Does character count?

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by TAFKAS

I think the difference is that now players have more freedom to move than they did back then. Teams looked the other way back then because the players had no real leverage.

The article I read and the players they talked about that Gibbs had to deal with are the same exact problems we hear about today. I think the only difference is today we have more media and hear more about the situations teams and players are having. What was not news back in the 80s is big news tody.

[TheMalcolmConnection]

Originally Posted by Daseal

I still can't figure out how people can say Winslow has a poor character for getting into a bike accident. By the way, I didn't see this mentioned anywhere else - he was LEARNING how to ride in a parking lot. So he wasn't on the road when this happened. Everyone has to learn HOW to ride a bike.
"With his leg still on the mend, Winslow purchased a sport bike last month and was learning how to ride it in a parking lot when he hit a curb."
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2053370

Can you imagine how much it would suck if he DOES have to pay back $4.4 million? I have problems paying back people $20, but $4.4 million?!?

[TheMalcolmConnection]

What did Jansen say about Taylor? I don't remember that, I'm curious.

[Daseal]

He started talking about his DUI (which he was innocent of) on the draft show. It lowered my view of Jansen. Talk about him not being in camp all you want, but don't bring that into it.

[TheMalcolmConnection]

Damn, now I wish you wouldn't have told me that. :frusty:

I never thought Jansen would say something like that.

[irish]

I respect JJ even more for saying that. Hopefully is will help St wake up but I doubt it. It never ceases to amaze me how people will place themselves in difficult or shady looking situations then be surprised that others see them in a negative fashion. Impressions, whether true or not, are hard to change especially 1st ones. This is why people see Iverson in one light while McNabb is seen in another.

[Hijinx]

Originally Posted by Daseal

I still can't figure out how people can say Winslow has a poor character for getting into a bike accident. By the way, I didn't see this mentioned anywhere else - he was LEARNING how to ride in a parking lot. So he wasn't on the road when this happened. Everyone has to learn HOW to ride a bike.
"With his leg still on the mend, Winslow purchased a sport bike last month and was learning how to ride it in a parking lot when he hit a curb."
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2053370

This is not entirely true. Yes the bike was new and he had no experience riding it. However earlier that day or the previous night(can't remember which) he attended a motorcycle stunt show called starboyz. I have seen the video of him moments before the crash. He was doing like 50 in that small parking lot. He was doing spin outs and wheelies. There were skid marks all over that lot. In fact it has been said that he was doing a wheelie when the wreck happened. Now even though it says no bikes in his contract, I think had he bought a bike, got a licence, maybe took a riding class or was slowly trying the bike out that would be one thing. This guy was tying to pull one of those 'don't try this at home' things. An adult should know better.

[Schneed10]

Daseal, I was one of those people that called him a bad character guy for his bike riding incident. I'll back off of that, I think you're right on that point. But I think he's dumb for choosing to ride a motorbike. That was a dumb choice, so maybe "bad character" isn't the right term. I just think it was stupid. #1, when you have a clause in your contract that says you will lose money if you miss games due to a motorbike accident, it's pretty dumb to choose to ride the bike. #2, when your teammates depend on you to be a big part of the team, it's pretty inconsiderate to do something as risk your health on a motorbike. It's just not smart any way you cut it.

[PFunk26]

I agree Hijinx one article said the people he was with said he was a novice rider at best and a novice riding wheelies 100 yrds is not smart at all

[Schneed10]

Think of it this way, Daseal. You're my QB, and I'm a WR with buttloads of talent. First off, you want to win games and fulfill your childhood dream of winning the super bowl. Secondly, you want to play well and put up numbers so you can get a big money contract. Now, here I am going out and partying all the time. I go to a club and hit on somebody's girl and get in a fight. I batter the dude with my massive WR body, and I get arrested. I miss eight games while serving a few months in jail. Now, how do you feel about me? I just hurt your chances of winning your super bowl, and I just hurt your chances at getting a big contract, because without me your WRs suck.

