I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot[W:40]

[rocket88]

I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

Chris Kluwe writes about his advocacy for SSM, how he believes it led to him losing his job as Vikings Punter, and how it may keep him from ever playing in the NFL again.

Question:

Do you feel the same way about Chris Kluwe as about Phil Robertson? If not, why not? Is Chris Kluwe an "American Hero" as Phil Robertson has been referred to?

My opinion - The Vikings had every right to release him for whatever reason. It is too bad that this would happen for him speaking his mind, especially after the team owner told him to "keep it up."

 

[apdst]

Re: I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

Another American citizen being intimidated into not speaking his mind. Sucks!

 

[sawdust]

Re: I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

Hard to say. Was he the best punter on the team. Could he punt directionally? Could he stick one inside the twenty? Was he disruptive in the locker room.

I don't know the answer to any of these questions. He had a 45 yard average which isn't bad but without knowing all the other facts it's hard to say if he got screwed over or is just a whiney little bitch.

 

[rocket88]

Re: I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

Hard to say. Was he the best punter on the team. Could he punt directionally? Could he stick one inside the twenty? Was he disruptive in the locker room.

I don't know the answer to any of these questions. He had a 45 yard average which isn't bad but without knowing all the other facts it's hard to say if he got screwed over or is just a whiney little bitch.

It is hard to say. He was a good punter. He could and did punt directionally and stuck them often - if he couldn't, I doubt he would have stuck in the NFL for 8 years.

His contract, however, would be a problem. Sometimes teams do hire on veteran punters though, despite the cost. See Buffalo's signing of Brian Moorman this season. (They had brought in Moorman and Kluwe before settling on Moorman. Don't know why, but bringing Moorman back to the Bills was popular with the fans).

 

[sawdust]

Re: I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

It is hard to say. He was a good punter. He could and did punt directionally and stuck them often - if he couldn't, I doubt he would have stuck in the NFL for 8 years.

His contract, however, would be a problem. Sometimes teams do hire on veteran punters though, despite the cost. See Buffalo's signing of Brian Moorman this season. (They had brought in Moorman and Kluwe before settling on Moorman. Don't know why, but bringing Moorman back to the Bills was popular with the fans).

Eight years is a good career, although punters seem to last longer than players who get more abuse. I guess that's why the call the NFL, Not For Long.

 

[VanceMack]

Re: I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

If your question is "is it right for the team to not bring him back because he spent so much of his time on gay rights issues and attacking the Catholic church and not because "However, it's clear to me that no matter how much I want to prove I can play, I will no longer punt in the NFL, especially now that I've written this account. Whether it's my age, my minimum veteran salary, my habit of speaking my mind, or (most likely) a combination of all three, my time as a football player is done. Punters are always replaceable, at least in the minds of those in charge, and I realize that in advocating noisily for social change I only made it easier for them to justify not having me around. So it goes."

then...I'd answer the same way I answered the A&E thing. Yep...they are certainly within their rights to let him go and not bring him back. And if he truly believes in his cause he should go right on speaking his mind. I can completely respect that.

But why then does he say "I got fired by two cowards and a bigot" and then in the same breathe say that well, most likely it was a combination of things NOT issue related, like the fact that he is a slightly below average kicker that would command a higher salary than a younger kicker due solely to his veterans status and there simply arent all that many teams out there looking for expensive less talented players?

 

[Henrin]

Re: I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

He wasn't a star.
He was special teams player.
He wasn't all that good.
He was just another replaceable punter of no lasting value.

 

[rocket88]

Re: I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

If your question is "is it right for the team to not bring him back because he spent so much of his time on gay rights issues and attacking the Catholic church and not because "However, it's clear to me that no matter how much I want to prove I can play, I will no longer punt in the NFL, especially now that I've written this account. Whether it's my age, my minimum veteran salary, my habit of speaking my mind, or (most likely) a combination of all three, my time as a football player is done. Punters are always replaceable, at least in the minds of those in charge, and I realize that in advocating noisily for social change I only made it easier for them to justify not having me around. So it goes."

then...I'd answer the same way I answered the A&E thing. Yep...they are certainly within their rights to let him go and not bring him back. And if he truly believes in his cause he should go right on speaking his mind. I can completely respect that.

But why then does he say "I got fired by two cowards and a bigot" and then in the same breathe say that well, most likely it was a combination of things NOT issue related, like the fact that he is a slightly below average kicker that would command a higher salary than a younger kicker due solely to his veterans status and there simply arent all that many teams out there looking for expensive less talented players?

I wouldn't call him below average. He does hold most of the franchise punting records. On the other hand, punters and placekickers are the first place a team makes cuts when they want to save money, so....

 

[X Factor]

Re: I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

Chris Kluwe writes about his advocacy for SSM, how he believes it led to him losing his job as Vikings Punter, and how it may keep him from ever playing in the NFL again.

Question:

Do you feel the same way about Chris Kluwe as about Phil Robertson? If not, why not? Is Chris Kluwe an "American Hero" as Phil Robertson has been referred to?

My opinion - The Vikings had every right to release him for whatever reason. It is too bad that this would happen for him speaking his mind, especially after the team owner told him to "keep it up."

Seriously? That guy's account means to you that he's telling the entire unbiased truth? If you're going to paint the Vikings as a bigoted organization, that's the best you could come up with? What if his release had zero to do with his comments? Ever think of that? If you're want to draw a parallel situation, maybe it should actually be similar. He does have a persecution complex and whines a lot, so I can certainly see why you'd identify with him.

