DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2015 NFL Season Looking Back: Browns 6 - Rams 24 Post Game Antics ---Jersey Exchange?

Listening to the really big show on espn 850, and Rizz is going nuts over the Browns yucking it up with the Rams after the game. Crowell even did a jersey exchange with Gurley, pictures on twitter.

Do these players care that they just got crushed? What is going on with this team?

If I was the coach, I'd tell the players to do their meet-n-greets during pre-game warmups, because if I saw anything more than a handshake and a brief conversation after the game, I'd fine them. Its unprofessional, and a really bad look that makes fans think players don't even care as much the fans do.

Its the new NFL. They dont shake hands at the end of the game, they hug, exchange jerseys and take selfies together.

When I was young, the game was a grudge match, death match, you hated the other team, you watched gladiators try to kill each other. Now, it's a job.

In part that is cultural.. it's a different world today.

A lot of it is the way sports goes because these guys at the highest level, they become friends in the camps they attend, they become friends on the college recruiting trail, they become friends at post season HS and college events and all-star games.. plus recruiting has become so national any more, there isn't much regional rivalry built into these guys.

Then in the NFL, it used to be you built a team and that team pretty much stayed together for a long time.. people would get cut and new guys would come in but these guys, with free agency and players moving around.. heck the veterans have probably been on teams with most of these guys they are now competing against..

It's never going to be like it was.

Yeah, it rubbed me the wrong way too. I'd want to hide my face after that type of showing if I were a Browns player/staff.

Most players don't actually care, they never have. We just lift up our heroes from the past because we want to think of him in a certain way.

Football is a job. It's a way to make money. It is not life and death for the players like it is for the fans. Just listen to the Brownscast with Joe Thomas, it sounds like he pretty much hates football.

This is me speculating, but aren't Crowell and Gurley about the same age, come from the same area of the country, and were both highly rated out of HS? It makes sense that they have had contact with each other for years, and would have a level of friendship that goes beyond the NFL.

Crowell and Gurley also both went to Georgia.

If we win, nobody cares.

They went to Georgia together in 2012 before Crowell got in legal trouble...

Were Gurley, Chubb, and Crowell all on the same team? If they were, that is quite ridiculous.

I'd say that Rizzo needs to pull his head outta his butt if this is what he's going nuts over. Talk about not even being able to focus on the main issue, sheesh.



Beyond that, who cares if they're friendly after the game? As long as they aren't that way while the clock is running, it doesn't matter. It's football - a child's game, not national security or the Hatfields & McCoys.

Crowell and Gurley had 1 year together, then Chubb came in and his freshman year was Gurley's last year... so they were never all on the team at the same time and no 2 together for more than 1 year.

somewhere out there, I know there are players who aren't in it just to collect a paycheck. There are players who hate to lose, and will do everything possible to avoid suffering a single L. There are players who are pissed off when they lose 24-6, and go into the locker room lamenting the little things they could have done better to get the win, and come out the next week full of rage and take it out on the other team. There are players who put everything into the team and won't accept anything less from themselves and even their teammates. Give me those players, not "professionals" who view football as a job and winning as a bonus.

Wow, what a big nothing.

I'd much rather them be focused before the game and see their friends after the game.

Actually it kind of pisses me off people are making an issue of this.

+1

Exchanging jerseys is a common thing in a few other sports (soccer). I don't have a problem with it on the field or behind closed doors. This is sports.

I think Crow got the better end of the jersey swap.

I agree w/the last few posts. It's not a big deal. It's been going on for years.

I do NOT want my players socializing w/the opponent before the game, but after the game is a different story.

You fight as hard as you can on the field. And then you leave all of that mess on the field. Nothing wrong w/being friends w/guys who play for other teams.

I prefer the days when the Steelers and Browns fought at the 50 during pre game warm ups.

