02-17-2021, 07:28 AM
(02-16-2021, 08:04 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I think a part of the problem with extremely talented players not producing at their expected level in the NFL, as they did in college, has a lot to do with not being prepared to manage one's own life as an adult. This isn't meant to be a personal knock on any specific individuals, just a conclusion that I've come to from nearly 52 years of life experience.
What you have, is young men who have been accustomed to having most every detail of their life, every minute of their time and activity directed by others, with the sole purpose of getting them to the NFL. Once they sign the contract, they're pretty much on their own. They suddenly have a good deal of money in their hands, often times much more than that of the level they were raised at. Their time is suddenly their own; No coaches, trainers, tutors to be responsible to anymore; To a degree, one could arrive at the conclusion that their might be a huge void that comes with advancing to the next level.
Many of these young men are brought to their absolute peak of talent and physical ability at the collegiate level, because their is no "off the clock" time. The structure, the focus, the guidance, and all of the other accessories that come with being a part of an elite college program are now missing from their lives. Are most young men with sudden money, but no coaches, trainers, and dieticians monitoring their every day going to make the best nutritional choices? Likely not. Are most young men that feel like they "made it" going to keep focusing on improving the weakest parts of their game, their physical condition, their mental toughness without someone calling on them and leading them to do it? Likely not.
So, what is to do about it? Is it the league's job to coddle these guys, prompt them to eat right, work out properly, maintain focus, make adult decisions, etc.? Not really. Once you're in the pros, you're expected to conduct and carry yourself as a professional individual who makes a living from abusing his body 3 hrs per week, 16 or more times per season. The sad reality is that many of these guys "maxed out" at the collegiate level, because they are incapable of holding themselves to the same standard as they were in the program they came from.
The issue of high level players "busting" at the NFL level oftentimes has less to do with raw talent and ability, than it does with personal maturity and self discipline. In my opinion, the NFL could do far more for the younger players by providing mentorship, assistance with structuring the players time toward cultivating professional lives, than they do with some of the PR stuff they have delved into in recent years. Apologies for the rant. When I read the OP, it just got me to thinking about the number of "can't miss" prospects that have busted over the years, and contemplating on reasons why that might happen.
The Players Union doesn't help the young players much (aside from selling them out on pay in favor of the veterans) as the collective bargaining agreement severely limits the amount of time coaching staff get with them. That's all well and good when you're an established veteran but when you're starting out in the league and trying to establish yourself you probably need that extra guidance and in many cases structure around them. The collective bargaining agreement prevents that.
