The NFL’s new National Anthem policy is an EPIC FAIL. Want to get rid of politics? Stop having litigation with the players or ban all politically themed items from the game for everyone.
Am I Wrighster or Am I wrong? #NFL #kaepernick #wrighsterorwrong
2017: Ranking Every NFL Quarterback 1-32
All NFL quarterbacks are not created equal, but we must always determine who is the greatest. All season I kept hearing about this guy and that guy is an elite quarterback. I got so frustrated hearing fans having this discussion without having a clue of what the truth is that I had to provide a definite list for you guys. Since you come to me for truth and honesty, I am obligated to provide an objective and real ranking, free from bias or hate. I broke them down into multiple categories: Elites, Specials, Everybody Else’s, and Young Cats.
The definition of elite: the choice or best of anything considered collectively, as of a group or class of persons, persons of the highest class.
Before you continue, don’t bother getting upset if your quarterback isn’t on the elite list. If he is not on the Elites list, he is NOT elite. Just accept it! There are only 32 starting quarterbacks in the NFL. Even having 5 elites is already 15% of the league. So, if your quarterback is in the 25th percentile, he’s not elite. Elite quarterbacks literally have no holes in their game, and every team without an elite would trade their quarterback for an elite.
*Transparency- I originally put my Elites out on twitter and read as if Rivers and Stafford are elite, they are not.
* I intentionally left Andrew Luck off the NFL QB rankings. He hasn’t played in over a year and only God knows when/if we will see him again.
Elites
The Elites are special and usually Hall of Fame caliber quarterbacks. These quarterbacks who give you an opportunity to win no matter how much adversity is thrown their way. They give you a chance to win with a makeshift offensive line, no running back, and no defense. These guys make improbable comebacks look routine. No lead is ever safe when you face one of the Elites. It is no coincidence that the Elites are in the playoffs nearly every year, and are usually preseason Super Bowl contenders.
If you are wondering if your quarterback should be on this list, ask yourself one simple question. Would I trade my quarterback for those guys? The answer is yes you would.
1. Aaron Rodgers– The best quarterback in the NFL. He checks every box. Every team in the NFL would trade their quarterback for him. Even the Patriots. He still has 6+ years of great football left.
2. Tom Brady– At 40, Tom Terrific is still just that, terrific. However, there had been a little decrease in his arm strength and deep play ability lately.
3. Drew Brees– Brees is part of the 70,000 passing yard club, and still lighting it up.
4. Russell Wilson– Russell was in the Specials category until this year. He single-handedly kept Seattle in playoff contention this year without a running back, offensive line, or top-flight defense.
5. Ben Roethlisberger– Just when people start questioning the two-time Super Bowl champion, he reminds doubters he is elite. He threw for 469 yards and 5 TDs in the Steelers playoff loss.
Specials
The Specials are the quarterbacks who are significantly above average but don’t quite make the Elite cut. These guys put up big numbers and win a lot of games, but occasionally leave their fan bases wishing for an Elite. They are irreplaceable because the only quarterbacks better than them are elite, and sane people realize Elites just don’t fall out of the sky.
6. Cam Newton– There are only two things keeping Cam out of the Elites category: competition percentage, and 3rd down completion percentage.
7. Phillip Rivers– Rivers is the Karl Malone and Charles Barkley of the NBA. They have no championships because of Michael Jordan. Rivers has none because of Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.
8. Matt Ryan– Matty Ice is a special quarterback. To this point, he has not shown the ability to put the team on his shoulders and carry them to victory. Too often after losses we hear, “he played good enough to win”. Good is not good enough when better is expected.
9. Matthew Stafford– He has been much better since he stopped changing his arm motion on every throw. He simply does not have enough big games to warrant the Elites tag.
10. Kirk Cousins– The future looks very bright for Kirk Cousins. He has all the tools to be an Elite quarterback. He has to get his team into more big games to make the leap into the Elites.
11. Carson Wentz– Wentz is still a young guy and should be in the Young Cats group, but he’s been so phenomenal that he deserves it.
Everybody Else’s
The Everybody Else’s are a very unique category because overall these are solid quarterbacks. Their fan bases have a love/hate relationship with them. They love them but are often frustrated by the peaks and valleys that happen in the NFL. If these guys are surrounded by good defense and a running game they can win it all. Some of the Everybody Else’s are even Super Bowl champions or former Specials. They have fallen down the list because of age, being overrated, or poor play. The rest of them are young guys that no longer fall into the Young Cats category. It is definitely possible and likely that some of these guys may move up to Specials.
