Whatever happened to Ickey Woods?

korme · 07-05-2004, 02:38 PM

I mean, I could probably ask someone around here but I would like these wise football thoughts. The man goes from 15 touchdowns, 1000 yards, and a Superbowl to next to nothing and out of football by the age of 26. He dazzled with the Ickey Shuffle and he was gone only years later.

Code:

    
 
                  +--------------------------+-------------------------+
                  |          Rushing         |        Receiving        |
 +----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+
 | Year  TM |   G |   Att  Yards    Y/A   TD |   Rec  Yards   Y/R   TD |
 +----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+
 | 1988 cin |  16 |   203   1066    5.3   15 |    21    199   9.5    0 |
 | 1989 cin |   2 |    29     94    3.2    2 |     0      0   0.0    0 |
 | 1990 cin |  10 |    64    268    4.2    6 |    20    162   8.1    0 |
 | 1991 cin |   9 |    36     97    2.7    4 |     6     36   6.0    0 |
 +----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+
 |  TOTAL   |  37 |   332   1525    4.6   27 |    47    397   8.4    0 |
 +----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+

So, was it injury, or what?

LastWhiteSoxFanStanding · 07-05-2004, 02:41 PM

He was never the same after his much publicized affair with Dean Houston.

The_herd · 07-05-2004, 02:43 PM

Blew out his knee. Now he's an insurance salesman.

MrIllini · 07-05-2004, 02:55 PM

no WAY Ickey gets in the HoF...no WAY

MacroGuru · 07-05-2004, 03:17 PM

Boom!

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_ho...s/6831078.html

Chappy · 07-05-2004, 05:23 PM

I heard at one point he was selling seafood door to door. That was shortly after he left the NFL though. As strange as it seems, I think it's true......

JeeberD · 07-05-2004, 05:55 PM

I thought it was steaks, not seafood. But I certainly could be wrong...

Glengoyne · 07-05-2004, 06:00 PM

I ran into him at a youth football camp a couple of years ago. He didn't exactly seem to be "living the life". I honestly felt bad for him. I don't think he got much of an initial contract, and didn't last long enough for his on field performances to pay off. Selling sea food seems a more likely scenario than insurance. He wasn't exactly polished when I talked with him.

BigJohn&TheLions · 07-05-2004, 06:02 PM

He had a fairly typical FOF career...

TroyF · 07-05-2004, 06:03 PM

Icky is now a professional football owner. Womens football. . .

EDIT: Forgot the link, it's a reg site: http://www.daytondailynews.com/sport...625sizzle.html

CINCINNATI | With a touchdown dance known as the "Ickey Shuffle," he wowed Bengals' fans as an NFL rookie phenom in 1988, helping Cincinnati reach the Super Bowl.

Nowadays, Ickey Woods is trying to work more magic as owner, general manager and head coach of the Cincinnati Sizzle women's professional football team.

Woods and wife Chandra — a tight end and defensive tackle — will introduce full-contact women's football to Tri-State fans when they lead the Sizzle against the Kentucky Karma in a National Women's Football Association exhibition game Saturday at 7 p.m. at LaSalle High School.

The Sizzle and Karma are NWFA expansion franchises that begin regular-season league play in April 2005, so Saturday's game will serve as more than just a curiosity, but a barometer of what to expect next year.

"The gals are very determined to make this work," Woods said. "They've worked hard, three to four days a week, getting themselves ready to play. We'll put it on the field and see what happens.

"They'll show fans a real good game. We've got a lot of ladies who can actually play the game of football. With what we've been teaching them since November, they've learned a lot. Now it's time to go out and execute, and see how well they can get it done."

Woods, who turns 39 on Feb. 28, 2005, is a personal trainer at Schwartz Laboratories in Cincinnati. He's held a variety of jobs since his Bengals career (1988-91) was cut short by three knee operations, from selling high-quality meat to selling low-cost attorney services. So how did he land as a women's football coach?

"I was coaching my son's youth team when my wife heard about the women's football league and said she was going to try out," Woods said. "I told her if she tries out and they need coaches, that I would help coach. I was just being sarcastic, really.

"Then she came back and said, 'Hon-ee, guess what? They need a coach.' I said, 'Aagghh.' Then she said, 'Well, you told me you would coach. You promised me.' So I said OK. I'm happy I did it. We've got a lot of great ladies out there, and we're having a lot of fun."

