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[Sylvanfan]

Cromartie has 9 illegimate children to provide alimony for. He's terrified of the prospect of missing one pay cheque. He doesn't give a rip about anyone here but himself.

[dirk diggler]

Originally Posted by Sowa

Obviously you don't get that Cromartie isn't taking the players side. He is stating his opinion that the Union and league aren't doing a good enough job. He's calling out both sides.

no i get it, but when possibly the stupidest player in the league spouts off, it serves no purpose...

[FlamingLonghorn]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Cromartie has 9 illegimate children to provide alimony for. He's terrified of the prospect of missing one pay cheque. He doesn't give a rip about anyone here but himself.

Maybe so. But is he wrong? The players and the owners aren't going to be hurt that badly by a lockout it's the people with the jobs that dont make even six figures that are going to be the only one's really affected. Goodell offers to only be paid $1 if there's a lockout. I'm sure he has enough left over from that $10 mil he made last year to make it through ok. Whether you think Cromartie is dumb or not or what his intentions are, he is right about there being too much money involved for this to be that hard.

[browna]

I can't see it being too long until pro contracts have some sort of social media clause in it to prevent some of this stuff.

Not saying its right to censor guys that obviously want to speak their mind, but when you're representing a team with your words, it can be detrimental/a distraction at least, to a team, and teams themselves don't want to be dragged into some issue because on their players.

[FlamingLonghorn]

Originally Posted by browna

I can't see it being too long until pro contracts have some sort of social media clause in it to prevent some of this stuff.

Not saying its right to censor guys that obviously want to speak their mind, but when you're representing a team with your words, it can be detrimental/a distraction at least, to a team, and teams themselves don't want to be dragged into some issue because on their players.

Cromartie's a free agent. I guess he's under contract with Jets until a certain date, but I doubt they would have any power in this situation, especially since they want to resign him. Nothing like telling your #2 FA target to shut up so he doesn't want to resign. Also, I think Ryan likes Cromartie's outspokenness.

[FlamingLonghorn]

Offseason round up:

Akers' daughter had/has cancer (pretty good excuse to not be all there in the playoffs):

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6073857

Vick will get franchised:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6073930

Flacco not happy with firing of Zorn:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6072322

Titans to try and trade Young instead of release him (good luck on that one):
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6073922

[browna]

Originally Posted by Sowa

Cromartie's a free agent. I guess he's under contract with Jets until a certain date, but I doubt they would have any power in this situation, especially since they want to resign him. Nothing like telling your #2 FA target to shut up so he doesn't want to resign. Also, I think Ryan likes Cromartie's outspokenness.

Well, true the Jets under Ryan won't be restricting anything like that..Hard Knocks 2 isn't out yet.
More talking (as its current) about players like Hasslebeck bothering to respond, or the Packers IR players and Rodgers going back and forth about the Superbowl picture.

[OILFAN #81]

The Probowl is on but I haven't watched it yet. 42-0 NFC in the 2nd quarter. I can see why nobody cares about all-star games.

[GirlySports]

AFC is making a mini comeback!

[Sylvanfan]

These QB's are begging for the rules to allow the other teams to blitz and get man coverage somewhere on the field...6 picks by AFC QB's in the game.

[Bobblehead]

Interesting article by Michael Silver for GQ, talking about concussions and what is being done about it:

Fujita:
Everybody doubts the league's sincerity. Quit pretending to be the flag-bearers for our health care and safety when you're telling us in the next sentence that we need to go to eighteen games. That doesn't cut it. Obviously you don't give a #### about our health and safety. Remember that photo of [Steelers linebacker James] Harrison making a hit on [Browns receiver Mohamed] Massaquoi? They fined him $75,000 for that—and at the same time, they were selling it on NFL.com for $24.99. They kept it there until someone shamed them into taking it down. I was so pissed off by the hypocrisy of it all.

http://www.gq.com/sports/profiles/20...#ixzz1Civzlacd

[burn_baby_burn]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Interesting article by Michael Silver for GQ, talking about concussions and what is being done about it:

http://www.gq.com/sports/profiles/20...#ixzz1Civzlacd

If I was in Scott Fujita's shoes I would probably have similiar feelings. However as a fan, I think that players know the dangers of playing football. As a result, they are well compensated financially. If they feel the risks out weigh the rewards? Find another way to make a living.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

If I was in Scott Fujita's shoes I would probably have similiar feelings. However as a fan, I think that players know the dangers of playing football. As a result, they are well compensated financially. If they feel the risks out weigh the rewards? Find another way to make a living.

