You know those men in their 20s and 30s that America’s sports philosopher/king, Bob Costas, was so concerned about? The NFL players who are, in Bob’s view, too young or too aggressive (or too, um, urban) to own guns? Well it turns out that some of them heard Bob’s clarion call and have turned in their heaters. According to Mike Florio of profootballtalk.nbcsports.com [based on a report by Peter King], seven football players have divested themselves of their firearms since Jovan Belcher murdered the mother of his child, then killed himself in the parking lot of the Chiefs’ practice facility in front of his coach and others ten days ago . . .
According to King, at least one player surrendered multiple guns, telling the team that he doesn’t trust himself.
Multiple guns! Were any of these guns obtained illegally? What will the “team security personnel” do with them? Will they end up with the police who will probably check (depending on local and state laws) to see if they’re properly registered? Or have been used in the commission of a crime?
Florio doesn’t seem to care. He’s just glad fewer professional athletes are gun owners now than two weeks ago and clearly hopes this is the beginning of a trend.
While seven isn’t a huge percentage of the total NFL players, it’s a start. In the end, each player has to decide whether to have guns in his house and, if so, whether to remove the guns from the house. These are decisions that each player has to make.
True enough. Fortunately, in this country it’s up to each individual to decide if he or she wants to own a heater. Unless Costas and Florio were running the NFL. If they were, you might have have gun ownership prohibition as boilerplate language in standard player contracts.
No one should have a gun who doesn’t really want one. To that extent, these players may have done the right thing. By the same token, anyone who wants a firearm should be able to own one — whether they play a professional sport or not. And no matter how much it pains people like Costas and Florio, that’s part of the Constitution’s boilerplate.
Could not care less.
Really none of anyone’s business except the NFL players.
What a bunch of fools, rugby players would have done no such thing
Unless there are any rugby players living in England.
They don’t count, real Rugby players wear Black
Well said, but even the Kiwi’s have turned in many of their guns. I sincerely hope your prided ruggers were the last to go, kicking and screaming. Unlike the “judas goat” leaders above.
I guess you didn’t get to Twickenham recently then? 😉
It is possible that those seven turned in all their guns deciding guns are not right for them. Their choice and if a correct decision then that is good. Some celebrities are very media sensitive to America’s modern PC culture and may have turned in one gun publicly yet neglecting to turn in others. “Dollars to Donuts” that some of those guys who did, with sincerity, turn in their gun will buy a new gun after deciding at some point they acted in haste.
Hey, if that’s what they want to do with their legally owned property, that’s their choice. I am curious about what “team security personnel” will do with them. Did the security guy just get a nice new gun? The story is thin on detail. I’m almost tempted to doubt more or less the entire thing. Is seven the real number? How do they know it’s seven? There are thirty-two teams spread across the entire country. Did they get on a conference call and announce it? Did Peter King call all thirty two teams and ask, “Have any of your players turned in their guns?” I repeat, the story (from any of the 4-5 outlets I’ve seen it publicized) is thin on detail.
Bob probably feels as if he’s more influential than ever now.
These guys either really “didn’t trust themselves” with guns, or they are extremely weak minded. Those are two categories of people who are better off without guns.
I have to agree. Given what I’ve seen of college + professional football players, they seem to have a disproportionate number of thugs, murderers, and rapists in their population.
Probably shouldn’t trust them with car keys, either.
It’s OK with me if they want to give their weapons away. I’ve always been of the opinion that fools should not own firearms.
Given that they are part of the population who in all likelihood can afford private security, why not ?
They don’t trust themselves – then neither do I (trust them).
Most are spoiled, indulged boy/men who paid to play a game. Big deal.
To a very limited extent, I agree with Costas that owning guns may be part of the macho culture in the NFL (not saying that’s a bad thing). If that’s the only reason these dudes had guns, and they’re realizing that they personally are not responsible enough to use them properly (or not use them improperly ala Mr. Belcher) I applaud their CHOICE to deal with the potential loss of face by doing this. And I thank God that we each have that CHOICE in this country.
I love the NFL and want to help any player ease his conscience. I have a no tell policy, so turn your guns in right here!
if i watched professional football this would give me great encouragement to stop.
if you’re single and live alone, then you can decide whether or not to own a gun.
but if you have a family, especially kids, then it is your DUTY to be armed and able to protect them.
It’s my duty to do whatever I like, certainly not yours. Your position is no better than the gun grabbers in it’s authoritative directive.
Choice schmoice. If you really don’t want a firearm or think you shouldn’t have one, by all means get rid of it, but not in response to some media wag’s loudmouthing. Media influencers don’t need more validation or power. They have too much already. Where’s the DISLIKE button?
