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The League Needs to Stop Letting Players Act Like Divas

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by Jares, Jan 6, 2019.

  1. Jares

    Jares Well-Known Member

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    As I have been thinking on the AB problem, I have begun to try and think of ways the league can discourage his type of behavior. I say this because I think the younger players coming up are just going to be more of the same if not worse. Right now a player on a team not even in the playoffs is getting more coverage, or just as much, as the playoffs themselves. The league cannot be happy about this.

    I have heard a lot of people say that the kind of self-promotion Brown is exhibiting was inevitable in the social media age and that we just have to accept it and adapt. I don't believe that. These same people love to excuse selfish behavior with the "football is a business" excuse. If football is a business then the league has every right to decide what kind of people they want to hire, including players. No matter what a lot of loud voices say, the players are not entitled to anything. Football is a career choice that the players choose to make just like any other career. It is optional, not mandatory so if the league decides it no longer wants to reward players who act in ways that are detrimental to the image of the league and its teams then they have every right to not employ them. This is the same as any other business. You want to work for a company? You have to conduct yourself in the manner your bosses demand. If you don't like that you can go work for a different company or even choose a different career. If I want to be a teacher, I have to follow a set of behavioral standards or I can be fired. This includes watching what I say and do on social media or even in my personal life. If I don't like it, I don't have to be a teacher. Football is no different.

    So what can the league do? I would start with language in player contracts that allows for the forfeiture of even guaranteed money if a player acts in a way that is detrimental to the team. Since this is just a business and many players are only in it for the money (like Bell) and not actual team success, if you want to change how a player acts then you have to hit them where it hurts: their wallet. I would then move on to changes in the league's trade policies where teams with high contract players would not get weighed down to the point that they could not get rid of a toxic player because of a cap hit. The language would have to be worded so that teams who just don't feel like paying a guy for purely financial reasons could not exploit this new rule. I'm not a contract lawyer so I don't know how that process would work. Maybe it would need to involve some kind of independent arbiter who could rule on whether or not the trade is for valid reasons.

    Finally, and this is the most controversial set of my ideas, the league would need to further discourage diva players and send a message to the younger ones coming up at the same time. I would start with official social media rules and a set of increasing penalties for its abuse. A ban should be a part of that punishment system. Maybe the league could let individual teams decide their own social media rules so that if a player doesn't like one team's rules they can try and get traded to a team they like better. I would like to see the league unite and not employ a player like Brown until he changes his behavior. I know that the players union would sue the heck of the league for this but it is still something I would like to see. I would like to see the league partner with the NCAA and high school groups to try and change how these players behave at a younger age.

    All of this hinges upon the league being seen like any other employer. People need to see and believe that players are not being mistreated by these rules. Most of these are rules that govern any other career path and that players are not locked into just being players. They are free to choose any other career they want to if they don't want to follow league rules or think they are unfair.
     
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2019
  2. AFan

    AFan Well-Known Member

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    To me this ain't on the league. Teams needs to deal with this. If you tolerate ABs behavior and its escalation over the years, you get the trouble you ask for. As I understand it , Tomlin could have suspended AB for the Cincy game, and he'd have lost a game check. But he chose not too.

    You want Godell to come down on AB since Tomlin didn't? If you do than that will be a historic 180 on this board.
     
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2019
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  3. DSteelerCT

    DSteelerCT Well-Known Member

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    Maybe it’s a Steelers and not a league issue. I admit I don’t pay attention to the NFL as much as most do, but I don't recall any team having the multitude of issues the Steelers have had. I'm not including Bell, because contract stuff happens. But the Steelers had Blount, Harrison and AB all skip out of team functions. That's on the coach, not the NFL.
     
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  4. shaner82

    shaner82 Well-Known Member

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    This stuff isn't for the league to fix, it's on the teams to address player behavior.

    Tomlin allowed it to get to this point. He had an opportunity to address it years ago but he didn't.

    He's also had the opportunity to address Ben's behavior, but once again, he does nothing.

    The players do whatever they want on this team.
     
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  5. JAD

    JAD Well-Known Member

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    Agree, but say Mike Tomlin, because these players did this on his watch. Blount I assume you mean the running back and not the great Mel Blount, because Noll or Cowher, both would not put up with skip out of team functions or the culture that has been created.
     
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2019
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  6. Roonatic

    Roonatic Well-Known Member

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    Did Vince McMahon throw some money at AB under the table?
     
  7. dobbler-33

    dobbler-33 Well-Known Member

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    It ain't going anywhere it's a society thing or rapidly becoming a social norm if you will. its offensive to expect folks to be a part of a team and not above it, honor their contracts, or just do their damn job which covers all angles of most employee requirements usually. The minute someone's feet are held to a fire they're reminded it's not their fault and they're being wronged blah blah blah. ***** enough and continue to be rewarded further in some fashion. There are no consequences if your name or brand is big enough.
    We coddle the entitlement class or atleast are forced to do so and its only going to get worse.
     
