Adrian Peterson..."modern day slavery"

[shrader]

Does the NFL have any say at all on what kind of endorsement deals a player can sign?

[PDaDdy]

When a person joins the military, they don't get a choice of where they want to work. They go where Uncle Sam tells 'em. The difference is, NFL guys get big money for it (which in my mind justifies it in spades). If they don't want that, they could also try out for the local UFL or Arena team or MLB OR NBA or sack groceries. Nobody sez they gotta go anywhere. Comes with the territory. If you don't like it, don't play.

 

The military isn't really a good comparison to NFL football is it? Kind of like slavery not being a good comparison. The nature of the military is such that people are trained and deployed as needed to protect this country's interests foreign and domestic. You don't get to choose which office you want to work in. You don't get to choose what war you go fight or why it is being fought. Service to ones country is not just a job it's a commitment and promise to this country that should be respected by politicians that put our young men and women in harms way. The NFL is a job.

 

I think I get the point you are trying to make though. Despite Peterson's analogy being flawed I think I get the point Peterson was trying to make. In the sensationalism of the statement some people have forgotten it is just an analogy. A comparison. Does anyone really feel that Peterson was asserting that the NFL is like ACTUAL slavery???

 

If you do I think your quite naive or easily swayed by controversial statements. Same as what would appear to be happening with my statements.

[PDaDdy]

Oh, we all have a feel for what he was trying to communicate. And even if he made his point in a less ridiculous way, he would still be a spoiled brat who needs to find out what it means to work for a (meager) living. His stupid statements are nothing more than extreme exaggeration, and it's insulting to 1. Everyone in the history of the world that has been enslaved, and 2. The entire working class that doesnt make $10mil/year.

 

His comparison is outrageous and offensive. (and I hate using the term offensive, but it applies here)

 

Case Closed.

 

Fair enough. Some people are thin skinned and find many things offensive. Your outrage is your right just as my lack of outrage is mine. By your line of reasoning unemployed people or people living in countries where they don't know where their next meal is coming from much less have the ability to go to the supermarket to buy groceries should be outraged when we working stiffs complain about our jobs. We are such spoiled brats with our weekly income and cable TV.

 

Should people less fortunate than us find our bitching and moaning about our steady jobs offensive? Should they find it offensive we throw away more food than they eat? Perspective is a B word if you go down that "class" envy road.

[Van_phelaN1]

It is ironic on more than one level isn't it?

 

It's like the good advice that you just don't take.

 

Nothing ironic about anything in that song...but i suspect you were being deliberately provocative.

 

Hrm...last I knew there were people of many ethnicities playing football? Who said Adrian Peterson's statement was referring to black people????? If someone is making this a racial statement that someone needs to take a look at themselves.

 

This type of statement for joe six pack that can't see farther than his own biases and prejudices is always very controversial. If I had to guess he is referring to contracts and the inability to switch jobs within his field like anyone else. If you work for McDonalds you can decide not to show up at work the next day and get a job with Burger King and make the same money. You could even take a promotion (salary increase) with Wendy's the day after that.

 

Not so in the NFL. It is a very small job market and there are rules against leaving one company(franchise) for another. More direct comparisons to slavery of any sort for people of any color is that the "merchandise" is poked prodded and examined before drafting "purchasing" the employee. They make you run, jump, lift and that's just the stuff that we see at the "combine". Behind closed doors these guys are stripped naked and examined like animals. Again potential NFL players of ALL RACES. Think about how announcers and scouts discuss NFL candidates and players. It's like they are describing horses or bulls or something. They even make statements like "he comes from good stock" for instance when Clay Mathews was running around at the combine. He's not a beast of burden.

 

Peterson WAS stupid for making the comment because most people can't get past the sensationalism of the statement and even remotely consider the similarities he might be referring to. Again not a racist statement.

 

 

 

Yeah...but at the end of the day they are getting paid millions to play a game. Also, last time I checked there is a UFL and an arena league they could all go play in. Or, they could even put good use of that free college education that many of them received. So I don't want to hear any of that. They don't HAVE to play football. They made a choice. Don't tell me it's modern day slavery when you are getting paid as much as you are because they is real honest to god modern day slavery all around the world that actually exists. It was an ignorant comment.

[justnzane]

Fair enough. Some people are thin skinned and find many things offensive. Your outrage is your right just as my lack of outrage is mine. By your line of reasoning unemployed people or people living in countries where they don't know where their next meal is coming from much less have the ability to go to the supermarket to buy groceries should be outraged when we working stiffs complain about our jobs. We are such spoiled brats with our weekly income and cable TV.

 

Should people less fortunate than us find our bitching and moaning about our steady jobs offensive? Should they find it offensive we throw away more food than they eat? Perspective is a B word if you go down that "class" envy road.

 

As someone who is part-time employed for two jobs, volunteers for another job, and is in the process of finishing off my masters this summer. You really need to shut up and quit while you are buried two feet deep instead of six. As someone who was homeless for a short time, did I envy those with more? Of course, but I did understand that I can work my way into a better situation.