12. Alex Smith– Smith will never lose you the game, but he will occasionally win it for you. I always believe he was coached into the “game manager” role.
13. Marcus Mariota– Mariota is too old to be in the Young Cats category. He has definitely shown he has potential to be a Specials or Elites quarterback. If he gets some stability at offensive coordinator he will have an opportunity to show his true potential.
14. Derek Carr- If you owned “Derek Carr is the next best thing” stock, 2017 had to make you consider selling.
15. Joe Flacco– After 10 years in the NFL it is clear, he’s the definition of an average quarterback. I have been screaming since the 2011 season Super Bowl that Flacco wasn’t elite. He has one really good year. He has only thrown over 25 TDs once in his career, and only once under 12 interceptions.
16. Blake Bortles– Blake Bortles and Joe Flacco are the EXACT SAME GUY. The only difference is that Flacco got hot one year and won a Super Bowl. Bortles is younger and definitely has an opportunity to make a run with the Jaguars defense.
17. Jameis Winston– Again… too old to be in the Young Cats category. He has to stop turning the ball over to be a Specials quarterback.
18. Eli Manning– The window is closing on a great career. If he can land with a great defense, he might still have another Super Bowl run left in him.
19. Andy Dalton- The Red Rocket is Alex Smith “lite”.
20. Tyrod Taylor– He is the Black Alex Smith. The best way to describe Taylor is “efficient, not exceptional”.
21. Case Keenum– Are we supposed to believe 2017 Case Keenum or 2012-16? I know his team is playing in the NFC Championship, but I have 5 seasons that say this season is an outlier.
22. Josh McCown– You have to applaud the job he did with the Jets this year. Everyone expects the Jets to go winless. McCown defied the odds. Can you believe he has been in the NFL for 15 years?
23. Jay Cutler– He was retired…If teams are going to continue to give him $10 million and not care about the results then he should take it.
Young Cats
The Young Cats are just that, Young Cats. There is not a large enough sample size to appropriately rank them with the other guys. The arrow is still up on the majority of these guys, but this is the NFL, inexperience is not a valid excuse for a lack of success for long.
1. Jared Goff– He looked like a bust as a rookie, but he rebounded with a very impressive sophomore campaign.
2. Dak Prescott– He has to be able to win games when Sean Lee and Ezekiel Elliott are out.
3. Deshaun Watson– His last 5 starts were absolutely electric. The arrow is so far up on this guy. I’m scared to put a limit on what category he can ascend to next season. However, he cannot be ranked any higher because the sample size is so small.
4. Jimmy Garoppolo– He’s 5-0 and showed flashes of promise on a bad team. He has a lot of hype surrounding him, can he live up to it.
5. Mitchell Trubisky– He didn’t look terrible. He looked like a rookie on a bad team. Maybe we will see a Jared Goff-like year two.
6. Jacoby Brissett– Talk about a guy in a difficult situation. He showed up in Indianapolis at the start of the season and was thrown to the wolves. I believe he can be a quality player if Luck doesn’t make it back.
7. DeShone Kizer– Just an awful situation. I feel bad for him because the Browns may draft a quarterback in the first round and he may never get a real opportunity to be an NFL starter.
Carolina Panthers New Owners May Look Like This: You ok with that?
70% of NFL players are Black, it’s about time for a Black man to be an owner.
Sunday, Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson put out a press release saying he would be selling the team following the 2017 season. This statement comes on the heels of an investigation by Sports Illustrated about sexual harassment within the Carolina Panthers organization.
Naturally, this leaves three significant questions that need to be answered:
1. What the hell did Jerry Richardson do?
Whatever he did was bad enough that he would voluntarily sell his team and pay “significant” monetary settlements to keep people quiet. Logically, you would only give up one of your most prized possessions when there is little to no alternative. We saw what happened with former Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling. Richardson must have known that fighting would not be a good move for anyone around.
