08-09-2017, 06:15 PM
I've already forgiven him. We all do dumb things when we're young, and this is obviously one of the dumbest things ever. But all signs point to it being an isolated incident. He seems to show genuine remorse over it and has been nothing but great since being drafted (aside from hanging out with Pacman 
).
I guess I sympathize with him because when I was I growing up I was very small for my age. As a result of my minuscule stature and extremely shy nature I was bullied constantly. Once I entered my early teen years I started lifting and finally hit a growth spurt. Not long after that, I started fighting back. One day some punk cold-cocked me when my back was turned and something snapped. I lost it and beat the hell out of him. I had 8 fights before I was 18 and every single one of them involved me being hit first (and usually without warning). If I was still coherent after that initial hit, I blacked out and destroyed whoever tried to start with me (although a few times I was knocked down and got my head pounded).
Anyway, it became second nature for me to strike back and strike hard when hit. Because of that, I have little doubt my 18 year old self would have done the same thing Mixon did in that scenario. It never mattered who hit me or how hard I was hit, I always reacted with the hardest punch I could muster, without even thinking about it. It became a reflex, and lucky for me no woman ever slapped me. But if she had... Well you see where I'm going with this.
I realize Mixon had a different upbringing than me and he likely was never bullied. But that killer instinct is very real and very hard to control. Not saying it's right and I'm certainly not trying to justify what Mixon did... Just saying, I understand why he did what he did. The reaction to being hit is hard to explain unless you've been there. Again, I don't condone it, and I hope none of you take it that way.
Now, at 28, I'm completely different. I think before I act. I haven't been in a fight since 2010 (a small scuffle with a Steeler fan at a sports by... Called my girlfriend a C U Next Tuesday, I floored him and made him cry
) I've grown up and learned that every action has consequences. I'm sure Mixon has too.
). I guess I sympathize with him because when I was I growing up I was very small for my age. As a result of my minuscule stature and extremely shy nature I was bullied constantly. Once I entered my early teen years I started lifting and finally hit a growth spurt. Not long after that, I started fighting back. One day some punk cold-cocked me when my back was turned and something snapped. I lost it and beat the hell out of him. I had 8 fights before I was 18 and every single one of them involved me being hit first (and usually without warning). If I was still coherent after that initial hit, I blacked out and destroyed whoever tried to start with me (although a few times I was knocked down and got my head pounded).
Anyway, it became second nature for me to strike back and strike hard when hit. Because of that, I have little doubt my 18 year old self would have done the same thing Mixon did in that scenario. It never mattered who hit me or how hard I was hit, I always reacted with the hardest punch I could muster, without even thinking about it. It became a reflex, and lucky for me no woman ever slapped me. But if she had... Well you see where I'm going with this.
I realize Mixon had a different upbringing than me and he likely was never bullied. But that killer instinct is very real and very hard to control. Not saying it's right and I'm certainly not trying to justify what Mixon did... Just saying, I understand why he did what he did. The reaction to being hit is hard to explain unless you've been there. Again, I don't condone it, and I hope none of you take it that way.
Now, at 28, I'm completely different. I think before I act. I haven't been in a fight since 2010 (a small scuffle with a Steeler fan at a sports by... Called my girlfriend a C U Next Tuesday, I floored him and made him cry
) I've grown up and learned that every action has consequences. I'm sure Mixon has too.
