``There's a fine line, especially when you play offensive line,'' he said. ``You're coached to play through the whistle, and I've always been toeing that line. Always over and back.''

In all, he committed 11 personal fouls in four seasons with the Rams. The league got so fed up with his excessiveness, they hit him with a $50,000 fine after he committed two personal fouls in one game -- and also got into an argument with his head coach.

And that final outburst, which got him cut by the Rams the following week, actually happened a month after The Sporting News poll.