· SI has learned that at least four former Panthers employees have received ‘significant’ monetary settlements due to inappropriate workplace comments and conduct by owner Jerry Richardson, including sexually suggestive language and behavior, and on at least one occasion directing a racial slur at an African-American Panthers scout
· The settlements came with non-disclosure requirements forbidding the parties from discussing the details
· The Panthers declined to comment to SI beyond reiterating their statement issued on Friday that the team had commenced an internal investigation into allegations of workplace misconduct by Richardson. The NFL has reportedly taken over the investigation
2. Who will be the next owner? Could it be a Black man or woman?
There are a lot of people who will want to become the next owner of the Panthers. According to Forbes, there are 565 billionaires in the U.S. and 1,500 plus overseas. So, the NFL will have no shortage of people who want to own a team. You might think it would go to the highest bidder, wrong. The other owners must vote to approve any additional owner despite the price he/she is willing to pay. It is hard to crack the “good ole boy’s club”. The NFL has never had a Black majority owner. In fact, Jaguars owner Shahid Khan (2011) was the first and only minority ever approved as a majority NFL owner.
Could that change with rap mogul Sean “P.Diddy” Combs? Combs and Steph Curry made it publicly known they would like would like to be the new Panthers owners.
I would like to buy the @Panthers. Spread the word. Retweet!— Diddy (@Diddy) December 18, 2017
I️ want in! https://t.co/XvvC1vo7xI— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) December 18, 2017
History says they have no chance. However, some factors are working both for and against them. Colin Kaepernick has been a lightning rod for owners for the last two seasons. Owners have mad a concerted effort to keep him out of the league. Might the owners be afraid of Combs and Curry? Both have been very outspoken about political issues and against President Trump. But that may work in their favor being that Trump is persona non grata with the NFL owners right now. There are also the rumors that many NFL owners are secretly racists, who view their players as well paid slaves. If true, they definitely don’t want some young “urban” flavor in their meetings. On the other hand, the owners may view this as an opportunity. What better way to shut down any negative racial issues surrounding the league by allowing a qualified, capable, and popular new owner? Combs and Curry represent hip-hop, which is a culture that transcends race. That culture is full of millennials. Millenials don’t watch football with the same diehard tenacity as their elders do. Wouldn’t the NFL love to find a way to get them invested in the league?
If not them, what other notable Black people could be on the list? Oprah, Michael Jordan, Dr. Dre, and Robert E. Smith are also possibilities. In fact, there is a real possibility where Oprah, Jordan, or Smith could be the majority owner with the likes of P. Diddy, Steph Curry, Jay-z, or LeBron James as minority owners.
I do believe that it would greatly help the NFL by having a woman or another person of color in ownership. There would be fresh ideas and new energy at the table. The NFL is desperate for that right now. The league is losing viewership because its product has become oversaturated and lost its “can’t miss this nature.”
Do you remember the old movie rental company Blockbuster? Well, a few years before they went out of business their average age of their board of directors was over 65, all male, and all white. Many young people in the company warned of new streaming technology coming that could threaten their business. Did they listen? No. They incorrectly assumed that the industry couldn’t change. The NFL is in the exact same spot right now. If the league doesn’t reinvent itself soon, their cash cow may turn into a hog ready for slaughter.
3. How much will the team sell for?
Richardson bought the Panthers in 1993 for $206 million. Forbes recently valued the franchise at $2.3 billion. Let us backpedal to 2014 when the Los Angeles Clippers went up for sale. Forbes had them valued at a little over $1 Billion at the time, but they sold for $2 Billion. The Buffalo Bills, which are the NFL’s least valuable franchise recently sold for $1.4 billion. So, the Panthers which are a very visible team due to Cam Newton could fetch more than the $2.3 Billion estimate.
NFL rules state that any new ownership must have a single majority owner who must own at least 30% of the team. This prevents groups like the one led by Magic Johnson from buying NFL franchises. There is a huge cash outlay for any potential owner. If the team sells for the estimated $2.3 billion the new buyer much come up with nearly $700 million themselves. Richardson made a brilliant strategical move by waiting until the end of the season to listen to offers. This allows time for more potential buyers to arise. It takes a lot of doing to come up with that cash, even when you are a multi-billionaire.
Right now the Panthers ownership looks something like this: Jerry Richardson 49%, Belk Family 5%, Levine Family around 10%, Steve and Jerry Wordsworth around 16%, and about 8 other minority owners make up the rest.
I understand that some people will draw offense to my desire to see a Black man as an NFL owner above anyone else. To that I say, so what, get over it! There is nothing wrong with my desire to see diversity created in the NFL ownership by way of qualified businessmen and women. Hip-Hop culture transcends age, race, and nationality. The game I love would grow, and kids everywhere would have another thing they can be when they grow up. Don’t you agree that the owner’s table needs a little more color?
Wouldn’t it be ironic if the first black majority owner in the NFL was of the Panthers. Black guys owns the Panthers. My new favorite team.
