Isaiah Pead Emerges From Misery

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By Paul Dehner Jr. on April 22, 2013 2:12 PM
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.gobearcats.com/blog/2013/04/isaiah-pead-emerges-from-misery.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.gobearcats.com/blog/2013/04/ ... isery.html</a>

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After one of the greatest careers by a running back in Cincinnati history, Isaiah Pead surprisingly slid down the St. Louis Rams depth chart after being selected 50th overall. He emerges one year later from a year of self-proclaimed misery with renewed hope to live up to lofty NFL expectations.

In the darkest moments, Isaiah Pead sat inside his expansive house tucked in the suburbs of St. Louis and bounced a tennis ball against the wall. Alone.

He'd lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, music playing, with the loneliness only matched by the frustration.

Pead left the Unviersity of Cincinnati known as much for an outgoing personality and contagious laugh as explosive cuts and game-breaking speed.

Yet, one year after being selected by the Rams as the second running back taken in the 2012 NFL draft, he's recovering from a rookie year spent buried as deep within his own mind as his third spot on the depth chart.

"Honestly, I would call it miserable," Pead said. "Miserable life. Miserable four-five months."

High expectations crumbled to a rubble of humility by the time Pead packed his bags at season's end. The moment the Rams completed their 7-8-1 season with his exit interview, he arranged a flight and wasted no time bolting town and an empty house that symbolized unfulfillment.

"I took off and I didn't come back until it was time to," Pead said. "I just wanted to stay out of this area, I came back for a couple days to pack up then all the memories and walking back into my house by myself, had a couple days by myself, I just needed to get out of that area."

The second-round pick and 50th player selected overall sparingly touched the field, surprisingly beaten out by seventh-round pick Daryl Richardson early in the season, both behind veteran Steven Jackson. He played a total of 42 snaps. Pead carried 10 times for 54 yards and caught three passes for 16 yards. A mediocre half for him at UC, an entire healthy season in St. Louis.

"I was literally fed up with football," Pead said. "Not a quitter, not quitting, I was just tired of football. Tired of practice for the day and I would just lay there play video games and whatnot because it was so miserable, so stressful."

Pead can't explain how his situation reached these ugly depths. He honestly doesn't know. Twice during the year he says he arrived late for meetings, though, those discretions came after the backup position he thought would be his fell to the 252nd overall pick out of Abilene Christian. Combine disappointment on the field with an unattached life off it living away from a social scene, teammates, without a girlfriend and even having his grandparents take his dog back to Ohio in order to allow keener focus.

In uncertain surroundings and football suffocating every moment, the season snowballed.

Lessons like those learned by Pead last season can't be coached. They can't even be taught by parents. They can only be endured.

Long battles inside his own mind stemmed to simplistic roots. Not necessarily his roots racking up 4,009 yards receiving and rushing with the Bearcats. Or even breaking Archie Griffin's Ohio high school rushing records at Eastmoor Academy. His coping mechanism went deeper.

"I find myself taking all the way back to Day One when I first started playing football," Pead said. "I went through progressions with myself. What is going on? What am I doing wrong? What can I do right? How can I change this situation? (Moved) to the point I just stop worrying about it, just went to practice every day. Did the best I could."

He employed the same strategy as Season 2 began last week in St. Louis. Jackson moved on to the Packers and a wide open running back room awaits with Pead in position to seize the day. Coach Jeff Fisher believes Pead can easily live up to his draft-pick status. ESPN Insider Adam Schefter even pegged Pead as his 2013 NFC breakout player during a recent interview session with Sports Illustrated's Peter King. Despite all that's gone wrong for Pead, the future remains ripe with opportunity.

"He just didn't get a chance because of the other two," Fisher said to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, referring to Jackson and Richardson. "But he'll get his opportunity this year. ... He's got a chance to make a lot of big plays for us."

