[S Clark]

The NFL owners need to make a policy - official or unofficial - that when there is a player with substance and/or domestic issues that gets released, the other teams agree NOT to sign him for a given period of time, say 12mo. Some sort of agreed upon time frame. Otherwise, it's essentially a form of enabling. If these guys think they can beat women, do drugs, drink excessively, etc, still knowing they'll get chance after chance in the NFL, that only makes things worse.

Even if they wanted to, the players union would never let it happen.  They have a labor agreement. 

[ajzepp]

Even if they wanted to, the players union would never let it happen.  They have a labor agreement.

Thats why I say "unofficial" if necessary...they can simply make a gentlemen's agreement not to sign people like that. There are character clauses on NFL contracts, as well. The players aren't guaranteed the right to a team...it's up to the owners if they choose to sign a player or not. Continuing to give people like this millions of dollars is not good for anyone.

[SoCalWJS]

Thats why I say "unofficial" if necessary...they can simply make a gentlemen's agreement not to sign people like that. There are character clauses on NFL contracts, as well. The players aren't guaranteed the right to a team...it's up to the owners if they choose to sign a player or not. Continuing to give people like this millions of dollars is not good for anyone.

Can you say "Collusion"?

[ajzepp]

Can you say "Collusion"?

Okay. You guys are right. Lets just keep enabling them....nothing wrong with a few more women getting beat up, right? After all, business is what's most important.

Heck, I may even enter the bidding war myself for Johnny next year 

[JLM]

NFL becoming WWF v.2 with all the prima donna, out of control players and owners.

[SoCalWJS]

Okay. You guys are right. Lets just keep enabling them....nothing wrong with a few more women getting beat up, right? After all, business is what's most important.

Heck, I may even enter the bidding war myself for Johnny next year 

Don't get me wrong - I wish they could do things like you suggest. The Courts keep saying otherwise. Don't get me going on Court rulings......

[thunderbrick]

Proving collusion would be interesting.  If the purpose is a waiting period to see if the jerks get their act together, I think that's reasonable, and damned hard to prove. 

OTOH, if it's collusion to keep players' salaries down, that would be a slam dunk.

[ajzepp]

Don't get me wrong - I wish they could do things like you suggest. The Courts keep saying otherwise. Don't get me going on Court rulings......

Well, my point isn't whether it's feasible as the rules are currently, but that something should be done. No matter how they do it, it's the right thing to do assuming that the NFL truly gives a crap about player safety, health, and the well-being of loved ones (particularly women and children).

As a rule, I generally always support the players when it comes to negotiations. You cannot put a price on health, and if a player chases the top dollar, I say all the power to them. Even with insurance policies, you have no way to know if you're going to walk off that field or away from the game in one piece - literally or figuratively. And I actually feel that my stance on Manziel-type issues are ALSO in the player's best interest ultimately. The LAST thing someone like Johnny needs is another million dollar contract after the Browns cut him.

[firedog]

At this point we should have pity for the guy. He's obviously out of control and on a downward spiral. I don't think any NFL team will touch him at this point. What will he do when he realizes that?

Apparently he's refused multiple attempts by family, team, and agent to get him help. They are all washing their hands of him....

[charmerci]

OTOH, if it's collusion to keep players' salaries down, that would be a slam dunk.

So the multi-millionaire and billionaire owners could rake in more piles of dough at the expense of players' health and their abilities? 

[JLM]

Always follow the money to find the answers in this life.  Owner profits from fuel these ridiculously high athlete salaries and a super jock culture.  That culture breeds immature behavior and greed in all the parties involved.  Owners should treat players like family, not temporary assets to be exploited.  The NFL should take better care of current and retired players, and for their own good divert salaries into research, better gear, health insurance, and education to players/parents early on (before junior high) of the risks involved.  Salaries should be capped at $100,000/year (or lower) which IME is plenty for a part-time job and a generous pension should be established.  Owners should be forced to buy their own current/future stadiums or else communities should own the teams (like Green Bay).

None of this will happen without fan support (or reduced support).  Stop buying expensive jerseys, tickets, and TV subscriptions.  Stop voting for new taxes to build more stadiums or bought and paid for politicians that support building more stadiums. 

Rant off.

[S Clark]

  Salaries should be capped at $100,000/year (or lower)...

  They make more than that in college! IIRC, Cam Newton's dad was busted asking $175K for Cam to play at ?Tennessee?  and was told to take a hike.  Apparently, Auburn wasn't as picky. 

[JLM]

OK, pay NFL players a maximum of $30,000/year for the part-time "jobs" they have and charge professional teams a huge tax to exist. 

And what I said about NFL teams/owners should also be applied to Division I colleges.  There is an imbalance between what players and colleges get from their performances and huge variance in the educations provided.  If you're not smart enough to be in college, then you can't play in college, simple.  I'm sorry, but the whole concept of a college education shouldn't be shamed for the sake of semi-professional athletics by coming up with pass through methods or laughable fields of study that enable the poorly qualified students to play for the college.  A college player should be a legitimate college student, period.  The premise of getting a good college education in trade for representing the school by playing a sport is a very fair deal for the student.  Pushing the student too hard to perform as an athlete or lowering the expectations of earning a "real" college degree has made a mockery of college athletics and the colleges.

Do I have to get tougher yet on jocks that make more than the President?

[S Clark]

Yeah, and corporations shouldn't be greedy, and politicians should have the best interest of the people at heart, and everyone should voluntarily pay their share of taxes, and we should all just follow the Golden Rule... but that's not the world we live in. 
Back to Johnny Ex-Football... his ex-girlfriend has changed her mind and is pressing charges.  He's toast.

[foz1982]

How low has life gotten when you get life advice FROM Charlie Sheen?

[vonnie123]

Yeah, and corporations shouldn't be greedy, and politicians should have the best interest of the people at heart, and everyone should voluntarily pay their share of taxes, and we should all just follow the Golden Rule... but that's not the world we live in. 
Back to Johnny Ex-Football... his ex-girlfriend has changed her mind and is pressing charges.  He's toast.

He will be out of work next month when he gets cut.  Another promising talent shooting itself in the foot.

[Rob Babcock]

Guys seems to be a waste of plasma.  He won the lottery when he got signed IMO.  He was a great college QB but his skills don't seem to scale up to the NFL.  He should have cashed a few years of undeserved paychecks before quietly retiring.  Instead his lack of character seems to have torpedoed any chance he had of staying on an NFL roster.  He'll probably be leaving skid marks on the bowl where his career used to be.

[ajzepp]

How low has life gotten when you get life advice FROM Charlie Sheen?

 

[jimdgoulding]

There is a new video of Manziel partying again one night this week.  He has no contract or so I've read.  Doubt there is interest.  What a dumb-ass.  Just pathetic.

[charmerci]

His agent dumped him. He's a free bird now. Can do what he wants - though he said he's going to get his act together for the upcoming season.