That's a pretty silly statement. If you can make the game safer then do it. I don't think he's wrong for pointing out the blatant hypocrisy of the owners either.

[burn_baby_burn]

Originally Posted by rubecube

That's a pretty silly statement. If you can make the game safer then do it. I don't think he's wrong for pointing out the blatant hypocrisy of the owners either.

If it was that easy to make the game safer without deminishing the action on the field it would have been done long ago. The NFL is in the business of entertainment. If they reduce it to touch football to make it safe for the players then they stand to lose billions as a result of lost interest.

Yes I agree that the NFL is being hypocritical by saying they want to eliminate hits to defenseless players, while at the same time using clips of those same hits to promote the game. Its kind of like fining Chad Johnson for being flamboyant, while using him in a lot of NFL commercials on NFLN. Still, I think it should be up to the players to decide if the risk is worth the reward. We hear about workers being injured or even killed at work all the time. These workers are getting no where near the financial compensation that NFL players recieve.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

If it was that easy to make the game safer without deminishing the action on the field it would have been done long ago. The NFL is in the business of entertainment. If they reduce it to touch football to make it safe for the players then they stand to lose billions as a result of lost interest.

Yes I agree that the NFL is being hypocritical by saying they want to eliminate hits to defenseless players, while at the same time using clips of those same hits to promote the game. Its kind of like fining Chad Johnson for being flamboyant, while using him in a lot of NFL commercials on NFLN. Still, I think it should be up to the players to decide if the risk is worth the reward. We hear about workers being injured or even killed at work all the time. These workers are getting no where near the financial compensation that NFL players recieve.

You mean like mandating the use of helmets that have been shown to be better at protecting against concussions? Or requiring knee pads which reduces the risk of concussion in a knee to helmet collision? The latter is at least partially, if not largely, on the players, but the helment issue has a lot to do with valuing the relationships with certain companies over the protective qualities of the equipment.

I agree to an extent on the whole risk v. financial compensation argument, but you're discounting the fact that the majority of NFL players aren't multi-millionaires at the end of their careers. The average NFL career is 3.3 years and the median salary is in the $800,000 range. Put that together and you have guys making around $1.6mil over their career, factor in taxes of at least 35% and you're looking at around $1mil, likely less when state taxes come into play. It's still a pretty nice chunk of cash, but the whole risk v. return thing goes away when you consider the toll placed on the body to earn that paycheck. Lifelong injuries that make careers after football difficult to maintain, unknown mental damage, and decreased lifespans. All for a million bucks. It's easy to look at Aaron Rodgers and say 'hey, he makes millions of dollars, that's a fair trade for a couple of concussions' but the reality is the vast majority of players don't fit that perception.

The biggest thing the NFL has to do to convince me that they actually give a damn is to put their money where their mouth is and start paying for the longterm health issues that result from playing in their league. Take care of your former players, take care of your current players, and stop pretending you care on one hand and blatantly profiting off the violence on the other.

[burn_baby_burn]

Originally Posted by valo403

You mean like mandating the use of helmets that have been shown to be better at protecting against concussions? Or requiring knee pads which reduces the risk of concussion in a knee to helmet collision? The latter is at least partially, if not largely, on the players, but the helment issue has a lot to do with valuing the relationships with certain companies over the protective qualities of the equipment.

I agree to an extent on the whole risk v. financial compensation argument, but you're discounting the fact that the majority of NFL players aren't multi-millionaires at the end of their careers. The average NFL career is 3.3 years and the median salary is in the $800,000 range. Put that together and you have guys making around $1.6mil over their career, factor in taxes of at least 35% and you're looking at around $1mil, likely less when state taxes come into play. It's still a pretty nice chunk of cash, but the whole risk v. return thing goes away when you consider the toll placed on the body to earn that paycheck. Lifelong injuries that make careers after football difficult to maintain, unknown mental damage, and decreased lifespans. All for a million bucks. It's easy to look at Aaron Rodgers and say 'hey, he makes millions of dollars, that's a fair trade for a couple of concussions' but the reality is the vast majority of players don't fit that perception.

