Philip Merling (Dolphins) arrested for battery against pregnant woman

[SmootSmack]

Damn shame

Sheriff Questions Dolphin's Release From Jail - cbs4.com

[tryfuhl]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Damn shame

Sheriff Questions Dolphin's Release From Jail - cbs4.com

wtg cops

[CRedskinsRule]

Clearly Bill Parcells is not a "high character required" kinda guy:

Merling is the fourth Dolphin arrested in recent months. Head coach Tony Sparano called the arrest frustrating.

This along with his Dallas stint would seem to prove that.

[firstdown]

Ok so the girl gets knocked up by the guy once and he does not marry her so she gets knocked up again. I don't excuse what he may have done but if you fly around shit long enough your going to get some on you or start to smell like shit yourself.

[over the mountain]

i think their son is only 4-6 months old, so him being 25, shes probably younger than that. if you have a child with a guy your not 100% sure of, no need to compound the mistake with marriage.

by reports and articles i read, their infant son was present during the alleged punching and present when the girl called 911 pleading for help and yelling at merlin to stop punching her.

she ended up with redness on her face and a cut lip.

i wanted the skins (vinny) to draft this guy if he continued to slip and was available to us in the 2nd round. i think the dolphins picked him in teh 2nd before we had a chance to select? heard he sounds like a real dumbass during interviews. i imagine his lack of intelligence and poor work ethic played into his draft drop.

seriously, i never want to draft a guy with a poor work ethic. im am hoping trent's rep is more smoke then merit.

[DIRTEE]

Philip Merling is a big clown ass coward for hitting a woman. If she has any cousins or brothers I hope they whip his ass.

[SmootSmack]

Athletes are necessarily getting any more preferential treatment than they did 50 years ago when reporters protected Mickey Mantle and his indiscretions from the public. We just know more about it now.

And for every Phillip Merling there's a London Fletcher, Casey Rabach, Devin Thomas, Ryan Torain, Carlos Rogers, Andre Carter, Stephon Heyer, Paul Fanaika, Phillip Daniels, Reed Doughty, etc respecting the law

[TheSmurfs22]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Athletes are necessarily getting any more preferential treatment than they did 50 years ago when reporters protected Mickey Mantle and his indiscretions from the public. We just know more about it now.

And for every Phillip Merling there's a London Fletcher, Casey Rabach, Devin Thomas, Ryan Torain, Carlos Rogers, Andre Carter, Stephon Heyer, Paul Fanaika, Phillip Daniels, Reed Doughty, etc respecting the law

~~~~~~~~~
Agreed on both fronts. In a news cycle that is around the clock we are going to hear more about these guys. The old saying is, "If it bleeds it leads."
It is time we start heralding more of the good guys like the Fletchers, Carters and Doughtys.

[tryfuhl]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Athletes are necessarily getting any more preferential treatment than they did 50 years ago when reporters protected Mickey Mantle and his indiscretions from the public. We just know more about it now.

And for every Phillip Merling there's a London Fletcher, Casey Rabach, Devin Thomas, Ryan Torain, Carlos Rogers, Andre Carter, Stephon Heyer, Paul Fanaika, Phillip Daniels, Reed Doughty, etc respecting the law

you see your boy Torain give me a shout on his twitter?

[SmootSmack]

Unfortunately, people really only want to talk about the bad guys. Look at how few posts the thread about the good deed Ochocinco did has gotten over the past few days. If the thread was about Ochocinco demanding a trade or being arrested for speeding (or something along those lines) it would have had 10 replies in the first 5 minutes.

[Kalisto2010]

Here's what really pisses me off. The media makes a point to report every story involving a player in the NFL. I just Googled "Hockey Player arrested assault" and pulled up a plethora of similar stories. I don't see anyone generalizing the entire sport of Hockey and labeling them criminals.

[sportscurmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Kalisto2010

Here's what really pisses me off. The media makes a point to report every story involving a player in the NFL. I just Googled "Hockey Player arrested assault" and pulled up a plethora of similar stories. I don't see anyone generalizing the entire sport of Hockey and labeling them criminals.

...and in Europe the press revels in the pecadillos of soccer players instead of NFL players. Any surprise there?

The reason NFL players get more attention is that more people in the US give a damn about NFL football than hockey or soccer or ...

Ergo, the news coverage of events associated with NFL players is greater in the US. There is no conspiracy here; there is no secret cabal of the media elite to ruin NFL players' lives. It's just that more folks in the US care about NFL players than other categories of athletes.

[Kalisto2010]

Originally Posted by sportscurmudgeon

...and in Europe the press revels in the pecadillos of soccer players instead of NFL players. Any surprise there?

The reason NFL players get more attention is that more people in the US give a damn about NFL football than hockey or soccer or ...

Ergo, the news coverage of events associated with NFL players is greater in the US. There is no conspiracy here; there is no secret cabal of the media elite to ruin NFL players' lives. It's just that more folks in the US care about NFL players than other categories of athletes.

You're completely missing my point. I never insinuated anything about a vast conspiracy. What I'm ticked off about is the selective criticism and condemnation that NFL players receive. The media, plus some of the fans act as If this type of behavior is unheard of amongst professional athletes. Lastly, there's always the undertone of "Typical Black Thug". When in reality, it's only a small percentage of players who're actively breaking law by doing nefarious deeds.

[JoeRedskin]

Originally Posted by Kalisto2010

You're completely missing my point. I never insinuated anything about a vast conspiracy. What I'm ticked off about is the selective criticism and condemnation that NFL players receive. The media, plus some of the fans act as If this type of behavior is unheard of amongst professional athletes. Lastly, there's always the undertone of "Typical Black Thug". When in reality, it's only a small percentage of players who're actively breaking law by doing nefarious deeds.

First: I don't think SC missed the point at all - there is not "selective criticism ... of NFL players". More fans watch the NFL, their players provide a higher profile for the media and, as a result, they get more coverage. If the NHL were the big sport in the US then you can bet its bad boys would be getting more coverage.

It's pretty simple: More fans are concerned about the local NFL team so more fans want to know what "their" players are doing. Its not selective coverage, its pandering to the lowest common denominator of the largest identifiable group. Really, how many folks are going to run to stories about bad NHL players - some Canadiens and a couple of drunk guys in Boston. It's simple math and money.

Second: HUH? Racial undertones? Is that why you picked the NHL as opposed to the NBA which also has it's share of bad boys that don't get the coverage the NFL does? I get the feeling you're more pissed b/c of some perceived racial issue than b/c "football players" get bad coverage.

[davy]

Originally Posted by Kalisto2010

You're completely missing my point. I never insinuated anything about a vast conspiracy. What I'm ticked off about is the selective criticism and condemnation that NFL players receive. The media, plus some of the fans act as If this type of behavior is unheard of amongst professional athletes. Lastly, there's always the undertone of "Typical Black Thug". When in reality, it's only a small percentage of players who're actively breaking law by doing nefarious deeds.