Few understand better than Pead no position comes predestined, no opportunity given. That's especially true for a player with an empty year anchored to his 23-year-old body.

Months removed from the situation in the supportive grasps of friends and family helped provide perspective. He feels renewed and focused on improving his mental approach. Earlier to rise, earlier to bed, more time in the playbook, less time opting for fast food. All small aspects of being a pro which partially contributed to his disappointment.

"Whole new era, whole new attitude, whole new team, whole new Pead," he said.

Humbled and hopeful, Pead doesn't sugarcoat his expectations. He feels capable of breaking out into the player that made him a fan favorite and national star at UC, but admits no matter how hard he tries the decision ultimately rests in the hands of others.

He's come to terms with an unpredictable reality, only prefers to keep blinders on while tracking his personal finish line.

"Now I'm just getting back to what I know what got me here and that's being the best in the workout that day, going home, coming back and giving my best in the workout that day," Pead said. "My goals, I really don't have one. I want to win every day and be the best person every day."

He views the concept of opening the season as the starter more as a complete 180 than desired accomplishment. His goals don't stretch beyond a championship and a chance. Contemplating anything further drags him in the direction of last year's misery.

"I just want to play," Pead said. "I'm not even asking to be the starter, I just want to play."

Touching the field represents the next step toward officially burying those long nights staring at the ceiling or bouncing the tennis ball against the wall. A declared man of action rather than talk, he's finally able to start running toward daylight.

"I'm not going to sit and linger on something, but I am one to not forget about a situation," Pead said. "I am moving on from last year, last year is last year, but I have not forgot about last year. I wouldn't call it revenge, but the chip that I put on my shoulder is just a little bigger."
 

RamFan503

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Jackson moved on to the Packers
Huh?

Anyway, I hope he DOES play with a bigger chip on his shoulder. I don't know about saying, "I'm not even asking to be the starter, I just want to play." I want him to fully expect to be the starter and accept nothing less of himself.
 

A55VA6

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I like Isaiah and I think he can be a big part of our running game, and I hope he is.
 

RamFan503

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A55VA6 said:
I like Isaiah and I think he can be a big part of our running game, and I hope he is.

Me too. Don't like how the article seems to indicate his confidence is down. Hope he comes out like hell on fire. He certainly seems to have the talent.
 

fastcat

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RamFan503 said:
A55VA6 said:
I like Isaiah and I think he can be a big part of our running game, and I hope he is.

Me too. Don't like how the article seems to indicate his confidence is down. Hope he comes out like hell on fire. He certainly seems to have the talent.

Yea i dont like this article either... It does seem like he doesnt have confidence. He made it even clearer when he said it didnt matter if he's the starter, i just want to play.... It should always be in a pro's head that it MATTERS that they want to start.... Screw want... NEED to start... No matter how delusional it may seem. If Tom Brady is the Qb, ryan mallet should still not just want to play.... But be a STARTER!
 

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I dunno. I mean, he could say all the *right* things here, but I assume he's just conveying his passion for the game. Like, "Fuck man... I just wanna play. Gimme the ball and let me play." I don't have any doubt that it's his desire to be the starter, and I think it's a good thing that he's not trying to show up Richardson in the process. He'll let his play do the talking, I think.
 

BuiltRamTough

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It's just an article it really doesn't mean anything...he has to be more patient when he runs wait for the block see the hole and BANG
 

Username

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Not sure what to say, but it makes sense. I've been worried about him psych wise instead of talent wise for a while now. Hopefully he can find his motivation. Rams are going to need him dearly this year. If he continues to spiral the Rams will pass him up. I hope Fish doesn't let this happen. Kid has talent and the team invested heavily in him by taking him in the 2nd. Fisher needs to help this kid out. He's in a position he may never be again in his life. He needs guidance. He should be motivated more than he ever has in his life. Fuck everyone else. Do it for yourself. Do it for your family. Do it for your love of the game. Train your fucking ass off Isaiah. Let's go, Rams up. No regrets.
 

