Sherman on Jackson

[Uncle Si]

This isnt a question of whether Jackson deserved to be cut. Its a question of how a Jackson's release was presented by the media. Sherman's article points out that there is more to the man than some pictures and friends maybe he shouldnt have. How is that the "race card"? and why is it the "race card" when someone points clear hypocrasies in treatment of similar situations involving members of different races.

christ, go to espn.com right now... theres a sad and contrite Jim Irsay on the cover with a title about his "demons"

deeper in the article it talks about his upbringing, his arrogance and out of control, selfish behavior. but the headlines send you towards personal demons.

Jackson on the other hand is a thug with ties to scary gang bangers.

The Eagles have every right to do whatever they want with Jackson. they dont have to even explain it. But the difference in which the stories of Cooper, Irsay and Jackson are portrayed is reflective of our general perception of race in this country. Sherman's touching on that. Strange that someone would insinuate he was being disingenuous in using the "race card"

 

[rigelian]

Players and agents are overreacting to the whole "gang ties" idea.

Simply knowing someone who may be involved in gang activity WILL NOT cause a single player to be released from their contract.

However, HANGING OUT with gang members is essentially the same thing as condoning gang activity. I don't think anybody ever hangs out with gangs unless they are ok with the illegal activities.

Even if a player takes part in zero illegal activities, how bad would it look if a player gets arrested in a crack house with murderers and hardcore drug dealers?

A college education (and hopefully pro career) is supposed to help inner-city kids ESCAPE inner-city life. Giving these kids millions upon millions of dollars SHOULD essentially come on the condition that they remove themselves from that lifestyle and end any associations with gang members.

Owners have ever right to release a player or offer less in free agency to someone who associates with gangs. It makes the player less desirable and in a free market that means less $.

In the end, the players and agents are complaining because a free market puts a negative value on gang ties and they don't want to have to choose between money or thugs.

First of all, anyone who thinks that the NFL market is a "free market" is fooling themselves. Second of all, one does not easily separate themselves from the people they grew up with, are part of family as one may think. Third , the fact that you hang out with people who are in gangs means you "condone" gang behavior. I hang out with some Republicans which does not mean I condone Republicanism. People, even gang members, have an existence that goes beyond the gang. Finally, Sherman is calling out the way the broader culture discusses the whole subject. The current reflection is not static, and voicing an opinion about the subject may foster different ways of thinking about it.

 

[Chapman]

I think the article was very well written.You weren't kidding about the comments section.
I'm suprised half of them could string together enough thoughts together to complete a whole sentence.

 

[StorytellerMatt]

My understanding was that gang ties had little if anything to do with his release. The fact is, with the retirement and release of locker room veterans, Jackson was becoming the elder statesman of the locker room, and with his history of defying the coach (and getting into his face), locker room tantrums, late holdouts, and collecting unsportsmanlike conduct fines that would kill drives and nullify big plays, Kelly wanted better locker room leaders for the young team he is building.

In the past, Jackson had older vets like Dawkins, Mikkel, NcNabb, etc. to keep him in line. Now, with no one to keep him in line, he is the new leader. With a young team, that's a recipe for disaster.

The "gang ties" business came later, and from what I've read from Philly outlets, it did not come from the Eagles camp.

 

[edogg23]

I don't get why Sherman has to play the race card all the time. I mean the dude was able to work hard and go to Stanford and get a job where he is about to be a multi-millionaire. Look at the diversity in sports, I wouldn't say that African Americans are a minority or at a disadvantage, so why try and make it about that.

 

[HawkRiderFan]

In this particular case, Sherman didn't come right out and call it "race" he just referred to perceptions of people. However I do find it ironic in general that he gets critiiczed for speaking up about race issues, while I have heard that guys like Tiger Woods and Kobe Bryant get criticized for not taking a stand and speaking out on race issues.

 

[brimsalabim]

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/20...as-a-problem-for-kelly-eagles-in-locker-room/

Apparently it wasn't the gang ties or racism. According to his teammates he is just a poor teammate that behaves like a spoiled little child. I wonder how that jives with Sherm's childhood memories?

 

[hawknation2014]

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/20...as-a-problem-for-kelly-eagles-in-locker-room/

Apparently it wasn't the gang ties or racism. According to his teammates he is just a poor teammate that behaves like a spoiled little child. I wonder how that jives with Sherm's childhood memories?

No doubt DeSean Jackson is a pathetic and selfish teammate. What kind of teammate constantly gets in fights with other teammates during games and in the locker room?

