Does the Marshawn Incident change your mind about High Character playe

[WVUFootball29]

What do you guys think? Is character important in recruiting players?

[DrDawkinstein]

i think you are getting your "character" vs "FOOTBALL character" definitions confused.

 

i want guys with high FOOTBALL character. Marshawn is one of them.

 

if they give everything they got to the team and on Sunday, then that buys them a lot of leeway with me for their off field antics. obviously, there are limits to that though. guys like Pacman Jones and Chris Henry havent justified their extreme off field problems with any type of play to back it up. to the point that the off field issues PREVENT them from proving it on the field since they are suspended so much.

 

See: Jim Kelly, Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas, Cornelius Bennet, etc. for good examples of this grey area

[WVUFootball29]

Not necessarily. I think character has a lot to do with it. If you're constantly getting into trouble off the field it can affect play on Sunday, especially if you are getting suspended by the league. We all know Goodell has been pretty strict with players as of late and if Marshawn get charged its a good possibility he gets suspended.

 

Using Kelly, Bruce and the crew is a bit of a lopsided arguement because I don't recall them getting arrested that often and the league was under different management.

[keepthefaith]

What do you guys think? Is character important in recruiting players?

 

Somewhere in all this Dick Jauron is at fault. Fire the coach.

[C.Biscuit97]

Not necessarily. I think character has a lot to do with it. If you're constantly getting into trouble off the field it can affect play on Sunday, especially if you are getting suspended by the league. We all know Goodell has been pretty strict with players as of late and if Marshawn get charged its a good possibility he gets suspended.

 

Using Kelly, Bruce and the crew is a bit of a lopsided arguement because I don't recall them getting arrested that often and the league was under different management.

 

It was a different time then. No internet. I suggest you look at the book Relentless, which covers the Bills history until 1994. There are stories about Bills' players that would make you blush. They traded for a guy who killed someone. Kelly and Bruce were both investigated by the NFL for cocaine use. Reed and Talley were involved in a brawl at a bar. Hasslett and Smerlas were always causing trouble and driving around hammered.

 

However, it was a different time and things would often get settled out of court before anyone got wind of it.

[cody]

i think you are getting your "character" vs "FOOTBALL character" definitions confused.

 

i want guys with high FOOTBALL character. Marshawn is one of them.

 

if they give everything they got to the team and on Sunday, then that buys them a lot of leeway with me for their off field antics. obviously, there are limits to that though. guys like Pacman Jones and Chris Henry havent justified their extreme off field problems with any type of play to back it up. to the point that the off field issues PREVENT them from proving it on the field since they are suspended so much.

 

See: Jim Kelly, Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas, Cornelius Bennet, etc. for good examples of this grey area

 

Dr is right. The main players on the '90 Bills were not chior boys. They did have what Marv called "football" character.

The place on your roster where you need chior boys is the role players and backups.

Mark Kelso stayed on the team because he worked very hard and kept his nose clean.

With great players, you take the good with the bad.

With average players, you want them to work their tail off and stay out of trouble.

 

Ko Simpson = distraction

M. Lynch = a player who gets another chance,

[SKOOBY]

We need to get Ray lewis in here, he'll show ML how to have friends pull the trigger on murder and get then to take the rap while he plays ball.

 

Peace to the gang.

[Brandon]

Its both. You don't want a thug on your team under any circumstance, but at the same time, you also don't want to pass over an excellent player because he has a few problems. I'm definitely not going to throw a guy under the bus for not having a piece of paper that would've otherwise made his actions perfectly legal. There should be some consequence, but there's no reason to go overboard.

[Canadian Bills Fan]

I dont care anymore about having good characters with decent morals and values on the Bills roster. Sure, it would be great to have a team like that but it hasnt gotten us far at all. I am at the point now in my life as a Bills fan that if it takes having a team full of convicts and repeat offenders to get us to the playoffs then so be it. I dont think we have the luxury to wish that anymore.

[Bufcomments]

i think you are getting your "character" vs "FOOTBALL character" definitions confused.

 

i want guys with high FOOTBALL character. Marshawn is one of them.

 

if they give everything they got to the team and on Sunday, then that buys them a lot of leeway with me for their off field antics. obviously, there are limits to that though. guys like Pacman Jones and Chris Henry havent justified their extreme off field problems with any type of play to back it up. to the point that the off field issues PREVENT them from proving it on the field since they are suspended so much.