The NWFA, a fourth-year league headquartered in Madison, Tenn., bills itself as the largest full-contact football league in the world for women.

The 2004 World Championship Game is scheduled for July 31 at the Papa John's Cardinal Stadium in Louisville.

Woods said his biggest challenge is fund-raising. He said the club needs an additional $25,000 for equipment, travel, salaries and other expenses. But the money can wait because there's a game to play.

"I'm like (Oakland Raiders owner) Al Davis," Woods said. "Just win, baby. I tell 'em: 'Just go out and give it your all.' As long as they're giving me 110 percent and playing hard, I can live with that.

"I told the ladies when we first started that we're not going to lose a game in the fourth quarter because we're fatigued. If we lose a game, it's because we played a better team."

Woods doesn't have to teach any of his players the "Ickey Shuffle." They already know it.

"I talked to the officials, and there's no infraction for celebrating in our league, so the girls can pretty much have some fun with it," he said.

Vince · 07-05-2004, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TroyF

So how did he land as a women's football coach?

"I was coaching my son's youth team when my wife heard about the women's football league and said she was going to try out," Woods said. "I told her if she tries out and they need coaches, that I would help coach. I was just being sarcastic, really.

"Then she came back and said, 'Hon-ee, guess what? They need a coach.' I said, 'Aagghh.'

That's awesome

samifan24 · 07-05-2004, 08:00 PM

I remember watching the Ickey shuffle when I was very young. Ickey was the reason I liked the Bengals- ok well Ickey and those awesome helmets. As an avid autograph collector, Ickey is one guy I'd really like to add to my collection but he has proven quite elusive and tough to track down.

Schmidty · 07-05-2004, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TroyF

He's held a variety of jobs since his Bengals career (1988-91) was cut short by three knee operations, from selling high-quality meat to selling low-cost attorney services. So how did he land as a women's football coach?

In other words, he was a uptown pimp and a downtown ambulance chaser. Sounds to me like he's perfect for women's football.

Rizon · 07-05-2004, 10:42 PM

I thought he sold Icky Dogs inside the stadium.

Sun Tzu · 07-05-2004, 11:20 PM

Two words.

Ronnie Lott.

Senator · 07-05-2004, 11:29 PM

IW is the poster boy for all those athletes who spend more time refining and thinking about the post TD dance number than game prep. And after Billy White Shoes Johnson, all others pale in comparison.

korme · 07-05-2004, 11:31 PM

I did like Merton Hanks little dance he did. But he was defense and didn't display it much since scoring a TD is a little more difficult.

Senator · 07-05-2004, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shorty3281

I did like Merton Hanks little dance he did. But he was defense and didn't display it much since scoring a TD is a little more difficult.

But didn't he do it with as simple a thing as a change of possession?

Rich1033 · 07-05-2004, 11:50 PM

I like dancing. I say we get rid of kickers and make guys dance for an extra point.

JeeberD · 07-06-2004, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shorty3281

I did like Merton Hanks little dance he did. But he was defense and didn't display it much since scoring a TD is a little more difficult.

He did the Pigeon. Burt was his idol...

B & B · 07-06-2004, 08:48 AM

Did anyone else refer to Merton Hanks as "The Neck"?

Sun Tzu · 07-06-2004, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B & B

Did anyone else refer to Merton Hanks as "The Neck"?

OH, uh...no.

scooper · 07-06-2004, 11:28 AM

Poor Ickey. It was a blown out knee, then the door to door meat thing. At one point, he was installing flooring, now he's doing the personal training gig. Ickey sparked this town in a short time like very few athletes ever have. We've had long time love affairs with players like Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Boomer Esiason, etc., but never has an athlete burned so bright for such a short time here. He's still a bit of a folk hero here and is recognized wherever he goes. People still love him. One of the stories from last season was Ickey leading a group of Bengals fans in the stands in Pittsburg in a rendition of the Ickey Shuffle after Kitna threw the winning TD. The fact that he wasn't bitter over his misfortune and stuck around and remained a Bengals fan probably helps endear him to fans today.

Ksyrup · 07-06-2004, 12:07 PM

Reminds me of Barry Foster...

