NFL meltdown thread: the slow two-minute drill to disaster

Scottie · Post by **Scottie** » Fri Sep 27, 2013 1:13 pm

Hideki Irabu, Doug Ault, Mike Flanagan, Donnie Moore all come to mind.

ETA: Yikes, this is a long list: http://www.baseball-almanac.com/legenda ... ball.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

howard · Post by **howard** » Fri Sep 27, 2013 1:14 pm

The cluster of recent suicides could also be an artifact of twitter/facebook/TMZimization/greater visibility of non-star athletes. Or not.

Scottie · Post by **Scottie** » Fri Sep 27, 2013 1:37 pm

howard wrote:The cluster of recent suicides could also be an artifact of twitter/facebook/TMZimization/greater visibility of non-star athletes. Or not.

And, for that matter, a natural progression resulting from years of pushing athletes through universities where so many of them do not get any education to usefully prepare them for post-sporting life, going on to a celebrity career where they are living/treated larger than life and then? The emptiness of lending one's increasingly forgettable name to a failing used car dealership.

Or concussions.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Fri Sep 27, 2013 1:42 pm

What about suicides by current NFL players who had their junk bit off by their best friends when they crashed their cars and killed aforementioned best friends?

Post by **Shirley** » Fri Sep 27, 2013 2:49 pm

Steve of phpBB wrote:
Shirley wrote:The other stuff - loss of career - would be much harder statistically, but it would seem to be an important factor. I can't even imagine how hard it must be to step down from a professional sports career, PARTICULARLY when you feel like you are still in your prime. And that's the majority of former NFL players.
You may be able to gauge this effect by looking at athletes in other pro sports, or looking at NFL players from previous decades. I know Donnie Moore was a well-known suicide; I'm sure there are other ex-baseball players who killed themselves, but I can't think of them right now.

Yeah, comparing to other pro sports is a good idea. I think NFL players have shorter careers than most others (and there are no fallback leagues like for basketball), which might mean that more find themselves unexpectedly out of work (and out of skill) at a young age.

I'm not sure why previous NFL decades would make a huge difference. The further back you go, you get smaller guys (and you'd assume, smaller impacts), but also lesser helmets.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Fri Sep 27, 2013 3:16 pm

I'd like to see a cross-sports comparison of retired athletes who die from falling off of their roofs attempting to install satellite dishes.

Scottie · Post by **Scottie** » Fri Sep 27, 2013 3:24 pm

Shirley wrote:I'm not sure why previous NFL decades would make a huge difference. The further back you go, you get smaller guys (and you'd assume, smaller impacts), but also lesser helmets.

Style of play has a lot to do with it, no? Leading with one's head as a battering ram was far more commonplace a few years ago until the NFL, CFL, etc, started to take concussions more seriously. Plus these days, and there may be a degree of assumption here, when a guys gets his bell rung he's not out there again two plays later.

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Fri Sep 27, 2013 4:10 pm

testy boxcar wrote:
Johnnie wrote:The suicide/brain injury culture in the NFL is
looking like the same suicide/brain injury culture in the military.

Has anyone made this comparison at all? I'm sure I can't be the only dude who noticed this.
lots of people

I knew a thought like that seemed far too obvious to not be thought of previously. For a second I figured I was smart.

Gunpowder · Post by **Gunpowder** » Fri Sep 27, 2013 4:34 pm

Giff wrote:What about suicides by current NFL players who had their junk bit off by their best friends when they crashed their cars and killed aforementioned best friends?

YES

JEFF ALMIGHTY

Gunpowder · Post by **Gunpowder** » Fri Sep 27, 2013 4:35 pm

Shirley wrote:
Steve of phpBB wrote:
Shirley wrote:The other stuff - loss of career - would be much harder statistically, but it would seem to be an important factor. I can't even imagine how hard it must be to step down from a professional sports career, PARTICULARLY when you feel like you are still in your prime. And that's the majority of former NFL players.
You may be able to gauge this effect by looking at athletes in other pro sports, or looking at NFL players from previous decades. I know Donnie Moore was a well-known suicide; I'm sure there are other ex-baseball players who killed themselves, but I can't think of them right now.
Yeah, comparing to other pro sports is a good idea. I think NFL players have shorter careers than most others (and there are no fallback leagues like for basketball), which might mean that more find themselves unexpectedly out of work (and out of skill) at a young age.

I'm not sure why previous NFL decades would make a huge difference. The further back you go, you get smaller guys (and you'd assume, smaller impacts), but also lesser helmets.

That is absolutely false. You can play arena football in Peoria.

testy boxcar · Post by **testy boxcar** » Fri Sep 27, 2013 4:40 pm

GO PEORIA PIRATES!!!

