Luke Staley

[white lightning]

Here is a short article on Luke Staley attempting to make a comeback.He is in shape and trying out to make a New Arena Football League Team in Utah.I would love to see him play again.Maybe on a long shot,if he did really good,in another year,he could make one last attempt to make the NFL.I know I'm probably just dreaming but that's better than reality sometimes.lol.

http://newsnet.byu.edu/story.cfm/57057

 

[Colonel_Reb]

That must be the Utah Blaze I've been hearing about. The coach is Danny White, ex. Cowboy QB/P and former Arizona Rattlers coach, where he won 2 AFL championships. They had open tryouts a couple of weeks ago. It looks like they are getting some good talent. I hope Luke Staley is one of them.

 

[backrow]

thanks for the update on Luke. i was looking for some info on him ever since Detroit conveniently waived the only white tailback in last 10 years that could really be a star or at least a solid 1000 yard rusher given a chance...

 

[jaxvid]

We have had a lot of discussion about Luke here, if you want to see more you can do a search of the message board. There is also some on him in the NFL archives and JB Cash columns.

 

[backrow]

ok, appreciate the info jax

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Luke did not make the 37 man roster of the Utah Blaze. I don't know what happened, but I fear that was the last time he will try out for a team.

They have 37 players currently, and have to cut it down to 24 by game day on the 28'th. Edited by: Colonel_Reb

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Here's an excerpt from an article back in late October about Luke and his tryout with the Blaze. Evidently, he didn't make it through training camp, because he isn't on the 37 man roster.

Staley had all the physical tools in the world while at BYU. But a series of injuries caused his NFL career to end before it really began. He's now giving the Blaze a shot.
"It's something totally different, totally new," Staley said of the AFL game where he would be asked to change positions from running back to wide receiver and linebacker. "But it's just fun to get out there and compete again."

 

[backrow]

yes, here's a link to Utah Blaze forums where i asked about Luke...

 

[White Shogun]

yes, here's a link to Utah Blaze forums where i asked about Luke...

I appreciate the posts about Staley, but.. wow. It took all of eight posts for that thread to degenerate into name calling and insults. Another example of why I love Caste Football.

 

[backrow]

yes, i only noticed that as i was posting, last one i remembered was of the guy saying he wasn't gonna make a team...

 

[whiteathlete33]

I had no idea Staley is doing so bad.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/...aying-a-painful-price-for-gridiron-glory.html

 

[McCaffrey Dude]

I feel bad for the guy but maybe people like Staley is the reason McCaffrey opted to skip his bowl game which truthfully for the last month I was really looking forward to watching yesterday. 2 of the most athletic explosive players in college football ( Ryan Switzer ) on the field all game on offense and returning kicks. It did get me ticked off as it was the last game for College Football's best rb since the days of Barrry Sanders. Not joking.

 

[Carolina Speed]

I had no idea Staley is doing so bad.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/...aying-a-painful-price-for-gridiron-glory.html

Everyone here who has young kids wanting to play football or has a desire to in the future needs to read this article. I'm trying to figure out where Staley's parents were in all this decision making. A torn ACL is tricky. It's painful and swells in the beginning, but after about 2 weeks the swelling goes down and you feel like you can play, but it's never the same and dangerous to try and play with one. It's heartbreaking when you or your son sustains an ACL tear, especially more than one, and damages or delays his career, but it's not worth further damage to your body if you keep playing. I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE!
I would say when bringing your children up to participate in athletics, stress the importance of their education first. I'm thankful that I did!

 

[Ambrose]

Everyone here who has young kids wanting to play football or has a desire to in the future needs to read this article. I'm trying to figure out where Staley's parents were in all this decision making. A torn ACL is tricky. It's painful and swells in the beginning, but after about 2 weeks the swelling goes down and you feel like you can play, but it's never the same and dangerous to try and play with one. It's heartbreaking when you or your son sustains an ACL tear, especially more than one, and damages or delays his career, but it's not worth further damage to your body if you keep playing. I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE!
I would say when bringing your children up to participate in athletics, stress the importance of their education first. I'm thankful that I did!

Stanley is a good example of why so many smart white parents do not waste their time pursuing a sports career for their children -especially not a football career. If not the injuries, or the very slim chance of getting hired, they would have to accept unprincipled, imbecilic wretches as their co-workers. Why bother when a science and/or business education, and the like, leads to a almost certain satisfaction.

 

[white is right]

Yes it will only get worse. I suspect in a few years football will be cosigned to ghetto areas similar to boxing gyms. He is only 35 years old and is busted up like a laborer who fell off of a roof or ledger on a construction site. God Bless him, I suspect if he had a negative attitude he would be dead from suicide or drugging or drinking to death.

 

[celticdb15]

Sobering reminder that our football heroes are just modern day gladiators who put their bodies on the line as a sacrifice for the masses to be entertained. Glad Luke is staying focused on his wife and children I hope he finds peace to end the emotional and physical pain.

I played football from age 6-18 and was fortunate to stay relatively healthy besides bruises and scrapes. One concussion and tore bursa sack in my knee. Can't imagine the shape some of these guy's bodys are in after playing college and pro ball.. Truly don't know if I'd have my kids play football when that day comes..

 

[white lightning]

Hang in there Luke. We loved watching you but none of us had any idea of what you went throuh with injuries, surguries, etc. So happy he has a beautiful loving family supporting him. In the long run he is blessed.

 

[Flint]

Staley's injury history was enlightening. I had no idea at the time. Three knee surgeries, ankle, shoulder, that's a lot of work. I better understand why he dropped so far in the draft. There is no way he could have stood up to the pounding of the NFL as a back.

I feel for him. I think even with other peoples input he would have decided to play. You can't look into the future and see the end result. You only know to go for it while you can. He was young when he made the decision to keep on playing but he was also over 20 years old. He was legally a man and responsible for the decisions he made. It's too bad it turned out so bad for him. I wish him the best.

I also wonder if his decision to play through the injuries was spurred on by the fact that there are very small windows for white skill players. Peyton Hillis for example practically lost his career because he took a sick day. Staley might have realized, even subconsciously that taking a year off to rehab would just open the door for some super duper affalete to block him permanently from a starting job.

 

[backrow]

here's a little documentary I found on Luke on youtube.

 

[white lightning]

here's a little documentary I found on Luke on youtube.

He is an amazing athlete for sure. One of the best I've ever seen play the game. It's hard to believe it's been almost
20 years since he played at BYU. What a travesty how his career ended. So sad. Luke Staley was a superhero when
healthy the likes of which you rarely see. To me he was Gerhart & McCaffrey combined into a super man rb!

 

[backrow]

He was amazing. That combination of size, speed, power and agility. Considering he played his junior year mostly through injuries (ankle and others) makes me wonder how much better he could have been playing painless.