Dumb Jocks?

[Hostile]

Aside from Rapistgerbler, seems like when it's a black player that says or does something it's especially called out/given attention/called stupid.

That simply is not true at all. Tony Romo is bagged on for wearing his cap backwards, playing golf, who he sleeps with, and his singing.

I think you're a tad bit over sensitive to even say that.

 

[burmafrd]

wondered when someone would post that.

 

[Randy White]

I find it quite amusing how the forum views football players. Some of the guys that I've played with are some of the most intelligent people I've ever met and I've work(ed) with engineers from NASA, MIT, UMR, Stafford, etc.. Some became CEOs, doctors, engineers, soldiers, teachers, lawyers, police officers, and firefighters, yep, the full gambit of employment opportunities, imagine that. Conversely, obtaining a career post football is not the major accomplishment; the major accomplishment is balancing all of their studies with the demanding and grueling commitment of playing football....

I second this.

 

[Future]

Like most groups...the worst or most extreme ones are the most noticeable, and people think that's a representation of the group as a whole.

As a whole, NFL players are smart. But the dumb ones won't shut up, and are making them all look bad.

 

[JBell]

I find it quite amusing how the forum views football players. Some of the guys that I've played with are some of the most intelligent people I've ever met and I've work(ed) with engineers from NASA, MIT, UMR, Stafford, etc.. Some became CEOs, doctors, engineers, soldiers, teachers, lawyers, police officers, and firefighters, yep, the full gambit of employment opportunities, imagine that. Conversely, obtaining a career post football is not the major accomplishment; the major accomplishment is balancing all of their studies with the demanding and grueling commitment of playing football.

It is disconcerting that so many hold these myopic and outdated views; perhaps it is a feeling of self-inadequacies that drives their perspective. He is rich, physically gifted, with chicks swooning over him but at least I am waaaaay smarter than he is.

Historically, to disparage anyone from changing any type of inequity the first step is to dehumanize the opposition, typically the group with the least amount of power. So and so is a dumb animal so, so and so does not deserve any fair treatment or respect. It is quite disgusting when you consider what has been done based on using broad-brush strokes when painting the opposition.

It really makes me wonder how do you cheer for your team, is it the equivalent of cheering for the horse in a horse race? Some of the comments on the labor unrest are not surprising because it is status quo; I know their stance and do not respect their opinion anyway. However, from others that I respect, their comments are quite revealing.

The days of the dumb jock has been over for quite a while now. If you participated in ROTC or some equivalent extracurricular activity, you know how difficult it is to fight through mental and physical fatigue to excel in class. Add in the extra physicality of playing football, it become quite remarkable that many football players have the highest GPAs in their class or score higher than the norm when taking standardized tests.

I guess if they are richer than you are, physically more gifted than you, and smarter than you, it does not leave much but hate.

There's a difference between legit NFL players and playing with dudes who have no future in football.

 

[The30YardSlant]

I find it quite amusing how the forum views football players. Some of the guys that I've played with are some of the most intelligent people I've ever met and I've work(ed) with engineers from NASA, MIT, UMR, Stafford, etc.. Some became CEOs, doctors, engineers, soldiers, teachers, lawyers, police officers, and firefighters, yep, the full gambit of employment opportunities, imagine that. Conversely, obtaining a career post football is not the major accomplishment; the major accomplishment is balancing all of their studies with the demanding and grueling commitment of playing football.

It is disconcerting that so many hold these myopic and outdated views; perhaps it is a feeling of self-inadequacies that drives their perspective. He is rich, physically gifted, with chicks swooning over him but at least I am waaaaay smarter than he is.

Historically, to disparage anyone from changing any type of inequity the first step is to dehumanize the opposition, typically the group with the least amount of power. So and so is a dumb animal so, so and so does not deserve any fair treatment or respect. It is quite disgusting when you consider what has been done based on using broad-brush strokes when painting the opposition.

