Does character count?

If teams will stop putting up with that type of shit, then maybe we won't have to see players like TO in the league anymore. Once you establish the precedent that you don't allow that type of behavior on your team and the rest of the league follows, maybe the NFL would be much more character-based.

Weren't some of the people now bashing TO for his holdout and his "me first" attitude the same people supporting him in his "me first" touchdown celebrations? Does anyone else besides me think they are just two symptoms the same core problem? TO's deep and abiding love for himself.

Why does the NFL put up w/ TO type players? 'Cause fans want to see 'em. They want to watch them make athletic plays and then watch them dance. All the time focusing attention on themselves and not their teammates (Who was it who threw those 14 TD's to you, Owens? And for those dancing DE's, Who was it that ate up two blockers so you could get a clean shot at the QB?).

So the next time a player pulls some diva crap ON the field and you applaud/support or otherwise condone it; Don't bitch when they pull the same crap OFF the field.

Can someone explain to me any reason why we should be defending Winslow? This just doesn't make sense to me.

1. He calls out OUR TEAM on draft day because he was pouting over the fact that ST got drafted ahead of him and we didn't draft him like we "promised". A ROOKIE......calling out the entire Redskins team and organization?! Are you kidding me? Who the hell does he think he is? What has he done to think that he's earned the right to call out a hall of fame coach and storied franchise?

2. Any 20-year-old PUNK, who even DARES to compare his football exploits to that of being a "Soldier" is an absolute idiot with ZERO Character in my book. Sorry, but NOBODY is going to convince me any differently of this.

3. He goes and buys a bike and starts doing stunts on it before he's ever learned how to ride responsibly or obtained a license, IN DIRECT VIOLATION of specific clauses contained in the contract that HE SIGNED, and gets seriously injured, thereby jeopardizing the success of his team this year. If that's not a me-first attitude, I don't know what is.

Now please explain to me what's worth defending in the person of Kellen Winslow II? He's not even on our team for goodness sake. It's just amazing to me that some of the same people who want to crucify Arrington for not reading his contract before he signed it, are willing to just skip over the fact that Winslow stands in direct breach of his contract. And I'll never understand why some people on this site feel the need to defend players on other teams more than current Redskins.......especially when those other players are people like Kellen Winslow.

Exactly what did he say about the DUI incident? Just saying he "talked" about it means nothing. I wouldn't say he threw him under the bus simpyl talking about it. Now if he said Sean Taylor was a complete distraction who lost them football games then that's more like throwing under the bus.

That's right personally I see these actions as proof that he has attitude problem and didn't improve them this past year. It was reported that TO would practice his TD celebrations in the locker room before a game. Is this what he should be working on before a game? Is Philly paying him all that money to improve their TD dancing?

Does this mean Jon Jansen isn't a team guy? Didn't he throw Sean Taylor under the bus on draft day? At least TO made remarks about a game, Jansen got nasty with the man's personal life.
The more I think about this post I am wondering what the point of it was? We're you disagreeing with what I said or were you just trying to start something about Jansen? It doesn't seem like it has anything to do with what the thread is about. Jansen's name was never mentioned until you mentioned it.
I would say that mentioning his "personal life" in this case was 100% appropriate since it ended up DIRECTLY affecting the Redskins. Remember he was suspended for one game for missing practice after it in one of his 2 year old type pouting displays. That makes it "team business" too.

I didn't think Janson's remark was in any way malicious. His point was that Tayler should be at Redskin park like everyone else working out.

If Winslow's contract has a specific clause about not riding motorcycles then (as Red would say on That 70s Show. “He's a total dumb ass”.

Schneed - I never said he wasn't an idiot. I just don't think that a bike incident alone makes someone a bad person. I know a lot of people who ride bikes that have great characters. I think it's unfair to judge him by that - is he stupid, most certainly.

