Updated: Toliver released after meeting with Marcum, Johnson, Samuels

Erstwhile wide receiver T.T. Toliver was released by the Storm this afternoon, hours after meeting this morning with coach Tim Marcum and veteran players Lawrence Samuels and Jeroid Johnson. The quartet met early this morning for about 10 minutes.

Toliver, who came off the "Left Squad" list today, was not present at practice, though he came off the "Left Squad" list today.

Storm coach Tim Marcum says he discussed the situation with some of the team's veterans, then thought it over during practice. By the end of practice, he had decided to release Toliver.

"The benefit is that he’s not a distraction," Marcum said. "We’re going down the road. Boom. Just forget aobut it."

Toliver has not practiced since meeting with Marcum two weeks ago. What, exactly, was said during that meeting is the source of a grievance Toliver has filed with the AFLPA. Toliver says he never "quit" the team, and that the team was wrong for placing him on the "Left Squad" list. Marcum says Toliver quit, prompting the coach to place the receiver on the list, which bars a player from practicing, playing, or receiving a pay check for two weeks.

Marcum essentially had two choices: release Toliver, which would mean he'd be free to sign with any other team in the league (presumably, one the Storm could face in the playoffs); or keep him and work him back into the offense. Technically, the Storm could have kept Toliver on its roster and deactivated him. But that would have meant two things: paying a sizeable salary (Marcum says about $65,000) for nothing, and demoting either rookie Hank Edwards or veteran Karl Williams, both of whom have played well (Williams returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown last week, Edwards had three touchdown catches).

Before the Storm officially released Toliver, quarterback Brett Dietz said he would welcome Toliver back, but only if Toliver wants to be back.

"If he wants on board with us, I want him here," Dietz said, "but if he doesn't want on board, then we don't want him here."

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