2015-2016 NFL Thread

[Kyyle23]

Predicting it is also a part of it. There is a reason the 49ers cut him. If they didn't think he would be any more trouble, he probably still is with them.

 

Hard to say that, the 49ers just went into total self destruct mode. Had they still been in Win Now mode with Harbaugh and Fangio in charge then McDonald may still be there

[Balta1701]

Why? What does the Bears offering this guy a second chance and then cutting him when he gets arrested again have anything to do with a player in the future?

I wouldn't be surprised if they were extra on the lookout to avoid a similar PR hit in the near future.

 

Put it this way. Matt Forte gets hurt in TC. Ray Rice is available. Are the Bears going to be the team that does that? I'd guess this actually would effect the answer.

[Jenksismyhero]

Because they got burned. If you really think George McCaskey will approve a similar case in the future, I totally disagree, and good for him. I think teams can still win wife beater-free.

 

They didn't get burned at all. As others have said, it was low risk, decently high reward.

 

The fact that George had to come out and make statements to justify the signing is the real problem here. Who the hell cares? It's a business. It's a sport. They're not role models and they shouldn't be role models. If they are for you, adjust your life and/or parenting.

[Dick Allen]

Hard to say that, the 49ers just went into total self destruct mode. Had they still been in Win Now mode with Harbaugh and Fangio in charge then McDonald may still be there

 

Are the Bears in win now mode? That's the thing I don't understand. Read Biggs article. It's pretty good, at least from my point of view.

[Kyyle23]

I wouldn't be surprised if they were extra on the lookout to avoid a similar PR hit in the near future.

 

Put it this way. Matt Forte gets hurt in TC. Ray Rice is available. Are the Bears going to be the team that does that? I'd guess this actually would effect the answer.

 

Oh sure, let's skip right past every available back without problems and go straight to the only guy out there available who missed last season due to domestic violence. I'm sure this scenario is plausible

[Jenksismyhero]

I wouldn't be surprised if they were extra on the lookout to avoid a similar PR hit in the near future.

 

Put it this way. Matt Forte gets hurt in TC. Ray Rice is available. Are the Bears going to be the team that does that? I'd guess this actually would effect the answer.

 

"PR hit" is a manufactured media story, not a real problem. Again, that's the bigger problem here, that the Bears have to play the PR game to begin with.

[Dick Allen]

They didn't get burned at all. As others have said, it was low risk, decently high reward.

 

The fact that George had to come out and make statements to justify the signing is the real problem here. Who the hell cares? It's a business. It's a sport. They're not role models and they shouldn't be role models. If they are for you, adjust your life and/or parenting.

The Ray Rice video changed everything for wife beaters.

 

I just saw a neighbor of mine taken away in handcuffs after choking his girlfriend a couple of weeks ago.

[Kyyle23]

Are the Bears in win now mode? That's the thing I don't understand. Read Biggs article. It's pretty good, at least from my point of view.

 

The Bears are in "pack the roster with one year deal players and start to build a core" mode. McDonald really doesn't play into anything going forward, he followed Fangio and ended up remaining the dumbest motherf***er on the roster for two years running

[Balta1701]

"PR hit" is a manufactured media story, not a real problem. Again, that's the bigger problem here, that the Bears have to play the PR game to begin with.

Not quite following the 2nd sentence, as a major public franchise relying on people in the area for their revenue it seems like playing the PR game has to be a huge part of anything they do. Do you think it shouldn't be and the Bears should just ignore that?

[bigruss]

Is financial risk the only one here? Is there a PR risk issue?

 

They also have a potential fine of $150k from the NFL front office for now having signed 2 people with law-enforcement issues, that fine could increase if anyone else gets into trouble.

If they didn't do the whole BS thing about reporting talking to his mom and crap then it's not really much of a PR hit, they set themselves up for this. But every team signs guys like this, it's the NFL.