Attention criminals: looking for an unarmed millionaire to rob? Here are 7 that just drew you a map…
We could all rest easy if only they would turn in their cars.
That’s what I was thinking, too. Cars can kill people at any time. Do we really want cars in the hands of football players? Obviously they cannot be trusted to handle them safely. Come to think of it, with our car culture being what it is, nobody can really be trusted to own or operate a car, except for the cops of course.
Let’s get Bob Costas’ opinion on this ASAP.
I would be happy to hang on to those guns. I completely trust myself with guns.
im sure the ones that kept their firearms were ostracized.
this is a perfect example of feel good, groupthink, BS.
“According to King, at least one player surrendered multiple guns, telling the team that he doesn’t trust himself.”
well good. then that player is one less little bitch we have in the gun community.
Disarming a group of gentlemen from a community known to be violent and hyper-sensitive to disrespect: valuable
Doing it without cries of racism: priceless
Did any turn in their cars, or their booze?
How bout their football gear? (If we’re looking for a common element.)
It would please me no end if professional football came to an end in the US.
The entire sport has become nothing but a bunch of overpaid, immature, self-indulgent bunch of man-children, much like the NBA became in the late 90’s.
Why this nation pays so much attention to grown men who are paid to play a game is beyond me.
^this
are peoples lives really that shitty that they have to watch a TV and hypnotize themselves into oblivion? apparently so.
when i watch it on television anymore, i feel 20 IQ points stupider.
So now I have a $hitty life if I watch football? Whatever. Like reading TTAG is any better.
I’m gonna go with Joke & Dagger on this one. Anytime you mention TV, there’s always going to be a contingent who comes out of the woodwork to brag about how they don’t even own a TV/have cable, and look down on those of us who still do. It gives them a way to feel somehow superior or more erudite.
I have a TV, and I watch a lot of stuff. I tend to stay away from reality TV, but I suppose that depends on how wide your “reality” net is. I capital-l-o-v-e LOVE Deadliest Catch, so if that falls under your definition of reality TV, then I’m guilty as charged, but it’s mostly scripted stuff. But for all the scripted shows I watch (too many to list here), I am also a BBC documentary addict. They’re still doing what NatGeo and Discovery and History used to do, before it turned into “All Reality, All The Time, PLUS ALIENS.” I literally have a 350+ hour backlog of BBC stuff on my computer waiting on me.
I don’t worry about what other people think. The appearance of the “I gave up TV years ago” snobs anytime TV is mentioned is as predictable as the sun rising, and just as interesting.
you completely misunderstood what i said.
re-read it again. i never said all people that watch tv have shitty lives. i asked, “are peoples lives really that shitty that they have to watch a TV and hypnotize themselves into oblivion? apparently so.”
completely different.
you can moderate your television use. many people cant and simply watch it all day.
+ 10,000
ehh it is ok for them to turn them in, but not cuz bobby says they shouldn’t have them.
I double dog dare Costa to tell Jarred Allen to turn in his guns.
You said it! My first thought when all this bubbled to the surface was, “I wonder who the fool is who will be the first to challenge Jared Allen and his guns.”
But that will never happen because he’s not the proper skin color for that interview. It will probably come up at some point with Tom Gresham or Field &Stream or something.
I am reasonably satisfied with the number of guns I have, but if any of those guys wants to turn in his Bentley, even just have someone hold it for him while he “thinks it over”, I am willing to help him out.
Getting back to the guns, if 7 NFL Players decided to turn theirs in based on what Bob Costas said, it’s their choice. Period. BTW if any of those 7 need a Financial Advisor, I’m available….
If a person “doesn’t trust himself” enough to turn-in his guns, how can they allow him to stop there? I’m sure he has steak knives, perhaps golf clubs or a baseball/softball bat in the garage, and possibly other equally dangerous implements. If he were to hurt someone with any of these, AFTER warning management of his lack of trust in himself, they would be partially to blame for not stopping him, right?
It’s perfectly clear that they must do a complete search-and-removal mission for all dangerous items in his house/garage/vehicles. Anything less would be irresponsible.
Do it for the children (and his wife/girlfriend)…
Guess that just leaves the bodyguards and fancy gated communities to protect these man mountains.
I can almost assuredly say that the guns turned in were not Hi-Points. Surrendering “multiple guns” by one player is conservatively $2,000, and most likely significantly more. Each player did this voluntarily. That’s a big chunk of change to just give away, especially when we can presume that the guns will be destroyed or turned into police. It just kinda sucks that they’re not going to people who could use them and can’t afford them. I guess in summary: “Overpaid Atheletes do not an example make”
Costas is still a glorified jock sniffer.
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