So...is character important or not? | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

So...is character important or not?

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volk

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This isn't another Vick thread, this is a general question based on the numerous posts I am reading about individual players.

It appears that many "fans" don't care one whit about past off-field problems once a Fins uniform goes on. Why is that? Once they put on the uniform are they suddenly a different person? Are you so guilt ridden over the mistakes of your past that you can't conceive of having reservations about a player with a dubious past? Maybe you can't relate to why someone would care because the crimes are faceless to you? I'm all for forgiveness, but let's not check common sense at the door.

Personally, I feel character is critical when picking players for a team. Why? These players are receiving a LOT of money to play a game, and every dollar you pay out is a dollar that counts against your cap, potentially leaving you with an ineffective player PREVENTING the signing of an effective one. Think character doesn't matter? How many picks did we get for Ricky this offseason? How did TO do in Philly? What's he doing down in Dallas right now? How many players had "all the skill" to play, but wound up in jail or cut because they lacked character? How many of them were starters? Look back over the years and see how easy it is for a team to get burned by character issues. Fans not caring about a player's past aren't really fans at all, IMO...they are simply bandwagon jumpers hoping for a quick fix.

My point is, why take the chance? It is one thing to sign players that have problems later, but why take on players with a known history of issues? Are we saying there aren't good players out there that could do as good a job without all the character issue baggage? NE would probably disagree with that. If you want to bring troubled people onto the team to test/mentor them, I'm all for it, but too often talent is realized and the starting positions come before the character is resolved, and the cycle starts again. These player's need to re-earn trust...not have it handed to them blindly just because they put on a 'Fins uniform :shakeno:
 
Character is not as important as ability. Lets face it, these are football players not pediatricians.
 
Character is still important, but if you have the skills of a TO, your character difficiencies will be overlooked and you will be welcomed to the team. :rolleyes:
 
this was disscussed on NFLN yesterday. What was implied is that Owners and GM are usually very careful about giving their money to low character players because once they get it, they could start ruining their career doing god knows what. High character players tend to continue to get better once they get their money.

High character players keep working on their weaknesses while low character players blame their shotcomings on others. See T.O.

Imagine what Vick would do with his cash once he get's it as opposed to a JT or Zach type of player.
 
Truth is...some people are blinded by talent. I honestly think Ricky Williams could go on a mass murder spree and some members on here would say "I'd still take him. He's the best RB in the NFL!! Like you haven't done something you're regretted...hypocrites!"
 
I suppot your thread volk ihad one similar to it but maybe didnt phrase it right. Iagree with ya im tired of having to question a guy everytime he comes to camp.
 
Justasportsfan said:
...Owners and GM are usually very careful about giving their money to low character players because once they get it, they could start ruining their career doing god knows what. High character players tend to continue to get better once they get their money.
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The flip side of this argument, however, would be that low character players might see their NFL income as a means to continue their self-indulgence, which means that they would have to do something in order to continue receiving a paycheck. On the other hand, I don't think that most low character players think that far ahead.
 
All of your points are well taken, however, in the NFL, it just isn't that cut and dried. The fact of the matter is that if you don't take a chance on that player, someone else will...and then what happens if that player actually turns out to be a difference maker? The GM or head coach then looks like a knucklehead for not taking him...and with the "win now and at all costs" mentality that is the NFL, jobs are constantly on the line.

I'll give you an example with our very own Dolphins....in '99, Jimmy Johnson probably could've had Randy Moss, but wound up with John Avery. Moss, with his character flaws and all, turns out to be one of the most prolific WR's in the game...Avery...he's freezing his culo off in Canada. Can you imagine what could've been had Marino had Moss? It may have been special...and in the end, I believe that it may have propelled the Fins to bigger things...but it didn't and we had a head coaching change...is that the only thing that caused JJ to quit? No. But I would bet that things could've been different with a WR of Moss' caliber catching passes from #13.

Teams, nowadays, have to reach every now and then for the "not-so-perfect" guys....it becomes a risk-reward type situation that usually turns out for the worse, but there's always that "what if."
 
My thoughts were have stricter policies to eliminate having to question ever guy that comes through camp eliminate th problem
 
When it all comes down to it, the only thing that matters is winning football games. Character or not.

Just win baby!!!
 
It is important and it should count for something. But the bottom line is you need talented players to win. NE added some questionable character guys in Corey Dillon and Rodney Harrison. I personally think Harrison was as big a part of their success as Brady. I don't like the guy and I think he's dirty but you can't argue with what he does on the field.

In my opinion, it ultimately comes down to the coach and his ability to deal with and coach these low character guys. Saban seems to have a pretty good grasp on how to handle these situations. It looks as though he enjoys taking on the challenge, helping the person(not just the player), and giving people second chances. I'm cool with that as long as it doesn't burn us. Time will tell.
 
fish fan 4 life said:
Character can bring the hole team down.Just look at TO.
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that is one example. But T.O was the same person that helped get them to the superbowl a year prior
 
miamirick said:
All of your points are well taken, however, in the NFL, it just isn't that cut and dried. The fact of the matter is that if you don't take a chance on that player, someone else will...and then what happens if that player actually turns out to be a difference maker? The GM or head coach then looks like a knucklehead for not taking him...and with the "win now and at all costs" mentality that is the NFL, jobs are constantly on the line.

I'll give you an example with our very own Dolphins....in '99, Jimmy Johnson probably could've had Randy Moss, but wound up with John Avery. Moss, with his character flaws and all, turns out to be one of the most prolific WR's in the game...Avery...he's freezing his culo off in Canada. Can you imagine what could've been had Marino had Moss? It may have been special...and in the end, I believe that it may have propelled the Fins to bigger things...but it didn't and we had a head coaching change...is that the only thing that caused JJ to quit? No. But I would bet that things could've been different with a WR of Moss' caliber catching passes from #13.

Teams, nowadays, have to reach every now and then for the "not-so-perfect" guys....it becomes a risk-reward type situation that usually turns out for the worse, but there's always that "what if."
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You're Moss example is an excellent one. I can't remember if he had any legal issues prior to being drafted? It's obvious he had a major impact in the NFL, while Avery proved to be a bust.

On the other hand, despite a championship appearance in his rookie season, Moss never shoved the Vikings over the top enough to bring home a Superbowl win. Even with a QB that put up some Marino-like numbers in DC, Moss still never pushed them over the edge. In the end, Moss brought down the entire Vikings organization with terrible attitude and a huge contract, and is now gone to a team where he has yet to produce much, if any, impact at all.

It's an interesting example, but I don't know if it would have been any different for him with Danny tossing the rock. Perhaps he could have been more successful here, but I don't think the team was complete enough. In the end, following Marino's retirement and the bad string of QB's that followed, I would have to believe that Moss would have been grossly unhappy in Miami and likely would have created a bigger mess than Ricky has.

I still have to believe that a little better character with a slight dropoff in talent is still the better proposition for the overall long-term health of a team.
 
Character is but one factor that determines whether a player is appropriate for a team. I definitely think character alone should not eliminate a player from consideration, if for no other reason then the team experience could help him and better the team.

Think of the military. I would wager there are plenty of head cases and suspect characters that enter the military or are encouraged to do so and end up better people. In the process, they become valuable members of their unit.
 
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