 

See: Jim Kelly, Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas, Cornelius Bennet, etc. for good examples of this grey area

 

Good post DR

 

Marshawn has it... football character and the Bills need a few more of these guys

 

What he does in his personnel life is really none of our business . People pay to see what he does on the field so I think that where it should end....ON THE FIELD. I dont care what they do off the field..... as long as it doesnt hamper the on field performance

Bruce, Jim, Thurman were not choir boys off the field and just about everybody who followed the Bills in the 90's knew of this and I am sure the Bills brass knew of this too

 

But the star players on any team, NFL, NBA, NHL you name it are going to get a few passes on what they do off the field because they produce on the field of play............its a sad fact but true

 

THe Bills and the NFL are going to give the Marshawns, the Steve Smiths, the Big Bens of the world every chance to correct the mistakes because at the end of the day these players sell tickets

 

Dont ever forget this NFL is about money and if they got to give name players a chance to mess up and rebound they will do it

[MRW]

i think you are getting your "character" vs "FOOTBALL character" definitions confused.

 

i want guys with high FOOTBALL character. Marshawn is one of them.

 

if they give everything they got to the team and on Sunday, then that buys them a lot of leeway with me for their off field antics. obviously, there are limits to that though. guys like Pacman Jones and Chris Henry havent justified their extreme off field problems with any type of play to back it up. to the point that the off field issues PREVENT them from proving it on the field since they are suspended so much.

 

See: Jim Kelly, Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas, Cornelius Bennet, etc. for good examples of this grey area

Good post. I think Lynch is in danger of heading into that area where his off-field problems become an on-field issue, but I don't see any point in getting caught up in judging him. Let him pay the consequences of his actions, but me getting angry at him over it won't make a bit of difference. I hope anyone who wants to get rid of him doesn't complain when the Bills use another high pick on an RB.

[BuffaloBill]

Not necessarily. I think character has a lot to do with it. If you're constantly getting into trouble off the field it can affect play on Sunday, especially if you are getting suspended by the league. We all know Goodell has been pretty strict with players as of late and if Marshawn get charged its a good possibility he gets suspended.

 

Using Kelly, Bruce and the crew is a bit of a lopsided arguement because I don't recall them getting arrested that often and the league was under different management.

 

 

True the league is different today. Let's assume Lynch gets suspended for his most recent antics. That can in no way help the team. Not to mention the media circus that is created. It's all a waste. Marshawn deserves a chance but if he continues to behave the way he allegedly has then he should be sent home to Oakland on a bus so he can just hang out with his hood buddies.

[Buftex]

I would like to blow this off, or just look the other way. If Lynch continues to behave the way he does, off the field, it will effect the team one way or another. I am a bigger fan of the Bills, than I am of Marshawn Lynch. So, he hasn't hurt anyone, his crimes are insignificant in their impact. But, what is wrong with that, and what many here aren't seeing, is that

the Bills now officially have to be on watch with Marshawn. We all know (most of us) that he is a fantastic player, but what good is that, if he is suspended a few times, unavailable to help the team we are pulling for, win some games? What happens at the end of next season, if Marshawn has another questionable lapse in judgement, no matter how few people are physically hurt, and the Bills are forced to choose whether to choose between re-signing their talented, but tragically immature running back, and kepping their fingers crossed he doesn't disappoint again, or trade maybe their best player, because he is just not accountable. What kills me (and I guess it is the same in every city) is how much glee is taken here when guys on other teams fug up (remember the Dolfelons?), yet seem so willing to sweep it under the rug when it happens here.

 

But, the popular "young and dumb" excuse seems to work for so many here. A-Rod is banking on the same defense...how many here are willing to look the other way for him? I know it is a complex issue, and we all want the Bills to win something... I'm with you.

[DazedandConfused]

I think with the NFL cracking down on players who get in trouble with the law character has to be a big issue for anyone building a team.

 

Even if you judge that how a player performs on the field greatly outpaces how he acts off of it, with the NFL forcing players like PacMan, Vick, and Henry off the field due to "character" issues which involve criminality then an intelligent GM needs to be concerned about character.

 

The two big changes in how these issues are treated to me are:

 

1, The NFLPA clearly recognizes that the interest of the vast majority of its members rests in the goose laying the golden egg reflected in them getting 60.5% of the total receipts (which to me makes them the majority partner in this partnership). Nad character equals bad press and can kill the goose delivering big bucks to NFLPA members. It is no wonder that the NFLPA is tangibly switching from defending all players no matter what at all times to instead assessing each case and being more than willing to let an idiot walk the plank so he does not endanger the NFLPA members nickels.

 

2. Goodell has said that they need not wait for a conviction to discipline a player. This is a big shift which shows the reality of the NFLPA changing its tune and a recognition that an NFL contract is not a right its a privilege.

