Houston Texans’ linebacker Brian Cushing won the defensive rookie of the year again, in an unprecedented re-vote by the Associated Press, which hands out the award.
The re-vote was called after Cushing was suspended four games by the NFL for violating the league’s policy on steroids and related substances.
Cushing didn’t receive anywhere near the 39 votes he got the first time around and overall, the race was much closer. Cushing received 18 votes, followed by Buffalo Bills’ safety Dairus Byrd, who finished second again, this time with 13 votes.
The Green Bay Packers’ Clay Matthews again finished third, this time with 10 votes. Matthews received three votes the first time. Brian Orakpo again finished fourth (see a pattern here?) with three votes, one more than the first time voting was conducted.
A new entry to the list of players receiving votes was the St. Louis Rams’ James Laurinaitis, who somehow didn’t receive any support on the first vote, but managed to get one vote this time.
So, what does this all prove?
It proves some people won’t support guys who use steroids or are suspected of using steroids.
It proves most people still think Cushing was the best defensive rookie in 2009, whether he used steroids or not.
And most importantly, it proves that the AP are a bunch of self-important assholes who conducted a re-vote for an award for no apparent reason other than to give that award to the same guy again.
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