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The Human Side Of Cut Day


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This is a tough few days for about 1,200 men and their families. Far too often we lose sight of that. These guys have sacrificed for their whole lives to get to this point. Thought it was important to keep that in perspective as we celebrate/complain about guys that we wanted to keep/lose their jobs. 

 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/27483799/what-really-cut-nfl

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22 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

This is a tough few days for about 1,200 men and their families. Far too often we lose sight of that. These guys have sacrificed for their whole lives to get to this point. Thought it was important to keep that in perspective as we celebrate/complain about guys that we wanted to keep/lose their jobs. 

 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/27483799/what-really-cut-nfl

Such empathy.....even for Peterman should he get cut? ? But seriously, a nice reminder.

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10 minutes ago, CaptnCoke11 said:

A lot of them will end up on practice squads here or elsewhere.  This is also the profession they chose knowing this is part of it.  I tend to be on the other end of the spectrum.  It’s part of the job

Roughly 25% on practice squads, 900 or so will be without jobs. Yes, it is part of the job and everyone knows that going in. That doesn’t AT ALL change the fact that 900 men and their families will be starting over. That isn’t something to celebrate.

 

This is a chance for them to earn a lot of money in a short period of time. It isn’t a life changing amount for the back of the roster guys but it’s a start. I have 2 good friends that were fringe guys. One guy was on 7 rosters in 6 years (mostly as a PS guy) and the other guy had a 7 year career as a special teamer/backup LB. When they got dinged they couldn’t say a word for fear of losing their livelihood. The guy that was the LB said that he had at least 11 concussions and never said a word. This isn’t a guy with no other options either. He has an MBA and great people skills. That’s just the reality of the life that those guy’s live. 

Edited by Kirby Jackson
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9 minutes ago, CaptnCoke11 said:

A lot of them will end up on practice squads here or elsewhere.  This is also the profession they chose knowing this is part of it.  I tend to be on the other end of the spectrum.  It’s part of the job

Yes, a job they chose when they were essentially children, with the world pressuring them to make that choice, that puts them in a position where they spend there whole lives training for it, leaving them without any other options, that in the end leaves them with nothing. Definitely their own fault. Definitely nothing to feel bad for. 

1 minute ago, Kirby Jackson said:

Roughly 25% on practice squads, 900 or so will be without jobs. Yes, it is part of the job and everyone knows that going in. That doesn’t AT ALL change the fact that 900 men and their families will be starting over. That isn’t something to celebrate.

 

This is a chance for them to earn a lot of money in a short period of time. It isn’t a life changing amount for the back of the roster guys but it’s a start. I have 2 good friends that were fringe guys. One guy was on 7 rosters in 6 years (mostly as a PS guy) and the other guy had a 7 year career as a special teamer/backup LB. When they got dinged they couldn’t say a word for fear of losing their livelihood. The guy that was the LB said that he had at least 11 concussions and never said a word. This isn’t a guy with no other options either. He has an MBA and great people skills. That’s just the reality of the life that those guy’s live. 

 

People suck, man. Peoples' dreams are coming to an end. It is wayyyyy more than "just part of the job"

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Just now, Gisele said:

A lot of them get small signing bonuses and had a small salary during camp.  They made more in a couple months than I make all year.  You're right, they didn't get rich but they should be okay. 

...and you will work for 50 years. They may work for 3

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1 minute ago, Kirby Jackson said:

...and you will work for 50 years. They may work for 3

But they will move on to other forms of work and work for 50 years.  I feel for the guys getting cut because for most it is the end of a dream.  That has to be tough.  But let's not go overboard and suggest they can't go on to productive lives in other ways.

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13 minutes ago, CaptnCoke11 said:

A lot of them will end up on practice squads here or elsewhere.  This is also the profession they chose knowing this is part of it.  I tend to be on the other end of the spectrum.  It’s part of the job

Huh? Just because they know that this is part of it doesn’t mean that when the dream is doused it is any less sad. They are humans, giving everything they have for their dreams. I imagine that it really sucks when they get told by the organization that they gave their all for that it just wasn’t enough. All those bonds that they built are immediately snapped. 

 

“It’s part of the job”? Geez dude. Have a little humanity.

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32 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

This is a tough few days for about 1,200 men and their families. Far too often we lose sight of that. These guys have sacrificed for their whole lives to get to this point. Thought it was important to keep that in perspective as we celebrate/complain about guys that we wanted to keep/lose their jobs. 

 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/27483799/what-really-cut-nfl

Thanks for sharing the article. I really do think we forget about the human side of the sport (or any sport for that matter). 

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2 minutes ago, oldmanfan said:

But they will move on to other forms of work and work for 50 years.  I feel for the guys getting cut because for most it is the end of a dream.  That has to be tough.  But let's not go overboard and suggest they can't go on to productive lives in other ways.

Oh they can, and I work with one now. They don’t all have MBAs though. 78% of all NFL players are either broke or in financial distress within 2 years of their careers ending. They are all starting over and they aren’t all starting over at the top. 

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It's a rough business, no doubt about it. Especially for the people who miss a year or two and try desperately to get on a roster or even the practice squad.

 

I think that's why we loved Fred Jackson. Because he went through miles of hell to crack the roster of a bad team and the years he got made us love him.

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Here's the upside: Every one of them will always have the memory of having tried something that was their dream.  The smart ones will always cherish the moments when they can always say they tried to be a professional football player.  Some will use that to get a foot in the door at lucrative careers.  

One of the most successful cuts in an NFL camp is actor Ed O'Neil who went on to star in Married With Children & Modern Family.  

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7 minutes ago, WhitewalkerInPhilly said:

It's a rough business, no doubt about it. Especially for the people who miss a year or two and try desperately to get on a roster or even the practice squad.

 

I think that's why we loved Fred Jackson. Because he went through miles of hell to crack the roster of a bad team and the years he got made us love him.

Ha!  I read this fast and initially thought it said he went through miles of crack.  

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