"Baggage": What's the big deal?

[Satchboogie3]

In the NFL today, a players personality and media-created jargon is sometimes deemed more important than the players talent, abilities, and production. When media deems someone as being a problem and carrying too much "baggage", people seem to forget what football is about. I'm wondering how many people actual buy into this media-created crap.

Moss is an obvious example. He is in my opinion one of the most talent WR of all time and has had almost legendary production. But the media has called him a problem, told us he doesn't care about his team, he is classless, and so on so. My first response is generally, "We'll, so ******* what. If he wins games he wins games. So long as he is producing and isn't getting suspensions/pissing the team off, whats the problem?" I don't personally buy into most of the propaganda against Moss. Most of it just turns out to be rumors, jealousy, out of context, or just pure bull**** written to sell papers. I don't see wants so horrible about fake mooning fans (for a reason...) or even taunting. It's a competition, these are big men basically fight on the field for wins, it isn't a child's game.

I just want to know how many people actual care about anything other than winning football games. Yes, it would be nice if everything was picture perfect, but this isn't charity, it's a damned sport being played by grown men who are getting paid money to win ball games. I understand that athletes are idols to many young kids and people want they're idols to be perfect roll models, but lets not forget that athletes are all human. They have problems, they have emotions. If there is a problem, its not with the athletes, but with too many people trying to create idols out of athletes. Just because they are famous doesn't then make them responsibly to be roll models.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

so you don't believe in character?

 

[sanvara]

I don't see wants so horrible about fake mooning fans (for a reason...) or even taunting. It's a competition, these are big men basically fight on the field for wins, it isn't a child's game.

If it's not a child's game then don't act like a child. Hopefully Moss has gained some maturity since joining the Pats.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

If it's not a child's game then don't act like a child. Hopefully Moss has gained some maturity since joining the Pats.

Let's just judge him on how he acted today.

 

[Satchboogie3]

It was a fake moon? Whats so bad about that? Most real men I know who have seen it have laughed. Millions of *** die because of religion, millions more die because of greedy leadership, millions die just because, and we are offended by a football player fake mooning a crowd?

I never said I want bad character, I just think a players abilities are really all that matters. Serious Criminals are one thing (Vick, etc), but something as stupid as fake mooning? Are you serious?

 

[upstater1]

I agree with the original poster, about this and this only. Joe Satriani's playing, though, sounds like cheesy music from an 80s B movie.

 

[sanvara]

It was a fake moon? Whats so bad about that? Most real men I know who have seen it have laughed. Millions of *** die because of religion, millions more die because of greedy leadership, millions die just because, and we are offended by a football player fake mooning a crowd?

I never said I want bad character, I just think a players abilities are really all that matters. Serious Criminals are one thing (Vick, etc), but something as stupid as fake mooning? Are you serious?

Randy's past character issues go far beyond fake mooning. This is a new page for him here though. If properly motivated he's a stud.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

It was a fake moon? Whats so bad about that? Most real men I know who have seen it have laughed. Millions of *** die because of religion, millions more die because of greedy leadership, millions die just because, and we are offended by a football player fake mooning a crowd?

I never said I want bad character, I just think a players abilities are really all that matters. Serious Criminals are one thing (Vick, etc), but something as stupid as fake mooning? Are you serious?

I agree with in keeping this in perspective, but also Terrel Owen didn't break the law, but he wreaked havoc with his team. do you want him on your team or not?

 

[jaytee]

i remember the main criticisms of moss being more about him appearing to take plays off, refusing to play his best when things weren't going how he wanted, and complaining (all things that directly affect on-field performance). the fake mooning was just a further example of something that was already apparent in his actual play.

the other thing is, a lot of the time in sports we expect our star players to also be leaders. the difference is, on this team, we had no expectations that he has to be one, and actually the opposite was true, the theory was that he could actually benefit by being in a place with such strong leadership already in place.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

i remember the main criticisms of moss being more about him appearing to take plays off, refusing to play his best when things weren't going how he wanted, and complaining (all things that directly affect on-field performance). the fake mooning was just a further example of something that was already apparent in his actual play.

the other thing is, a lot of the time in sports we expect our star players to also be leaders. the difference is, on this team, we had no expectations that he has to be one, and actually the opposite was true, the theory was that he could actually benefit by being in a place with such strong leadership already in place.

well there was him "trying" to run someone over in the parking lot and him admitting to smoking weed, but we should just put an end to the negative talk. here's his second chance and week 1 was a susccess

 

[wdkantro2]

Now, I am a Moss supporter, but "what's the big deal?" The big deal is guys like Moss and TO have literally ruined teams because of their personalities.

 

[Satchboogie3]

I agree that a player can't destroy a lockroom, but that tends to happen when there are a lot of problems on a team. Yes that might be a little "unsportsman like", but I really see that as someone who wants to win win win and gets pissed when someone keeps screwing it up. I want someone who wants to win more than anything else and isn't afraid of call people out. I personally think that in professional sports if you are consistently sucking, you should be able to take criticism and ****.

I don't want to sound cold, but I don't like people trying to make sports perfectly classy and almost "censored". Its adults playing a game, lets not forget that. As you can probably guess I also don't like the NFL limiting celebrations, taunting, etc. Its a rough, violent game, don't fool yourself.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

I agree that a player can't destroy a lockroom, but that tends to happen when there are a lot of problems on a team. Yes that might be a little "unsportsman like", but I really see that as someone who wants to win win win and gets pissed when someone keeps screwing it up. I want someone who wants to win more than anything else and isn't afraid of call people out. I personally think that in professional sports if you are consistently sucking, you should be able to take criticism and ****.

I don't want to sound cold, but I don't like people trying to make sports perfectly classy and almost "censored". Its adults playing a game, lets not forget that. As you can probably guess I also don't like the NFL limiting celebrations, taunting, etc. Its a rough, violent game, don't fool yourself.

exactly, and don't fool yourself it's a big business and people cheat and make compromises to what kinds of employees they bring in

 

[Satchboogie3]

We'll yes, the NFL is a business and their #1 prioty is to make money. They made NFL more tv friendly so they could get more people watching, improving tv ratings, and get more coverage and make more money. Players are kept as safe as possible because they are major investments. Many organizations don't actual care about cheating if it wins them games. I hate most of that, especially cheating. But in the business, the MAJOR factor in hiring employees to play football is talent. Just like in Law, you want the best possible Lawyer to win cases, thats the priority, not they're character. Would it be awesome if all the most talented people in the world also have great personalities? Of course, but that isn't the way it is.

When I watch football, I want to see my team beat the living crap out of its opponent (I don't root for injury, just knocking them on their arse) and make their way to a super bowl championship. It would be a dream to have a blue-color team of insane talent and just as good personalities, but I would always take an amazing athlete despite they're personalities, as long as they don't get arrested/suspended or destroy the locker room.