NFL updates/news

[chadwix]

"This is a cotton farming business, black people's feelings aren't as important as profits"

Are you seriously correlating asking someone if they like girls with slavery?...

Honestly, i wouldnt want someone on my team who cannot even answer a simple question with out making a circus out of it. If they are that sensitive what are they going to do on the field when someone calls them a derogatory gay name? Cry and tell the ref? I hate to break it too you but there is a lot of trash talk on the field, nothing is offlimits. Cant have these mental twinkies freak out over words, blowing the play because their feelings are hurt.

Teams wanna know what they are getting, i dont blame them for asking questions. This is a team sport, you dont piss off the whole locker room to make one player happy.

This will become an issue when a player is cut/not drafted because they are gay (thats discrimination, not asking a simple question), currently i see nothing wrong because nothing has happened.

[Elbren]

Are you seriously correlating asking someone if they like girls with slavery?...

Honestly, i wouldnt want someone on my team who cannot even answer a simple question with out making a circus out of it. If they are that sensitive what are they going to do on the field when someone calls them a derogatory gay name? Cry and tell the ref? I hate to break it too you but there is a lot of trash talk on the field, nothing is offlimits. Cant have these mental twinkies freak out over words, blowing the play because their feelings are hurt.

Teams wanna know what they are getting, i dont blame them for asking questions. This is a team sport, you dont piss off the whole locker room to make one player happy.

This will become an issue when a player is cut/not drafted because they are gay (thats discrimination, not asking a simple question), currently i see nothing wrong because nothing has happened.

This is the point I think people are missing. It's the whole reason behind questions like this; and let's not pretend this is the first "controversial" question that some of these teams have probably asked. WHAT he answers isn't really important; it's HOW he answer the question. Even after the new CBA, teams are investing a lot of money into these guys and it would be nice to know that they're not going to mouth off if a random reporter asks them a not-so-nice question. Teams don't wanna keep putting money into a Bart Scott or whoever-that-CB-is-from-San-Fran. Teams shouldn't have to keep a 24-hour watch on TV, radio, the internet, instagram and twitter to make sure random player X doesn't do/say something completely stupid.

This isn't the 50's and 60's where players lived in the community and worked labor jobs in the offseason. It's the 21st century; Players are celebrities. They're under the limelight 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and that doesn't stop when the season is over. Any time they open their mouths, go out and do something stupid or just about do anything, they're representing, not just the franchise, but the city they play in.


The best part of this is that so many people care that this guy was asked if he likes girls in one interview, yet no one seems to care that Te'o was probably asked in every interview about the whole fake girlfriend story.

[Pendulous]

http://www.hum.wa.gov/faq/FAQSexualOrientation3.html (yes, it's Washington, but I assume it works the same everywhere)

Q. Can an employer ask about an applicant’s sexual orientation?

An employer may not make any inquiry in connection with prospective employment that expresses any limitation, specification, or discrimination as to sexual orientation, or any intent to make such limitation, specification, or discrimination.

Because an applicant’s sexual orientation is not a permissible consideration in employment, an employer should have no reason to inquire about the sexual orientation of any applicant. By the same token, if an employer is asked to give a reference for a former employee, under no circumstances should the employee’s sexual orientation be disclosed.

The WSHRC discourages any pre-employment inquiries that might be used as proxy measures for discriminatory information. “Lifestyle” questions might be used in this way.

So, in essence, legally they can ask, but there is absolutely no reason for them to ask. because all it would do is make one assume that it is causing some form of discrimination. How many times has an employer asked you for a sexual preference in a job interview? Never seen it on an application either. That's because it has no bearing on the job itself. Why should the NFL be given this special privilege to ask?

[Neazy]

Are you seriously correlating asking someone if they like girls with slavery?...

Honestly, i wouldnt want someone on my team who cannot even answer a simple question with out making a circus out of it. If they are that sensitive what are they going to do on the field when someone calls them a derogatory gay name? Cry and tell the ref? I hate to break it too you but there is a lot of trash talk on the field, nothing is offlimits. Cant have these mental twinkies freak out over words, blowing the play because their feelings are hurt.

Teams wanna know what they are getting, i dont blame them for asking questions. This is a team sport, you dont piss off the whole locker room to make one player happy.

This will become an issue when a player is cut/not drafted because they are gay (thats discrimination, not asking a simple question), currently i see nothing wrong because nothing has happened.

I'm not comparing discrimination to outright slavery. I'm comparing your reasoning to the reasoning that people used to justify slavery.

The only reason to even ask the question is if it's going to lead to discrimination. Being gay doesn't mean you can't be a good football player. It might mean you disrupt a team's locker room, which is why the teams are asking, but the teams shouldn't be allowed to ask in the first place. The only way the teams are gonna change is if the NFL as a whole changes and says you can't discriminate like that. Eventually gay players will be open about their sexuality while playing and it won't destroy locker rooms to have an openly gay player in there. The only way that changes though is if you hold the NFL accountable.

