Although it is sad that he died, I remember that he was the athlete that while recovering from an injury ordered a pizza delivery, but when the pizza arrived he had no money to pay for it, so he decide to beat the delivery driver up with his crutches. Classy.
He did seem to play angry, as I remember him.
'Ironhead,' Vermeil butt heads over weight issue
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[FONT=Helvetica,Arial]Click here for more on this story[SIZE=+0][/SIZE][/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Posted: Friday August 21, 1998 03:07 PM
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[FONT=helvetica,arial]Heyward was particularly angered by comments Vermeil made about his weight <NOBR>Mike Powell/Allsport</NOBR>[/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
ST. LOUIS -- Craig "Ironhead" Heyward has had it with St. Louis Rams coach Dick Vermeil and wants his release. But Vermeil on Friday wondered what other team would want the AWOL fullback.
Prior to training camp, Vermeil told Heyward to arrive at 260 pounds or don't show up. So far, Heyward, who reportedly weighed close to 300 pounds at a minicamp in June, is a no-show. He's missed all of camp and the first two preseason games.
"We've talked to people about trading for him," said Vermeil, who added that teams the Rams have talked to aren't interested in Heyward. "Let me ask you this: What would you give up for him?"
In a phone interview from his home in Atlanta, Heyward told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he's fed up with Vermeil's hard practices, his inability to relate to veteran players, even his fat jokes.
"I do not want to play or work for that man again," Heyward told the newspaper. There was no listing for Heyward in Atlanta, and he could not be reached by The Associated Press.
"Let's just part ways," Heyward said. "You go your way and I'll go mine. Let me go, please. Put emphasis on the word please."
Heyward is in the second year of a four-year, $4.5 million contract. The team is fining him $5,000 per day. So far, he's accumulated fines totaling $135,000, leaving a TV soap commercial as his main source of income.
"You've got to sell a lot of Zest to make that kind of money," Vermeil said.
Heyward was particularly angered by comments Vermeil made about his weight. Vermeil said Heyward "should consider himself retired" if he failed to make weight. Vermeil also said Heyward should "cut the teeth off his fork" to control his eating habits.
"He needs to just shut his mouth," Heyward said, though he indicated Vermeil's words were motivating him.
"Every time he says something, it just propels me to work out even harder," Heyward said. "I want to thank him for putting some fire in me. You should see me now. I feel great." He would not reveal his weight.
Heyward could force the Rams to either cut him or keep him if he showed up for practice. Asked if he would report, Heyward said, "Mum's the word, baby."
Vermeil said he won't consider cutting Heyward until if, or when, he shows up in St. Louis.
Heyward said Vermeil's practices are so hard the Rams play the equivalent of two or three games a week. He said the workload is particularly hard on veterans.
"For an older guy ... you need to work on technique, you need to work on skills, you need the classroom time," he said. "You don't need the physical pounding."
Nonsense, Vermeil said.
"It's the National Football League, the St. Louis Rams. It's not his right to play. It's a privilege to play.
"The money we're spending on players today, each individual team is expecting something in return," Vermeil said.
'Ironhead,' Vermeil butt heads over weight issue
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ST. LOUIS -- Craig "Ironhead" Heyward has had it with St. Louis Rams coach Dick Vermeil and wants his release. But Vermeil on Friday wondered what other team would want the AWOL fullback.
Prior to training camp, Vermeil told Heyward to arrive at 260 pounds or don't show up. So far, Heyward, who reportedly weighed close to 300 pounds at a minicamp in June, is a no-show. He's missed all of camp and the first two preseason games.
"We've talked to people about trading for him," said Vermeil, who added that teams the Rams have talked to aren't interested in Heyward. "Let me ask you this: What would you give up for him?"
In a phone interview from his home in Atlanta, Heyward told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he's fed up with Vermeil's hard practices, his inability to relate to veteran players, even his fat jokes.
"I do not want to play or work for that man again," Heyward told the newspaper. There was no listing for Heyward in Atlanta, and he could not be reached by The Associated Press.
"Let's just part ways," Heyward said. "You go your way and I'll go mine. Let me go, please. Put emphasis on the word please."
Heyward is in the second year of a four-year, $4.5 million contract. The team is fining him $5,000 per day. So far, he's accumulated fines totaling $135,000, leaving a TV soap commercial as his main source of income.
"You've got to sell a lot of Zest to make that kind of money," Vermeil said.
Heyward was particularly angered by comments Vermeil made about his weight. Vermeil said Heyward "should consider himself retired" if he failed to make weight. Vermeil also said Heyward should "cut the teeth off his fork" to control his eating habits.
"He needs to just shut his mouth," Heyward said, though he indicated Vermeil's words were motivating him.
"Every time he says something, it just propels me to work out even harder," Heyward said. "I want to thank him for putting some fire in me. You should see me now. I feel great." He would not reveal his weight.
Heyward could force the Rams to either cut him or keep him if he showed up for practice. Asked if he would report, Heyward said, "Mum's the word, baby."
Vermeil said he won't consider cutting Heyward until if, or when, he shows up in St. Louis.
Heyward said Vermeil's practices are so hard the Rams play the equivalent of two or three games a week. He said the workload is particularly hard on veterans.
"For an older guy ... you need to work on technique, you need to work on skills, you need the classroom time," he said. "You don't need the physical pounding."
Nonsense, Vermeil said.
"It's the National Football League, the St. Louis Rams. It's not his right to play. It's a privilege to play.
"The money we're spending on players today, each individual team is expecting something in return," Vermeil said.
Had the unfortunate displeasure of playing against this fella throughout my high school career...I played Strong Safety...I still have nitemares of this animal coming at me full steam after he smashed through our d-line.
He was a man against boys in high school. Nice kid, could hit a baseball a country mile too.
His brother Nate was a great player too.
RIP My man.
He was a man against boys in high school. Nice kid, could hit a baseball a country mile too.
His brother Nate was a great player too.
RIP My man.