1. He calls out OUR TEAM on draft day because he was pouting over the fact that ST got drafted ahead of him and we didn't draft him like we "promised". A ROOKIE......calling out the entire Redskins team and organization?! Are you kidding me? Who the hell does he think he is? What has he done to think that he's earned the right to call out a hall of fame coach and storied franchise?
He calls our team out because Joe Gibbs promised to draft him and he wanted to be a Redskin. What an asshole - can you count the number of players upset that they didn't become a Redskin? I wouldn't be the least bit suprised if Winslow went Rosenhaus if we would be all distraught about this motorcycle accident. I think Gibbs wanted him but we couldn't have another Poston guy.

2. Any 20-year-old PUNK, who even DARES to compare his football exploits to that of being a "Soldier" is an absolute idiot with ZERO Character in my book. Sorry, but NOBODY is going to convince me any differently of this.

He called himself a soldier. Know what's ironic? It was either on Don & Mike or Ron & Fez. They were talking to a soldier and he compared his unit to a football team. So what? people always have compared football players to soldiers. Just now it's really a touchy feely subject (stupid). Let's rename Soldier field, to overpaid physically gifted persons field. I feel someone calling themself a soldier could be a remark of respect too. Football is a violent game where the wars are won and loss in the trenches. It's how it is, you'll never stop the analogies between football and war.


3. He goes and buys a bike and starts doing stunts on it before he's ever learned how to ride responsibly or obtained a license, IN DIRECT VIOLATION of specific clauses contained in the contract that HE SIGNED, and gets seriously injured, thereby jeopardizing the success of his team this year. If that's not a me-first attitude, I don't know what is.
I promise you, that clause gets broken on a daily basis, even by Redskins players. So let's get off our high horse for a moment and realize that because he bought a bike and was riding it DOENS'T make him a bad character guy. Stupid? Yes. But it's his money and his career he's sacrificing. It's his decesion.

FRPLG - it was a response to you. Remember how you said TO threw McNabb under the bus? I said at least he did it with something about McNabb's play. Not personal life. I guess you forget about the whole innocent until proven guilty thing our country has. It's really neat, see, Taylor didn't do anything wrong. Believe it or not guys, a majority of cops you meet are assholes, especially if you're a young, rich, black man. Especially when you think you can make a name for yourself busting Sean Taylor. The judge threw the case out in a second - let's try blaming the cop for falsely arresting Sean Taylor.

So not only was he INNOCENT and Jansen brought it up, it's inappropriate. You don't put anyones personal life out there like that. That's not a good way to build team chemistry, and Jansen was in the wrong 100%. You think he should ever say "LaVar needs to come to camp, I know his cousin has cancer, but that's really not an excuse." How would you feel then? No matter the reason - leave personal stuff out of it.

Rickmmr - I'd agree had he left it to professional things, and I think Taylor should be there too. However, personal life is out of bounds.

First off, Winslow was on a bike that was way too much for a beginner to be trying to handle. Second, he was going way too fast for someone who was "learning", third, there are reports that he was spotted earlier in the day by a cop pulling wheelies on a main road.

http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/sports/football/11558994.htm

He didn't even have his helmet strapped on. This wasn't the case of someone honestly trying to learn how to ride a bike, taking things slowly like you should, etc. I don't even wanna hear that crap.

I really don't understand why anyone would want to defend his actions. He made a piss poor decision. The Browns have millions of dollars invested in him. I'm sure his contract has some language in it pertaining to avoiding unnecessary risks like riding motocycles, I'm sorry but his horrible decision to act like a hot dog on a bike he can't handle has let his entire team down.

I think it's definitely appropriate to question his character after a string of horrible decisions leading up to his wreck. He's an even bigger meathead than Taylor.

Im not defending his actions - I think it's foolish to think someone has a bad character because of a mistake. Riding a motorcycle too fast at age 21... Amazing. Where's the "Who didn't do stupid thigns when they were young." post? The same one we see for every Redskins player. It was stupid without a doubt - it doesn't make him a bad person.