Every year the NFL has a rookie symposium where newcomers are warned of off-the-field dangers and how to avoid putting themselves in compromising situations.
The NFL describes the symposium as "an orientation for all drafted rookies based on four core values of the league -- responsibility to team, respect, integrity and resilience." The symposium includes presentations, videos and workshops on player health safety, decision making, mental health, substance abuse, finance, building a winning culture and bystander intervention."
NFL Hall of Famer Cris Carter was one of the speakers at the symposium a year ago, but the advice he imparted wasn't about how to avoid trouble. It was more about protecting yourself when something goes wrong.
"All you guys aren't going to do the right stuff," Carter said. "I need to teach to you how to get around all of this stuff too. If you have a crew, one of them fools need to know that they're going to jail. I know a lot of you aren't going to drink, I know a lot of you aren't going to use drugs, but still get yourself a fall guy."
Amazingly, the video has taken a year to become newsworthy. That's because ESPN did a profile piece on former San Francisco 49eers player Chris Borland, who retired in March after one season citing long-term concerns about his safety and mental health.
In the story, Borland said during the symposium that a former player -- whom he declined to name -- told the rookies to find a "fall guy."
"I was just sitting there thinking, 'Should I walk out? What am I supposed to do?' " Borland said.
Carter apologized Sunday through Twitter.
"Seeing that video has made me realize how wrong I was," he said. "I was brought there to educate young people and instead I gave them very bad advice. Every person should take responsibility for his own actions. I'm sorry and I truly regret what I said that day."
Fake college
Imagine taking a football recruiting visit to a school that doesn't exist.
That's what happened recently when a man named Willie Williamson invited three high school football players in Virginia to tour Redemption Christian College in Virginia Beach.
"We were under the impression that it was this big thing," Bernard Walker said. "He made it seem like, you know, the college is really known in the area: We get a lot of people there, a lot of support from churches, and everything like that.
"So we came out here and this is what it was, we came to his house."
When Walker and his friends Keishay Harvey and Robert Brown asked to see the school, Williamson told them they were already at it. That's because Redemption Christian College is an online college.
Williamson told Hampton Roads TV station WVEC that there is a football program at the school's sister school, Century International College.
Web heads
From the site fark.com:
• "Chicago Bears unveil George Halas statue, which is immediately signed to help out the Bears secondary."
• "Floyd Mayweather looks around for something to spend $5 million on and finds another rare sports car. How rare? Only TWO in the entire world."
Sports quiz:
Cris Carter finished his career with what team?
Answer:
Carter played his final game for the Miami Dolphins in 2002.
Sports on 08/25/2015