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  8. Jares

    Jares Well-Known Member

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    We could end it if we wanted to. There are enough of us old enough to remember respect, the importance of team, and the pride of winning. The millennials haven't taken over yet, at least not in the NFL. The people in charge now just have to have the guts to hit the brakes hard on this and say this is enough. Enforce the rules and teach these values. High school might be a lost cause because those kids are so protected from reality and I can't see it going back, at least not for a long time. But the NCAA could do this. Start right from recruitment. They could tell these kids that they part of a team and are going to be expected to adhere to a code of conduct reflecting that and it isn't high school anymore. Lay it out right from the beginning and tell them if their egos can't handle it then don't pursue football any further. The NFL could kick in right now too starting with whatever orientation activities they give the potential rookies. Guys like AB and Odell Beckham need to be cracked down on hard. Tomlin has failed in that regard, but he's not the only one.
     
  9. dobbler-33

    dobbler-33 Well-Known Member

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    The whole worlds problems could be rounded up stomped out and everything pointing north by the end of the month... But it ain't happening. Common sense is still bigger in numbers per se but it don't get the spotlight that green lighting assholes get. It's a culture and it's being championed and or coddled by those with said spotlight. Drama sells and that business is boomin!
     
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  10. Confluence

    Confluence Well-Known Member

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    I think its a personality thing specific to Brown and Bell. I dont think its endemic. Washington, Smith-Shuster, and Rogers are talented hard working guys and, I believe, see through the attention getting. They dont need it. And thats the type of player you want. Quiet minded team guys, which is the ultimate show of strength. Brown had red flags from the start and those types rarely change. You have to look for the red flags. I know Brown put up really good numbers (although he is behind Hines in all major statistical catagories I believe) but he never brought a winning team, a championship. Get rid of him because we dont need the distraction. PLayers these days I think are going to see that the me first route ultimately is a dead end. Its just not how you win on a consistent sustainable basis plus its annoying so I am for dealing Brown and to be honest I dont think for him the grass will be greener on the other side. I predict challenges ahead for him. I think he could very well struggle on another team.
     
  11. dobbler-33

    dobbler-33 Well-Known Member

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    Very well could disappear like the other dummies before him but he didn't learn it's a dead end and many more wont learn either. Hopefully it's all a trend and like most trends dies off but I don't see it.
     
  12. Roonatic

    Roonatic Well-Known Member

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    Millennials would be lost without social media.
     
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  13. BURGH43STEL

    BURGH43STEL Well-Known Member

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    These types of issues have been in sports long before we all were born. It's nothing new. What is new is that social media and the media in general lets players express themselves for good, bad, or whatever. Talented players are going to act up sometimes.
     
  14. Rush2seven

    Rush2seven Well-Known Member

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    The NFL couldn’t get players to stop kneeling even when game day attendance and TV ratings were down. I fail to see how being a diva costs the league any money. So, why would they care? They have a much bigger issue with players being arrested and beating up women than to worry about this.
     
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  15. Kreighoff

    Kreighoff Well-Known Member

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    A lot of these guys get wrong doings ( dui ,assault, rape,drug use ) swept under the carpet in high school and then in college. Try and imagine yourself growing up through those formative years where every time you screw up some coach or a connected alumnus or an agent makes it go away. You grow up never having to be accountable for your actions its more surprising more don't go off the rails.

    I am sure there are plenty of HS coaches that try and guide these young men to grow up and be good citizens, but there are others that want to win at all cost.

    Don't hold your breath expecting the NCAA to clean it up there is way too much money on the line. Even when a college coach makes a stand a player transfers to another school that will look the other way if that player has enough value.

    When they get to the NFL a team hands this person with a dysfunctional sense of entitlement millions of dollars. Sure seems like a recipe for disaster.

    There are still some outstanding people playing in the NFL that do great things off the field, but the wack job divas and bad actors get the press.
     
  16. Roonatic

    Roonatic Well-Known Member

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    Probably should clean up the college coaches before they start on the players.
     
  17. Da Stellars

    Da Stellars Well-Known Member

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    It’s bad in general for the NFL when the top running back of the league sits out an entire season.

    I have to believe Goodell is concerned. This could be the beginning of a regular occurrence.

    I truly think there will be a strike during the next CBA because there are a lot of topics of high contention.
     
  18. Ray D

    Ray D Staff Member Mod Team

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    I'll agree with the strike part. That's almost certain at this point. We're probably looking at a whole season lost.
     
  19. Roonatic

    Roonatic Well-Known Member

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    Wasn't Mack under contract when he kinda forced his way out of Oakland? Not a good precedent for the NFL. Hate to see the NFL become like the NBA or MLB with all the stars clamoring to be on the same team.
     
  20. Lizard72

    Lizard72

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    It would be hilarious to see that happen and those teams fail to win....
     

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