YoloinOhio Posted October 10, 2013 Author Share Posted October 10, 2013 (edited) Well, he's in rehab so the help parts happening. A little perspective on how little we know behind the scenes with some players though. Sometimes when I don't get a move I remind myself of guys like this. Just because they haven't been arrested doesn't mean teams don't have ideas about what's going on behind the scenes and it may explain our confusion on why a guys allowed to walk, passed in the draft, or whatever. Between the substance suspensions, and now an assault weapon at a party where someone was shot he may see a full year off between rehab and the various suspensions I agree that character and personal history are vastly underrated by the general public when it comes to personnel and draft decisions. I do know a guy who works in an NFL front office and has for 16 years - he said that the main things they look for once the talent has been established is the ability to learn, passion to play football, andoverall character/personal history. They dig up every little thing going back to high school. They know all. It does intend to impact where guys are darfted and people wonder why a guy is taken high or drops. I realize EJ was graded as a 4th rd pick for some teams - I imagine they didn't need a franchise QB since only 2 guys are starting this year as rookies. When you do, Wunderlic scores, squeaky clean backgrounds and top notch character can launch a guy higher because their face is going to be plastered everywhere, you are investing big $, and you expect the guy to lead a team. When someone is questionable background/high talent, teams can take a chance in a later round because the $ investment is not as high and maybe you don't need as much from them outside of running fast, catching the ball and remembering plays. If they don't work out, it isn't as big of a problem to move on. I can see why a guy like Geno dropped and guy like EJ got taken early. Not that Geno has a sketchy past, but he could have things we don't know about plus the red flags he displayed per his behavior at team visits. All of this to say, this Aldon Smith situation is terrible and could have been worse. Teams are really cracking down on this side of personnel choices. Edited October 10, 2013 by YoloInTheBlo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 (edited) I agree that character and personal history are vastly underrated by the general public when it comes to personnel and draft decisions. I do know a guy who works in an NFL front office and has for 16 years - he said that the main things they look for once the talent has been established is the ability to learn, passion to play football, andoverall character/personal history. They dig up every little thing going back to high school. They know all. It does intend to impact where guys are darfted and people wonder why a guy is taken high or drops. I realize EJ was graded as a 4th rd pick for some teams - I imagine they didn't need a franchise QB since only 2 guys are starting this year as rookies. When you do, Wunderlic scores, squeaky clean backgrounds and top notch character can launch a guy higher because their face is going to be plastered everywhere, you are investing big $, and you expect the guy to lead a team. When someone is questionable background/high talent, teams can take a chance in a later round because the $ investment is not as high and maybe you don't need as much from them outside of running fast, catching the ball and remembering plays. If they don't work out, it isn't as big of a problem to move on. I can see why a guy like Geno dropped and guy like EJ got taken early. Not that Geno has a sketchy past, but he could have things we don't know about plus the red flags he displayed per his behavior at team visits. All of this to say, this Aldon Smith situation is terrible and could have been worse. Teams are really cracking down on this side of personnel choices. Yup - and inevitably we (myself included) will be saying how prospect a turned things around while prospect b is hopeless.... When in reality we know so little about their lives. Why did we let that guy walk or not get more value in a trade can easily be "dude is bad news and we as fans have no idea" instead of "asleep at the wheel and Ralph's cheap" Part of liking a guy like dareus over smith in the draft, which a lot folks using hindsight point at as a mistake, might've been knowing that guns, drugs, and alcohol abuse were in one guys history while the other did a lot to overcome adversity (although I think personally dareus had a better résumé to begin with but it's a consideration that 6-12 months ago you'd be laughed at for questioning aldons -or miller who's suspended- character despite these likely being longterm issues). Edited October 10, 2013 by NoSaint Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoloinOhio Posted October 10, 2013 Author Share Posted October 10, 2013 When you draft guys that high, you expect them to be on the field barring injury. These guys (Miller and Smith) both sefishly hurt their teams, both SB contenders, with their acts that have taken them off the field. Miller absence didn't cost Denver any games, but could have if Peyton wasn't superhuman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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