DeSean had an opportunity to learn from this experience and actually grow as a player to improve his behavior as a teammate. Unfortunately, all this B.S. about palling around with a child killer clouded what could have been a wakeup call for DeSean. Now is there any doubt DeSean will continue to be a destructive locker room presence with the Redskins?

 

[brimsalabim]

Well he is beginning his time with the skins by skipping early OTAs. This might not help rehab his reputation as a difficult teammate but they are not mandatory and it's possible the skins even asked him to stay away right now.

 

[plyka]

I couldnt find it anywhere else, and those in charge can feel free to move it...

Given the vast differences in opinion regarding Jackson (in his release, not just as a potential Seahawk) I thought this article by Rchard Sherman was fascinating

http://mmqb.si.com/2014/04/02/richard-sherman-desean-jackson/

Ive read a few of these from Sherman and have always been impressed. However, this article is different from him. Its almost a different voice than he's written from in the past, and touches on many salient points about the NFL, its players and the relationships with the fans and media.

I'm a bit disappointed with Sherman in this article. It seems to me that he is attempting to conform to what "popular consensus" says he should think. He is literally regurgitating what the general consensus in the media is today.

The Eagles are an employer. They have a right to require certain behavior from their employees. It's a contract. If they don't want their players to hang out with gang members, then they have a right to say: "hey, this is hurting our "image" which is worth something to us. If you want to work with us, you can't be hanging out with gangsters." Then Desean has a right to say: look, these are my friends, I want to hang out with them and I will hang out with them. If you don't like it, i will move on."

Wow, it worked. Eagles didn't want him because it hurts their image, Desean found a different home. Great, people are free to act in their own self interest and it all works out in the end. What the hell is the problem?

I don't get why Sherman has to play the race card all the time. I mean the dude was able to work hard and go to Stanford and get a job where he is about to be a multi-millionaire. Look at the diversity in sports, I wouldn't say that African Americans are a minority or at a disadvantage, so why try and make it about that.

This is a 100% correct. He uses the race card because he is conforming to the general consensus in the media. Just watch ESPN for 5 minutes. Everything is about racism now days, everyone uses the race card. Pay special attention to First Take, 50% of the show is about using the race card.

 

[Zebulon Dak]

I couldnt find it anywhere else, and those in charge can feel free to move it...

Given the vast differences in opinion regarding Jackson (in his release, not just as a potential Seahawk) I thought this article by Rchard Sherman was fascinating

http://mmqb.si.com/2014/04/02/richard-sherman-desean-jackson/

Ive read a few of these from Sherman and have always been impressed. However, this article is different from him. Its almost a different voice than he's written from in the past, and touches on many salient points about the NFL, its players and the relationships with the fans and media.

I'm a bit disappointed with Sherman in this article. It seems to me that he is attempting to conform to what "popular consensus" says he should think. He is literally regurgitating what the general consensus in the media is today.

The Eagles are an employer. They have a right to require certain behavior from their employees. It's a contract. If they don't want their players to hang out with gang members, then they have a right to say: "hey, this is hurting our "image" which is worth something to us. If you want to work with us, you can't be hanging out with gangsters." Then Desean has a right to say: look, these are my friends, I want to hang out with them and I will hang out with them. If you don't like it, i will move on."

Wow, it worked. Eagles didn't want him because it hurts their image, Desean found a different home. Great, people are free to act in their own self interest and it all works out in the end. What the hell is the problem?

I don't get why Sherman has to play the race card all the time. I mean the dude was able to work hard and go to Stanford and get a job where he is about to be a multi-millionaire. Look at the diversity in sports, I wouldn't say that African Americans are a minority or at a disadvantage, so why try and make it about that.

This is a 100% correct. He uses the race card because he is conforming to the general consensus in the media. Just watch ESPN for 5 minutes. Everything is about racism now days, everyone uses the race card. Pay special attention to First Take, 50% of the show is about using the race card.

This. Sherman is obviously incapable of thinking for himself.

 

[JMR]

It was a well written article by Sherm, but that's really surprsing no one.

Lots of good points, but I also have issue with a couple. #1 I don't recall an outcry for sympathy on Irsay. #2 I think it's a stretch to say or imply Riley Cooper was treated more leniently after his drunken slur because he's white, while Jackson got released because he's black; I don't recall many teammates (or any, really) having a big issue with Cooper coming back to the team, and I haven't seen a single one raise a stink about Jackson being cut.

I also feel at some point you should indeed be judged by the company you keep. At least to some degree. You can't get a free pass for hanging out with criminals just because you did before you were famous. If it was wrong then....

But in all I thought it was a good take. Just can't agree with him 100% on everything.

