OT: JJ Watt -- There are Good Guys in the NFL
Ya, ya I know it's a ChatSports link, but it's just for the video. Nice to see something like this get some attention in the face of so many scandals and of guys acting like complete assholes. The vast majority of athletes are decent guys and its a shame that a few bad apples have to ruin it for the rest of them.
http://www.chatsports.com/nfl/a/Bullying-Made-This-12YearOlds-Life-Mise…
September 20th, 2014 at 11:56 AM ^
Domestic violence is certainly an issue in the NFL, and I'm glad to see them cracking down on it. But even in that category the NFL rate is half of the nation-wide rate (According to 538). The mob tends to lose sight of the bigger picture -- there are plenty of good guys in the league.
September 20th, 2014 at 1:01 PM ^
Domestic violence isn't an NFL problem, it is a problem period. I simply do not like this herd mentality that these guys are roid raging psycopaths that beat everything in sight. I don't think any of us on this blog or in society in general hasn't witnessed, experienced, or knows someone that is either a perpetrator or victim of domestic violence. I can only imagine some the nasty shit we would see if TMZ or ESPN reported everytime one of us mere mortals beat or wives and children.
September 20th, 2014 at 2:40 PM ^
And police officers have a domestic violence rate 2-4 times the national population average according to The Atlantic.
September 20th, 2014 at 4:27 PM ^
The problem is not that there is domestic violence in the NFL, it's that when it happens, the league goes through extraordinary measures to not find out what happened, hide what they do find, and then defend guilty parties afterwards. Average rates are not relevant to that.
September 20th, 2014 at 11:58 AM ^
This isn't the problem. MOST NFL athletes stay out of trouble. They're mostly good guys.
The problem is that the NFL has been doing its level best to pretend as if they're all good guys.
September 20th, 2014 at 12:25 PM ^
- It's not a lack of "Good Guys"
- It's not even the quantity of abusers
- It's the sweeping the incidents under the rug WHEN IT OCCURS
September 20th, 2014 at 2:58 PM ^
The NFL acts all sanctimonious because Josh Gordon smoked weed a couple of times and ban him for the season, ostensibly to preserve the image of the league and because role models and the kids and I learned it from watching YOU!
Then a player commits an act of violence against his fiancee and they try to sweep it under the rug.
Or in other words:
You get the feeling that if there was a video of Josh Gordon smoking weed, the NFL would have bought it and played it on a 24-hour loop.
— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) September 8, 2014
September 20th, 2014 at 11:59 AM ^
"There are good guys in the NFL"
A few bad apples in a league of 1,696 players never made me doubt this fact.
September 20th, 2014 at 12:00 PM ^
Not what I was getting at. Just thought it was something cool to share in and of itself since I just cam across it and given all the negativity recently and how stuff like this doesn't get much airtime.
September 20th, 2014 at 12:11 PM ^
of the big three sports. So to have no problems with players dealing with abuse issues would seem to more noramalize than in other sports. There is no excuse for it, but there are reasons for it.
September 20th, 2014 at 1:30 PM ^
Stats just do not support that conclusion. Why does the general population get charged with domestic abuse at twice the rate the NFL does?
September 20th, 2014 at 12:12 PM ^
players to be role models and am not sure why we do. Go find a teacher if you want to see a good role model.
September 20th, 2014 at 12:29 PM ^
and instant fame, it's not asking too much for a sports stars to be decent human beings.
September 20th, 2014 at 2:42 PM ^
September 20th, 2014 at 12:39 PM ^
Role models can be found anywhere. The quality of a person is found in their personal conduct, not their career.
September 20th, 2014 at 1:21 PM ^
really fast.
September 20th, 2014 at 1:34 PM ^
September 20th, 2014 at 12:26 PM ^
September 20th, 2014 at 12:27 PM ^
It's a strawman argument to suggest "all NFL players are abusers."
The question that rightfully needs addressing is "how is the NFL dealing with the bad ones?"
The answer to the above has been "as though they either don't care or are completely clueless."
September 20th, 2014 at 12:32 PM ^
Nice change from the constant onslaught of negative media.
It's too bad most media sources would rather tear something down than build something up.
That's why I love college football. A chance to see teamwork and unity and some smiling faces. An entire Saturday of excitement and (unrealistic!) optimism.
It sucks when media outlets think they have to cover stories that have been beaten to death during my "holy day of obligation"!
September 20th, 2014 at 1:23 PM ^
September 20th, 2014 at 1:27 PM ^
I'm just gonna leave this here
September 20th, 2014 at 1:42 PM ^
Looks like Ray Rice decided he needed to pick on someone smaller.
September 20th, 2014 at 1:36 PM ^
September 20th, 2014 at 1:47 PM ^
I think there are plenty of good guys in the league the problem with the society we live in today is that the negative gets the attention on the news where good things like this arent spread all over the news. the bad things keep the attention of the masses who can have a way to voice their opinion on stuff. Its just the way the world and news are right now
September 20th, 2014 at 2:14 PM ^
September 20th, 2014 at 4:12 PM ^
There's a reason JJ Watt has quickly become the fan favorite here in Houston, and it's not just because he's a terror on the field. He's known for his many many great acts off the field. A co-worker of my wife lives in his neighborhood and has bumped into him several times. He's geniunely a good guy.
September 20th, 2014 at 2:56 PM ^
I am now a fan of JJ Watt.