Martellus Bennett:"Most of your favorite players aren't good people"

[McKDaddy]

While I don't know how long it's been done, all NFL rookies get talked to by financial people, ex-players/coaches, psychologists, etc. about what life after the NFL can or will entail.

You can google "Herm Edwards speaks to the rookies" It's in 3 parts, 15 minutes each. From 2011, 3 years after Bennett got in the league, but like I said, he's only one person, may have been others before him.

Maybe he didn't listen?

i was actually referring more to non financial transitions. finding out acquaintances weren't really true friends. not being automatically involved \ invited to participate. not being the center of attention, etc.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

Sounds more to me like somebody who's jealous of players who had more success as well as somebody making excuses why he didn't become a HOF or multiple Pro Bowler.

Hey Martellus, maybe football did mess you up, but it doesn't mean it does that to most players. And the vast majority of NFL players are just journeymen, or stick around for only a year or two or three as a backup, etc. They don't have the "I was a superstar but now I'm now how do I get over that" problem.

Lot of anger there it appears to me, hopefully he gets over it, either by time or by some therapy.

I wish him well in the rest of his life...

Dumbest fanbase in sports...

 

[gjkoeppen]

i was actually referring more to non financial transitions. finding out acquaintances weren't really true friends. not being automatically involved \ invited to participate. not being the center of attention, etc.

I remember an interview with Romo where he said the only ones he considers true friends are the ones he made before he was in the NFL because money didn't have anything to do with it. He said he has had people that say they are his friends that have asked or hinted about getting some money or investing in something they had and he said he would tell them that he would get them in touch with a financial advisor that may be able to point them in a good direction. In other words I think he was saying that he wasn't going to be suckered by people who say they are his friends but are just there because he has money.
.
.

 

[DFWJC]

So much of what Marty B said referred to adjustments and challenges after football.

The Sporting News title is clickbait

 

[nate dizzle]

I took 2 things away from this.

1. I have no doubt that everything he said is 100% on point.

2. Michael Bennett was talking a lot about Michael Bennett here and opening up/reaching out about his own struggles and experiences. You can't speak this pointedly and with that level of insight on something that you haven't gone through yourself.

 

[CouchCoach]

And this differs from real life?

The problem is these players get put on pedestals for no good reason. Many have the way paved for them by others so that becomes a way of life, they are told they are special. They're just people that play football for a living. There are good and bad people in every walk of life, doctors, preachers, priests, virtually every profession has it's rotten apples in the orchard.

I do not think there's anything special about professional athletes. Most were just gifted with talent to do something most others cannot do.

And that door swings both ways as it's often easy to think they don't suffer from the same problems that we do because many think the "have it made".

The most worshipped athlete in my time, other than maybe Muhammed Ali, is Michael Jordan and he is undeserving of that. He was a great basketball player, it ends there.

 

[dmaschuck]

This just in most people aren't good people, especially the people with power. How many of you know what the FED is? If you don't sorry your indoctrinated fools right out of the park. It's a rigged game from the start.

Speaking of rigged i've come to accept that's what sports are.

 

[DCBoysfan]

Marty B has always been a deep thinker and questioner, many don’t like that. Marty B will be fine in life as he is quite the smart individual.

Yup, he is very insightful.

 

[Aviano90]

It's my belief most high profile people across many professions aren't very good people.

 

[Maverick84]

I walked away to go get something and this very tall, slender guy walks past me wearing a strap on

this is a family forum.

 

[jterrell]

Most NFL stars are not "great people".
You generally get to the level they are because lots of people sacrifice FOR YOU, not because you sacrificed for them.

Elite athletes are OFTEN coddled and spoiled from a very early age.
Provided immense support and investment as some people leech off their talent while others pour themselves into it.

It isn't any different than CEO's. You are special and thus have reaped those rewards often in abundance and at egregious scale. It would make most anyone out of touch and a bit selfish in the very least.

 

[MyFairLady]

That guy was without question one of the biggest turds to ever wear a Cowboy jersey.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Most NFL stars are not "great people".
You generally get to the level they are because lots of people sacrifice FOR YOU, not because you sacrificed for them.

Elite athletes are OFTEN coddled and spoiled from a very early age.
Provided immense support and investment as some people leech off their talent while others pour themselves into it.

It isn't any different than CEO's. You are special and thus have reaped those rewards often in abundance and at egregious scale. It would make most anyone out of touch and a bit selfish in the very least.

Pretty good post JT.

 

[MyFairLady]

The Bennetts are 100% absolute low grade forms of human beings.

 

[ColoradoCowboy]

His brother isn't anyone's favorite player, but MAYBE their Mother.

 

[Ranched]

Geez Marty B. You left everyone hanging by not tossing anyone under the bus. If you're going to gossip, do it right!

 

[LACowboysFan1]

Dumbest fanbase in sports...

What fan base are you referring to?

 

[LACowboysFan1]

i was actually referring more to non financial transitions. finding out acquaintances weren't really true friends. not being automatically involved \ invited to participate. not being the center of attention, etc.

I believe Herm covered that as well, I didn't listen to the entirety of all 3 videos, but did catch snippets of things other than financial issues...

 

[TexasBacon]

Sounds more to me like somebody who's jealous of players who had more success as well as somebody making excuses why he didn't become a HOF or multiple Pro Bowler.

Hey Martellus, maybe football did mess you up, but it doesn't mean it does that to most players. And the vast majority of NFL players are just journeymen, or stick around for only a year or two or three as a backup, etc. They don't have the "I was a superstar but now I'm now how do I get over that" problem.

Lot of anger there it appears to me, hopefully he gets over it, either by time or by some therapy.

I wish him well in the rest of his life...

I don't think you read the same article I did. He doesn't sound resentful or spiteful. Just telling his honest perspective that may not be the wine and roses narrative many think is true.

 

[Turk]

Think I got our lines crossed, I agree with you on that. I thought you were saying the NFL was holding out on having a healthcare for all program, and I was more saying I could see why, etc. with the huge costs but also having to acknowledge the "danger" in the sport due to the healthcare costs down the line associated with it. So that was more the can of worms I was referencing, by admitting "it's dangerous but we'll pay for it" might expose them to that CTE stuff in a backwards way.

On the boxing aspect though, that sport is almost dead and why MMA is accepted moreso even being just as dangerous (just not every shot is to the head). It used to be an inner city go-to sport to give kids some discipline/structure but is all but abandoned as a youth sport. Could you imagine asking the standard mom if their 10 year old son can get into boxing, you would think we asked him to sign up for war

I agree with your point though, they shouldn't be on the hook for that as football starts a lot earlier and with a lot more people than those who eventually make it to the NFL...are all the HS/College football players going to want to paid for being "lied to" by the NFL...I could see some outlandish stuff like that though. Ex college players sues NFL for suppressing CTE evidence...huh???

The NFL settled because they had the money to do so. If it had gone to court they would have won. All they had to do was point out that College Football had been around a lot longer then the NFL and so many universities that have big time football programs also have medical schools. And no one pointed out the problems earlier? Either they were all in conspiracy or no one figured it out before. By the time a player makes it to the NFL they have at least 5-7 years of full contact football.
And how does anyone know how much damage one has before they get to the NFL?