NFL Boycotts or Lack Thereof
There was a boycott of the NFL this weekend, but my guess is you didn’t notice it, just like you haven’t noticed any of the “NFL boycotts”. Much like every other U.S. league, NFL had its “Salute to Service” on Veterans Day weekend. It was an opportunity for the NFL to honor our servicemen and women and highlight how much the league and its players love and appreciate the military. While this is a great cause for celebration and pageantry, it also presented an opportunity for people against players kneeling to flex their muscles.
All across social media there were calls for people to leave the stadiums empty and show the NFL America would not stand for kneeling. However, that’s not what happened. In fact, not only did that not happen Veterans Day weekend, it hasn’t happened all year. NFL attendance is up from 2016 despite the President and countless others saying people should either walk out, stop watching, or stop attending all together. Here is is the raw attendance (turnstiles not tickets bought) data from the 2016 and 2017:
I have been saying for months now that the NFL is not dying, and that “boycotts” are having little economic impact despite what people say. The truth of the matter is many people say they are boycotting the NFL, but aren’t really boycotting the NFL. Hence, I have received emails and had many conversations with people who tell their friends and family they are boycotting the NFL but are secretly still watching and keeping up with the league. People said they would boycott the Dodgers and baseball for allowing Black players. They said they would stop watching football, baseball, and basketball after work stoppages. Reality is, they always come back it the product is good.
George, so why are the NFL ratings down? I’ll give you the three reasons that I believe are obvious, clear as day, and neither involves politics or protests.
1. Oversaturation/Streaming- There is literally so much NFL that it has lost its exclusivity. NFL fans wanted more content and demanded it. So, the league gave them Thursday night, NFL RedZone, and the ability to live stream games. Everything was going as planned and the NFL was winning, but now with streaming services available traditional television ratings have suffered. The league lost in a way because I no longer have to be tethered to my couch to enjoy football. That means my wife and kids can get me to do more things with my Sunday’s because I have the game in my pocket. I can watch as much or as little as I want at weddings, furniture shopping with my wife, or at my kid’s extracurricular activities. Most of my Sunday football watching is at my kids games on the iPad or phone. The games have become less special because there are games days per week in addition to all the ancillary content available. You might love tacos and think they are the best food in the world. Try having tacos three to four days per week for 5 months for years and see how you feel about tacos. Also, online streaming is not factored into NFL ratings and neither are all cable providers. So as people “cut the cord” or change providers data become inaccurate.
2. Social Media- I believe the reason people watch live sporting events is for the fear of being left out. Nobody wants to be the guy or girl who can’t participate in the work water cooler, barbershop, or party conversation because they didn’t “see what happened”. Social media has made it possible for you to not have seen one minute of a sporting event but see every must see moment in near real time. As soon as something happens, whether it’s a touchdown, bad call, or broken leg if you open up your social media accounts it’s just like you saw it live. So there is no need for casual fans that just care about the conversation to tune in to anything except the highlights. Think about how social media is affecting how people consume highlights on platforms like FS1 and ESPN. FS1 cut their nightly highlight shows. ESPN has declining viewership on theirs.
3. Content- There are more bad games. Period. I love football, but some of these matchups are boring, vanilla, and have no compelling stories. Why on earth would anyone go out of their way to tune in to a Dolphins, Browns, Chargers, Jaguars (I know they are good), Bills, or Bears game right now? There aren’t enough subplots and the game is not as entertaining.
I believe people are boycotting the NFL, however, logic and data suggests that those boycotters are not having nearly the economic impact they believe they are. More people are attending NFL games, and NFL network ratingsare through the roof. Less people are watching television, and the entire landscape of television and viewership is changing in general. Despite what many news outlets told you, the J.D. Power actually said that only 12 percent of the fans it surveyed said they watched fewer NFL games last season, with 27 percent of people saying they watched more and 62 percent saying they watched just as much as they had the season before. So why on earth would I believe people who “claim” to be boycotting are actually impacting NFL ratings in a meaningful way?
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NFL wins big with Salute to Service commercials
The NFL made its best move of the year this weekend with the Veterans Day commercials. Since last year the debate about players kneeling has dominated NFL headlines. The reason players were kneeling was police brutality against unarmed people of color and inequality. It was somehow distorted by the media into an anti military national anthem protest, which angered and hurt many Americans.
