Drafted by Cowboys Cowboys select Josh Ball Marshall OT at 138

[plymkr]

Don’t make him out to be Ray Rice. It happened in 2016-2017 when they were 18 years old.

Do you remember what it was like to be 18? I never slapped a phone out of a girls hand or locked one in a closet but I did plenty of other stupid stuff. I’m sure you did too.

People grow and mature. Perhaps he has as well.

Hopefully he's learned from it. I agree that everyoen does stupid things as an 18 year old and even into your 20's. That's not the red flag that comes to my mind. What comes to my mind is the 11 incidents. You mentioned Ray Rice and someone else mentioned Zeke. The difference between Ray Rice and Zeke with this guy is that Ray and Zeke only had one incident. Zeke was accused just once and Goodell screwed us all by punishing him for something that was unfounded. As far as I know Ray only had the one incident and was banned for life. Everyone has a moment of weakness were they can raise their voice or do something that would be considered abusive. That's normal. When someone has that moment of weakness 11 times then that's not normal that's his way of dealing with things.

1 time is a mistake that you can grow from, 11 times is a pattern. It is encouraging that he hasn't done anything for a couple years, like 4 years, but the red flag is there. Now if he is an abusive person and he gets counseling and works on it then there's no problem. Hopefully he learned from it and has the awareness to get himself right.

 

[Gaede]

There's always a chance this guy has changed, but he's gotta prove it. Until then, as far as I'm concerned, this pick doesn't exist

 

[gimmesix]

I think they can as well. I also don't think he should be black balled from earning a living playing football. But it doesn't have to be my team that gives him that chance.

I like our team giving talented players a chance to prove they've changed, especially when it's for something four years ago.

 

[cowboyblue22]

this is a pick i would not of made if i was the gm for the dallas cowboys bu t they did and will suffer lots of bad press because of it

 

[Kwyn]

Sorry, but assaulting a girl (on multiple occassions) isn't exactly the same thing as college kids doing stupid stuff like getting drunk and pissing in the school fountain.

It's sad that we are trying to rationalize what he did as nothing but stupid college stuff.

I lived with a couple in college. They were both completely insane and did awful things to each other. They also loved each other deeply and are friends to this day.

I’ve learned not to be too hasty in my judgement. Especially when the limit of my knowledge is a five minute google search.

 

[817Gill]

Reality is reality. He had an anger issue and temper issue that got him into trouble. It caused him to fall in the draft. Going on radio and getting angry over legitimate questions isn't a great look for a guy trying to claim he's matured and gotten over self control issues.

Bingo

 

[gimmesix]

No need to expand on the details, but any media training professional would encourage him to show that he understands the magnitude of what he was accused of and touch on his growth and sensitivity to DV.

His words were “everyone is past it”. That’s probably the most insensitive thing you could say about those accusations.

He will be asked again by other writers, he must have a better response. All the media members unanimously were disappointed in how he answers the question.

I do think his word choice was poor. It may very well be that "everyone is past it." He could have deeply apologized for his behavior and the former girlfriend accepted it and moved on. But it doesn't make you look good to say that.

 

[xwalker]

Only thing I kept hearing is that he absolutely does not like to tackle.

He did miss too many tackles but he looked really good overall. Good in coverage, good ball skills, very physical when rushing into the backfield.

 

[817Gill]

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.

 

[gimmesix]

He did miss too many tackles but he looked really good overall. Good in coverage, good ball skills, very physical when rushing into the backfield.

They weren't saying he missed tackles. They were saying he avoided them. I think that's why he fell.

 

[Sydla]

Nice strawman.

You first tried to claim it was a one time incident.

Now that it’s been shown it was a pattern you’ve now moved to excusing a period of time for him.

By the way, does the “in his youth” excuse apply to all crimes? Do pedos get the green light too? Oh, I’m sure that’s something, right (lol)?

It was one incident, no big deal.

Then it's, it happened 4 years ago and the multiple incidents were in a short period of time over a few months.

Then eventually it's, hey, at least he didn't murder someone!

