NFL truth: Hip-hop culture hurting NFL

I was wondering if where these players went to school had any bearing on this, but the players Whitlock mentions are all over the map -- Oregon, Chattanooga, Washington, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Penn State -- so it's not like they all went to school in the same region where a particular culture dominates.

All generalizations are bad, including this one.

I'd say there are probably plenty of "hip-hop" players on good teams with coaches who simply make it known they're not going to put up with any crap.

Hip-hop culture really deep-sixed the NBA, but that's because it's a player's league over there.

The NFL has been, and still is, probably the most coach-oriented of the 3 major sports (sorry NHL, it's been fun, but....); until this changes, I don't see hip-hop culture being as pervasive as it is in the NBA.

I must've missed something, didn't the New England Patriots go out and pick up Randy Moss? Isn't that the exact type of player Whitlock is saying teams like the Colts and the Patriots are now shunning?

You want the real answer to the question Whitlock poses? Money.

As a parent of course I want athletes to be role models and good citizens. But as a fan, I want football players who are football players. Guys that want to destroy their opponent and mercilessly beat them. And let's face it, a lot of guys that come from crappy and unstable homes and neighborhoods fit the latter perfectly. They're mean, angry and violent...which is why the NFL suits them so well. Even though there are exceptions, the schools that do well in college football also heavily recruit these types of players where athletic ability trumps most personality and emotional issues. And no matter what they say in public you won't find a single member of any booster organization complaining about it as long as the team is winning.

As for the hip-hop culture, I'll say yes, I do think it is negative. Personal opinion but I don't shy away from my opinions. But I don't think it is now, nor will it ever be, a serious problem in the NFL. And the reason for that is simple...money. The NFL is the smartest league of them all. The NBA caters to a predominantly white crowd when it comes to ticket sales, and a predominantly black crows when it comes to TV. The league has an IMHO unrepairable (in regards to mass acceptance) image of hip-hop/urban culture that scares away a large chunk of America. Due to bad ratings and missing superstars they purposely went this route after the loss of Jordan and company. Now they're in a bad situation. Which is really unfair to so many really good guys that play the game.

As for MLB, forget it. African-Americans (and many whites) just don't care or play the game anymore. MLB's problem is the fact that it is boring in the mindset of most 21st century Americans. Hell, they should probably try to lure hip-hop to increase awareness and stop apathy.

But then we have the NFL. These guys know their shit. They realized a while ago that public image and acceptance is key. Don't cater to the crazed fan, or the one subset of American life. Have a game that they all can enjoy. And do every damn thing in your power to keep it that way and make it better. So the NFL will squash the indidvidual or team that pushed those boundaries and potentially impacts the health of the entire orgnaization. Just look at how they're treating Pac-Man and Vick. The NFL and their management and PR people are masters at what they do, and I'm pretty confident they'll keep things that way.

And what is this NHL you speak of?

Not to mention that LJ is anything but a "hip-hop", self-aggrandizing type player - he prides himself on his old-school ethos.

Hardly been mentioned since 2004? The media was all over him for "quitting" on the Raiders. If Moss was still in Oakland, there is no doubt in my mind that Whitlock would be referencing him too as Exhibit C.

The problem with Whitlock's argument is that it completely ignores money. When a player like Moss was out there, and could be had for a bargain, Belichick jumped at the chance. But that isn't the case for most players with immensely marketable tools, so, instead, the Colts and the Patriots are looking for attributes that bring in value on a budget. If the Colts and the Patriots weren't burdened by financial constraints, this "problem" would cease to exist.

I don't wish to derail this thread, but let's just say if you think Moss would have helped GB win a SB THIS YEAR, it was a mistake. If you think he would've merely made them better, it wasn't. Further discussion can be had in the NFL thread.