It really makes me wonder how do you cheer for your team, is it the equivalent of cheering for the horse in a horse race? Some of the comments on the labor unrest are not surprising because it is status quo; I know their stance and do not respect their opinion anyway. However, from others that I respect, their comments are quite revealing.

The days of the dumb jock has been over for quite a while now. If you participated in ROTC or some equivalent extracurricular activity, you know how difficult it is to fight through mental and physical fatigue to excel in class. Add in the extra physicality of playing football, it become quite remarkable that many football players have the highest GPAs in their class or score higher than the norm when taking standardized tests.

I guess if they are richer than you are, physically more gifted than you, and smarter than you, it does not leave much but hate.

Nobody thinks every NFL player is dumb, that's absurd. That being said, there are a lot of idiots playing college and professional football. The majority of D-1 athletes at major universities are only there because they are good at football and not because they are academically desirable. Also, take a look at how many major college recruits fail to qualify every year despite only needing to meet the most minimal of requirements.

Now, that isnt a bad thing, it gives a lot of kids a chance they would not otherwise have any some do take advantage of it and better themselves academically as well as athletically, but it is the way it is. I was a tutor for athletes during part of my time at A&M, and many of these kids have trouble writing complete sentences. On several occasions I had to teach them how to sign their name in cursive. Many of these kids come from schools and cultures where academics are not valued, and many of those kids are the ones who make it to the NFL. It sucks, but that's the world we live in. A lot of these guys know how good they are, know they will make the NFL and just don't give a crap. Playing with guys in high school who have no future in the game isnt a fair comparison.

 

[The30YardSlant]

There's a difference between legit NFL players and playing with dudes who have no future in football.

This...

 

[The30YardSlant]

The NFL is a collection of college graduates. For a regular population, they can't be all that dim.

Oklahoma State gave Dexter Manley a bachelor's degree despite him not being able to read or write his own name. He signed his first NFL contract with an "X". Reggie Bush remained eligible despite reportedly not attending a single class his junior year.

Many professors pass kids because they are athletes, hell many give them GOOD grades they did not deserve. Trust me, I've seen it happen first hand on more than a select few occasions. This is how guys like Jamaal Charles and Jorvorskie Lane can be all-academic selections.

 

[The30YardSlant]

Aside from Rapistgerbler, seems like when it's a black player that says or does something it's especially called out/given attention/called stupid.

This has more to do with their speech patterns than intelligence. A lot of people assume that if you talk a certain way, you are an idiot. In reality, it has more to do with the culture they come from than their intelligence. I've known plenty of smart black guys who talked like kids from the street.

There's also a lot more black players in the NCAA/NFL, so of course they will get called out more often considering there are simply many more opportunities to call a black player out as opposed to a white player.

That being said, I can think of plenty of white players who get called out regularly, if not for their intelligence (Roethlisberger, Mallett) then for their personal habits (Romo, Brady)

 

[LarryCanadian]

While I totally understand the orginal poster's point, unless he played in the NFL and means NFL teammates I'm not sure what the point has to do with anyone making a "stereotyping" comment about dumb jocks in regards to what is being discussed on this forum. Perhaps I missed a bunch of threads that suggests all jocks are "dumb".

I'm guessing that the post is in reply to criticism of AP and Mendenhalls statements. Most people would agree those are dumb statements. But, absolutely correct, that doesn't mean EVERY player or an average NFL player or even a certain percentage are "dumb".

I do think that you can't compare your college sports buddies to the NFL population of players though. Off the top of my head I can't think of too many NFL players that became NASA scientists, engineers, or major CEO's - but then I haven't thought about it much.

I do think there is a lot of inexperience, naievity, and ignorance amongst the NFL population of players. If I was 20 years old and handed millions of dollars and treated like a God/celebrity, and was never really expected to study as hard as others (not always, but often - if you follow the stories of many players)- then I'd probably be exactly the same way.

