Joey Porter Still Needs a Hug

Ouch. FOXSports.com senior NFL writer Alex Marvez has a scathing column describing Joey Porter as a “thug” and “this season’s biggest free-agent bust.”

Worse, Marvez’s column follows the release by Fox’s Jay Glazer of a videotape purportedly showing Porter’s beat-down of the Cincy Bengals' Levi Jones at a Las Vegas casino last March. Ugly stuff.

The Steelers’ decision to let Porter test free agency was a no-brainer all along, and it looks better and better with each passing day. No offense, Joey.

By stark contrast, Miami’s front office (led by general manager Randy Mueller) looks worse and worse as the season unfolds with the Dolphins still winless after six losses. First, they signed an aging and in-decline Porter to prop up an aging and in-decline defense.

Then, to continue a recent history of poor drafting, the Dolphins way overspent the ninth overall pick in April’s draft on Ted Ginn Jr. They followed up that mistake by releasing quarterback Daunte Culpepper, now starting in Oakland, and signing the (brain) injury-prone Trent Green – with Cleo Lemon, for cryin' out loud, as the primary backup. Lemon, of course, is now the starter in wake of Green’s latest, potentially career-ending concussion.

Meanwhile, former Dolphins Sammie Morris, Heath Evans and Wes Welker are all making significant contributions to the 6-0 New England Patriots, and Welker’s eye-popping performance yesterday in Dallas punctuated what has already been a stellar season for him.

As for Joey Porter, his longtime foil/nemesis Kellen Winslow II had the last word after finishing yesterday's game with five catches for 90 yards in helping the Browns defeat the Dolphins.

Winslow, whom Porter has insulted repeatedly on and off the field, asked reporters, "Did he play today? I didn't see him."

Ouch.