Character of draft picks

[rice1817]

Here in Western Pa. the papers were full of stories about what a wonderful choice #1 Steeler pick Santonio Holmes is. Has all the tools to be a great one....speed, athleticism, etc. What was barely mentioned is that this guy has 3 KIDS TO THREE DIFFERENT WOMEN and was not even done with college yet (He came into the draft with another year of eligibility left at Ohio State).

Now I thought that NFL teams, and the Steelers in particular, put great emphasis on "character". Last year's #1 choice, Heath Miller of Virginia, had it. Great student athlete at a top school, and he has become a model citizen and pillar of the community in Pittsburgh.

I am old school, and put a lot of stock in a man's character. I know that this is a different time, with a different standard of morality. But at the risk of being called "judgemental", I gotta ask: What the hell kind of character can a guy have who has fathered 3 children to three different women, all out of wedlock? Surely he had no means of paying support for one child, let alone 3! But there was Cowher, gushing over him, telling all what a wonderful and mature young man this is. Holmes himself seems proud of the fact!

It's just frustrating for me. I guess I am a dinosaur in my views and the fact that the guy can catch a football and run a 4.3 40 does not make up for what I perceive to be a total lack of judgement or responsibility on this guy's part.

 

[The Duke]

A black player is deemed to have great character if he makes it to the NFL without being arrested for a felony!

 

[Guest]

Nice post Rice, I agree with you and I am a young guy. The Steelers continue to slap their fans in the face with so many terrible caste drafts. You want a high character WR...Mike Hass is the guy for you. As for me I am taking the year off of being a Steeler fan. The only bright spots were the UDFA signings of Mike Lorello, Mike Kudla, Scott Paxson, Zach Baker and Isaac Smolko. Im hoping that with them not investing highly in a RB that they are really considering Brian Leonard next year.

 

[jaxvid]

rice, I couldn't agree with you more! Why encourage the behavior by rewarding it? If there is no public shame to immorality then it will continue and grow. That talk about chararcter is all a bunch of BS. Teams do that all the time. The only thing they care about is winning. There is no other measurement for them. Acting like they want players with chararcter is just window dressing to fool the fans that can't see the truth. Perception is reality. Create the impression that people like Holmes have "chararcter" and it won't matter that they don't.

 

[Don Wassall]

Kind of telling isn't it, that since rice1817 first posted this topic, Holmes has been arrested twice, and also wouldn't return Ben Roethlisberger's numerous phone calls to him.


Holmes had his first press interview yesterday, and he had no apologies to make, no remorse or regret whatsoever for his actions since being drafted. "I don't think I have anything to prove to anybody," he said, sporting an Ohio State t-shirt that said "Da Man" on the back.


He all but called Big Ben a liar, saying Roethlisberger had never called him. Nothing like trying to build a good rapport with the guy who'll be throwing you the ball.


One thing Holmes said that does sound very believable is this: "I haven't gotten any negative feedback from one person since I've been in town the past month and a half." Knowing white football fans and how coaches and ownership baby these affletes, that rings very true.

 

[Leonardfan]

The Steelers also resigned Colbert thru 2010. He is a great proponent of the caste system in Pittsburgh. His drafts have exluded whites to a great degree. I think in 2004 he picks Ben, one OT who was white and cut and Matt Kranchick. In 2005 he picked Heath Miller and reached on a bunch of questionable picks like Trai Essex in the third who was supposed to go undrafted. He also seems to be favoring polynesians to white players as well. This year was his worst draft ever. Holmes is the worst but than he gets a slow FS from the same conference as Lorello and Lorello was much more decorated in college yet he goes undrafted. Willie Reid is the exact same player Holmes is. They also are doing a great job in building an exlusively non-white oline. Only Faneca and Hartings are solid on the line now. Simmons, Starks and Smith have been ok but nto great. The o-line depth has been drafted by Colbert and it has been absolutely dismal. It is real hard to be a Steeler fan these days.

 

[GreatLakeState]

Charles Rogers' pathetic career with the Lions was of little surprise to
those who remember him from high school when he already had bastard
children. He missed some of his senior basketball season after one of his
"baby's mamas" stabbed him with a fork, puncturing a lung!

 

[white is right]

Well he maybe be able to pay for now. But this could be a Derrick Thomas situation in the making. Where after his career is over his dependants are left picking at the bones of his finances. These coaches that look the other way at street donkeys are no different than coaches that look the other way at obvious PED usage....

 

[GreatLakeState]

Wait a minute ... Charles Rogers ... Detroit athlete ... black ... but I'm
ripping him? Why? Because he sucks like Darko, and is a tool like Kircus.

 

[White Shogun]

Wait a minute ... Charles Rogers ... Detroit athlete ... black ... but I'm
ripping him? Why? Because he sucks like Darko, and is a tool like Kircus.

Sometimes its so bad there is just no denyin' it.