[Jenksismyhero]

The Ray Rice video changed everything for wife beaters.

 

I just saw a neighbor of mine taken away in handcuffs after choking his girlfriend a couple of weeks ago.

 

Let's keep in mind that the NFL and NFL media just celebrated Winston being selected No. 1. A dude who was accused of rape and theft. Rape and theft, totally cool! Alleged abuse with a considerably sketchy ex-fiance (not excusing anything there, but there's something else going on in that situation), riots!

 

Also, are we forgetting Brandon Marshall had the same sort of issues before he signed with the Bears? And then he ended up being pretty good for them AND stayed out of trouble?

[bmags]

Oh sure, let's skip right past every available back without problems and go straight to the only guy out there available who missed last season due to domestic violence. I'm sure this scenario is plausible

 

Well, I'm pretty sure Ray Mcdonald would have been out of the league except for the Bears. There were 4 players involved in horrific domestic violence/child abuse last year : AP, Hardy, Rice and Mcdonald.

 

The bears decided to pick up McDonald why? Just such an easy problem to avoid.

[Jenksismyhero]

Not quite following the 2nd sentence, as a major public franchise relying on people in the area for their revenue it seems like playing the PR game has to be a huge part of anything they do. Do you think it shouldn't be and the Bears should just ignore that?

 

I don't think they need to go overboard in their justification for signing a player who had accusations, but no charges, in the past. Doing so means that society somehow needs to be moral judges of their moves, which is nonsense. They're a business, not a church. I'm sure at a certain point, it would be a good idea NOT to sign Aaron Hernandez types. But people do dumb s*** and deserve second chances.

 

Also, this is the hottest of takes:

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2...abuse/27923539/

 

What a moron. The Bears should be held responsible for this guy being an awful human being? Really? And again, this dude will be the first to claim the NFL is excluding too many people and/or being racist when NFL teams stop signing guys with any sort of past because of the potential penalties for it.

[Kyyle23]

Well, I'm pretty sure Ray Mcdonald would have been out of the league except for the Bears. There were 4 players involved in horrific domestic violence/child abuse last year : AP, Hardy, Rice and Mcdonald.

 

The bears decided to pick up McDonald why? Just such an easy problem to avoid.

 

How many times does it have to be said that it is because of Fangio?

 

And come on now, the Cowboys would have sniffed around. No doubt

[Dick Allen]

How many times does it have to be said that it is because of Fangio?

 

And come on now, the Cowboys would have sniffed around. No doubt

McDonald would be 31 when the season started. What was the best case scenario for him? That he has a decent year and the Bears go 8-8? I understand there are bad guys on every team, including the Bears. But I agree, this signing, although it costs the Bears no money, still makes the new regime look utterly incompetent.

[2nd_city_saint787]

How many times does it have to be said that it is because of Fangio?

 

And come on now, the Cowboys would have sniffed around. No doubt

 

Exactly. In Fangios time with the 9ers McDonald played the 3rd most snaps. Even if the Bears aren't in win now mode it would have been nice to have a guy who knows the system so well to help everyone else out.

[GoSox05]

I don't think they need to go overboard in their justification for signing a player who had accusations, but no charges, in the past. Doing so means that society somehow needs to be moral judges of their moves, which is nonsense. They're a business, not a church. I'm sure at a certain point, it would be a good idea NOT to sign Aaron Hernandez types. But people do dumb s*** and deserve second chances.

 

Also, this is the hottest of takes:

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2...abuse/27923539/

 

What a moron. The Bears should be held responsible for this guy being an awful human being? Really? And again, this dude will be the first to claim the NFL is excluding too many people and/or being racist when NFL teams stop signing guys with any sort of past because of the potential penalties for it.

 

You are trying to turn this into some reflection of society or something.

 

People are mad because the Bears signed a person who has physically assaulted women in the past and then within two months of being signed was charged with beating a women and child. Is it all that shocking that people would be mad about that?

