Years ago, players could go out, and not have a camera phone trained on them all the time as well. Let's try and maintain some perspective here. From a media standpoint, coverage standpoint, players back in the day had it a LOT easier than players today.
They make a ton of money, this in't about sympathy, it's simply pointing out that it is not an apples to apples comparison. Players 20 years ago were pricks as well.
Of course they were.
Players were nasty, poor sports, and "dirty players" back to the days of Ty Cobb playing baseball (sliding with his spikes high etc. ) and long before that.
My stance is players were "generally" not only brought up better, but the leagues they played for seemed to have less tolerance for the "bull####" than they do today.
Years ago, players were expected to not only "cut their hair short, and act like they got some sense", but they were expected to carry themselves more professionally as well. You know, try and set a good example for others.
Now, that aside, I don't expect things today to be like that, but it should be
CLOSER to that than what it currently is.
I just think its part of the way the world has become. The world is now more "tolerant" of many things, and poor behavior is one of those.
It all goes back to that "ME ME ME" way that most look at things. No ONE player is bigger than baseball, no ONE player is bigger than football, and no ONE player should be bigger than any sport.
I think its really a slow process and its just the way things have "evolved" in a sense, (larger contracts, much more exposure/overexposure) combined with the way the world is now.
I'm reminded of Martellus Bennet, and his reaction to a preseason practice altercation last year. (I think it was last year)
The press made a big deal of him tackling someone or "playing hard" vs. someone in practice, and I think the team either did or was threatening to fine him.
I remember part of his response was "
I CAN AFFORD IT" . I am not downing the guy, in fact I loved his response, but years ago that would have never happened. Similar incidents are commonplace today.
I'm not disagreeing with you, I just don't think its ever going to be a league where there are no thugs. I do think part of that blame should go to the NFL itself too by not handling certain things appropriately.
You see or hear very little about the PGA's problems. (thats not a great comparison, since the PGA is almost as secretive as the NSA LOL)
You don't hear about as many issues from MLB comparatively.
I don't follow the NBA, but from the very little I know about it, its close to the thug level of the NFL, possibly worse.
So I think a good part of this falls directly on the shoulders of the NFL and how its handled its "problem children".
TZM
