FARINELLA: Character is taking a back seat

[ausbacker]

I assume you mean the hypocrisy of him circling the wagon around his colleague in the new media when chastizing fans for doing the same. It really is a worthless article. What is the point? To informs fans that they really should care about something they don't care about? Thank goodness we have sports reporters to act as our moral compass.

That's right BSR. It's the endless circle theory and the author is contributing to it through his own hypocrisy.

 

[RussFrancis]

Gotta say, Im a little annoyed that the writer's name is even in this thread title, but in CAPITAL LETTERS to boot? Why give this clown more attention than needed. It was a completely ridiculous, slanted, pointless article. Hammer him and move on, but dont highlight the guy's name as its absolutely undeserving.

 

[eom]

Well,in a way its true ...although I think the Hernandez thing is quite a bit overated, but the fact is for instance if Maroney was a Jet he would be considered here a bust 2 YEARS AGO and we would all laugh at the former #1 draft pick and if Gholston was a Patriot he would have needed another year or two to mature and is NOT a bust,as many people in here DO NOT CONSIDER a player on the Pats a bust until he leaves...then we hear that he sucks as long as he is wearing another jersey or not in the league anymore.

don't be ridiculous --- people have been ripping maroney on here for a couple years, and if gholston were a pat I can't even imagine the number of BUST!!!! threads he'd generate.

as for your overall point, of course we're going to rip the other teams and defend our own.
isn't fan short for 'fanatic'?

 

[Rob0729]

Well,in a way its true ...although I think the Hernandez thing is quite a bit overated, but the fact is for instance if Maroney was a Jet he would be considered here a bust 2 YEARS AGO and we would all laugh at the former #1 draft pick and if Gholston was a Patriot he would have needed another year or two to mature and is NOT a bust,as many people in here DO NOT CONSIDER a player on the Pats a bust until he leaves...then we hear that he sucks as long as he is wearing another jersey or not in the league anymore.

The world of hypocritical and radical homer fans is everywhere in today's society,all 32 NFL teams have those types of fans and has to be accepted,unbiased fans are becoming rare today - its the way it is.

Although once again back to the topic, the Hernandez issue is little to nothing IMO and the article is wasting its time with that issue unless he becomes Ricky Williams II

It goes beyond rap sheets and character...if its not a player on your team he is worth ridiculing and won't amount to squat...thats the bottom line in today's world of sports.

I don't know if comparing Maroney and Gholston is a fair comparison. First, Maroney did more to help the Pats in his first game as a rookie vs. Buffalo than Gholston. Second, Gholtson is one of the biggest busts in recent history. If there wasn't JaMarcus Russell, I think Gholston would get a much larger national shot storm for being a collosal bust.

Maroney can be considered a disapointment and many Pats fans believe that and even some consider him an outright bust. You can't think of Gholston as anything but a bust since he is a top 10 pick who seems to have become a rather mediocre special teamer for the Jets.

 

[Rob0729]

Personally, I am concerned about the failed drug test(s) from Hernandez. But for now, I will trust that Belichick's intimate knowledge of Florida players from his friendhip with Urban Meyers has given him enough insight to convince him the problem is in his past. It is something to be concerned about though.

As for the Jets, they seem to have taken several guys who have reputations of being lockerroom cancers and/or large egos. Rex Ryan seems to not really want to squash that behavior within his team and actually promotes trash talking and inflated egos. We already saw Kerry Rhodes' ego explode to a point that he disrupted the team. If the Jets were in a more disciplined lockerroom, I wouldn't think it would be a big deal.

 

[captain insano]

wow people read the sun chronicle?

 

[PatsChamp88]

My god could you imagine all the bull**** articles that would surface if we drafted Dez Bryant this is getting ridiculous.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

I don't know if comparing Maroney and Gholston is a fair comparison. First, Maroney did more to help the Pats in his first game as a rookie vs. Buffalo than Gholston. Second, Gholtson is one of the biggest busts in recent history. If there wasn't JaMarcus Russell, I think Gholston would get a much larger national shot storm for being a collosal bust.

Maroney can be considered a disapointment and many Pats fans believe that and even some consider him an outright bust. You can't think of Gholston as anything but a bust since he is a top 10 pick who seems to have become a rather mediocre special teamer for the Jets.

Maybe Ryan knows what he is doing by moving Gholston to defensive end and giving him one last chance to redeem his value before he gets cut next year if the experiment fails.

For Maroney, my biggest problem all these years is the lack and failure of the offensive playcalling to use him more effectively out of the backfield catching short passes ala Faulk,Maroney's value is right there and also on kick returns,he is that type of player and not much more.

But we are not talking about these two players...its about the article...so back to original thoughts

 

[Willie55]

My god could you imagine all the bull**** articles that would surface if we drafted Dez Bryant this is getting ridiculous.

You can't win. Since the Pats didn't draft him they're getting lambasted for that. Like you said, if they had drafted him there would be a firestorm.

 

[Deus Irae]

While his use of spygate in the article was stupid, the general points are spot on. This thread demonstrates his point quite well.

 

[livinginthe past]

While his use of spygate in the article was stupid, the general points are spot on. This thread demonstrates his point quite well.

I've said it before and so have others.

You are probably quite an intelligent guy, but your constant pandering for attention by taking a deliberately obtuse viewpoint on just about every Patriots related topic is utterly predictable.