 

Sure, everyone has parts of their job that they hate, but I doubt the vast majority would compare their job to slavery. That is what is so offensive to everyone in regards to the AP situation. I will say with my under $10k/year income, my $75k in student loan debt, and the small prospects of finding a local job in my chosen field that I am driven to make the most of life to have what the majority of the middle class does. I am sickened that an athleticly gifted overpaid prima donna has the balls to compare his job to slavery when he can do what Ricky Williams did and quit to smoke pot all over the world. I find it disgusting that you defend him as well, comparing the middle class's benefits to a millionaires.

[bbb]

Props to you, justnzane!

 

Aren't a ton of jobs like Peterson's. The company says well, we're closing our office here in Buffalo. You can keep your job, but you have to move to Charlotte. Is that slavery?

[DrDawkinstein]

Fair enough. Some people are thin skinned and find many things offensive. Your outrage is your right just as my lack of outrage is mine. By your line of reasoning unemployed people or people living in countries where they don't know where their next meal is coming from much less have the ability to go to the supermarket to buy groceries should be outraged when we working stiffs complain about our jobs. We are such spoiled brats with our weekly income and cable TV.

 

Should people less fortunate than us find our bitching and moaning about our steady jobs offensive? Should they find it offensive we throw away more food than they eat? Perspective is a B word if you go down that "class" envy road.

 

YES! THEY SHOULD! And we shouldnt be bitching about our "first world problems", we should be ashamed we do so. "Wah, my cable is out" "Wah, my cell reception sucks" "Wah, my boss asked me to do an extra project"

 

This is one issue America is faced with. A large population of spoiled people who dont know or appreciate how good we have it.

 

Now, "offensive" is a little harsh of a term, but "insulted" "disgusted", those are good words.

 

This is well overdue for another reposting:

Edited March 18, 2011 by DrDankenstein

[PDaDdy]

Nothing ironic about anything in that song...but i suspect you were being deliberately provocative.

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah...but at the end of the day they are getting paid millions to play a game. Also, last time I checked there is a UFL and an arena league they could all go play in. Or, they could even put good use of that free college education that many of them received. So I don't want to hear any of that. They don't HAVE to play football. They made a choice. Don't tell me it's modern day slavery when you are getting paid as much as you are because they is real honest to god modern day slavery all around the world that actually exists. It was an ignorant comment.

 

Nothing is free. SOME football players get a free ride in college to the tune of what a $20,000/yr tuition? How many MILLIONS of dollars does the school make off of these supposedly non professional athletes? If the games are televised and merchandise is sold these guys are professionals that aren't being paid. The NCAA college football rant is a whole other issue.

 

I always used to joke that somebody should start a professional college football league. Instead of these guys working a crappy after school job to make money. Go play in the professional college league and get paid hundreds of thousands if not millions. You could pay your tuition to ANY college of your choosing and be able to truly enjoy the fruits of your labor.

 

YES! THEY SHOULD! And we shouldnt be bitching about our "first world problems", we should be ashamed we do so. "Wah, my cable is out" "Wah, my cell reception sucks" "Wah, my boss asked me to do an extra project"

 

This is one issue America is faced with. A large population of spoiled people who dont know or appreciate how good we have it.

 

Now, "offensive" is a little harsh of a term, but "insulted" "disgusted", those are good words.

 

This is well overdue for another reposting:

youtube.com/watch?v=8r1CZTLk-Gk

 

You are consistent in your beliefs which I respect. I actually for the most part agree with you on those points. We just differ on how much a dumb statement by a football player trying to make a bad analogy impacts us.

[PDaDdy]

As someone who is part-time employed for two jobs, volunteers for another job, and is in the process of finishing off my masters this summer. You really need to shut up and quit while you are buried two feet deep instead of six. As someone who was homeless for a short time, did I envy those with more? Of course, but I did understand that I can work my way into a better situation.

 

Sure, everyone has parts of their job that they hate, but I doubt the vast majority would compare their job to slavery. That is what is so offensive to everyone in regards to the AP situation. I will say with my under $10k/year income, my $75k in student loan debt, and the small prospects of finding a local job in my chosen field that I am driven to make the most of life to have what the majority of the middle class does. I am sickened that an athleticly gifted overpaid prima donna has the balls to compare his job to slavery when he can do what Ricky Williams did and quit to smoke pot all over the world. I find it disgusting that you defend him as well, comparing the middle class's benefits to a millionaires.

 

"Whoa is me." I have a job and had access to a college education so I can B word at millionaires. If they had an internet connection I would love to find someone in a 3rd world country who is wondering where their next bowl of rice is coming from and get them to complain about your whiny american ass.

 

Just out of curiosity can you please point out where I am defending Peterson? You do realize that my belief that I understand what he was trying to say doesn't equal support right? Just because you can explain WHY someone did something doesn't mean you SUPPORT what they did. I hope you are clever enough to get that.