Finally, the NFL has answered critics by taking a page out of the NBA “handbook”. Remember when the NBA had the “Malice in the Palace” (fan fight with players); the league and its players were looked at as thugs and unruly. Not long after that, the NBA started its NBA Cares commercials. It was a genius move showing their players in the community reading to kids, feeding the homeless, and teaching basketball. Now nearly 10 years since then, how are NBA players viewed? They look professional, caring, and admirable.
The NFL initially tried the worst tactic of all to handle the backlash from the protests. They tried to reason with the masses and debate the mob that is social media. Have you ever tried to reason with someone who won’t let common sense get in the way of their argument? It doesn’t work.
Yesterday the NFL finally became proactive about the image of their players in the community. The league made commercials with players who had kneeled talking about military service and their appreciation for them. Many teams also had demonstrations on the sidelines with servicemen and women that were televised during the game. These things will go a long way to healing the hearts of those who are angered by the protests.
For years I called for the NFL and NFLPA to do significantly more than they had been doing to commercialize the great things the players do out in the community. Nothing endears people to players more than commercials or packages that pull at the heartstrings. Did anybody listen? Nope. I believe that part of the hesitation was because the owners want the players to largely be nameless, faceless, interchangeable pieces.
The truth is that NFL players like the public, love the military and wholeheartedly support the military. They visit bases and are extremely active in the support of the military, but it rarely gets shown.
The NFL won big time with the commercials. Hopefully the league continues to promote the Salute to Service and other campaigns to positively promote its players. They even made a website for it.
Why 2nd Amendment supporters need to support NFL players kneeling!
Gun owners and 2nd amendment rights people who don’t support NFL players right to kneel are short sighted. This affects you in a way that you do not even realize. You should be terrified by the propaganda/PR stunt that Vice President Mike Pence and President Trump orchestrated on Sunday. Kneeling during the anthem in protest of equality and police brutality is protected under the 1st amendment. If you allow people to be fired, exiled, or ostracized for exercising their 1stamendment rights, you are opening Pandora’s box. Nearly all 2ndamendment rights people say they refuse to allow the government to control gun ownership and trample on their individual rights. I understand that many people don’t like, care, or believe what the NFL players are protesting. However, the principle remains the same despite the amendment. If you allow the President to influence you to shut people’s rights down then it will happen to you sooner than later.
Many people will argue that there’s no way the NRA would allow gun control. I would respond by saying that has been said about a lot of issues: civil rights, abortion, prayer in schools, etc. Look at where taking prayer out of schools has led. Kids, teachers, administrators, have been suspended or fired for bringing a bible to school or praying together. Coaches have been fired for kneeling in prayer after games. People get upset about people praying at school or in public, but then want to “Pray” for Las Vegas, Orlando, and Puerto Rico.
All these things go down a slippery slope. And the arrival destination is never where the intended destination was. Many people are frustrated with public sensitivity that has caused restriction on free speech and infringed on their beliefs. I will guarantee you that, if you support any amendment right being stepped on, a right you care about is in line and will be up for grabs soon enough.
The President has convinced us that attacking ourselves as Americans over flag worship is a good idea. There is no NFL player or media person that does anything except honor and support our military. Kneeling is about bringing awareness to police brutality, and inequality in our country. Patriotism is love and support for your country. It is also the honesty to recognize our faults and fix our issues to be the greatest country in the world.
This divisiveness debating patriotism and flag worship is nothing more than propaganda. Today it is about “shutting down disrespect” that is protected under the 1st amendment. If you allow or condone the suppression of people’s amendment rights, the guns and 2ndamendment rights you love will be infringed upon as well.
The Truth and Lies About Colin Kaepernick
By now you’ve probably heard a few lies about why Colin Kaepernick is not on an NFL roster… Good thing you have me to set the record straight!
Lie #1: Kaepernick sucks and can’t play anymore
Whoever says that is either towing the company line or doesn’t look at stats. Either way, they will admit that Kaepernick has not helped his case by not speaking publicly and letting the powers that be control the narrative but facts are facts… Kaepernick is being blackballed. He is not being signed due to cowardice, irrational fear, and hypocrisy. Good thing we have easy access to stats to help figure out which of us is right.
Take a look at his stats… Kaepernick is only 29 years old and ranks 11th in career QB rating among active quarterbacks. He’s ahead of Carson Palmer, Derek Carr, Joe Flacco, Andrew Luck, Eli Manning, Matthew Stafford, Cam Newton, and a bunch of other names you know. He has been to more Super Bowls, NFC championship games than four of the guys I just named. Coming off injury in 2016, Kaepernick started just 11 games. He threw 16 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions while playing for the 49ers. San Francisco was the team with the least talent in the NFL last season. Kaepernick finished the season with a higher passer rating in 2016 than 13 other starters. If you add in the immense personal and professional pressure he was under, his future looks bright.