 

Sure on the field performance is the only thing or even the key. Yep and go out and sign Michael Vick if you believe that.

[MRW]

What happens at the end of next season, if Marshawn has another questionable lapse in judgement, no matter how few people are physically hurt, and the Bills are forced to choose whether to choose between re-signing their talented, but tragically immature running back, and kepping their fingers crossed he doesn't disappoint again, or trade maybe their best player, because he is just not accountable.

That's either going to happen or not, but I don't see a good reason to worry about it right now. If Lynch continues to screw up he'll be gone, but what do we gain by getting worked up over it? I don't think it's a good idea to get rid of Lynch and create yet another hole to fill, and if you're not prepared to cut ties with him you may as well wait and see how things play out.

[The Dean]

Maybe I'm missing something, but I have yet to see any indication that Lynch is a "bad character" player. So far, his trouble seems to be associated with immaturity, and perhaps some ignorance...but, I still don't see any major thug action. Again, I may have missed something, as I have only read a few of the reports. But, having pot, and stupidly carrying an unregistered weapon doesn't necessarily equal bad character, to me.

[WVUFootball29]

Maybe I'm missing something, but I have yet to see any indication that Lynch is a "bad character" player. So far, his trouble seems to be associated with immaturity, and perhaps some ignorance...but, I still don't see any major thug action. Again, I may have missed something, as I have only read a few of the reports. But, having pot, and stupidly carrying an unregistered weapon doesn't necessarily equal bad character, to me.

 

not so much implying that Lynch himself is a bad person, but so far in 2 years he's made 2 dumb decisions that ended up in police investigations and now possible charges. The pot isn't that big of deal, especially since he hasn't tested positive and the amount they had on them only makes the possession a violation and a fine instead of any real ramifications. The gun charge could possibly be a problem, ie Tank Johnson and Plaxico Burress, and could cause a suspension if charged and sentenced. The league has been cracking down on this type of behavior and issuing suspensions for it. The question was, with their feature back possibly facing a suspension for poor decisions off the field, should/does character factor in more so for the Bills in their recruiting and drafting.

[DC Tom]

Maybe I'm missing something, but I have yet to see any indication that Lynch is a "bad character" player. So far, his trouble seems to be associated with immaturity, and perhaps some ignorance...but, I still don't see any major thug action. Again, I may have missed something, as I have only read a few of the reports. But, having pot, and stupidly carrying an unregistered weapon doesn't necessarily equal bad character, to me.

 

Understood...and I'd counter with "Good judgement is part of good character."

 

Not judging Lynch with that statement...I'm just sayin'. Personally, I want the guy to be a good running back, not a saint. I'd rather he acted responsibly off the field, but truth be told as long as he's not aspiring to be the next Cecil Collins or Rae Carruth, I'm not going to get worked up over it.

[stuckincincy]

Heh.

 

What about the thousands of jerks that populate any NFL stadium, standing, screaming, shouting, and abusing the team's other fans, ruining it for them, all game long? Let alone any fan of the competing team. You are certainly out there - you post and brag about your behavior here, from time to time.

 

Justifying such by saying that "I" paid for a ticket. "I'm" a fan. "I" don't give a flying fu*k, If they can't stand it, F them.

 

Boozed up drugged up, going in, boozed up going out. And now pleasing themselves by holding this or that player to a hypocritical standard that they haven't met themselves since they were a 2-year old filling diapers.

 

I don't see Lynch as being a menace to society, or a thief, or a person who goes out of his way to abuse others for the purpose of getting his groin stirring, unlike certain members of the paying, baying crowd.

 

He's erred. He erred against the rules of his employment. He broke laws. For that, he may lose a bunch of cash. That's his look out.

[WVUFootball29]

Heh.

 

What about the thousands of jerks that populate any NFL stadium, standing, screaming, shouting, and abusing the team's other fans, ruining it for them, all game long? Let alone any fan of the competing team. You are certainly out there - you post and brag about your behavior here, from time to time.

 

Justifying such by saying that "I" paid for a ticket. "I'm" a fan. "I" don't give a flying fu*k, If they can't stand it, F them.

 

Boozed up drugged up, going in, boozed up going out. And now pleasing themselves by holding this or that player to a hypocritical standard that they haven't met themselves since they were a 2-year old filling diapers.

 

I don't see Lynch as being a menace to society, or a thief, or a person who goes out of his way to abuse others for the purpose of getting his groin stirring, unlike certain members of the paying, baying crowd.

 

He's erred. He erred against the rules of his employment. He broke laws. For that, he may lose a bunch of cash. That's his look out.

 

Don't bring the Rockpile into this