Post by **Sabo** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 10:13 am

So, let me get this straight.

If you're an NFL player and are caught smoking pot twice, you're suspended from the league for a year. And if you're a star player, there's a big push to have you released to teach a lesson (see Gordon, Josh). If you're not a star player, you're just released (see Brazill, LaVon).

If you're an NFL player who was suspended in college for trading memorabilia for free tattoos, you're suspended by the NFL for five games.

If you're an NFL player who was accused of sexual assault by a woman but not charged by the police, you're suspended by the NFL for four games.

And if you're an NFL player who was videotaped beating your fiancee in a casino, you get banned for two games. And not only that, the NFL Network will broadcast that the two-game suspension is "the iron fist of the NFL".

But if you're an NFL owner and you're caught abusing prescription medications and driving DWI TWICE, there's no punishment.

Seems legit.

Gunpowder · Post by **Gunpowder** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 10:22 am

Would-be star Justin Blackmon was just arrested for marijuana possession. He's probably done for good now.

He should have given the marijuana to a woman and then punched her right in the fucking face.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 10:27 am

You guys are fucking idiots. Are you seriously trying to tell me the last time you got high you didn't think, even in passing, "fuck man, this is like 8 times worse than punching my girlfriend or wife right in the fucking jaw"? Grow up.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 10:29 am

(Seriously, if you're an NFL owner don't you just mitigate the risk and cash out now? You can get like a trillion dollars and there's atleast a fair shot this is a slowly sinking ship.)

Gunpowder · Post by **Gunpowder** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 10:34 am

mister d wrote:(Seriously, if you're an NFL owner don't you just mitigate the risk and cash out now? You can get like a trillion dollars and there's atleast a fair shot this is a slowly sinking ship.)

Team bubble does seem like it's about to burst, however, team ownership is also largely a vanity purchase for most of these dudes. Business Sterling would have sold the Clips for 2 bil in a second.

tennbengal · Post by **tennbengal** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 11:20 am

Sabo wrote:So, let me get this straight.

If you're an NFL player and are caught smoking pot twice, you're suspended from the league for a year. And if you're a star player, there's a big push to have you released to teach a lesson (see Gordon, Josh). If you're not a star player, you're just released (see Brazill, LaVon).

If you're an NFL player who was suspended in college for trading memorabilia for free tattoos, you're suspended by the NFL for five games.

If you're an NFL player who was accused of sexual assault by a woman but not charged by the police, you're suspended by the NFL for four games.

And if you're an NFL player who was videotaped beating your fiancee in a casino, you get banned for two games. And not only that, the NFL Network will broadcast that the two-game suspension is "the iron fist of the NFL".

But if you're an NFL owner and you're caught abusing prescription medications and driving DWI TWICE, there's no punishment.

Seems legit.

High five.

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 11:58 am

tennbengal wrote:
Sabo wrote:So, let me get this straight.

If you're an NFL player and are caught smoking pot twice, you're suspended from the league for a year. And if you're a star player, there's a big push to have you released to teach a lesson (see Gordon, Josh). If you're not a star player, you're just released (see Brazill, LaVon).

If you're an NFL player who was suspended in college for trading memorabilia for free tattoos, you're suspended by the NFL for five games.

If you're an NFL player who was accused of sexual assault by a woman but not charged by the police, you're suspended by the NFL for four games.

And if you're an NFL player who was videotaped beating your fiancee in a casino, you get banned for two games. And not only that, the NFL Network will broadcast that the two-game suspension is "the iron fist of the NFL".

But if you're an NFL owner and you're caught abusing prescription medications and driving DWI TWICE, there's no punishment.

Seems legit.
High five.

Crackerjack.

Jerloma · Post by **Jerloma** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 12:25 pm

Ravens...different standard. Alaways had one. Terrell Suggs publicly and without remorse admitted that they had a bounty system in effect on Roethlisberger and the league didn't even look at that. Compare that to the Saints.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 12:41 pm

Somebody tell Josh Gordon and Justin Blackmon that if they want to party risk-free, they should be hanging with Jimmy Irsay.

Rush2112 · Post by **Rush2112** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 12:43 pm

sancarlos wrote:Somebody tell Josh Gordon and Justin Blackmon that if they want to party risk-free, they should be hanging with Jimmy Irsay.

or get engaged.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 12:45 pm

It should become a thing where defensive players try to drag Rice around by his feet after tackles. That would make me smile.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 1:22 pm

It is mind boggling.

16 games for abusing yourself and two games for abusing a woman.

Let's hope that this becomes a real issue.