How do people explain the high level of police investigations and charges amongst NFL players. How do we explain the high level of poor financial management. There is a lack of education or wisdom at play in the player body of the league. But that is understandable. Again, good business and humanitarian efforts would suggest educating players more on healthy business and relationships etc would be beneficial for all, but this is often resisted by anyone. Who wants to be told how to live or behave? Especially young wealthy celebrities that are often physically dominating/intimidating and have often gotten their way for years.

I don't believe EVERY player has been stereotyped by the stupidity or arrogance of a few players, but to suggest that there isn't a level of missing wisdom or ability to relate to the "common" working "Joe" or "Jane" of the US, amongst NFL players - I think that is a bit far fetched. I do believe their expectations and sense of entitlement is completely out of what from what is "normal" in Western society. Again that is my opinion, but I think many would agree since some statements tend to really tick off and insult the average Teacher, Soldier, Fireman, etc.

LarryCanadian

 

[JBell]

I played in an intramural co-ed flag football league, and let me tell you guys.

Your views that football players = dumb are dead wrong.

 

[urface59]

Chris johnson, AP, and Pacman say hi.

 

[arglebargle]

The wonderlic score for average intelligence is 20. Qb averages are the highest at 24 and most positions lower than avg. While this isnt an ideal measurement its been used for thirty years by the NFL and others.

In context of who said what and the flack they are catching for it in this issue, these are the Wonderlic averages and info I found:

While an average football player usually scores around 20 points, Wonderlic, Inc. claims a score of at least 10 points suggests a person is literate. Furthermore, when the test was given to miscellaneous people of various professions, it was observed that the average participant scored a 24. Examples of scores from everyday professions include:

Chemist – 31
Programmer – 29
Journalist – 26
Sales – 24
Bank teller – 22
Clerical worker – 21
Security guard – 17
Warehouse – 14

....Though used in a variety of institutions, the Wonderlic test has become best known for its use in the NFL pre-draft assessments of prospective football players.

This assessment roughly corresponds to examples from Paul Zimmerman's The New Thinking Man's Guide to Pro Football. According to Zimmerman, examples of average scores for each position are:

Offensive tackle – 26
Center – 25
Quarterback – 24 (Most teams want at least 21 for a quarterback.)
Guard – 23
Tight end – 22
Safety – 19
Linebacker – 19
Cornerback – 18
Wide receiver – 17
Fullback – 17
Halfback – 16

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonderlic_Test
http://espn.go.com/page2/s/closer/020228.html

 

[LarryCanadian]

Football has to be one of the most complex sports. Have you ever seen the size of a playbook?

And just because someone is undereducated, inexperienced, or young and ignorant, and not worldly, doesn't mean they are "dumb".

Again, I didn't see many threads that say "Football players are dumb" though. I think that is a bit of a leap from what many hear have posted or a bit of an exaggeration.

I am taking a course in a few weeks to coach youth football. Gotta say, I'm a little intimidated by it, and I've been in all types of sports for 35 years!

That doesn't change the fact that some of the NFL players are saying some pretty stupid things though. Not that it is an exclusive club. Many owners, managers, and coaches in sports have said some pretty stupid and ugly things in there time themselves.

LarryCanadian

 

[Anjinsan]

My stance all along has been that both sides are dumb.

 

[burmafrd]

In context of who said what and the flack they are catching for it in this issue, these are the Wonderlic averages and info I found:

While an average football player usually scores around 20 points, Wonderlic, Inc. claims a score of at least 10 points suggests a person is literate. Furthermore, when the test was given to miscellaneous people of various professions, it was observed that the average participant scored a 24. Examples of scores from everyday professions include:

Chemist – 31
Programmer – 29
Journalist – 26
Sales – 24
Bank teller – 22
Clerical worker – 21
Security guard – 17
Warehouse – 14

....Though used in a variety of institutions, the Wonderlic test has become best known for its use in the NFL pre-draft assessments of prospective football players.