 

 

[Jenksismyhero]

You are trying to turn this into some reflection of society or something.

 

People are mad because the Bears signed a person who has physically assaulted women in the past and then within two months of being signed was charged with beating a women and child. Is it all that shocking that people would be mad about that?

 

To the extent they blame the Bears or think the Bears are somehow responsible and should be punished, which is the general takeaway nationally, yes. That's shocking.

[Chisoxfn]

It's kinda someone's job to make sure you can predict those things.

I'm sorry man, but no one predicts successes 100% of the time. Should every GM be fired for a bad draft choice? If you play with guys who had character issues, you are going to get burned...no doubt about it. If you want to beat up the Bears, beat them up for taking the chance and instead of a stance that they shouldn't take a chance. Don't beat them up because you want them to take a chance but they need to be right 100% of the time they do take that chance. It is an impossible bogie.

 

From an internal perspective, you should do your diligence up to that extent if you are going to take a chance, but you should also know that no matter what, if they had past issues, future problems are a possibility and probably a probability.

[Chisoxfn]

I agree the PR is a huge part of this. And everyone seems to be ignoring that yes there are bad guys in every locker room, and some day, when the Bears actually have a shot of winning something, one of these guys will be available to help them, and the answer from George McCaskey will be undoubtedly be no.

Happens with big organizations too, everyone remembers things that blow up or don't go well, especially when you make an exception. Whether it is a company that made an exception for someone to work at home and an employee took advantage of it or anything else. People remember mistakes more than successes.

[Chisoxfn]

Predicting it is also a part of it. There is a reason the 49ers cut him. If they didn't think he would be any more trouble, he probably still is with them.

I think their is a thing to be said about moving to a new organization. Niners were in a position where they had to act, just like the Bears are in this situation now. The chargers could all turn out to be nothing but poor allegations (again I have no idea) but just as the Niners had to at some point move on, the Bears had to now and no organization is going to touch him now unless he's proven innocent in all situations and even then it is a stretch.

[bigruss]

I'm sorry man, but no one predicts successes 100% of the time. Should every GM be fired for a bad draft choice? If you play with guys who had character issues, you are going to get burned...no doubt about it. If you want to beat up the Bears, beat them up for taking the chance and instead of a stance that they shouldn't take a chance. Don't beat them up because you want them to take a chance but they need to be right 100% of the time they do take that chance. It is an impossible bogie.

 

From an internal perspective, you should do your diligence up to that extent if you are going to take a chance, but you should also know that no matter what, if they had past issues, future problems are a possibility and probably a probability.

And I bet you Pace learned a lot about how to handle these situations, skip the bulls*** parent stories and just say it was a football decision and it's a 2nd chance for McDonald. If he screws up then the team releases him with no penalty and McDonald is out of a job.

[Chisoxfn]

Because they got burned. If you really think George McCaskey will approve a similar case in the future, I totally disagree, and good for him. I think teams can still win wife beater-free.

Depends...does he look at what happened w/Bmarsh and consider that a success or not. Marshall seemed to by and large be a good community citizen with the Bears. Sure he had his issues in the clubhouse but his laundry list of problems went away or seemed to.

[Chisoxfn]

The Ray Rice video changed everything for wife beaters.

 

I just saw a neighbor of mine taken away in handcuffs after choking his girlfriend a couple of weeks ago.

I would hope that pre ray rice that same neighbor would have still been taken away in handcuffs and presume he would have been. I just think now the tolerance given to NFL players has grown smaller, to the point where people probably looked the other way more when it came to NFL players then normal humans but now the line has shifted to where these issues get more focus then would be from a regular "Joe or Jane".

[bmags]

How many times does it have to be said that it is because of Fangio?

 

And come on now, the Cowboys would have sniffed around. No doubt

 

That's not what I'm asking. I know Fangio vouched. But again, it was so easy to avoid this.