 

[Escamillo]

I don't get why Sherman has to play the race card all the time. I mean the dude was able to work hard and go to Stanford and get a job where he is about to be a multi-millionaire. Look at the diversity in sports, I wouldn't say that African Americans are a minority or at a disadvantage, so why try and make it about that.

Putting aside the Jackson situation (since I don't know much about it, other than it appears that the Eagles cut him and rather leaving it at that, decided to smear him in the press with talk of "gangs"; why not just cut him and be done with it? And look at some of the characters Eagles coach Chip Kelly had at Oregon; it became a running joke that getting arrested while at Oregon was required class work for football players.),

Are you saying that any black person who went to Stanford is prohibited from calling out racism or race-related issues when they see them? That's absurd.
You should have just stopped with "I don't get it", and left it at that.
You know what I'm tired of? That any time someone dares identify race as part of an issue, someone claims "You're playing the race card!" in order to shut down any and all talk of race, now and forevermore.

Here's to Sherm continuing to call it as he sees it, say what he believes, and relate the truth as he sees it. And if that ruffles a few feathers along the way, so be it. :thcocktail:

 

[brimsalabim]

Yes I'm not knocking Sherman for writing this at all. It's a well written and insightful article. I do wonder how well Sherm knows Jackson now. It also appears that we all jumped to the conclusion that it was the gang ties that finished Jackson in Philly so Sherm's points while valid no longer seem to apply. I also agree that he really stretched his point about Irsay. I haven't heard any support for that guy at all.

 

[Uncle Si]

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/20...as-a-problem-for-kelly-eagles-in-locker-room/

Apparently it wasn't the gang ties or racism. According to his teammates he is just a poor teammate that behaves like a spoiled little child. I wonder how that jives with Sherm's childhood memories?

Than why did the Eagles leak that it was about "gang ties"

thus again, the point of the article. Sherman's not sticking up for Desean as much as the idea of jumping to conclusions. If Jackson was released because he was a petulant sh--head than say so.

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/20...as-a-problem-for-kelly-eagles-in-locker-room/

Apparently it wasn't the gang ties or racism. According to his teammates he is just a poor teammate that behaves like a spoiled little child. I wonder how that jives with Sherm's childhood memories?

Than why did the Eagles leak that it was about "gang ties"

thus again, the point of the article. Sherman's not sticking up for Desean as much as the idea of jumping to conclusions. If Jackson was released because he was a petulant sh--head than say so.

Problem with that Si is that it's a helluva lot easier to sell "gang ties" to your fan base than "petulant shithead". Not sayin' you're wrong, just sayin'.

 

[rigelian]

Generally speaking the use of the phrase "race card" is offensive. The guy has expressed his opinion and made his own observation. Rather than deal with that people prefer to throw out the phrase race card.

Second, Sherman is getting on the media for adopting a certain narrative so he's not reflecting the opinion of the media.

 

[CPHawk]

MeJack and Marshawn are literally nothing alike, so people need to stop using that as an example. The Eagles team, not just the one center, hated MeJack, and anyone saying this was about race is just presenting a weak argument. The team didn't care who his friends are, they care about how he is as a teammate.

I love Sherm, but in this case he should have actually gotten facts before writing his article. He should have talked to teammates in Philly, the same ones who told Kelly they didn't want Jackson around anymore.



http://deadspin.com/report-the-eagles-s ... 1558398019

 

[Sgt. Largent]

MeJack and Marshawn are literally nothing alike, so people need to stop using that as an example. The Eagles team, not just the one center, hated MeJack, and anyone saying this was about race is just presenting a weak argument. The team didn't care who his friends are, they care about how he is as a teammate.

I love Sherm, but in this case he should have actually gotten facts before writing his article. He should have talked to teammates in Philly, the same ones who told Kelly they didn't want Jackson around anymore.

http://deadspin.com/report-the-eagles-s ... 1558398019

I don't think anybody believes the Eagles cut Jackson because of "gang ties." Teams don't cut highly talented players over hearsay, they cut them because of;

1. Lack of production
2. They're royal pains in the ass
3. Their contracts no longer warrant their production

Jackson produced, therefore the only option left for why he was cut is #2.

Sherman was merely explaining how things work where he and Jackson come from, and pointing out the hypocrisy of the league when it comes to veiled attempts at smearing a players good name over an owner like Irsay who's had more run ins with the law than 99.99% of NFL players............yet no one's up in arms to investigate or punish him.

 

[brimsalabim]

Haven't heard "the league" say a lot of positives about Irsay but the two situations are not equal anyway. Irsay is an owner of the league while Jackson is an employee of the league.