This assessment roughly corresponds to examples from Paul Zimmerman's The New Thinking Man's Guide to Pro Football. According to Zimmerman, examples of average scores for each position are:

Offensive tackle – 26
Center – 25
Quarterback – 24 (Most teams want at least 21 for a quarterback.)
Guard – 23
Tight end – 22
Safety – 19
Linebacker – 19
Cornerback – 18
Wide receiver – 17
Fullback – 17
Halfback – 16

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonderlic_Test
http://espn.go.com/page2/s/closer/020228.html

No way that Journalists are that smart.

 

[Dodger]

It is disconcerting that so many hold these myopic and outdated views; perhaps it is a feeling of self-inadequacies that drives their perspective.

No, it's not. Like 30Yard, I too have tutored football players in college, and like 30Yard, in my experience many of those athletes couldn't even write a simple sentence.

I'm not saying they're all like that, but many are, and many get passing grades from professors when they often don't deserve them. In one instance that I can recall, a professor was pressured by the football coach to "give the kid a little slack" so that he wouldn't lose his eligability.

Certainly, I think football players in general are better academically than they used to be, but your post seems to be stating that there are no dumb football players. I think that's stretching it about as far as those saying that they're all dumb.

 

[ShiningStar]

I find it quite amusing how the forum views football players. Some of the guys that I've played with are some of the most intelligent people I've ever met and I've work(ed) with engineers from NASA, MIT, UMR, Stafford, etc.. Some became CEOs, doctors, engineers, soldiers, teachers, lawyers, police officers, and firefighters, yep, the full gambit of employment opportunities, imagine that. Conversely, obtaining a career post football is not the major accomplishment; the major accomplishment is balancing all of their studies with the demanding and grueling commitment of playing football.

It is disconcerting that so many hold these myopic and outdated views; perhaps it is a feeling of self-inadequacies that drives their perspective. He is rich, physically gifted, with chicks swooning over him but at least I am waaaaay smarter than he is.

Historically, to disparage anyone from changing any type of inequity the first step is to dehumanize the opposition, typically the group with the least amount of power. So and so is a dumb animal so, so and so does not deserve any fair treatment or respect. It is quite disgusting when you consider what has been done based on using broad-brush strokes when painting the opposition.

It really makes me wonder how do you cheer for your team, is it the equivalent of cheering for the horse in a horse race? Some of the comments on the labor unrest are not surprising because it is status quo; I know their stance and do not respect their opinion anyway. However, from others that I respect, their comments are quite revealing.

The days of the dumb jock has been over for quite a while now. If you participated in ROTC or some equivalent extracurricular activity, you know how difficult it is to fight through mental and physical fatigue to excel in class. Add in the extra physicality of playing football, it become quite remarkable that many football players have the highest GPAs in their class or score higher than the norm when taking standardized tests.

I guess if they are richer than you are, physically more gifted than you, and smarter than you, it does not leave much but hate.

This brought to you by the letter O, I and the number 3, also you're welcome to your opinion but if better agree with mine or ill will show you how stupid your opinion is.

Keep your opinions and ideas to yourself.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

No way that Journalists are that smart.

DFW journalist: 6.

 

[ShiningStar]

Football has to be one of the most complex sports. Have you ever seen the size of a playbook?

And just because someone is undereducated, inexperienced, or young and ignorant, and not worldly, doesn't mean they are "dumb".

Again, I didn't see many threads that say "Football players are dumb" though. I think that is a bit of a leap from what many hear have posted or a bit of an exaggeration.

I am taking a course in a few weeks to coach youth football. Gotta say, I'm a little intimidated by it, and I've been in all types of sports for 35 years!

That doesn't change the fact that some of the NFL players are saying some pretty stupid things though. Not that it is an exclusive club. Many owners, managers, and coaches in sports have said some pretty stupid and ugly things in there time themselves.

LarryCanadian

Well written post that needed to be posted again in case anyone missed it the first time.