They kicked the snot out of us for 60 minutes and were friendly after the game, we got the snot kicked out of us for 60 minutes and were friendly after the game... clearly what happens during that 60 minutes is not dependent on how nice you are after the game.

this. Both have Georgia ties...

Ward and Whitner did it last week...

This is such a non issue.

They can't do that somewhere other than the middle of the field? I don't have an issue with these guys being BBF's but have some respect for the fans and play kissy face behind closed doors.

I will say Bob Golic was NOT a fan if it if anyone saw his commentary.

Link?

Bob Golic is irrelevant.

I agree, he is an old school player.

I don't have a problem with players yucking it up AFTER a game. Be competitive as hell during the game, but I have no problem with these guys exchanging niceties after the game is over.

It's been that way for a long, long time. Those complaining probably never played competitive sports.

You give everything you got during the game, but after the game, you realize that it is just a game.

That's painting with an extremely broad brush. It's not about knowing wheter or not it's a game, it's about having respect for the fans that pay you're damn salary. Sure, give your former teammate a hug on the way off the field or congratulate a guy you faced all game, but exchanging signed jerseys and laughing with the guys that just beat your ass is a slap in the face of the people who just spent hard earned money to see you win. If you have to give away your jersey, give it a little kid in the stands but no, it's about the jersey they get in return and that little kid couldn't possibly have anything worth the trade...

Skip Bayless, is that you?

I played organized baseball and football until I was 17, and then in softball and touch football leagues well into my 30's. The difference is, nobody was paying to watch me play; nobody was asked to make a significant financial investment for season tickets to my games. My objection to the post-game lovefests is that an emotional bond is fostered by NFL teams so that they can sell tickets, concessions, parking, and NFL gear. It doesn't seem like too much to ask for a fan to expect that the players would have a brief post-game encounter, a handshake and a "good game", and to keep their fraternizing off camera, on their own time. Its just a really crappy look to me when I see guys who I'm supposed to believe are at least as emotionally invested as I am, yukking it up with the guys who just kicked his ass. If you can turn it off that fast, I have to at least wonder how much you cared to begin with. Anyway, this isn't the first time we've had this discussion on DT, and I found out that mine is the minority opinion, at least here. I suppose it means I'm "old school", or too provincial, or just not understanding modern athletes - no biggie.

All the teams do the same thing. This is not exclusive to the Browns.

If you really hate it that much, stop watching the product.

I only say this because I get the feeling that some of the posters on here wanna rip the Crow and Pet for this type of attitude. Like it is an indicator that they don't care about winning and losing. All teams do it. Almost all players do the same thing. There is NOTHING unique about Crow or our team here.

Oh, and I don't feel "disrespected" because they traded jerseys or hugged each other. LMAO....that is absurd. I take it for what it is. You play as hard as you can during the game and then get back to real life after the game.

I'm old school. Heck, I played HS and college in the 70s. That's a long time ago. Sportsmanship has always has been and always should be a part of the GAME!

I can see both sides of this one. Like boxers who beat the crap out of each other for 12 rounds, they tend to earn their opponents respect from the fight and congratulate each other once the fight ends. I have no problem with this display.

Sometimes the boxers still want to go at it when they feel strongly negative about their opponent. This is how I feel about our division rivals. I don't want to see us yuking it up with the Steelers or Ravens. Stomping (or other acts) on a terrible towel seems to be the proper amount of respect to show after that game ends.

This....^^^^

Its a game, nothing more, and when the gun sounds.. its over nothing can be done to change it....while I hope the loss stings.. I see no reason why a player can not exhibit sportsmanship... especially with other players they know and are friends with.

I much rather they did that then pull an old Detroit Pistons and walk off the court before the game is over.

When you suck you find ways to be mad about everything. No one would care if we were good about this petty crap.

This is it in a nut shell. Our fans are so frustrated they'll make a mountain out of a mole hill about almost anything.

Exactly.

Blaming Crow and/or Pet for this is not going to fix anything.