceiling...I think he is already almost as good as he is ever going to be. I pray i don't see the day this team uses the number 1 pick on a guy to clog lanes and help other players make plays. the number 1 pick should be a playmaker in his own right...can't see it...just can't.

If he actually does turn out to be another Warren Sapp (which some have speculated, including Sapp himself) he'll definitely be worth it.

Whether or not that'll happen is the 64,000 dollar question.

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micnificent28 Mentor

micnificent28

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Posted

If he actually does turn out to be another Warren Sapp (which some have speculated, including Sapp himself) he'll definitely be worth it.

Whether or not that'll happen is the 64,000 dollar question.

sapp was always a great pass rusher is dareus??? don't get me wrong i know we need a dt and at 5 on down i'd be all over this.

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