At the annual NFL rookie symposium, cautionary tales are a common watchword.
At the launch of burgeoning NFL careers, impressionable rookies are warned about virtually every potential downfall.
That includes: Criminal behavior. The ramifications of drug and alcohol usage. Sexually transmitted diseases. Financially irresponsible behavior. Identity theft. Family pressures. Gold diggers. Domestic violence. Steroids. Dogfighting. Drug trafficking.
There are so many examples to cite as far as dangerous activities and people to avoid, and that’s why the league calls upon current and former players to warn the rookies about the consequences of their behavior.
That’s why St. Louis Rams linebacker Chris Draft is a panelist again in a seminar intended to deter rookies from making bad decisions, according to Alex Marvez of FOXSports.com, including one discussion called “Choices, Decisions and Consequences.”
Draft is a panelist for the fifth time at the rookie symposium because of his strong character and commitment to helping out younger players. He has the background to offer counsel to incoming rookies as a former teammate of Michael Vick (dogfighting) and Claude Wroten (drug suspension).
“When you’re talking about 22- and 23-year-olds, it’s going to be a hard transition,” Draft told FOXSports.com. “But I think you’re able to see some positive things happening in terms of the rookies understanding the game a little more and more exposure that’s being given to some of the negative things. It’s sending a message to the rookies that the NFL is not playing around anymore.
“Maybe back in the day, players would get in trouble and you would not see as much about it on a national scale. Now, that’s just not the case. When something happens, it’s there for everyone to see. You’d have to be half-blind as a rookie not to see that. You have to take that to heart. You have to say, ‘It can’t be me.’”
Of course, players continue to get in trouble every year despite numerous warnings and lectures from league officials, coaches, and teammates.
Sometimes, though, it’s simply too late to change a pattern of behavior.
“It’s hard for some guys to change in the NFL because someone has always been there when they got into trouble,” Draft said. “When they finally have to take responsibility, that’s hard. But if we can encourage them to take responsibility from the beginning, we’ll build stronger people.”
It’s an admirable stance from Draft.
Unfortunately and far too often, people don’t want to change, which tends to lead to more bad choices and, ultimately, serious consequences.
