Character Counts But It’s Not Adding Up In the NFL
This is the time of the year when we hear people talk about the NFL draft with phrases like “character counts” or “Our organization only picks guys with character.”
Come on, give a break.
A lot of those statements are just idle words and chit chat. The real question is this: Does character only count when a player is helping you win a Super Bowl or is it the way he conducts himself off the field? If teams really cared about character they would be asking the question, “Can I count on you to win in life and on the field?”
If a team’s primary objective is to win on the field, then character doesn’t really count and all the talk about a player’s character is just a whole bunch of words adding up to nothing.
Conclusion: Character doesn’t count in the NFL.
March 25, 2008 at 9:10 pm
You don’t seem to have given any examples or evidence. I’d say Indianapolis and Green Bay give plenty of consideration to the character of their players. Cincinnati is the obvious poster child for your conclusion, but I don’t know that you can label the entire league that way.
March 26, 2008 at 2:27 am
I agree with what you say about Green Bay and Indianapolis, they dont just say they want guys with character, the proof is in the pudding. To some teams it’s just a “cute” word that is used so loosely in sports today. Most teams take the word “character” and help players develope charater in there life but some just say it and it’s not taken seriously. For example Terrell owens(Dallas cowboys), He continually disrupts the unity of every team he goes to, but when He scores 15 touchdowns in one year and He’s happy, all of a sudden He has character because of his perfrmances on the field. See character is not just off the field its on the field also. For example respecting all your coaches, being a good team member, unselfish, and respecting the referees. In my it’s not adding up.
March 27, 2008 at 1:37 pm
[...] Character is as Character Does You can talk about drafting “character guys in the NFL” all you want, but the bottom line is doing whatever it takes to win as Chris Sanders said in his post. [...]
March 27, 2008 at 11:53 pm
I fully agree with the Owens analysis. He’s a horrid example for kids to follow. I would argue that the Packers and Colts would say no if he was offered to them.
I understand what you’re saying in general, I just didn’t think the entire league should be painted with the same brush. I’d love to hear from you who some of the real character guys are in the league. Or were in the league. I posted an “All-Character” team on my Hero Workshop blog which had some interesting responses. Who would you ut on that team?