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Reality is reality. He had an anger issue and temper issue that got him into trouble. It caused him to fall in the draft. Going on radio and getting angry over legitimate questions isn't a great look for a guy trying to claim he's matured and gotten over self control issues.

Legitimate?

Sorry but your perception of what his answer to "legitimate" questions has no bearing on how he has or is working on his issues.

 

[plymkr]

I would wager you’ve done worse. Just my opinion here on a message board forum. Prove me wrong.

See?

If you feel that whatever this was should define the rest of both of their lives, then so be it.

I believe that people can learn and grow from their mistwkes and I’m pretty comfortable with that philosophy, especially when I don’t know any details beyond what I was was able to find In five minutes of googling

Nope, sorry buddy, I've never slapped, pushed, shoved, locked a girl in a closet. I don't think I've ever raised my voice at a woman. If the relationship goes south I ghost her and move on. So no abuse in my history and I've dealt with some crazy women. I've never put my hands on a woman in an abusive way. I was taught to respect women and deal with my anger in positive ways. Again young people do stupid things. You're equating abuse with stupid. You're equating abuse with immaturity. It's not immature to lock your girlfriend in a closet. It's not immature to shove your girlfriend to the ground. That's not stupid or immature behavior. It's abuse. Plane and simple abuse. If it was just youthful ignorance then every 18 year old would be doing that and no one would think twice about it.

Let me ask you a question or two. Does every 18 year old act this way? If you have a daughter and she starts dating Ball would you be concerned? If your daughter or sister brought home a guy that had a 4 year order of protection dropped on him by his former girlfriend and 11 incidents of DV would you be happy or concerned.

The '95 draft was called the "back up" draft. The '09 draft was called the "special teams" draft. The 2021 draft is going to be called the "enabling rape and abuse draft"

 

[Sydla]

I like our team giving talented players a chance to prove they've changed, especially when it's for something four years ago.

Me thinks if the Eagles had draft him, for example, you'd be feeling a bit different.

I can't put on my Cowboys goggles here and minimize what he did simply because he's a Cowboy now.

 

[Sydla]

Legitimate?

Sorry but your perception of what his answer to "legitimate" questions has no bearing on how he has or is working on his issues.

He had multiple instances of assault on his girlfriend. It eventually cost him his spot at FSU. It caused him to slide in the draft.

Damn straight, as a draft pick, questions about his past and how it affected his draft status are legitimate questions.

 

[gimmesix]

Me thinks if the Eagles had draft him, for example, you'd be feeling a bit different.

I can't put on my Cowboys goggles here and minimize what he did simply because he's a Cowboy now.

I don't play that. I look at each situation. This is a player who committed serious offenses four years ago. I don't hold that against him today. I only judge people based on recent behavior, and there's no indication that has been bad.

 

[Sydla]

I lived with a couple in college. They were both completely insane and did awful things to each other. They also loved each other deeply and are friends to this day.

I’ve learned not to be too hasty in my judgement. Especially when the limit of my knowledge is a five minute google search.

Because you are looking for a way to convince yourself this was a smart pick by the Cowboys.

The five minute google search is all you need. He's never really denied the allegations. Teammates witnessed some of his behavior and had to separate him. 11 instances of domestic assault as well as some allegations of overall anger issues unrelated to domestic issues.

I'll be hasty. I don't like having a guy with his ugly background on the team. I have zero issues with him getting a chance in the NFL. I just don't want the Cowboys associated with that kind of player. There's a lot I will tolerate. Draft some knuckleheads that got into a bar fight. Whatever. Draft a guy who loves to smoke weed. Fine. Draft a guy who hit a girl and has multiple instances of domestic anger issues? Yeah, I am out.

 

[Starforever]

Wow, while I have no problem with second chances. The Zeke dissenters, are very quiet for some reason.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

He had multiple instances of assault on his girlfriend. It eventually cost him his spot at FSU. It caused him to slide in the draft.

Damn straight, as a draft pick, questions about his past and how it affected his draft status are legitimate questions.

You go ahead and get up in arms over your legitimate questions and act like it is predictive.

 

[Sydla]

You go ahead and get up in arms over your legitimate questions and act like it is predictive.

I will. Thanks.