Sure, you like to paint yourself as the 'voice of reason' - when in fact all you do is pick fights with both factions (but far more frequently with those you lambast as homers)

Its so consistent that I have to think you are either doing it for some type of 'sport' in which case you really need to find some better things to do with your time, or you are such a miserable, contrary douche that no-one else talks to you.

I can't wait for your reply which will doubtless be filled with so much nauseating nonsense painted to appear 'balanced'.

 

[Deus Irae]

I've said it before and so have others.

You are probably quite an intelligent guy, but your constant pandering for attention by taking a deliberately obtuse viewpoint on just about every Patriots related topic is utterly predictable.

Sure, you like to paint yourself as the 'voice of reason' - when in fact all you do is pick fights with both factions (but far more frequently with those you lambast as homers)

Its so consistent that I have to think you are either doing it for some type of 'sport' in which case you really need to find some better things to do with your time, or you are such a miserable, contrary douche that no-one else talks to you.

I can't wait for your reply which will doubtless be filled with so much nauseating nonsense painted to appear 'balanced'.

Changing the object of your attack from the writer to me doesn't change the underlying truth of the article, it merely reinforces it.

 

[fgssand]

Changing the object of your attack from the writer to me doesn't change the underlying truth of the article, it merely reinforces it.

What, exactly, was the underlying truth from the article??

That smoking pot in college is a capital offense because he was one of the few dweebs that didn't?

 

[patsox23]

Frankly, I think the Patriots drafted MORE for character this year than in recent off-seasons. The fact that Aaron Hernandez got high in freakin' COLLEGE does not, to me, signify a lack of moral certitude.

 

[BPF]

I do like how he is trying to equate ONE confirmed positive drug test with multiple counts of domestic violence. Those are clearly the same.

I also like how all the alleged charges against Deaderick stem from the police's attempt to arrest him. What were they arresting him for? Why no charges for that? Seems suspicious to me.

A majority of college kids end up breaking the law in some way (mostly for underage drinking). If it's a minor transgression and they accept responsibility for thier actions AND STAY ON THE CORRECT SIDE OF THE LAW from then on, I see no problem with the Patriots giving them a chance. If they do something while a Patriot, that's a different story.

I think there are different levels of transgressions and different levels of risk when picking a player. I still can't believe how the Hernandez thing is even a story, a college kid smoked pot -- omg. As old fashioned as I am, college kids smoking pot never concerned me or made me view the individual as having a questionable character. Deaderick to me seems like a situation of a person being at the wrong place at the wrong time. In addition he was a 7th Rd pick and is a rookie so his affect on the locker room is minimal. As far as Holmes goes, the Jets traded a 5th Rd pick for him and Cromartie only has one-yr remaining on his deal so the they can cut bait on both of those players if they don't work out but they are vets and will be looked upon to fill major roles.

 

[BSR]

Haven't you all figured it out yet? Deus is part of the Boston media. This is him just circling the wagons.

The only way that this article could remotely have any point would be if drafting players like this was some sort of change in philosophy. The reality, which I am sure that the wirter knows but refuses to acknowledge because it doesn't serve his point, is that the backgrounds of these players don't really stand out among the backgrounds of other Patriots players over the past decade. Pot smokers and druken disorderly? That is old hat. That is why this article is pointless.

As for Breer, it was fine for him to report the story in the first place. As for what has happened since then, it is more ego than jounalism. Let it go Boston media. If we didn't care about Moss and Faulk and Harrison and Cox and Merriweather and anyone else with a checkered past we aren't going to care about Hernendez either as long as he is productive. And that is not because of some naivite that we think all these guys are model citizens, its because most of us realize that we don't really know any these guys and its silly of us to make judgements on any of these players. We only really care about the performance.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Breer should have reported the story. But even more so he should have ben more complete in his reporting, divulging all the facts and circumstances. Had he NOT reported the story, he'd be guilty of the kind of mainstream journalism practised by those such as the NT Times editors where sometimes they don't report stories that conflict with their worldview. That hiding of a potentially unpleasent player history & risk situation would deserve far more fan criticism. That said, it's time to shift gears and judge the player by how he continues to behave going fwd.

 

[Doonan24]

Frankly, I think the Patriots drafted MORE for character this year than in recent off-seasons. The fact that Aaron Hernandez got high in freakin' COLLEGE does not, to me, signify a lack of moral certitude.

This pretty much sums it up. They drafted 5 team captains - a bunch of leaders which is what this team needed.

 

[JDSal45]

I've said it before and so have others.

You are probably quite an intelligent guy, but your constant pandering for attention by taking a deliberately obtuse viewpoint on just about every Patriots related topic is utterly predictable.

Sure, you like to paint yourself as the 'voice of reason' - when in fact all you do is pick fights with both factions (but far more frequently with those you lambast as homers)

Its so consistent that I have to think you are either doing it for some type of 'sport' in which case you really need to find some better things to do with your time, or you are such a miserable, contrary douche that no-one else talks to you.

I can't wait for your reply which will doubtless be filled with so much nauseating nonsense painted to appear 'balanced'.

Or both. Agreed. I knew it was coming and just clicked on and the confirmation was already there. More predictable than the sun coming up.

J D Sal

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

I won't say that I haven't seen double standards when it comes to Pats fans, especially on this forum. But using a guy who has smoked weed as an example probably isn't the most effective way of showing it.