---------- Post added 2013-03-02 at 05:45 PM ----------

And yes, we're holding the NFL accountable on a WoW forum.

[Badpaladin]

Asking if he has a girlfriend isn't bad, but asking if he "likes girls" is out of line, assuming it actually occurred. With the way the NFL is starting to come under scrutiny for not embracing diversity, I wouldn't be surprised if the sexual orientation question was added to spice up a radio show.

[Jibjabb]

But that's the mountain top everyone is trying to get to. That's the whole reason they play this game. I don't think you realize how hard it is just get to the SB, no less win it. Talking about the "best player on the field", it took Ray Lewis 12 years to get back to this game. Hell, Tony Gonzalez is possibly the best TE in history and he just won his first playoff game this year. When talking about Flacco, a lot of fans seem to think Tony Romo is better (no idea why), but the guy has one playoff win. Flacco has won at least one playoff game every year he's been in the league, has a SB win this year and had a SB appearance last year get derailed because Lee Evans can't hold on to a football.

It still doesnt change the fact that getting there isnt based solely on QB play. I can easily argue that Tom Brady has gotten better since his Super Bowl years yet they havent won since then. Why? Because the defense isnt nearly as good as it used to be. If you want to give a QB top QB money it should because they ARE in fact a top QB. Not because they had a good playoff stretch and are vastly inconsistent in other games. As for Lee Evans I can just as well make the same argument that if whatever DB that was on the Broncos wasnt a moron and plays the coverage correctly, the Ravens lose that game and nobody is even talking about Joe Flacco. Works both ways.

He deserves some money. But to get anywhere near the top dogs is laughable.

[chadwix]

http://www.hum.wa.gov/faq/FAQSexualOrientation3.html (yes, it's Washington, but I assume it works the same everywhere)



So, in essence, legally they can ask, but there is absolutely no reason for them to ask. because all it would do is make one assume that it is causing some form of discrimination. How many times has an employer asked you for a sexual preference in a job interview? Never seen it on an application either. That's because it has no bearing on the job itself. Why should the NFL be given this special privilege to ask?

They ask all sorts of weird questions that have no impact on job preformance at the combine. Whats your favorite car, color, food, etc. This isnt your typical interview.

Until there is some sort of recourse for admitting to being gay there can be no discrimination. No one has admitted to being gay only insinuations about manti, media driven to push the agenda, any chance to get their hooks in.

"But to get anywhere near the top dogs is laughable."

Flacco for clutch performances, top dogs like peyton and brees for fantasy numbers.

[Vetali]

https://twitter.com/RandyMoss/status/308019847214800896

Guess thats that for Randy Moss.

Or is it?

[chadwix]

I dont see him being retired unless he wants to be. Maybe i played too much madden but moss is always a threat and had a good season last year with shortball qb's. You gotta check that guy.

Id personally hate to see him go to denver (signing bonus deal) with manning. Im not a fan of peyton but when the field stretches deep, he is one of the best in picking up the gaps. If he goes to the ravens just give them another ring.

[Logonov]

"But to get anywhere near the top dogs is laughable."

Flacco for clutch performances, top dogs like peyton and brees for fantasy numbers.

is someone forgetting how clutch peyton manning is? Recent history has clouded your mind. Eventually when two foes have to be clutch against each other, something has to give. In manning's case, it was a really really really crappy defensive play, and then a poor choice after a game of consistently good choices.

I do have to agree with you more on Brees though, Brees is an absolute fantasy line more than a Clutch player.

[Badpaladin]

Couldn't see Denver signing him when they already have one of the best field-stretchers in the league; they need a slot guy who isn't edging 40 more than anything on offense. That and giving Manny Ramirez the spot over Kris Kuper - giving up sacks and getting two third-down conversions called back on holding penalties does not a good offensive lineman make...

[chadwix]

is someone forgetting how clutch peyton manning is?

1 superbowl and 9wins 11losses speaks for itself. He is a media driven star (never won in college either) who flacco surpassed in one perfect super bowl run (upped montana's record with more td's).

"Couldn't see Denver signing him when they already have one of the best field-stretchers in the league"

Streching both sides of the field would be heavenly for a qb as accurate as peyton. He would have a 3d offense with a great back, solid te and two deep threats separating the safety's.

Yes, but where do you see discrimination against people with purple cars or lovers of pistachios?

There have been no claims against gay discrimination in the nfl, people are worrying about something that hasnt happened yet. There are retired players that are gay and kept their job while playing, i dont understand where this is coming from aside from the manti story (who is gay btw, not that there is anything wrong with that (seinfeld) ).

Do gay players wanna be left alone or not? No need to propagandize this. If the player comes out how does that change what we see on the field (like you say with the interview process)? You say its not about the sport but interject this into it, doesnt make sense.

