2003 Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 http://www.cbs.sportsline.com/nfl/story/9380098/2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozymandius Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 Thanks for the link. Here's basically the same article for Claude Wroten, except instead of laziness, Wroten's problem was pot: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft06/colu..._len&id=2411170 It's an Insider article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozymandius Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 Since it's an Insider article, let me provide some excerpts. Written by LSU defensive tackle Claude Wroten, the letter arrived in the personnel offices of all 32 NFL teams last week with purposely impeccable timing, as general managers and scouts were about to convene for the final round of evaluation sessions that would help determine the shape of their draft boards. Filled with sincerity and simple, declarative sentences, it is a missive with a message, authored by a young man with concerns for his future and contrition over some elements of his past. And it represented one final visit to the confessional by a highly regarded draft prospect for whom the past two months have principally been an exercise in full disclosure. "My approach has been to put all the cards on the table, spill my guts, just give them all of the details," Wroten said of his past problems with marijuana. "Hide nothing, you know? The whole truth and nothing but the truth, or however they say it. I bring the stuff up before scouts even have a chance to ask about it. I look them right in the eye and tell them everything that happened." The truth may set some people free and it will, on occasion, send many others into a perilous free fall. The honesty of Wroten, it seems, has helped the former LSU star avoid the latter situation. While there remains a chance Wroten will slide out of the first round, depending on how some of the other tackles come off the board in the early stages of the draft, his candor helped guarantee he will not spiral out of the first day. That isn't the case with every draft prospect whose résumé includes character-related issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozymandius Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 ...... Wroten apparently was not only a good listener but also an even better talker, scouts agree. At the combine, Wroten began most interviews by conceding to scouts that, while the incident never went public and didn't draw a suspension, he tested positive for marijuana during his junior season. Then, even more painfully, Wroten, a country kid from Bastrop, La., with zero pretense about him, detailed the events of Jan. 4. That's when Wroten was pulled over for speeding near Sterlington, La., and police discovered a cache of marijuana and $4,000 in his car. Arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and intent to distribute, Wroten spent several hours in the Ouachita Correctional Center before making bail. A month later, prosecutors decided not to pursue the charges because of a lack of evidence and some questions over the legality of the search. The technicalities aside, though, Wroten knew he had the marijuana, although he says it was for personal consumption, and he knew how close he came to having his football career go up in smoke. "You see the red lights [from the police car] in your [rearview] mirror and it's a sickening feeling," recalled Wroten, clocked at 77 mph in a 65 mph zone. "And then you remember the marijuana and it's like, 'Oh, no, man, this is bad.' You know how people say there are times they can see their whole lives flashing in front of them? Well, that's how it was. But I saw the future, too, not just the past. And I knew that the future could be disappearing for me. It's something I'll never forget. [it's] scary, way too scary to ever have happen again." And so Wroten, a two-year starter at LSU after transferring into the Tigers program from Mississippi Delta Community College, has vowed to himself it won't ever happen again. And he's made the same promise to scouts and coaches who have interviewed him. Whether they buy into his story remains to be seen. What has clearly aided his cause, though, is that it's a story Wroten volunteers to repeat every time he meets with a team official. A prototype three-technique tackle, a quick defender who can get through the gaps and penetrate and who uses his hands extremely well, Wroten is an intriguing prospect. There are scouts, in fact, who insist he is the most physically talented of the prospects who comprise a fairly impressive class of tackles in the 2006 draft. They mention him in the same elite subset as Haloti Ngata (Oregon), Brodrick Bunkley (Florida State), John McCargo (North Carolina State), Orien Harris (Miami), Gabe Watson (Michigan) and Rodrique Wright (Texas). With good reason, too, because Wroten possesses undeniable tools and seems to have the kind of natural feel for the game -- including the ability to disengage and narrow his shoulders to allow him to penetrate into the backfield -- that can't be coached. At 295 pounds, he isn't as big as some of the wide-body run stuffers a few teams prefer, but he is stout enough against the run and plays with an attacking attitude when motivated. Right now, with his dreams so close to reality that he said last week he feels like he can "reach out and grab them," Wroten is motivated. He desperately wants a career in the NFL and is moved enough to want to make one more impression on general managers and personnel directors -- and thus, the letter, just to remind them one last time of his resolve. In a league that has the toughest drug-testing program of any pro sport, Wroten figures he's going to be under scrutiny. But he also insisted he's kicked his marijuana habit and is now ready to kick some butt. "To me," Wroten said, "I'm the best defensive tackle in the draft. That's not bragging -- honest, it's just how I feel. I can't even imagine not being able to play at the next level. So I'm ready to do whatever it takes, on and off the field. People in the NFL have made it clear to me there's no place in the league for [marijuana]. That means if I'm using the stuff, there's no place for me. And I'm not going to let that happen." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozymandius Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 I love these two parts: - There are scouts, in fact, who insist he is the most physically talented of the prospects who comprise a fairly impressive class of tackles in the 2006 draft. - "To me," Wroten said, "I'm the best defensive tackle in the draft. That's not bragging -- honest, it's just how I feel. I can't even imagine not being able to play at the next level. So I'm ready to do whatever it takes, on and off the field. People in the NFL have made it clear to me there's no place in the league for [marijuana]. That means if I'm using the stuff, there's no place for me. And I'm not going to let that happen." I have a complete hard-on for this kid. Claude, you're right, you ARE the best DT in this draft. Don't worry about the pot, I'm sure half the league smokes, too. That's what the offseason is for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apuszczalowski Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 Theres no room for Pot in the NFL, Ricky Williams stash is taking up to much space right now, LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CajunBillsBacker Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 Wroten was a beast for the Tigers. Our other DT Kyle Williams, while being dominating in his own nature, was the blue chipper, all american recruit, but Wroten came in from JC and stole the headlines with his play. I know he's a good kid and I hope he succeeds with whoever drafts him. About Bunkley, wasn't he the guy at FSU who was arrested for stealing a video game from Wal Mart, or do I have the wrong Seminole? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like A Mofo Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 About Bunkley, wasn't he the guy at FSU who was arrested for stealing a video game from Wal Mart, or do I have the wrong Seminole? 664542[/snapback] Just SO many to choose from, I cannot remember either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CajunBillsBacker Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 Just SO many to choose from, I cannot remember either 664547[/snapback] It was him! Look under weaknesses http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/scoutingr...ickbunkley.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 About Bunkley, wasn't he the guy at FSU who was arrested for stealing a video game from Wal Mart, or do I have the wrong Seminole? 664542[/snapback] C'mon, get your 'noles straight... Bunkley stole a video game in 2003 Sims was the one who "pinned his girlfriend down on the ground and wouldnt let her up" No charges were filed. AJ Nicholson was arrsted for beating some guys ass in a bar fight a year or so ago, and then was sent home for the alleged sexual misconduct right before the orange bowl. No charges against him for the orange bowl incident and nothing has been uncovered to say that he actually did anything wrong. Wyatt Sexton was the one who was arrested for laying in the middle of the street claiming he was God. His family says it was all because of lyme disease. The entire campus knows it was becuase he was on a crazy weekend long drug bender at a dave matthews band concert in the days prior to the incident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 I've been speaking up Wroten for some time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatPatPatSack Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 It was him! Look under weaknesses http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/scoutingr...ickbunkley.html 664553[/snapback] Look let';s face it. This whole character thing is way overrated. People somehow equate the fine public performance with what happens on the field. Nothing could be further from the truth. Who would you pick as a better character? Frank Reich or Jim Kelly? Mark Kelso or Nate Clements? Now you don't want social nutcases like some of the more outraegous guys; but after that, you are pretty much out of touch if you so much as factor in some college hijinks in your football playing decisions. It must be said, that a persons state of mind and mental makeup ARE important in projecting good teammates. But what you want are football mentalities. That might be significantly different than marriage compatibility tests. IF Mike Williams had played great ball and fallen asleep at the wheel, we would be able to get over that right quick. But that wasn't why he played poorly. He didn;t have the attitude. So skip with the choir boys and let's stop pretending that any one really cares if a guy has his girlfriend on the ground and won't let her up. That is a story that could mean anything. In any event it has little to do with playing on Sunday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill from NYC Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 So skip with the choir boys and let's stop pretending that any one really cares if a guy has his girlfriend on the ground and won't let her up. That is a story that could mean anything. In any event it has little to do with playing on Sunday. 665139[/snapback] On the other hand, many of these kids are about to receive bigger signing bonuses than my lifetime income. If it was my name on the bottom right of the check, I would want to know that the kid had at least some sense of right and wrong, and discipline. I may sound like an old fogie, but in reality, I am far from outraged when a kid experiments with weed. That said, 4 thousand dollars? My daughter is finishing up a tough 4 years of college. There were many times where she was happy to have 40 dollars. Does Wroten have rich parents? The supposed "illegal search" doesn't change the fact he was driving around like a gangster, with lots of weed and lots of cash. What happens when he gets a 10 million dollar signing bonus? Maybe he will be fine, but things like this at least appear to decrease the odds. Also, as far your comment not caring if a player has a woman on the ground and won't let her up, I am almost at a loss for words. Perhaps we can agree that no woman should be subjected to this type of behavior from any person, even a star athlete. If you think that I am a "choir boy," you are sadly mistaken. Call me crazy, but I think little of those who physically abuse women. I have been in contact with a whole hell of a lot of guys that have, and for the most part they are sick, and they are cowards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IUBillsFan Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 What happens when he gets a 10 million dollar signing bonus? 665177[/snapback] He hires someone to carry it and buy it for him... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fixxxer Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 As Dustin Hoffman once said in a movie "This is nottting" Luigi Castillo was on steroids and was drafted late in the first round by San Diego. Some team will really believe in this kid (as the chargers believed in Castillo) and will draft him in the 1st round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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