Owners, general managers, and coaches regularly tell us they want competition and the best 53 guys on their team. Clearly that’s not true. The numbers speak for themselves. Kaepernick is clearly NFL starter quality, which means he’s absolutely qualified to be a backup. TWENTY-THREE backup quarterbacks have been signed this offseason. NONE of which have the success Kaepernick has. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith, Case Keenum, Matt Schaub, Dan Orlovsky, Blaine Gabbert, Kellen Moore, Matt McGloin… Damn, my fingers are getting tired. Some of these guys have proven to us numerous times they have a hard time throwing more TDs than interceptions, even on good teams. These are the things they usually don’t talk about on TV and radio. General managers have anonymously said he is good enough to be a starter. So why isn’t Kaepernick signed? The same reason they need to be anonymous. FEAR.
Lie #2: Kap is bad guy
Did Colin Kaepernick get a DUI, commit domestic abuse, beat his kid, or violate the league drug policy and I missed it? Nope. Franchises regularly sign domestic abusers, and guys with DUI’s despite the public backlash. What makes Kaepernick so different? His protest made people uncomfortable because it brought up an issue that makes non-brown people uncomfortable: social injustice. The copout is Kaepernick’s protest “disrespected our flag and our military”. I really hope you don’t believe that BS. The United States was founded on protest. The protests against the British government were violent and ultimately caused the American Revolutionary War. Less than 100 years later, the Civil War started over protest of slavery and state’s rights. Our service men and women have fought, sacrificed, and died so we could protest. Kaepernick PEACEFULLY protested yet – for some reason – is considered un-American. This is hypocritical, cowardly, and rooted in irrational fear.
Lie #3: Our military is offended
Both of my grand fathers served in the military. I have also traveled around the world visiting our servicemen and women. I have a great appreciation for our military. I’ve spoken with numerous servicemen and women who said ‘it doesn’t feel good to see someone kneeling at the National Anthem, but we fight to protect these freedoms for everyone’. If many people in the military can accept Kaepernick standing up for what he feels is right, why can’t you?
It makes me angry when people say Kaepernick “disrespected our flag and our military” because of their hypocrisy. Many of our servicemen and women are homeless, unemployed, and struggling when they retire from active duty. Those same people that condemn Kaepernick for “offending” the military don’t lift a finger to help them. They walk by them daily like trash on the street, but you are worried about Kaepernick’s alleged disrespect. Do something. Call your congressman, volunteer, or raise money before you come at anybody else on your soapbox.
Lie #4: Sports are not for protests
Muhammad Ali and other athletes protested the Vietnam War. In 1968, Tommie Smith and John Carlos protested on the medal stand with a raised fist. In 1980, the U.S. boycotted the Olympics in Moscow in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Billy Jean King and Venus Williams fought for women to get equal pay at Wimbledon… and won. The NBA, MLB, and NFL have all gone on strike. The list goes on and on of successful times, sports has been used for protest.
Lie #5: Kaepernick needs to clean up his image
Maybe if Kaepernick cut his hair he would be signed? What’s wrong with the image of a guy who has never been in trouble, donates millions, does community service, and stands up for the rights of others? His hair?? We appreciate Trump, Hannity, Tapper, and Maddow for standing up for causes they believe in and not wavering through adversity. Why is it such a problem when a black athlete does it, why does he need to be silenced? Shouldn’t we appreciate a person whose opinions can’t be bought, and will stand in the fire and take the bullets for others.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, Aaron Rodgers, or Andrew Luck hair situation is more palatable for you.
We have to be willing to have these uncomfortable conversations about race and injustice in this country. We know that most police officers are good people trying to do the right thing. We also have to admit that some officers are criminals and they have unjustly murdered American citizens. Those officers/criminals are to blame for dividing our country, not those who stand up and shine a light on the issue.
There’s only ONE reason why Kaepernick is not on an NFL roster: NFL owners are SCARED for ALL of the wrong reasons. I really hope some owner has the balls and courage to do what’s in the best interest of his football team winning games and sign Kaepernick. The owners are terrified that you the fans may get mad about this issue. How about doing something for a change and show them you are pissed Kaepernick hasn’t been signed? Fortune favors the bold.
