Drafted by Cowboys Cowboys select Josh Ball Marshall OT at 138

[Ranching]

Because what reason did she have to lie about it?

Because where there's smoke there's usually fire?

Because he has displayed reckless and unsettling behavior in public?

Because he literally choked himself in front of coaches to the point that they had to intervene?

Sooooo, no charges, conviction? Ok.....cool. I'm glad you are perfect and without sin, Saint Roy the Hammer. Too bad you can't play football

 

[JW82]

I was really counting on the fact that was apparent.

dude- i mentioned framing the jones family for tax evasion to get them out of the front office and one guy took me serious and started spazzing out...nothing...is “apparent” here...

 

[starfan1]

Can he beat out Isaac Alarcon? He’s going to be the camp legend in the level of Rico gathers

 

[RoyTheHammer]

Sooooo, no charges, conviction? Ok.....cool. I'm glad you are perfect and without sin, Saint Roy the Hammer. Too bad you can't play football

So because a young girl was too scared to bring formal charges against him..her saying she hit her means nothing? He must not of done anything?

Lol..I don't have to be free of sin to say I don't want that kind of person around this team. Legality has nothing to do with morality. I'll put my character up against his any day.

 

[ThreeandOut]

Here’s the interview: I think it’s pretty clear he was agitated and didn’t like his “everyone is past it” comment.



“Past is the past. It’s over and done with. Everybody’s moved on.”

Super poor word choice about his issues.

The Cowboys didn't do this kid any favors by putting him on for that interview. And since it was a Cowboys employee (David Helman) asking the question, they probably should have given him a scripted answer if they were going to make him do the interview.

 

[Ranching]

So because a young girl was too scared to bring formal charges against him..her saying she hit her means nothing? He must not of done anything?

Lol..I don't have to be free of sin to say I don't want that kind of person around this team. Legality has nothing to do with morality. I'll put my character up against his any day.

I have a daughter and don't take these things lightly, but I coached long enough to see the crap that is thrown at big time players. Some warranted and most not. Would you want your son to be judged and accused by people that had no idea what the heck happened????

 

[rags747]

Let’s Hang him high, because people cannot change of course.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

Sooooo, no charges, conviction? Ok.....cool. I'm glad you are perfect and without sin, Saint Roy the Hammer. Too bad you can't play football

Sad. People like you

I have a daughter and don't take these things lightly, but I coached long enough to see the crap that is thrown at big time players. Some warranted and most not. Would you want your son to be judged and accused by people that had no idea what the heck happened????

If he made a mistake and got into a situation he shouldn't have been in and didn't do anything wrong..of course not. My son would also feel perfectly fine coming out and saying "This is completely untrue and I didn't touch this woman.."

Not "It's a dark part of my life and I'd rather not talk about it.."

 

[JoeKing]

Listening to the Draft Show when it was announced.

Dane Brugler immediately said he's a top 100 talent, but he has a history of domestic abuse.

I believe in redemption for those that learn from their mistakes and commit not to repeat them. None of us are perfect, especially when we were younger so none of us have room to condemn this young man from getting a second chance. If any of you currently think otherwise then that's just your youthful imperfections carrying over to the present day.

 

[Kwyn]

well said. So my point is if there are red flags with the young man that would cause you concern for your daughter then the young man has red flags. So the man has red flags that can not be chalked up to youthful ignorance. I'm concerned about those red flags as it relates to the football team. If I had a daughter I would be terrified if she brought home a man with his past. I have nieces that are his age and if they dated someone with his past I would be terrified and very concerned. So I'm concerned on much lower scale about his past. My concern is not a personal concern due to no personal involvement so my concern is that he can complicate the team if his anger is not under control.

As I said in another post, he's a Cowboy now and I will support him on and off the field. If he proves his past is his present then I hope we move on from him. If he proves he has changed then I am on board and supporting him.

I think we are closer aligned on this topic than might have seemed to be the case earlier.

I want high character guys on our team. I want to believe in everyone’s innate goodness and believe that very, very few people are beyond redemption.

I want for this young man to have a chance to have a life, achieve his own higher good and be able to give that back to his loved ones and his community.

I don’t believe in a vindictive, punishing God and I don’t believe in a vindictive, punishing society.

Perhaps the young woman has come through this and is in a good place. Perhaps she’s forgiven him. Perhaps he’s forgiven himself

One thing I do know is that it’s not really our place, as strangers to both, with only the tiniest fraction of information, to pass judgement on the entirety of persons life.

I wish them both well.

 

[_sturt_]

Conversation read b/t fans... for the record, I pretty much embrace Fan B's perspective.

Fan A: I want to share this optimism that he's grown up, yada yada, but he was really accused 11 different times? Don't know how you root for someone like that.And FWIW, one of the incidents was broken up by teammates at FSU. Clearly it was more than allegations since there were witnesses and he was kicked off the team.

Fan B: I'll go you one better... actually already had, but you evidently didn't notice... The very fact that *his* lawyer negotiated the settlement that he did effectively establishes there was substance to the allegation. And. Otoh. Glass half-full. Something more substantive in all likelihood results in actual arrest and conviction and penalties. And that there's been no further accusation at least is more reassuring than the converse. Doesn't seem like it matters to you, so all of that was mainly for other readers' consideration.

Fan A: This is just not true. A conviction is impossible without victim cooperation. Charges get dropped all the time, it doesn’t make allegations (again, with teammates as witnesses) untrue. FSU wanted nothing to do with him. I want to be wrong. But I’m disappointed in the pick.

