Am I forced to take an action with a Wild Animal?

[McTavish]

Assuming I have a Minotaur who is currently prone on the pitch next to an enemy player. If he were standing, I'd have to block with him. Being that he is downed, however, do I have to force him to stand up first and then use a blitz, or can I choose to have him not take an action this turn and remain on the ground? They must take their actions first, but they aren't forced to take an action, are they?

Secondly, if he does have to get up, does the "must waste the team's blitz" clause of Wild Animal still apply? When he was selecting what action to take, he was not standing. The Must Block clause specifies that it has to be a standing Wild Animal, not a prone one. In which case, he could choose to merely take a move action and not use the team's blitz for the turn, right?

If neither of these are true, I probably would've just lost a game that I ended up winning. Wound up being able to blitz the ballcarrier and through sheer luck throw a good pass downfield. If the Minotaur had consumed the Blitz action, it wouldn't have worked... So please tell me I'm right.

[Valen]

Wild Animal only makes you trow a block if you begin your turn stood nest too an opponent, if he is prone you can either leave him prone, just move or use your blitz, your call.

So you won fair and square

[narkotic]

You have to activate him as the first player in your turn, but you can decide to "do nothing" if he's not adjacent to an enemy player (in that case you have to do a "Block" or "Blitz" action with the WA).

[Old Man Draco]

LRB p.26
Wild Animal. In addition, if a standing Wild Animal is adjacent to a standing player from the other team.

Just put the guy on his feet and leave him there. No harm done.
Next turn however, apply the WA rules as normal and make the block or Blitz. (That is, if he's still standing)

You played it right and won fair and square.