“The cowards never started and the weak died along the way. That leaves us, ladies and gentlemen. Us.”
Andrew Hawkins: Courageous. Thoughtful. Inspiring
Cleveland Bengals wide receiver Andrew Hawkins’ was another athlete who wore a shirt in support and demonstration that a change needs to take place in our country. Hawkins’ shirt was protesting the recent shooting of two unarmed Ohioans. He didn’t wear an “I can’t breathe” shirt like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and many other collegiate and professional athletes. Instead he wore a shirt that read “Justice for Tamir Rice and John Crawford” on the front, and “The Real Battle for Ohio” on the back, but didn’t address it on Sunday. Members of the Cleveland police department were upset about Hawkins shirt and demanded an apology. Monday, Hawkins spoke for nearly 6 minutes uninterrupted about why he wore the shirt and described what his protest was about.
Many people in life jump on the bandwagon when it comes to being vocal about social issues and trends. Often people join the crowd in protest but don’t have a truly thoughtful reason why they are doing it.
After listening to Hawkins’ comments I was impressed. He was courageous, thoughtful, and inspiring. We can all take a page out if his book.
In life you must know your why! What is your why? When you do things make sure that you know why you did it. Don’t just do things arbitrarily. It’s important to know why! If you don’t know why you did something you are destined to make the same mistake again. If you make a good choice then in life you need to know why so you know how to repeat it.
The NFL is Failing Adrian Peterson and its Bottom Line
You have a huge responsibility as an NFL player. You have a responsibility to yourself to take advantage of a great opportunity to give yourself a head start in life. You have a responsibility to family, friends, and fans who look up to you to be a good example and role model. You have a responsibility to the NFL to conduct yourself in a manner that always presents the league well.
Imagine this, you are a 20-23 year old male. You are a physical specimen. Faster, stronger, and (in many cases) worshiped you since you were a kid for your athletic prowess. Then, you have a financial windfall that often instantly makes you the person financially responsible for your family. It also enables you to have life’s greatest vices at your disposal on a daily basis. That is a lot to deal with for any man, let alone a very young man. While people are constantly telling you to “make good decisions”, every bad decision is at your fingertips and without education you may not know the difference. Forty year old men make bad decisions with financial windfalls, so how can a boy be taught to consistently make good decisions. What types of bad decisions did you make in your 20’s?
If the NFL is concerned about its players (and the investment that they are making into their players), it needs to dedicate some of its extensive resources to take responsibility to educate the VERY young men entering this league so that they grow into great men. This starts with mandatory, ongoing classes that extend and expand the Rookie Symposium throughout the season. Specifically, these classes should educate the players on parenting, legal issues, domestic violence, interpersonal relationships, communication & conflict resolution, and substance abuse. Some of these issues were covered in the Rookie Symposium when I attended yet, but not to the extent necessary to inspire change. I’ve seen many players punished and teams lose valuable players because of decisions in these areas. There is a one or two hour “seminar” once or twice a year that focuses on, “Choices, Decisions, Consequences” and it is simply not enough… OBVIOUSLY. While the intention of the seminar is great, it falls well short of the constant reinforcement necessary to make major breakthroughs that are sustainable.
Handing out long suspensions to players treats the symptom but does not address the real issues that are causing the problem. This does not mean that we excuse bad behavior. It means that giving players long suspensions cannot be the only recourse to resolving the problem. As players, many times our talent takes us places we are not mentally and emotionally prepared for. Many players come from socio-economically disadvantaged situations with no real financial education. Others were raised in unstable home environments without positive male figures in the home.
Don’t get me wrong… Adrian Peterson took things entirely too far with the discipline for his son. While his son may have required discipline, Adrian needed better tools and different options to offer that discipline. Long after his NFL career is over, he will still be a father and a long suspension from the NFL will have done NOTHING to educate him in these areas. I think that part has gotten lost in this whole saga. Peterson has stated that was raised with harsh discipline and an iron fist as many of us were. From his perspective, he probably believes that is what enabled him to become successful and the football player we all love. I’m sure Adrian Peterson loves his son just as all fathers do. He just did what he knew. I think he just needs more options.
