DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Sports scandles

I was just reading a post in the Jamal lewis thread about the chargers may take him, Meriman and his issues...... and I started to think.We here so much about todays modern athlete in sport, and the drugs ( narcotics steroids), the weopons and various other off the field problems.Is the bar of conduct been lowerred or is it that we hear more about it in the infornation age.Growing up i cant ever remember hearing of so many incedints as today.Sure we all heard about pete rose,shoeless joe jackson,steve howe,ect....Today evertime you open the paper it seems there is a new scandle of some sort.It almost seems common place.Ie: the Bengals.Is it the money?Is it the fame?Or is that we just accept it more?This is more of a commontary and would like my fellow dawg takers input.If this is in the wrong forum my appologies ref.

a good topic to discuss.......in tailgate! expect this thread to be moved...so don't be surprised if u can't find it in pure football

I think the Hip Hop culture has something to do with it. Plus movies like Scarface and shows like the Sopranos make criminals look like the good guys or makes their lifestyles look cool or fun.

When I read an article about a NBA player or a rapper and they are asked what their favorite movie is, Scarface always comes up.

Thats one of my fav movies as well...you dont' see me shooting up ppl or doing drugs or anything else illegal?

Please don't blame hip-hop or movies....don't be that guy...

so the hip hop culture has nothing to do with millionare athletes idolizing made up criminals and in return make coke deals like Jamaal Lewis even when he didnt need the money.

I like the movie too, and I like rap. That dont mean Im going to shoot up people.

I will be that guy that says that some people are influenced by these things.

The poster asked a question, I responded with an awnser I think is possible is some scenerios.

like Tank Williams whose body guard just got shot and he needed a judges order to play in the Superbowl. how much money would you bet me to say that he doesnt live his lifestyle around the hiphop culture. Some peoples upbringings have something to do with it but I doubt Tanks parents had millions of dollars with a house full of guns and pitbulls and needed a bodyguard to go to the local dance club.


Im not blaming the hip hop culture or movies, but they do influence some people. Kind of like how athletes can inspire some children. Some people learn the good, some learn the bad.

I think it comes down to one thing,,, Too much money,,, Too little brains.. But that's JMO

I think I remember seeing something on ESPN not long ago that attempted to chronicle the relationship between Pro Athletes and firearms.

If I'm not mistaken a lot of Athletes carry guns and mostly for protection.

The idea is that since many athletes have a lot of money, nice cars, and often wear high priced watches and chains and things; they become targets.

I'll see if I can find an article somewhere. When I saw it, it was a feature on sportscenter or outside the lines or something.

Hip hop,rap and gangsta movies are no more the reason athletes get into trouble ... than anyone who smokes weed becomes a crack addict.

The problem may be as simple or as complicated as our values being distorted by money and fame. Kids who have a difficult home life are more susceptible to the flash of Pro Sports, major players in the Hip Hop culture and unfortunately the drug pusher/pimp on the corner.
These kids and most all kids think it is an easy thing to hit the big time in the above fields but they would be better off studying to learn a trade or further education however they can.

Without a good base of family or community it is easy to be tricked into "all that glitters is gold".

I watch that movie all the time and I don't want to become a drug deal or criminal, probably because I don't have enough money to.

Alot of these guys don't see the problem. They grew up in a world of poverty, violence, and dope dealing. It's institutionalized in the lowest economic strata. Notice I'm not talking race here, it's got more to do with class.

Take a kid, who prior to getting his signing bonus, thought of rich as the dealer with the Mercedes and you can see where this goes. His friends gather round, they live the dreams they had before the big payday, and bad things happen. They've seen friends and relatives in trouble with the law all their lives and it's no more of a problem to them than a speeding ticket is to most of us.

I know whole generations and neighborhoods where things like this are the norm. Anyone who lives there and sees the problem just breaks the cycle, moves away, and lives a "normal" life. I can't blame them for leaving. The ones left behind in poverty, for whatever reason, never see how the real world of successful people operates. If one hits a big payday, then they live the dream until they crash and burn, and never realize what it means to be set for life.

It doesn't have a darn thing to do with football. Pro sports just kind of magnifies the cycle of destruction.

J.

You hit the nail on the head, also to much imaturity.
Earlier NFL players had to WORK during the off season.
The NFL was just a part time job for them.
Now they make so much money they become celebrities when they are 20-21 years old.

A lot of it is the Information Age. Sonny Jurgenson, Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Paul Hornung, Whitey Ford, Dizzy Dean, etc were all well known heavy drinkers, partiers, womanizers. They were often picked up by the police, and were let off because of who they were, and sportswriters even covered for them. Fortunately, that doesn't happen as much any more...