Fan B: Um. Three things. First, you do need to get it that there's no argument that something happened; again, almost self-evidently, given that Ball's attorney agreed with the GF's attorney. 2nd, fwiw, you're exchanging tweets with someone who for several years taught a course called Family Violence. But feel free to double-check me... Victim cooperation is strongly desired, but it's the *prosecutor's* call whether charges are pressed. Given that there were witnesses, it's at least somewhat less important what the GF was wanting to do. 3rd, you make the choice to be disappointed. The world consists of people predisposed to optimism and to pessimism. Perhaps you've had some experience in your life that makes you especially sensitive to intimate partner violence, and if that's the case, I sympathize, and your pessimism may be well-grounded anecdotally. I'm just not so inclined.

Fan A: We’re on the same side here, if that’s the case. I’d love to be wrong - I desperately hope the Cowboys did their due diligence. Habitually violent people CAN change but usually don’t.

Fan B: You said "Habitually violent people can change but usually don't." (a) You'd have to establish a definition of the "habitually" part. (b) Have to show evidence that Ball's behaviors met that standard. (c) Have to point to the social science research that agrees with the assertion.

Fan A: 11 accusations isn’t an isolated incident

Fan B: 11 incidents. 1 accusation. That's what we know. Did those 11 incidents occur in the space of a year, or a week? We don't know. Were most of the incidents physical violence, or were some deemed emotional violence (eg, busting her phone)? We don't know. Were there other GFs before or others since that just didn't report? We don't know. Again. Pessimists will lean one way, optimists the other. I'm an unabashed optimist. I need more information before I lean toward the worst.

Fan A: Emotional violence is still violence. I’m not a pessimist. But this is important.

Fan B: It is, indeed. But we throw these broad terms around for legal purposes that, in actuality, can cover a variety of types and levels of intensity of anti-social behavior.

Fan A: Again, my only takeaway is: I hope the Cowboys did due diligence and selected him because they liked what they found, not because a 1st round talent fell cheap. Be honest: in professional sports, it’s usually the latter.

Fan B: (a) Being by profession a researcher, pardon me that I chafe at these broad conclusive statements you appear to be predisposed to offer ("it's usually the latter"... as-if one could know that from any factual perspective). (b) Call me an optimist. I take them at their word until I learn different. And the converse is also true.

 

[HappyOnions]

This is the same forum that defended Greg Hardy until the cows came home.

Trivializing domestic violence issues is not new here, unfortunately.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

Listening to the Draft Show when it was announced.

Dane Brugler immediately said he's a top 100 talent, but he has a history of domestic abuse.

Domestic abuse!
No wonder Jerry likes him.
Jerry is like an abused spouse. He likes the tough love and the manliness!

 

[gimmesix]

Can he beat out Isaac Alarcon? He’s going to be the camp legend in the level of Rico gathers

We're moving Alarcon to free safety because we have a greater need this year for him to be a stud there than at tackle.

 

[beware_d-ware]

I'm normally skeptical of DV issues because they turn into he-said-she-said cases where nothing can be proven... but if you're getting kicked out of Florida freaking State, that's a REALLY bad sign.

 

[Bullflop]

I'm not willing to assume this guy is either innocent nor guilty right now. The truth will surface in the future that lies ahead, in all likelihood. If he's really as incorrigible as his past seems to suggest, we should find out for sure in due time. As of now, he's a Dallas Cowboy, until such time as he proves that he doesn't deserve to be with this team. His true character will ultimately be revealed. People can change -- we'll see if that's the case or not.

 

[waving monkey]

Another tackle drafted in the fourth round Doug Free I hope he turns out that good.

 

[plymkr]

I think we are closer aligned on this topic than might have seemed to be the case earlier.

I want high character guys on our team. I want to believe in everyone’s innate goodness and believe that very, very few people are beyond redemption.

I want for this young man to have a chance to have a life, achieve his own higher good and be able to give that back to his loved ones and his community.

I don’t believe in a vindictive, punishing God and I don’t believe in a vindictive, punishing society.

Perhaps the young woman has come through this and is in a good place. Perhaps she’s forgiven him. Perhaps he’s forgiven himself

One thing I do know is that it’s not really our place, as strangers to both, with only the tiniest fraction of information, to pass judgement on the entirety of persons life.

I wish them both well.

Good post and yes I agree with you. I feel it's wrong of me, or anyone, to judge him without knowing him and knowing little facts. I also agree that everyone has goodness in them. I'm hoping for the best for this young man on and off the field. God puts us through things to learn and grow and hopefully this young man can keep growing and healing and the young lady involved can heal.

I'll support this man on and off the field and I hope he excels in both areas. The last thing I want for this guy is to fail and fall through the cracks in society. I'm pulling for him that he makes the most out of this opportunity. And I hope he puts the hurt on the rest of the NFL.

Go Cowboys!!! Peace be with you too my brother.

 

[DuncanIso]

Another tackle drafted in the fourth round Doug Free I hope he turns out that good.

if we had picked Slater, instead of passing, we wouldn’t have to hope. 8/

 

[Hawkeye19]

Risky pick IMO... but JJ loves to get talent on the cheap— whether it’s available due to medical or character issues.

Honestly, part of it as well is I think JJ loves to give guys chances at redemption. Demetrius Underwood, Alonzo Spellman, TO, Greg Hardy etc...

The cynic says he wants talent and morality does not matter— the optimist says JJ has a big heart and forgiving nature.

The truth is (as it usually is) somewhere in between.