Character

So all day on the radio I heard the WGR talking heads, talk about character. It all started from Jerry Sullivan's column from the other day, in response to the Donte Whitner arrest and the fact Tom Modrak wouldn't dismiss drafting Brandon Pettigrew. Just listening to it, made me angry. Not because I think they are clean and upstanding individuals. But they were pushing character into one column. That not breaking the law, or not being caught by police breaking the law, is the only standard for character. We are talking about 3 guys out of 53. Do the math and its a small percentage of the Bills, that have been arrested recently or ever.

But honestly, its nice to have a bunch of law abiding citizens, but if they can't play football, who cares. I want good football character guys. If they have a gun, and with the players getting shot lately I would carry one too, I don't care. Sure it costs the Bills a couple games. But does he not give his all on the field? Look above, he looks devastated at that loss in NY last year. Thats the character I want. I guy that plays for his teammates, that defends his guys and plays his heart out. FOOTBALL CHARACTER. Donte Whitner was trying to help out friends and family, he thought were in trouble. Thats the kind of guy I want.

Back to Pettigrew, he was arrested last year, yes. But just because they won't dismiss someone over one issue, doesn't mean they will take anyone. It's the draft. They'd probably say they might draft a murderer, if it meant smokescreening who they really want. If they actually draft Pettigrew, I'd be upset, not because of the arrest, but what I've read about football ability. But how they are off the field is only one part of the equation.

The same guys railed on the Sabres for not defending Ryan Miller this year, but they don't get arrested, so they must have good character. That is the logic they are using. You can't use one factor to determines someone character. It's too easy, its lazy. If someone is a good upstanding citizen, but yet lets his teammate get punched in the mouth, that is someone I d o not want on the team. His job is to play football, not to have a clean rap sheet. Unless it interferes with the job, then its a problem. (I guess with Marshawn it is becoming a problem) But that is the difficult decision. Marshawn is a great player. He is valuable to the team, and from all aspects a good teammate and someone you want. Yet he finds his way into the police's hands. Maybe he has to grow up and stop being irresponsible. That comes with age. He's a young guy, they all are. Young people make mistakes, its part of growing up. We aren't all responsible adults when we get out of College. Especially today's youth, me included. It takes time to get where you want to go.

These experiences help with your character. They aren't a sign of your character. But what matters most is your football character. How do you react on the field. Do you give up at the first sign of a problem? Do you let others get away with cheap shots? Do you work hard, instead of taking the easy way out? These are the important questions you need to ask, not whether or not you have been arrested. I could care less.

The media is taking the easy way out, instead of looking into the player to see how he plays, it takes the headline jumping questions. Oooo crime, violence, scandal!!!!!!! Hey do they perform on the field? Yes? No? Thats what matters. I want players that want to win, die to win, and will do anything to get that W. Those are the questions I want asked, not a inquistion about drafting "character guys" Which i think is a relative term. Character is what you think it is, there is no standard definition. A good character guy at the Bank, is different then a good character guy at Ralph Wilson Stadium

Can we move on from this subject?

Please?