[Bette]

Does anyone besides me ever see a correlation sometimes between off-field activities and diminishing performance on the field? Vets as well as rookies? This has been bothering me for some time.

[cwstech]

It's true. Your off field antics effect your on field performance. It's not limited to just bad behavior though. These guys that are positive off the field tend to be that way on also and play that way and excel.

If you are out partying all night whether you are a professional football player or someone in the professional world, you will be effected. It will take a tole on you. You will not be 100% physically or mentally. And it will effect your job performance.

A lot of these guys feel that because they are great athletes, it will not have an adverse effect, but it takes a tole.

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

Yeah, just look at the Miami Heat.

Gary Payton said it earlier, and Riley confirmed it this week, that a majority of the guys were out of shape from the beginning of the season. Throw in all the big, lavish parties they threw throughout the year and the DUI's (even though one was BS) - and you have a pretty good example.

As far as the NFL goes, I am also curious about this. Anyone got any good examples? Roethlisberger and Kellen Winslow jr. could be good examples because of their motorcycle crashes.... which is an off-field antic if you ask me.

Don't get me wrong, I love riding. I've owned two motorcycles in my relatively short life span, but a high-caliber athlete has no business whatsoever on one. It's just too risky.

[Bette]

Originally Posted by WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot

Yeah, just look at the Miami Heat.

As far as the NFL goes, I am also curious about this. Anyone got any good examples? Roethlisberger and Kellen Winslow jr. could be good examples because of their motorcycle crashes.... which is an off-field antic if you ask me.

Don't get me wrong, I love riding. I've owned two motorcycles in my relatively short life span, but a high-caliber athlete has no business whatsoever on one. It's just too risky.

Those two are pretty obvious I guess. I was think more along the lines of attitude and less than legal actions. I kind of classified those into total stupidity. But you are correct.
I have nothing against bike riding either. Did it in my younger days but its pretty high risk activity for these guys.

[alex83]

i would have thought that off field performance would reflect on the field performance as well but an unusal example is Pacman Jones, hes been in and out of trouble all year and yet he has had an incredible season and was unlucky not to get into the pro bowl IMO, but this is just a one off situation i suppose.

i think the thing is what the player is like as a person, some players look to the field as an 'escape' from the real world so they end up playing the best games of their career in the midst of a major of field problem

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

Perhaps an interesting question to pose is whether or not off-field antics affect players of certain positions more than others (i.e. Quarterbacks vs. Linebackers).

Of course, you could take it even further and ask if certain sports are affected more than others. I would argue, for instance, that extra curricular activities affect baseball players more than most football players.