OK, so that was entirely hypothetical. But let's say Winslow misses 8 games. Isn't the effect on his QB, and the rest of his teammates, the same as the games I missed because I got in trouble with the law?

What I'm saying is, no matter whether you're a bad-character guy, or a decent guy but just plain dumb for riding a motorcycle, either way you're hurting your team. And that's the bottom line.

[JoeRedskin]

Originally Posted by TheMalcolmConnection

If teams will stop putting up with that type of shit, then maybe we won't have to see players like TO in the league anymore. Once you establish the precedent that you don't allow that type of behavior on your team and the rest of the league follows, maybe the NFL would be much more character-based.

Weren't some of the people now bashing TO for his holdout and his "me first" attitude the same people supporting him in his "me first" touchdown celebrations? Does anyone else besides me think they are just two symptoms the same core problem? TO's deep and abiding love for himself.

Why does the NFL put up w/ TO type players? 'Cause fans want to see 'em. They want to watch them make athletic plays and then watch them dance. All the time focusing attention on themselves and not their teammates (Who was it who threw those 14 TD's to you, Owens? And for those dancing DE's, Who was it that ate up two blockers so you could get a clean shot at the QB?).

So the next time a player pulls some diva crap ON the field and you applaud/support or otherwise condone it; Don't bitch when they pull the same crap OFF the field.

[PSUSkinsFan21]

Can someone explain to me any reason why we should be defending Winslow? This just doesn't make sense to me.

1. He calls out OUR TEAM on draft day because he was pouting over the fact that ST got drafted ahead of him and we didn't draft him like we "promised". A ROOKIE......calling out the entire Redskins team and organization?! Are you kidding me? Who the hell does he think he is? What has he done to think that he's earned the right to call out a hall of fame coach and storied franchise?

2. Any 20-year-old PUNK, who even DARES to compare his football exploits to that of being a "Soldier" is an absolute idiot with ZERO Character in my book. Sorry, but NOBODY is going to convince me any differently of this.

3. He goes and buys a bike and starts doing stunts on it before he's ever learned how to ride responsibly or obtained a license, IN DIRECT VIOLATION of specific clauses contained in the contract that HE SIGNED, and gets seriously injured, thereby jeopardizing the success of his team this year. If that's not a me-first attitude, I don't know what is.

Now please explain to me what's worth defending in the person of Kellen Winslow II? He's not even on our team for goodness sake. It's just amazing to me that some of the same people who want to crucify Arrington for not reading his contract before he signed it, are willing to just skip over the fact that Winslow stands in direct breach of his contract. And I'll never understand why some people on this site feel the need to defend players on other teams more than current Redskins.......especially when those other players are people like Kellen Winslow.

[FRPLG]

Exactly what did he say about the DUI incident? Just saying he "talked" about it means nothing. I wouldn't say he threw him under the bus simpyl talking about it. Now if he said Sean Taylor was a complete distraction who lost them football games then that's more like throwing under the bus.

[Hijinx]

That's right personally I see these actions as proof that he has attitude problem and didn't improve them this past year. It was reported that TO would practice his TD celebrations in the locker room before a game. Is this what he should be working on before a game? Is Philly paying him all that money to improve their TD dancing?

[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by Daseal

Does this mean Jon Jansen isn't a team guy? Didn't he throw Sean Taylor under the bus on draft day? At least TO made remarks about a game, Jansen got nasty with the man's personal life.

The more I think about this post I am wondering what the point of it was? We're you disagreeing with what I said or were you just trying to start something about Jansen? It doesn't seem like it has anything to do with what the thread is about. Jansen's name was never mentioned until you mentioned it.
I would say that mentioning his "personal life" in this case was 100% appropriate since it ended up DIRECTLY affecting the Redskins. Remember he was suspended for one game for missing practice after it in one of his 2 year old type pouting displays. That makes it "team business" too.