+--------------------------+-------------------------+
| Rushing | Receiving |
+----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+
| Year TM | G | Att Yards Y/A TD | Rec Yards Y/R TD |
+----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+
| 1990 pit | 16 | 36 203 5.6 1 | 1 2 2.0 0 |
| 1991 pit | 10 | 96 488 5.1 1 | 9 117 13.0 1 |
| 1992 pit | 16 | 390 1690 4.3 11 | 36 344 9.6 0 |
| 1993 pit | 9 | 177 711 4.0 8 | 27 217 8.0 1 |
| 1994 pit | 11 | 216 851 3.9 5 | 20 124 6.2 0 |
+----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+
| TOTAL | 62 | 915 3943 4.3 26 | 93 804 8.6 2 |
+----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+

From incredible to cut by an expansion team in 3 years. What happened to him? Even in his worst years, he had a yards per rush average that Eddie George would kill for.

Last I heard, he was coaching in NFL Europe.

Karlifornia · 07-06-2004, 12:48 PM

I had lunch with Merton Hanks during the season when the Niners had Jim Druckenmiller at QB for a few games. He didn't like Druckenmiller, and openly said the offense was at fault for the bad start to the season.

The Afoci · 07-06-2004, 08:26 PM

Ickey Woods gave up his good genes to Tiger so black people could golf.

Noble_Platypus · 07-06-2004, 08:35 PM

Can you imagine opening the door and seeing Icky shuffling back and forth saying I got hamburgers....I got hot dogs....I got sirloins...."
Creepy

judicial clerk · 07-07-2004, 10:47 AM

Wasn't there a "Whatever happened to ..." thread for pro football players a while back? Speaking of which, whatever happened to Barry Word or that good running back for the Lions in the early 80's, his name escapes me.

Foster had a pretty nice year in 92.

Tom E · 07-07-2004, 03:17 PM

What happen to a lot of guy's in the mid 80's to early 90's, was being part of the explosion of cocaine abuse...

Router Help · 07-07-2004, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by judicial clerk

that good running back for the Lions in the early 80's, his name escapes me.
.

Billy Sims

Great start to a career, bad knees ended it prematurely.

07-05-2004, 02:43 PM	#3
The_herd College Starter Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Fort Lackland, Texas (San Antonio)	Blew out his knee. Now he's an insurance salesman. __________________ Oakland Raiders: HFL's 1970 AC West Champs

07-05-2004, 02:55 PM	#4
MrIllini High School Varsity Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Where you live	no WAY Ickey gets in the HoF...no WAY __________________ if i said you had a beautiful body, would you hold it against me?

07-05-2004, 03:17 PM	#5
MacroGuru Coordinator Join Date: May 2003 Location: Utah	Boom! http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_ho...s/6831078.html __________________ "forgetting what is in the past, I strive for the future"

07-05-2004, 05:55 PM	#7
JeeberD General Manager Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: The Town of Flower Mound	I thought it was steaks, not seafood. But I certainly could be wrong... __________________ UTEP Miners!!! I solemnly swear to never cheer for TO

07-05-2004, 06:02 PM	#9
BigJohn&TheLions College Benchwarmer Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: New York	He had a fairly typical FOF career... __________________ In the immortal words of a great alcoholic, "Can't we all just get along?"

07-05-2004, 02:41 PM	#2
LastWhiteSoxFanStanding College Starter Join Date: Jun 2003	He was never the same after his much publicized affair with Dean Houston.

07-05-2004, 05:23 PM	#6
Chappy Mascot Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Erie, PA	I heard at one point he was selling seafood door to door. That was shortly after he left the NFL though. As strange as it seems, I think it's true......

07-05-2004, 06:00 PM	#8
Glengoyne Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Fresno, CA	I ran into him at a youth football camp a couple of years ago. He didn't exactly seem to be "living the life". I honestly felt bad for him. I don't think he got much of an initial contract, and didn't last long enough for his on field performances to pay off. Selling sea food seems a more likely scenario than insurance. He wasn't exactly polished when I talked with him.