BatteringRambo

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Maybe all of us from ROD who have Twitter can send some genuine thoughts his way that WE are very confident in him for 2013 and beyond!

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
 

A55VA6

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BatteringRambo said:
Maybe all of us from ROD who have Twitter can send some genuine thoughts his way that WE are very confident in him for 2013 and beyond!

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That would be nice, and I would hope he sees them! I think the Rams fans do believe in him and want him to succeed.
 

DR RAM

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BatteringRambo said:
Maybe all of us from ROD who have Twitter can send some genuine thoughts his way that WE are very confident in him for 2013 and beyond!

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
He definitely needs a support system.
 

bluecoconuts

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Shocked there weren't friends to hang with. I guess the NFL is different that the NHL... Hockey if you're not married everyone has roommates. Not mandatory of course but they just do it. You'd think some younger guys in the NFL would group up, that sucks just going home to an empty house. I can understand being miserable there, not playing, nobody to have fun with.

Pead will have a good season next year I think. He's got talent, it will be on display.
 

TK42-RAM

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All seems very odd -- A player drafted that highly and that talented should be nurtured and guided through early stages of an nfl career -- we are hearing only one side of it though -- as we know truth can sometimes be stretched in the attempt for a good story.
 

Angry Ram

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Well I can sympathize w/ him.... sophomore year of college. Living alone, everyone close to me back home. It seems hopeless.

C'mon Isaiah, don't live like that.
 

DR RAM

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I told him Rams Nation was with him always....

That should do it.
 

nighttrain

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The Dude said:
I dunno. I mean, he could say all the *right* things here, but I assume he's just conveying his passion for the game. Like, "freak man... I just wanna play. Gimme the ball and let me play." I don't have any doubt that it's his desire to be the starter, and I think it's a good thing that he's not trying to show up Richardson in the process. He'll let his play do the talking, I think.
Think you got it Dude. I read it in the same context, "just gimme the ball man and let me play", it's really the bottom line for a RB
train
 

shaunpinney

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What gets me about this article is how "open" it is... and I have to be honest, I feel a little disappointed in the Rams FO if they can let their 2nd round pick down like the article suggest, I thought the whole part of the new Rams belief was the Rams family...

BUT - it show's fantastic character that he didn't go blowing his money on drink & drugs, getting into trouble etc... and sometimes everything does feel dark, I'm sure these guys coming out of college, into the expected glamour of the NFL, they expect all of the glitz but don't realize that its also a lot of hard work, learning and training...

I think when he say's he doesnt want to be the starter - it's just that, remember Fisher wants runningback by committee approach, there won't be a said 'starter'

My advice is this tho: Someone needs to tell his grandparents to give his dog back to him - my dog died in February and I'm still down because of it - besides, with a dog you get out of your house more often, you meet other people, its one of the most sociable things to do and its great company
 

bluecoconuts

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DR RAM said:
I told him Rams Nation was with him always....

That should do it.

You should tweet him the site, if he's ever lonely he's got plenty of friends here that he could talk to. :sly:
 

Rabid Ram

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I think this article is more telling of why NFL players do stupid shit more of an inside glimpse. Alone down out out things not going the way of the player and players looking for a way to forget for a bit and boom bad decisions. Kinda shows atleast a level of decision making on peads part to not make those decisions.
 

BatteringRambo

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Jason Forst (@rockngymjunkie) tweeted at 1:18 PM on Tue, Apr 23, 2013:
@iPead you have full Rams support @ <a class="postlink" href="http://t.co/iYCByDpLa8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://t.co/iYCByDpLa8</a> stop in sometime and say hi!#nextRamsfutureRBYOU
(<a class="postlink" href="https://twitter.com/rockngymjunkie/status/326792320160772099" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">https://twitter.com/rockngymjunkie/stat ... 0160772099</a>)


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