Detroit Lions Weblog

A Pair of Washed Up Ex-Players Who Might Be Delusional

It comes as no surprise, at least to this writer, that ex-Lion, MSU wide receiver, and draft bust of transcendent proportion, Charles Rogers, would find his way back to another legal brush-up, which lead to his being jailed recently. However, these comments:

“I’m just going to do my 10 days, get out of the court system and try to get in shape for a comeback“. Rogers continued, “Who knows? Maybe we’ll be talking in a year about me playing football again. It’s not like I’m 35. I’m only 27 with fresh legs and a lot of life and football ahead of me.”

Wow! It’s as if Rogers believes that the suitors are just going to line up to acquire a player who has attempted to mask a league-administered drug test, before even entering the league, been suspended as a result of failing multiple league-administered drug tests, had a metal plate inserted into his shoulder, inexplicably loses all vestiges of his once world class speed, has been convicted multiple times for various infractions, and been pursued by a former employer who was attempting to recover Rogers’ signing bonus from his initial contract, due to a breach of that contract. You’re right C-Rog, it’s long overdue that you consider a comeback!

Upping the ante, and an equally major disappointment as a professional athlete, Jeff George follows with this “I could have been a contender”-statement:

“If I was in Minnesota, I guarantee I’d be wearing a ring right now. George follows that with, “I just can’t get over why somebody like Brad Childress wouldn’t take a look at me and have me as the third guy on the roster. Put me in and I’ll pick up where I left off in ‘99, but this time with Adrian Peterson, so I wouldn’t have to throw it nearly as much.”

We all know as sports fans, that a large part of what makes these guys successful, within the field of sports, is their overwhelming self-confidence in their abilities.

That in mind, these two, at least by judging their recent comments, seem to have no understanding that time has actually transpired, that they have each aged, and their track records, based on previous opportunities, are far from spotless.

Their remorseless, oblivious comments are even more condemning, when factoring that they each have had ample opportunity to regain their footing in the NFL, and other fly-by-night football leagues(sorry CFL fans, etc), and have repeatedly blown it, especially when taken within the current social and economic climate of our country, where many who have been responsible enough to attempt to make the best of their livelihoods, or worse, people who have had the misfortune of never gaining a real chance to make something of themselves, are struggling to approach even making ends meet.

Off of my soapbox for a moment, I feel for these guys, too. At one time they were “IT”. They were on on top of the mountain, and their respective talents were unquestioned.

The struggle of looking in the mirror each day, which, in fact we all have to do, and facing the harsh fact, that they each are a load of declining promise, a commodity which has seen it’s best day unfortunately come and go, must be excruciatingly painful. The best of us have struggled, and these two are far from the best, when facing these admittedly harsh, soul-searing realities.