07-05-2004, 06:03 PM	#10
TroyF Coordinator Join Date: Oct 2000	Icky is now a professional football owner. Womens football. . . EDIT: Forgot the link, it's a reg site: http://www.daytondailynews.com/sport...625sizzle.html CINCINNATI \| With a touchdown dance known as the "Ickey Shuffle," he wowed Bengals' fans as an NFL rookie phenom in 1988, helping Cincinnati reach the Super Bowl. Nowadays, Ickey Woods is trying to work more magic as owner, general manager and head coach of the Cincinnati Sizzle women's professional football team. Woods and wife Chandra — a tight end and defensive tackle — will introduce full-contact women's football to Tri-State fans when they lead the Sizzle against the Kentucky Karma in a National Women's Football Association exhibition game Saturday at 7 p.m. at LaSalle High School. The Sizzle and Karma are NWFA expansion franchises that begin regular-season league play in April 2005, so Saturday's game will serve as more than just a curiosity, but a barometer of what to expect next year. "The gals are very determined to make this work," Woods said. "They've worked hard, three to four days a week, getting themselves ready to play. We'll put it on the field and see what happens. "They'll show fans a real good game. We've got a lot of ladies who can actually play the game of football. With what we've been teaching them since November, they've learned a lot. Now it's time to go out and execute, and see how well they can get it done." Woods, who turns 39 on Feb. 28, 2005, is a personal trainer at Schwartz Laboratories in Cincinnati. He's held a variety of jobs since his Bengals career (1988-91) was cut short by three knee operations, from selling high-quality meat to selling low-cost attorney services. So how did he land as a women's football coach? "I was coaching my son's youth team when my wife heard about the women's football league and said she was going to try out," Woods said. "I told her if she tries out and they need coaches, that I would help coach. I was just being sarcastic, really. "Then she came back and said, 'Hon-ee, guess what? They need a coach.' I said, 'Aagghh.' Then she said, 'Well, you told me you would coach. You promised me.' So I said OK. I'm happy I did it. We've got a lot of great ladies out there, and we're having a lot of fun." The NWFA, a fourth-year league headquartered in Madison, Tenn., bills itself as the largest full-contact football league in the world for women. The 2004 World Championship Game is scheduled for July 31 at the Papa John's Cardinal Stadium in Louisville. Woods said his biggest challenge is fund-raising. He said the club needs an additional $25,000 for equipment, travel, salaries and other expenses. But the money can wait because there's a game to play. "I'm like (Oakland Raiders owner) Al Davis," Woods said. "Just win, baby. I tell 'em: 'Just go out and give it your all.' As long as they're giving me 110 percent and playing hard, I can live with that. "I told the ladies when we first started that we're not going to lose a game in the fourth quarter because we're fatigued. If we lose a game, it's because we played a better team." Woods doesn't have to teach any of his players the "Ickey Shuffle." They already know it. "I talked to the officials, and there's no infraction for celebrating in our league, so the girls can pretty much have some fun with it," he said. Last edited by TroyF : 07-05-2004 at 06:04 PM.

07-05-2004, 08:00 PM	#12
samifan24 Pro Starter Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: NC	I remember watching the Ickey shuffle when I was very young. Ickey was the reason I liked the Bengals- ok well Ickey and those awesome helmets. As an avid autograph collector, Ickey is one guy I'd really like to add to my collection but he has proven quite elusive and tough to track down. __________________ "You spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball...and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time." -Jim Bouton

07-05-2004, 11:20 PM	#15
Sun Tzu Pro Starter Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: In the thick of it.	Two words. Ronnie Lott. __________________ I'm still here. Don't touch my fucking bacon.

07-05-2004, 11:29 PM	#16
Senator FOFC's Elected Representative Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: The stars at night; are big and bright	IW is the poster boy for all those athletes who spend more time refining and thinking about the post TD dance number than game prep. And after Billy White Shoes Johnson, all others pale in comparison. __________________ "i have seen chris simms play 4-5 times in the pros and he's very clearly got it. he won't make a pro bowl this year, but it'll come. if you don't like me saying that, so be it, but its true. we'll just have to wait until then" imettrentgreen "looking at only ten games, and oddly using a median only, leaves me unmoved generally" - Quiksand

07-05-2004, 11:31 PM	#17
korme Go Reds Join Date: May 2001 Location: Bloodbuzz Ohio	I did like Merton Hanks little dance he did. But he was defense and didn't display it much since scoring a TD is a little more difficult.

