Dolphins vice president of football operations Bill Parcells has emphasized that he wants players with good character, but that doesn't mean he won't give a few second chances. The Dolphins agreed to terms with or invited eight more college free agents Wednesday to participate in this weekend's rookie minicamp, including former Purdue receiver Selwyn Lymon, who is on probation for his role in a fight outside a West Lafayette, Ind., bar in March 2007. The 6-foot-3, 217-pound Lymon had 73 catches for 1,030 yards with five touchdowns over the past two seasons, but was dismissed from the team by Purdue coach Joe Tiller in November, two days after police arrested the junior receiver on a drunken-driving charge link to rest of story http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/football/pro/dolphins/sfl-flspdolphins01sbmay01,0,338412.story
I think that Ireland is right that some kids deserve a second chance. We've probably all done things in our youth that, upon reflection, we'd do differently now. The thing is, that each kid's case is an individual entity. When it happened, how it happened, and what the kid has done since then have to be considered. Even Pacman Jones should have gotten a chance with the Titans. Of course, his case is the text book description of what you don't want to let happen, but that also happens. If any of us think that every NFL player should be Jason Taylor or Brett Favre, (in the moral sense), well that isn't reality...So some tolerance to mistakes has to be dealt with. Unfortunately, some NFL talking heads don't know when to stop giving out those second chances...that is what people should be upset about...
I also think that even Taylor and Favre might have some things that they would rather no one knew about. Everyone deserves a second chance. Problem is that when you are a famous athlete/move star, you are judged in court of public opinion.
I don't have a problem with giving guys a second chance. Especially kids coming out of college. Theyre young, theyre bound to make a mistake here and there. Afterall, its college, everyone does stupid things in college. Im sure we all did/have/are going to. Its when these incidents happen over, and over, and over and the person in question has done nothing to help themselves out of their situation that is the real problem. At that point... enough is enough.
Chris Carter was a problem child at OSU, he managed to turn things around so hopefully some of these young men can as well.
DOUBLE STANDARD FOR DOLPHINS, TOO Specifically, one of the team’s undrafted free agents is Selwyn Lymon, a Purdue receiver who was arrested as part of the incident that resulted in charges being filed against linebacker Stanford Keglar, a draft pick of the Tennessee Titans. In connection with that incident, Lymon emerged with a stab wound in his chest. He later entered guilty pleas on charges of disorderly conduct, false informing, and minor consumption of alcohol. Then, in November 2007, Lymon was kicked off the team after being arrested for drunk driving. He later pleaded guilty to that charge, too. “It’s all on an individual basis,” G.M. Jeff Ireland said last month in connection with the decision to sign receiver David Kircus, who beat the beans out of some guy last year, supposedly in self-defense. ”Sometimes those second chances are important because now the kid has something to play for. It is kind of his last chance.” But Lymon already had his second chance. He wasn’t kicked off the Boilermakers’ team after hitting the misdemeanor trifecta. He was booted only after he thereafter drank a few Boilermakers (or some other beverage) and drove his car. link http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/05/01/double-standard-for-dolphins-too/
I think many college age Americans are guilty (whether busted or not) of underaged drinking. Booze makes people stupid. Youth gives us the inclination towards bad judgement. In some cases, (Lawerence Phillips, Cecil Collins) the person isn't strong enough to overcome the demons that haunt him. In other cases, (Cris Carter, many others) maturity solves the problem. In this particular case, this kid already lost what should have been one of the magical times of his life...a senior football player for a Big Ten school. He now has the opportunity that is only affored to the fewest of the few; a chance to make an NFL roster. If he shows the ability, then it will be up to him to make the right decisions. Its impossible for me (or any of us) to have any idea if this young man is sincere in turning his life around or just using his talent to once again get around societal norms. But Jeff Ireland has a criteria that he uses to judge these cases. And according to that criteria, he deems it proper to give Selwyn Lymon a chance at redemption. Regardless of how this case works out, I think its the right thing to do to judge each case on its individual merit. And best of luck to young Selwyn. Not only in his quest to make the football team (which the odds are long already) but in life itself. And on a personal note...I am very glad that mistakes I made and foolish things I did in college will never see the light of day. Being short and slow has its priveleges!
I hope this generosity reciprocates to current players on the roster as well so Parcells doesn't look like a hypocrite.
What? What does deciding a kid who was in trouble in college deserves a chance have to do with being "consistent" with current players? The Current players aren't in college. They are professionals. I would defintely hold them to a higher standard. With this kid all we have invested is an ounce of hope. If a player is on our team, we at least have league minimum and a roster spot invested in him. If he screws that up, Parcells doesn't owe him anything. And there will be no hypocrisy to it.
Doesn't matter. When you're in college, you're an adult, meaning you are held to the same standard as every other adult out there in the world. You don't get less prison time just for being in college so you shouldn't hold them to that lower standard.
Yeah, it kinda does matter. Let me see if I can clear up your confusion. It shouldn't be hard. Who cares if you are an adult in college? If you are going to prison, you can't play in the NFL anyway. If a guy is not in prison but just got in trouble before he was on the team, he has never done anything to break OUR trust. If a guy is on the team and screws up, totally different. Does that clear it up for ya? Glad to help buddy.
I used that prison example to show that just because someone was in college when they performed the act doesn't mean it should be excused. I'm not talking about someone who's actually going to prison (though in Lymon's case, it's not an improbability). Current players should be held to the same standard as incoming players and vice versa. I don't believe we should give second chances (third for Lymon) to only players who didn't commit their acts while on the roster. If someone on the roster committed just one act, he shouldn't be cut just for that when the FO is bringing in people who have committed far worse or repeated acts. You can talk about "trust", but why then put "trust" in someone who has shown repeated acts of violating similar "trust"s?
I am not saying that a player on our roster won't get a second chance. I just don't go by the sanctimonious "we have to treat everyone equal" nonsense. Take each case on its individual merit. But the original point was, and remains, the way we treat Selwyn doesn't have to have any bearing on the way we treat a player on our roster. And to suggest otherwise is nonsensical. And obviously the FO thinks so as well.