[Pendulous]

They ask all sorts of weird questions that have no impact on job preformance at the combine. Whats your favorite car, color, food, etc. This isnt your typical interview.

Until there is some sort of recourse for admitting to being gay there can be no discrimination. No one has admitted to being gay only insinuations about manti, media driven to push the agenda, any chance to get their hooks in.

Yes, but where do you see discrimination against people with purple cars or lovers of pistachios? People discriminate and have false hatred toward anything that isn't the "norm" when it comes to sexual preference. That's why. Again, this is a business. These player are employees. They are not bound in any way to answer any questions that are not related to the job and make them feel uncomfortable. Why not just not ask the question, and not be assumed you're about to do some extremely hatemongering thing by not drafting a player because of something that has no relevance to anything?Recourse? Do you not walk out the door, read the news ever, and not see the hate-spewing that is a TON of people? Chris Culliver? He didn't apologize because he didn't believe those words. he apologized because if he didn't, he'd be out on his ass with no job. he believes those words, and other players, and coaches, and owners I'm sure, believe them too. (my brain does not know how to type "believe" correctly)

[Vetali]

Eh I don't see Moss going anywhere. Maybe somewhere where there is literally 0 receivers. Oh well. I will always remember him for this I suppose:



Or maybe Joe Buck... either or.

edit- this makes me feel 10 billion different ways of weird. http://instagram.com/p/WYrplOI7uE/

[xskarma]

The Revis situation is getting pretty damn weird. Does anyone remember a time when a team sent their best player packing? The Jets are a defensive team first and foremost, having a building block like Revis in place, why on earth would you get rid of him?

I mean I get it that he's asking for a lot, I get that he's hurt and you're not sure on how well he'll perform when he gets back, but that's why you freaking negotiate. From the first moment that the off season started there's been this weird vibe around this, and I just can't believe how badly the Jets have handled this so far.

(I can't believe I actually give a damn that the Jets are being this stupid, being a Pats fan, but I do. I may not want them to win but seeing the Jets flail like this is just stupid)

[Robbyjawz]

The Jets have been royally screwed by Tannenbaum. He gave Sanchez that fat contract and then they went and screwed the pooch with several other players on the team. Rex Ryan is a good d-coordinator, but the guy is the wrong kind of bombastic for an HC. He can't get a locker room together, look at what Jim Harbaugh did with the Niners, he turned the franchise around. In the time this Rex got to the Jets, they have taken a massive nosedive. Granted, Harbaugh had Baalke as GM rather than the failure Tanenbaum, but you still have at least some input as an HC as to the players that you sign/draft.

Rex Ryan is gone after the midway point this year, calling that much now. The Jets will hire some offensive coordinator as the new HC after the year is up, making Schottenhemier the interim HC.

[xskarma]

Rex Ryan is gone after the midway point this year, calling that much now. The Jets will hire some offensive coordinator as the new HC after the year is up, making Schottenhemier the interim HC.

Offensive coordinator? how do you figure that? If I were the Jets I'd build on the defensive image I'd gotten the past few years. With no QB worth anything, no RB of note, and no other offensive weapons I can name of the top of my head, why would you get an offensive guy to run things?

[Robbyjawz]

Look at how many people were hired this offseason who were defensive focused: ZERO. I don't agree with it either, but there has been a run on offensive minded people for HC jobs lately. I like defense better, but all the teams have been looking at offensive powerhouses as the way to go recently.

[gzathegenius]

Look at how many people were hired this offseason who were defensive focused: ZERO. I don't agree with it either, but there has been a run on offensive minded people for HC jobs lately. I like defense better, but all the teams have been looking at offensive powerhouses as the way to go recently.

blame the rules. with so many changes to help offense move the ball down the field why wouldn't you go for a offensive focus coach. im a defensive guy as well trust me i LOVE defensive games. but you can see how these rules are making the defenders second guess their actions and its ruining the game imo.

[Vetali]

The Revis situation is getting pretty damn weird. Does anyone remember a time when a team sent their best player packing? The Jets are a defensive team first and foremost, having a building block like Revis in place, why on earth would you get rid of him?

I mean I get it that he's asking for a lot, I get that he's hurt and you're not sure on how well he'll perform when he gets back, but that's why you freaking negotiate. From the first moment that the off season started there's been this weird vibe around this, and I just can't believe how badly the Jets have handled this so far.

(I can't believe I actually give a damn that the Jets are being this stupid, being a Pats fan, but I do. I may not want them to win but seeing the Jets flail like this is just stupid)

The thing is, Revis doesn't want to negotiate. He thinks hes good as new.

Regardless, I think its a good move by the Jets. Their cap is so messed up its not even funny. They should really go out and draft Desmond Trufant to replace him. I wanted Seattle to scoop him up, but after his combine I doubt he'll go after the 15th pick.