 

[rocket88]

Re: I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

Seriously? That guy's account means to you that he's telling the entire unbiased truth? If you're going to paint the Vikings as a bigoted organization, that's the best you could come up with? What if his release had zero to do with his comments? Ever think of that? If you're want to draw a parallel situation, maybe it should actually be similar. He does have a persecution complex and whines a lot, so I can certainly see why you'd identify with him.

I expected you to reply to what you wanted me to say rather than what I did say. Unfortunately, rather typical of you. Especially since I said later in the post that punters are often the first place teams look to make cuts to save cap room.

Next time, try responding to what I did say instead of what you desperately wanted me to say. This is 3 times now that you've done this.

 

[X Factor]

Re: I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

I expected you to reply to what you wanted me to say rather than what I did say. Unfortunately, rather typical of you. Especially since I said later in the post that punters are often the first place teams look to make cuts to save cap room.

Next time, try responding to what I did say instead of what you desperately wanted me to say. This is 3 times now that you've done this.

I responded to exactly what you said in your OP, that it's too bad he was released for "speaking his mind". There are about a thousand other reason he could have been released, but nawwwww, it has to be this.

 

[VanceMack]

Re: I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

I wouldn't call him below average. He does hold most of the franchise punting records. On the other hand, punters and placekickers are the first place a team makes cuts when they want to save money, so....

Its not a question of what he did then but now.

 

[rocket88]

Re: I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

I responded to exactly what you said in your OP, that it's too bad he was released for "speaking his mind". There are about a thousand other reason he could have been released, but nawwwww, it has to be this.

I definitely left it open to other reasons. But nawwww, it must be that I'm a libbo hypocrite. Can't be what I said. You're a one trick pony, and not even a good one.

 

[rocket88]

Re: I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

Its not a question of what he did then but now.

Well, he's not doing anything now. He didn't punt for anyone this year. So it's a question of reading a crystal ball. I'm not saying they read it wrong, but it is interesting how the most vocal gay rights advocate in the league is unemployed....

 

[CalGun]

Re: I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

Kluwe wasn't tossed for his politics he was tossed because he's not one of the top 33 punters available to 32 NFL teams - period. He competed in Oakland for the job and lost - handily.

 

[X Factor]

Re: I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

I definitely left it open to other reasons. But nawwww, it must be that I'm a libbo hypocrite. Can't be what I said. You're a one trick pony, and not even a good one.

"He was released for speaking his mind" leaves it open? You know what "for" means, right?

 

[rocket88]

Re: I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

"He was released for speaking his mind" leaves it open? You know what "for" means, right?

Again, not what I said. I said it would be too bad if that was why.

Big difference. I thought I pretty well left it open for other reasons, but your spin on what you want me to say won't let you see that.

 

[Gipper]

Re: I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

Next we'll hear Jim Brown say that he's not still a running back in the league because of the "white plantation slaveowners".

 

[SMTA]

Re: I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

Chris Kluwe writes about his advocacy for SSM, how he believes it led to him losing his job as Vikings Punter, and how it may keep him from ever playing in the NFL again.

Question:

Do you feel the same way about Chris Kluwe as about Phil Robertson? If not, why not? Is Chris Kluwe an "American Hero" as Phil Robertson has been referred to?

My opinion - The Vikings had every right to release him for whatever reason. It is too bad that this would happen for him speaking his mind, especially after the team owner told him to "keep it up."

What he thinks he knows and what the team really thought are quite different.

His letter sounds like sour grapes, and now he is pulling the discrimination card with nothing but speculation.

Until he can give me the winning Powerball numbers, he is no soothsayer.

 

[rocket88]

Re: I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

Next we'll hear Jim Brown say that he's not still a running back in the league because of the "white plantation slaveowners".

If I'm not wrong, that is kind of what he thought. He probably could have played a couple years more, but didn't for his own reasons.

 

[CRUE CAB]

Re: I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

Next we'll hear Jim Brown say that he's not still a running back in the league because of the "white plantation slaveowners".

I got to admit, that's pretty funny.

 

[rocket88]

Re: I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

What he thinks he knows and what the team really thought are quite different.

His letter sounds like sour grapes, and now he is pulling the discrimination card with nothing but speculation.

Until he can give me the winning Powerball numbers, he is no soothsayer.

And all of it is different from what we think we know. It probably was a factor, but not the factor.

 

[Gipper]

Re: I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

If I'm not wrong, that is kind of what he thought. He probably could have played a couple years more, but didn't for his own reasons.

The key word in my statement is "still".

 

[SMTA]

Re: I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

And all of it is different from what we think we know. It probably was a factor, but not the factor.

Usually with stuff like this (classic 'he said, she said'), the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

 

[notquiteright]

Re: I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

few things don't seem to jibe in the punter's story.

He claims the owner was very supportive on SSM.

He claims to have been very outspoken over SSM but who has heard anything this guy has said? Hell, who had even heard of the guy before this?

The NFL is constantly being berated by CONs as too PC, but not a twitch over this?

While I don't watch ESPN 24/7 I can't recall ANY rumor of the controversy and with all the air time ESPN has to fill there have been some very sleep inducing discussions on odd topics... Ya think there would have been a hint. No organization is 'sound proof'.

CONs love to claim GLAAD and other SSM advocacy groups were quick to attack A&E and that ZZ Top Quacker over ANY hint of bigotry- where are they on this?

Plenty of players get cut and spend a year out of the game. Hell Dallas brought back a retired quarterback, Kitka, from his teaching job to be their 3rd string QB. Plenty of young bucks coming into the NFL each year, just because you have been on a team for 8 years doesn't mean you'll be on the team NEXT year.

According to the NFL Players Association the average punter's career is 'long' 4.87 years! :shock:

So this punter might be trying to use whatever leverage he can come up with to get back into the big bucks.