Gunpowder · Post by **Gunpowder** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 1:29 pm

The NFL not adapting to recent shifts of opinion on weed combined with ignoring that most of the fanbase doesn't knock their wives out shows a stunning lack of self-awareness on shield tarnish. I used to make the shield tarnish argument on suspending Ben Roeth for maybe kinda rape but probably not but she's really drunk issues. Now, though, the NFL is losing touch with its own tarnish.

Post by **Sabo** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 1:35 pm

sancarlos wrote:Somebody tell Josh Gordon and Justin Blackmon that if they want to party risk-free, they should be hanging with Jimmy Irsay.

That didn't work for LaVon Brazill!

Bensell · Post by **Bensell** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 1:35 pm

mister d wrote:It should become a thing where defensive players try to drag Rice around by his feet after tackles. That would make me smile.

Nice.

This suspension is ridiculous. There is no way in hell for the NFL to justify it; Goddell just made another massive tone-deaf mistake. I hope that my Twitter timeline's amount of outrage is a true ratio of all fans as everyone has been crushing the NFL for this.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 1:43 pm

Gunpowder wrote:The NFL not adapting to recent shifts of opinion on weed combined with ignoring that most of the fanbase doesn't knock their wives out shows a stunning lack of self-awareness on shield tarnish. I used to make the shield tarnish argument on suspending Ben Roeth for maybe kinda rape but probably not but she's really drunk issues. Now, though, the NFL is losing touch with its own tarnish.

And the last few years saw the league "reach out" to women by putting chemically enhanced cheerleaders in pink fringed slut dresses to raise awareness of breast cancer.

Oh, and ads designed to sell paraphernalia to the ladies as well.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 2:14 pm

Pruitt wrote:
Gunpowder wrote:The NFL not adapting to recent shifts of opinion on weed combined with ignoring that most of the fanbase doesn't knock their wives out shows a stunning lack of self-awareness on shield tarnish. I used to make the shield tarnish argument on suspending Ben Roeth for maybe kinda rape but probably not but she's really drunk issues. Now, though, the NFL is losing touch with its own tarnish.
And the last few years saw the league "reach out" to women by putting chemically enhanced cheerleaders in pink fringed slut dresses to raise awareness of breast cancer.

Oh, and ads designed to sell paraphernalia to the ladies as well.

What's wrong with that?

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 2:32 pm

Via Sports on Earth:

tennbengal · Post by **tennbengal** » Fri Jul 25, 2014 6:05 am

That's pretty awesome.

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Fri Jul 25, 2014 1:10 pm

Boom. Damn, son!

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Fri Jul 25, 2014 8:50 pm

I am not a fan of Olberman as I often find his slow burring outrage to be shtick-like.

But that was a hell of an editorial. It would be pretty hard to come up with anything better in a week let alone a single day.

rass · Post by **rass** » Fri Jul 24, 2015 3:23 pm

Junior Seau's family banned from speaking at his HOF induction

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Thu Aug 20, 2015 7:43 am

Erik Kramer, suffering from depression and possible brain injuries, tries to kill himself.

Explaining football fandom in 25 years to kids who grew up without it is going to be difficult.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Thu Aug 20, 2015 12:06 pm

mister d wrote:Erik Kramer, suffering from depression and possible brain injuries, tries to kill himself.

Explaining football fandom in 25 years to kids who grew up without it is going to be difficult.

Kramer's son died a tragic death, too.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Wed Aug 26, 2015 12:45 pm

Jonathan Martin opens up...

profootballtalk wrote:...the former Dolphins and 49ers tackle wrote a heartfelt message this morning on social media this morning, expressing the pain he felt from his high school days to his NFL career.

“Your job leads you to attempt to kill yourself multiple times,” he wrote.

The message traces his unhappiness to his early days, when he never felt like he fit in at private schools in California, saying he never felt “black enough” and wasn’t accepted by either white or black classmates.

He said that led to to drinking too much, smoking marijuana “constantly” and other bad behavior, but clearly he wasn’t comfortable with the persona he created to tried to fit into the football culture...

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 2:51 pm

This Christmas:

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 2:55 pm

Johnnie wrote:This Christmas:

And when Sony tries to buy air time during games?

Oh my - a publicist's dream.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 3:01 pm

Question: "Do you think people should love football? Should there be football?"

Follow-up: "Are you sure you’re not making this movie to drive people away from football?"

Post by **brian** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 3:06 pm

I look forward to the inevitable silver screen treatment of Deflategate produced by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon that will essentially put the NFL in the same light. Goodell will be played by Paul Giamatti complete with a 1930s-era Snidely Whiplash mustache to twirl.