Sending a message of unacceptable behavior (Parcels-Cowboys)

[Anrhydeddu]

From Tuna axes Davis after shooting, sends message

Davis, 24, had been involved in a June 29 incident in which he was shot three times as he stood outside a Dallas topless bar. His injuries -- two wounds in his left arm and another in his hip -- were not sufficient enough to keep Davis from being cleared physically for camp.

They were more than enough, though, to earn him a pink slip.
...
"I've told our guys that night clubs are not the place to be," Parcells said. "And I intend to have pretty good citizens around here."

Can it be that someone can actually speak the truth about what has increasingly become acceptable behavior? It seems that if one wants to avoid trouble, then one should avoid places like strip bars, nightclubs or carrying guns, knives or go to places with drugs, hookers, etc. But there seems to be too many apologist [cough]noop[/cough] who thinks it's okay to do these things as long as you don't get caught. Can Parcels actually be saying otherwise?

[Samdari]

Please do not compare patronizing a legal establishment with the commission of a crime/inherently dangerous act. They are very different. I am all for encouraging athletes to be good citizens, but come one - there is nothing wrong in and of itself, in going to a nightclub. People go to them all the time without guns, knives or hookers, and commit legal acts of dancing and drinking.

I am certainly not an apologist for the criminal athletes out there, but I do disagree with the elevation of "nightclub attendance" to criminal status.

[Anrhydeddu]

Sorry, I disagree. If a high profile public person wants to avoid trouble, then you avoid places and people of trouble. But for some, sudden wealth and fame attract trouble, even when you don't go looking for it.

[MIJB#19]

pro football players (any professional sports person (athelete sounds so track and field only)) should not get into those events, wheter or not they are dangerous.
Be a professional, you have just 10 years in the NFL (some have only 1 or 2 years to proove themselves!)
You can have enough fun after that, plus you're not in college anymore.

Of course the last statement is haunted by the fact that a lot of ex-football players die young and some are disabled millionairs for the rest of their live(s).

[Fritz]

If there is a list of off limits places then they need to ref that in the player contract, or at least stipulate that the organization has the right to make an off-limits list.

[JPhillips]

I would think the unprofessional conduct clause in most of these contracts would cover that. Generally the NFL has the easiest time of firing players of all professional leagues.

[clintl]

I don't see anything wrong with going to a night club, as long as you behave yourself there, and don't come to practice the next day with a hangover. And not all night clubs are places where people are likely to get in trouble.

[Anrhydeddu]

Originally posted by Fritz
If there is a list of off limits places then they need to ref that in the player contract, or at least stipulate that the organization has the right to make an off-limits list.

I agree.

[Samdari]

Originally posted by Anrhydeddu
Sorry, I disagree. If a high profile public person wants to avoid trouble, then you avoid places and people of trouble. But for some, sudden wealth and fame attract trouble, even when you don't go looking for it.

Fine, but lets not be so terribly simplistic as to say every place that which sells alcohol is a place of trouble. Sorry kids, we can't feed you this week, the grocery carries beer on aisle 12. Similarly, every place that could be labeled as a night club is not a place of trouble.

I tend to think that the people are the bigger problem. Some of these guys have shockingly poor taste in associations.

Sorry, but completely excluding nightclubs is ridiculous. Trust them to use good judgement (which will avoid trouble in 99% of cases) until they prove they cannot, then take action. The guys who want to avoid trouble can go to nightclubs and do so, the ones who don't care can find trouble anywhere (see the trail blazers and their cars).

[cmp]

Parcells told his players a night club wasn't an acceptable place to be. It's the players fault he disobeyed the rule. If Parcells wants players on his team to not be going to night clubs then he has the right to implement the rule.

[Samdari]

Originally posted by gold101
Parcells told his players a night club wasn't an acceptable place to be. It's the players fault he disobeyed the rule. If Parcells wants players on his team to not be going to night clubs then he has the right to implement the rule.

Actually, he is never quoted as saying its a rule, just advising players to stay away. I do not, however, dispute his right to make team rules, I am merely exercising my right to disagree with one. He also gave the advice (publicly, anyway) the same day he cut the guy for going against it. Don't portray this as a guy getting cut for breaking a rule he knew was in place.

[Anrhydeddu]

Samdari, I think the Cowboys (and any private organization) has the right to make rules for those under contract as to what to avoid. We can't have a babysitter for everyone so the alternative is to lay out the rules and the consquences for breaking them - just like some do as parents. To me, it's about temptation (much like in Kobe's case) and if you want to minimize the chance of trouble (esp. among those suddenly thrusted into the sphere of wealth and parasites), then avoid temptation. As MIJB is alluding to, it's a chancy risk to take when all that matters is performing your best and abiding by all of the rules when you are under contract.

[Samdari]

Originally posted by Anrhydeddu
Samdari, I think the Cowboys (and any private organization) has the right to make rules for those under contract as to what to avoid. We can't have a babysitter for everyone so the alternative is to lay out the rules and the consquences for breaking them - just like some do as parents. To me, it's about temptation (much like in Kobe's case) and if you want to minimize the chance of trouble (esp. among those suddenly thrusted into the sphere of wealth and parasites), then avoid temptation. As MIJB is alluding to, it's a chancy risk to take when all that matters is performing your best and abiding by all of the rules when you are under contract.

Sure, but I can still vehemently disagree with the practice of treating everyone like they are the most "temptable" Many people can and do go to clubs, do nothing illegal, and come home. Many athletes do this as well. Many are not even tempted to get in fights in clubs, or do drugs, or solicit hookers and such. Being in a bar is far different than inviting a 19 year old girl into your hotel room. My wife is pretty much ok with me doing the first when I travel for business, and (I am guessing - we have not discussed it) would be pretty upset at the second.

As I say in the above post, I am not disputing their ability to make team rules, nor even so much cutting this guy (face it, if he had a chance to contribute anyway, they would have found someone else to make an example of). My beef here is the equating going to a club with committing a crime. They are very different.

I don't blame you for getting tired of seeing athletes misdeeds all the time, but I assure you, it is more common for an athlete to go to a public place which serves alcohol and not have that in the newspaper the next day than it is for one to do so and be arrested. One behavior (going to a bar) does not equal the other (committing crimes), and it is ridiculously narrow minded to assert so.