 

I think if you actually read what I wrote, the ENTIRETY of it, you will see that what he said was indeed stupid however I think I get the analogy he was trying to make. Although stupid I am not outraged. I am not going to go spray paint signs and go march. I am not going to lose a minute of sleep over it. I am not going to try to "keep it alive" like the Vick haters that every time the guy does something good some jack ass has to open their trap about his past sins. We haven't forgotten what Vick did. He was a complete jerk. Get over it.

 

For about the tenth time for the deaf, blind and people in the cheap seats...WHAT HE DID WAS STUPID!!! Hope that was clear enough for you but I'm sure you will highlight and bold some individual sentence fragment and rail against it like it was my whole point.

[bbb]

Man, I can't believe that you like what Peterson said.

[PDaDdy]

Man, I can't believe that you like what Peterson said.

 

LOL

[bbb]

LOL

 

[justnzane]

"Whoa is me." I have a job and had access to a college education so I can B word at millionaires. If they had an internet connection I would love to find someone in a 3rd world country who is wondering where their next bowl of rice is coming from and get them to complain about your whiny american ass.

 

Just out of curiosity can you please point out where I am defending Peterson? You do realize that my belief that I understand what he was trying to say doesn't equal support right? Just because you can explain WHY someone did something doesn't mean you SUPPORT what they did. I hope you are clever enough to get that.

 

I think if you actually read what I wrote, the ENTIRETY of it, you will see that what he said was indeed stupid however I think I get the analogy he was trying to make. Although stupid I am not outraged. I am not going to go spray paint signs and go march. I am not going to lose a minute of sleep over it. I am not going to try to "keep it alive" like the Vick haters that every time the guy does something good some jack ass has to open their trap about his past sins. We haven't forgotten what Vick did. He was a complete jerk. Get over it.

 

For about the tenth time for the deaf, blind and people in the cheap seats...WHAT HE DID WAS STUPID!!! Hope that was clear enough for you but I'm sure you will highlight and bold some individual sentence fragment and rail against it like it was my whole point.

 

I read that post out of context to your others. You think AP is a tool. I disagree with your comparison of poor to my "whiny american ass". I have been homeless, scraping for food, and hoping for better days while knowing that my immediate wouldn't be there to help.

 

You have no idea what I had to go through just to get a college education. I took the hardest road possible to get funding for school as my parents contributed nothing. In my freshman year, my dad went to prison and I was thrown out of my mother's house for standing up for myself. I was fortunate enough that the gov't was willing to give more loan $ for me to cover more of the expenses. That also didn't help me out over summers, especially that first summer as I had no functioning vehicle and no home to go to. I had to live exclusively off of ramen for 6 weeks and in the broken down car for 2 weeks as I scraped up enough cash from working a minimum wage job to get a 60sq ft studio. At the end of my collegiate experience, I'll have a masters degree, a large amount of debt, and no ill will towards those have more (in general).

Edited March 18, 2011 by justnzane

[Mr. WEO]

"Whoa is me." I have a job and had access to a college education so I can B word at millionaires. If they had an internet connection I would love to find someone in a 3rd world country who is wondering where their next bowl of rice is coming from and get them to complain about your whiny american ass.

 

Just out of curiosity can you please point out where I am defending Peterson? You do realize that my belief that I understand what he was trying to say doesn't equal support right? Just because you can explain WHY someone did something doesn't mean you SUPPORT what they did. I hope you are clever enough to get that.

 

I think if you actually read what I wrote, the ENTIRETY of it, you will see that what he said was indeed stupid however I think I get the analogy he was trying to make. Although stupid I am not outraged. I am not going to go spray paint signs and go march. I am not going to lose a minute of sleep over it. I am not going to try to "keep it alive" like the Vick haters that every time the guy does something good some jack ass has to open their trap about his past sins. We haven't forgotten what Vick did. He was a complete jerk. Get over it.

 

For about the tenth time for the deaf, blind and people in the cheap seats...WHAT HE DID WAS STUPID!!! Hope that was clear enough for you but I'm sure you will highlight and bold some individual sentence fragment and rail against it like it was my whole point.

 

To even "get" an analogy (although Peterson is NOT making an analogy--he is said the NFL is modern day slavery) as patently ridiculous as this one, you have to support its premise. You can't pretend not to.

 

Anyway, the "ENTIRETY" of your comments also included (in case you forgot):

 

 

Not so in the NFL. It is a very small job market and there are rules against leaving one company(franchise) for another. More direct comparisons to slavery of any sort for people of any color is that the "merchandise" is poked prodded and examined before drafting "purchasing" the employee. They make you run, jump, lift and that's just the stuff that we see at the "combine". Behind closed doors these guys are stripped naked and examined like animals. Again potential NFL players of ALL RACES. Think about how announcers and scouts discuss NFL candidates and players. It's like they are describing horses or bulls or something.

Soon followed by......

 

Does anyone really feel that Peterson was asserting that the NFL is like ACTUAL slavery???

 

If you do I think your quite naive or easily swayed by controversial statements

.

 

What a mess of a thought process.

Edited March 18, 2011 by Mr. WEO

[bbb]

I love Jason Whitlock