Off Season Drama

NFL Girl here. This is my first blog so I guess I should keep it light and friendly, but anyone that knows me will tell you that's not my style. So that being said, let's jump right in to it.

First off, before I get started on preseason, I guess I will have to talk about some of the drama that has occured during this past offseason. Wow..where to begin. Hmm...

I guess I will start with the Steve McNair situation. I won't touch on this much. It is a sad tale that ended tragically. Is there a lesson to be learned in what happened? I am sure there is, but it is best not to get into the shoulda coulda wouldas and focus on the fact that a great player lost his life. McNair was a phenomenal quarterback who led the Titans all the way to the superbowl (and came within 1 yard of winning it). But beyond his on field contributions were his off field contributions to disadvantaged children. His charity impacted so many childrens' lives in a positive way. I only hope they will continue their positive work despite the lost of the founder. He will be greatly missed.

Michael Vick...ahhh.. 20 mos in jail and signed by the Eagles. Listening to him speak on "60 mins" it appears Vick has gained perspective and has regrets for some of the things he allowed himself to get involved with. It is sad he had to lose his freedom in order to learn that lesson, but the point is now that he understands. It is a good thing that the Eagles and in particular Donovan McNabb are willing to take a chance on him. The thought is he will bring a new dimension to the Eagles..potentially another receiver, the ability to run the Wildcat offense, another deep passer, a quality back up when McNabb is injured..all of those things. Will it carry them further into the playoffs then last season? That is a wait and see. At this point only thing we can be sure of is that he does make the Eagles more of a threat then before. Moreover Vick is working with the Humane Society to try to help stop dogfighting and animal cruelty. What a remarkable 180 for this man. I only hope he will take advantage of this second change opportunity that has been given to him.

Donte Stallworth...what a tragedy and to some a travesty. To me it is a cautionary tale. After drinking & driving Stallworth killed a pedestrian on his way home in Miami. He was charged with DUI manslaughter and served 24 (out of 30) days in jail. He also has to do 1000 hours of community service, 2 years of house arrest, 8 years of probation and his Florida drivers license is permanently suspended. After the sentence was handed down, Roger Goodell suspended Stallworth for the entire 2009 NFL season. He cannot return to football till after the SuperBowl. It is almost assured that he will immediately be released by the Browns. Where will he end up? Who knows. The lesson to be learned that I hope players will learn is DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE!! I don't care if you think you are sober or not, why take a chance? Even after he does all his time and serves his suspension, he will still have to live with the fact that his actions resulted in the death of another human being. For the rest of his life that knowledge will haunt him. I only hope others will learn from his mistake.

Plaxico Burress...wow. To think he will do more time for shooting himself than Stallworth did for killing a man or Vick for killing dogs is unfathomable. But this sadly is the case. Burress has had a troubled history in the NFL. From onfield attitude to off field antics his is a tale of excess gone wrong. Burress is a great receiver. Strong, tall with superb hands, but Burress can sometimes let his mouth and his attitude get the better of him. Giants found his attitude and his off field issues too much to deal with and released him even before a sentence was handed down. After 2 years in prison and he will most likely still have to face a long suspension from the NFL (most likely an entire season). This would make Burress around 35 by the time he finishes serving prison time and suspension time..will a team be willing to take a chance on an aging receiver who will have been out of football for at least 2-3 seasons?? Chances are slim but this is a wait and see. For now all we can do is hope that other players learn this lesson too. I understand you are a celebrity but carrying weapons is never smart. Hire a bodyguard if you feel threatened that much or even better, stay out of certain places where you may get into an altercation that may require a weapon. I was hoping after the Adam "Pacman" Jones situation that players would learn to keep themselves out of certain places that may put themselves or others in compromising or dangerous situations but alas it did not. Let's hope with the potential end of his career looming that others will take heed of the lesson from Burress.

Every off season is filled with some troubles and controversies. This off season has been a little more sad and tragic than most. I only hope that players will learn the lessons from these tragic tales and live up to a higher standard. Remember playing in the NFL is a priviledge not a right. There are plenty of great players that never made it this far so feel honored to be here and get to do something you love and get paid for it. Treasure it, cherish it but most of all, appreciate it.

Ok that's it for this week...I'll be back soon for more.

-NFL Girl