The biggest thing the NFL has to do to convince me that they actually give a damn is to put their money where their mouth is and start paying for the longterm health issues that result from playing in their league. Take care of your former players, take care of your current players, and stop pretending you care on one hand and blatantly profiting off the violence on the other.

The players we are talking about are not average. They are not the bench warmers taking up spots on an NFL roster making league minimum for three or four years. The players most at risk are the players with the most playing time who are at an increased risk of injury. Those players make more than one million over a career.

However, is it worth having long term health affects for one million dollars? If not, why play in the NFL?

I have no problem with the league making knee pads manditory. Or by having the players wear better helmets (half the problem with concussions is because of the helmet being used as a weapon). I do have a problem with taking the hitting or physicality out of the game.

[OILFAN #81]

Eagles hire former Colts offensive line coach Howard Mudd. He had retired last year.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20110202/SPORTS03/110202023/Former-Colts-offensive-line-coach-Howard-Mudd-joins-Philadelphia-Eagles?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|IndyStar.com|s

Good guy and a good move by Philly to hire the 69 year old. He has a ton of experience.

At the same time though......the switch for Castillo makes no sense to me. Offensive line coach to defensive coordinator.....he hasn't coached defense since 1990.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post...-by-the-eagles

[valo403]

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

The players we are talking about are not average. They are not the bench warmers taking up spots on an NFL roster making league minimum for three or four years. The players most at risk are the players with the most playing time who are at an increased risk of injury. Those players make more than one million over a career.

However, is it worth having long term health affects for one million dollars? If not, why play in the NFL?

I have no problem with the league making knee pads manditory. Or by having the players wear better helmets (half the problem with concussions is because of the helmet being used as a weapon). I do have a problem with taking the hitting or physicality out of the game.

Sorry, but you're out to lunch if you think the players most at risk are the stars. Ever heard of punt cover? Kickoff? Tell me something, what type of play was it that Eric Legrand was paralyzed on? Kevin Everett? Yeah, those " bench warmers taking up spots on an NFL roster" sure don't do anything. Those special teams plays are all touch right? Special teams plays are by far the most violent plays in any game. It's not even a contest.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by OILFAN #81

Eagles hire former Colts offensive line coach Howard Mudd. He had retired last year.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20110202/SPORTS03/110202023/Former-Colts-offensive-line-coach-Howard-Mudd-joins-Philadelphia-Eagles?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|IndyStar.com|s

Good guy and a good move by Philly to hire the 69 year old. He has a ton of experience.

At the same time though......the switch for Castillo makes no sense to me. Offensive line coach to defensive coordinator.....he hasn't coached defense since 1990.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post...-by-the-eagles

Yeah, I don't really know what to make of the Castillo hiring. He's really highly respected by a lot of the defensive gurus around the league (Rivera, Spagnulo, Frazier) but it seems weird that they waited this long to name him. I don't really see how it's an update over McDermott but time will tell. I love the Mudd hiring.

[burn_baby_burn]

Originally Posted by valo403

Sorry, but you're out to lunch if you think the players most at risk are the stars. Ever heard of punt cover? Kickoff? Tell me something, what type of play was it that Eric Legrand was paralyzed on? Kevin Everett? Yeah, those " bench warmers taking up spots on an NFL roster" sure don't do anything. Those special teams plays are all touch right? Special teams plays are by far the most violent plays in any game. It's not even a contest.

I apolagize, I wasn't trying to say that special teams was not violent. I didn't say that only the stars are at risk either. Just that starting players will see a lot more reps than third string players who will be used primarily on special teams. Who makes the news when it comes to concussions? Quarter backs and recievers. Those are the players making significantly more than the one million over their entire career as you stated.

Still, if those fringe players being used primarily on special teams don't think the risk associated with playing such a position are worth it for a measly $1,000,000 over three years? Why take the risk in the first place? Get a job doing something else and avoid the long term health effects of playing professional football.