Mauia case should serve as a “Thug” benchmark

By Hugo Guzman  |   Monday, April 14, 2008  |  Comments( 4 )

Miami Dolphins
Got something to say?

Log In above and share your thoughts on this topic with other fans!
All of those Miami Dolphins fans who were wondering what Bill Parcells really meant when he said “I don’t want thugs” are likely to find out in the very near future, especially if the allegations regarding fullback Reagan Mauia’s arrest prove to be true.

Mauia was jailed on simple battery charges after he supposedly punched a man in the face outside of a Weston drinking establishment. He was later released on a $1,000 bond.

Ironically enough, Mauia endeared himself to the South Florida fan base by appearing on the Dan Le Batard radio show on 790AM in Miami, uttering choice tough-guy phrases such as “knocking fools out.” Clearly, he’s not all talk.

Still, Mauia’s actions on Friday, if substantiated, would make him more than just a juggernaut – a nickname he earned based on his semi-famous YouTube video in which he runs through a thin wall.

They would more or less make him a thug.

Being that Parcells went on the record and said that he didn’t want those types of players on this team, it will be interesting to see how he handles the second-year player -- who is currently slated to be the Dolphins’ starting fullback in 2008.

Miami did sign three-year veteran Boomer Grigsby to compete with Mauia, but Grigsby has just one start in his three seasons and actually shuffled from linebacker to fullback. He is quite the athlete, flashing 4.5 speed in 2005, but is even less polished than Mauia.

Still, Mauia is far from irreplaceable. He was a fifth-round pick who flashed serviceable but unspectacular blocking ability during his rookie season. Moreover, his pass-catching ability, or lack thereof, renders him as a fairly one-dimensional weapon in Miami’s offensive attack.

In other words, if ever there was a starter whose release would not have an overly adverse affect on the offensive unit, it’s Mauia.

So will Parcells and his brain trust make an example of the Samoan battering ram by cutting him lose from the roster? Will there be any significant repercussions, such as a fine or suspension, for the Hawaii product? Or will Mauia get little more than a slap on the wrists for his sucker punch on a civilian?

The Dolphins have not commented on the situation yet, preferring to wait until all of the facts of the case have been established; but if it turns out that Mauia is guilty of this fairly thuggish transgression, the team’s response should serve as a clear precedent in terms of what Parcells really meant when he said that he didn’t want any thugs.
Got something to say?

Log In above and share your thoughts on this topic with other fans! (4)

About Hugo Guzman

Trying to bring an objective approach to NFL analysis.
read more
Article Tools Share!   |  RSS  |  Bleacher Report About Bleacher Report