Originally Posted by
donttread
I watched ID's special about Aaron Hernandez the other night. He was a perfect storm waiting to happen. With potential elements of entitled celebrity, closet gay with gay hating father and serious brain damage thrown in. The brain damage was documented and very real.
Anyway according to the story Urban Meyer talked Aaron into leaving HS early so he could play football for him in Florida. Then made sure no charges were filed when Aaron broke a bartenders ear drum in a fight.
Meyer was not mentioned in the more serious incident where Aaron was ID'ed in a shooting while still in Gainsville and questioned but never charged.
After Hernandez was convicted of killing his friend he was found not-guilty , despite serious evidence against him, of a double murder which was supposedly over having a drink spilled on him.
God knows what trouble he might have gotten out of due to his talents even after becoming a pro.
Entitlement , you betcha! But severe brain damage from hits to the head as well. Cumulative concussions . As if that's not enough he was rumored to be bi-sexual with a father so anti-gay it makes you wonder if HE might have been gay.
I only played sandlot football, but a lot of it and we didn't have helmets. Nobody ever lead with their head. I don't even the think the leather helmet bad asses did. So that tendency could be unlearned by the game if the NFL was serious about it. If not, how long can we ask these guys to sacrifice their brains for our entertainment? Sure we all give a lot to earn a living including emotional and physical pain and even damage. But this. This is their brains.
The look the other way thing seems so much stronger in sports than even say music or academics, business. It probably starts in middle school with a little help with the grades. That doesn't really help them either. That may be how we wound up with the likes of Antonio Brown and so many others? Granted football is taking more of a stand lately. But mostly in the pros. by then....
Thoughts? Are big time football's days numbered?