The NFL ruling that came down was expected but it’s not the ruling from the arbitrator from the hearing on Monday. I believe that the letter was a PR move designed to protect the league but it is not the most effective method to making a real change. As a father myself, I know that harsh punishments may serve as a deterrent that don’t address the root of the behavior. If NFL players are going to be punished on the field for the decisions and behavior that they do OFF the field, then let’s set them up for success and provide them with the education, resources, and tools necessary to do this. Players need to be coached to be great players on the field. If the league wants these players to be great men off the field, they need to provide coaching in this area as well. If they can be coached to be great on the field, I know they can be coached to be great off the field.
Highest Bidder!: Coaches and Players Loyalty for Sale
While the USC faithful have been celebrating the firing of Lane Kiffin, few realize how many people are affected when the head ball coach gets his walking papers.In my FIRST position meeting in Jacksonville, my tight end coach Alfredo Roberts introduced me to the NFL. He said, “When teams don’t win in sports, two things happen, coaches get fired or players get fired. The coaches just got fired, so guess who is next if we don’t play well.”. In the world of college and professional sports everything boils down to two things, winning/losing and money. Good players are released or traded because they make too much. The NCAA continues to find additional revenue streams to make money from athlete’s likeness. Coaches aren’t fired because they have too many years and too much money left on their contract.
Ever wonder why coaches win and continue to ask for additional years to their contract? Head coaches typically have a guaranteed contracts, unless they get fired for “cause”. FYI, losing is not “cause”. You have to pull a Bobby Petrino (Arkansas) or Mike Rice (Rutgers) to get fired without pay. The head coach gets all the praise with wins, and all the blame when you lose. But, it is nice to be the head man because when you get fired with years left on your contract, you have a golden parachute. If I were a head coach, sign me through the 2025-26 season.
When coaches like Lane Kiffin, Norv Turner, Rick Neuheisel, or Lovie Smith don’t live up to
expectations and are fired, they leave with some financial security. They often have assistant coaches who are doing a great job, but they typically get thrown out with the head coach. You could be the best tight end coach in the world, but when the head man goes, so do you.
Assistant coaches and their families are affected the most. Most assistants make peanuts compared to the head coaches salary. Even when the head coach doesn’t get fired, they often change assistants through the years (for various reasons). There is NO job security. Assistant coaches are typically journeyman until they get the job security of being the head coach. Most never achieve their dream, and are tied to finding job with the guys they have worked with in the past who get jobs. Their families are drug across country searching for stability and their dreams to come true. As much as assistant coaches love the game, they are no different than any other husband/father. They are using their particular set of skills to provide a comfortable, and stable life for their families. Since 1999, when I graduated high school, Alfredo has had a job every year because he is a GREAT tight end coach, but has made stops at Florida Atlantic, Jaguars, Browns, Buccaneers, and is currently at the Colts. He has a wife and kids, but the only roots he can put down are the roots on his coaching tree. Imagine every year, win or lose, not knowing if you will have a job. Imagine the stress it puts on your wife, children, friendships, and families to move from place to place for years, just hoping for the day you land the big job.
According to USA today, “The average major-college football assistant coach now earns roughly $200,000, a USA TODAY Sports analysis finds”. The list of the top 124 college coaches 2012 salaries and their assistants totals is very interesting.
Next time you wonder why there is very little loyalty in sports, know why. If you were a coach would you be loyal to a program or team that will throw you out without notice? Or would you continue to look for the best available opportunities until you optimize your personal goals, and maximize your family’s happiness?
A pro coach’s dream career should look like this: Get a position as a quality control coach for an NFL team, do well and a position coaches job opens up on that staff, someone recognizes you as a young talent and you land a coordinator job, your offense/defense is tops in the league for 2 years, an owner takes a huge leap of faith and hires you NFL coaching job with not head coaching experience, win a bunch of games, win a Super Bowl, get a long term contract, get fired with 3 years left on your deal, ride off into the sunset and have fun being a grandpa, and hold seminars and mentor new young coaches.
A college coach’s dream: Get a position coach job in college, someone recognizes you as a young talent and takes a huge risk on you as a coordinator, you have great success and land a head coaching job at a mid level division 1, beat some big teams and go to bowl games, get a job a big school who has been struggling, build the school into a powerhouse, get a NFL coaching job, win a Super Bowl, get a long term contract, get fired with 3 years left on your deal, ride off into the sunset and have fun being a grandpa, and hold seminars and mentor new young coaches.
Coaches have to look out for themselves and do what is best for their families. That type of system trickles down to the players. So when your favorite player changes team, just realize it is part of the cycle. Loyalty is sports is bought, and it usually only lasts until someone else has a bigger, better deal for you. Is your loyalty for sale?