07-05-2004, 11:50 PM	#19
Rich1033 High School Varsity Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Sylvania, Ohio	I like dancing. I say we get rid of kickers and make guys dance for an extra point.

07-06-2004, 08:48 AM	#21
B & B College Benchwarmer Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: A sports era long ago when everything didnt require a Nike logo	Did anyone else refer to Merton Hanks as "The Neck"? __________________ I think that Rosen will be the best QB in the class. -albionmoonlight

07-06-2004, 11:28 AM	#23
scooper College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Cinn City	Poor Ickey. It was a blown out knee, then the door to door meat thing. At one point, he was installing flooring, now he's doing the personal training gig. Ickey sparked this town in a short time like very few athletes ever have. We've had long time love affairs with players like Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Boomer Esiason, etc., but never has an athlete burned so bright for such a short time here. He's still a bit of a folk hero here and is recognized wherever he goes. People still love him. One of the stories from last season was Ickey leading a group of Bengals fans in the stands in Pittsburg in a rendition of the Ickey Shuffle after Kitna threw the winning TD. The fact that he wasn't bitter over his misfortune and stuck around and remained a Bengals fan probably helps endear him to fans today. Last edited by scooper : 07-06-2004 at 11:28 AM.

07-06-2004, 12:07 PM	#24
Ksyrup This guy has posted so much, his fingers are about to fall off. Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: In Absentia	Reminds me of Barry Foster... +--------------------------+-------------------------+ \| Rushing \| Receiving \| +----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+ \| Year TM \| G \| Att Yards Y/A TD \| Rec Yards Y/R TD \| +----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+ \| 1990 pit \| 16 \| 36 203 5.6 1 \| 1 2 2.0 0 \| \| 1991 pit \| 10 \| 96 488 5.1 1 \| 9 117 13.0 1 \| \| 1992 pit \| 16 \| 390 1690 4.3 11 \| 36 344 9.6 0 \| \| 1993 pit \| 9 \| 177 711 4.0 8 \| 27 217 8.0 1 \| \| 1994 pit \| 11 \| 216 851 3.9 5 \| 20 124 6.2 0 \| +----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+ \| TOTAL \| 62 \| 915 3943 4.3 26 \| 93 804 8.6 2 \| +----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+ From incredible to cut by an expansion team in 3 years. What happened to him? Even in his worst years, he had a yards per rush average that Eddie George would kill for. Last I heard, he was coaching in NFL Europe. __________________ M's pitcher Miguel Batista: "Now, I feel like I've had everything. I've talked pitching with Sandy Koufax, had Kenny G play for me. Maybe if I could have an interview with God, then I'd be served. I'd be complete."

07-06-2004, 12:48 PM	#25
Karlifornia Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: San Jose, CA	I had lunch with Merton Hanks during the season when the Niners had Jim Druckenmiller at QB for a few games. He didn't like Druckenmiller, and openly said the offense was at fault for the bad start to the season. __________________ Look into the mind of a crazy man (NSFW) http://www.whitepowerupdate.wordpress.com

07-06-2004, 08:26 PM	#26
The Afoci Pro Rookie Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Moorhead	Ickey Woods gave up his good genes to Tiger so black people could golf. __________________ I had something.

07-06-2004, 08:35 PM	#27
Noble_Platypus College Prospect Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: York, Pa	Can you imagine opening the door and seeing Icky shuffling back and forth saying I got hamburgers....I got hot dogs....I got sirloins...." Creepy __________________ We had the $240, we had to have the puddin'

07-07-2004, 10:47 AM	#28
judicial clerk College Benchwarmer Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Portland, OR	Wasn't there a "Whatever happened to ..." thread for pro football players a while back? Speaking of which, whatever happened to Barry Word or that good running back for the Lions in the early 80's, his name escapes me. Foster had a pretty nice year in 92.

07-07-2004, 03:17 PM	#29
Tom E H.S. Freshman Team Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Livermore, CA	What happen to a lot of guy's in the mid 80's to early 90's, was being part of the explosion of cocaine abuse... __________________ Be Polite Be Proffesional And Be Ready to Kill... I'll Never Forget What's Her Name... A Democrat is Somebody who Knows the Issues, a Republican is Somebody who Understands the Issues...

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)