• March 28, 2024

Eagles Management And Players Made Right Decision On Riley Cooper

RileyCooper29I think Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, head coach Chip Kelly and anybody else who was involved in the decision-making process, made the right call in the Riley Cooper situation by welcoming him back onto the practice field.  This decision didn’t need to be come from the media or the fans, and it didn’t need to be a top down decision made by Lurie and Kelly.   This decision needed to be made by the players and the management of the football team, together.

Team leaders such as Michael Vick, Jason Avant, DeSean Jackson and DeMeco Ryans all came out strong in support of Cooper.  They know that forgiving teammates or dealing with shortcomings, or stupid comics is part of being a good teammate.  Any players, who can’t and don’t want to forgive him for what he said will have the chance to deal with it with Cooper in one-on-one situations.

In a strange way, I thought the Eagles were a closer football team yesterday because they’ve started to circle the wagons around Riley.  Many times coaches will create an enemy the guys can come together against and it seems like they Birds are doing it, and the media is the enemy.

“I know out of this situation, Riley surely felt like an outcast,” Ryans said. “As a team, we have to bring him back in as our teammate, as our brother, and resolve this issue and move forward. We can’t have any ill feelings lingering throughout the season.”

What people who never played football on the top college or professional level don’t know is that you’ve got to be able to forgive or ignore to some extent things your teammates say or do, so that you can do your job with this person.  if you’re going to be a good teammate.  Football is a very aggressive sport that causes teammates to get into many fights.  It’s not uncommon to have a fight with one of the your teammates and be going after each other throats like you’re trying to kill your teammate.

Minutes later you’re in the same locker room you’re taking a shower together.  You have to get over it and let it go.  I’ve played with guys who couldn’t let it go and they weren’t good teammates and it hurt their careers.

At times you’re mad and your teammates.  You might have one fight with him in the one-on-one drills, then another one in the seven-on-seven drills then another one in the team period.  You see this guy as your mortal enemy for those two hours, but you have to let it go after the practice because you’re making a double team block with him on the kickoff team in the upcoming game.

Players must be able to forgive or it’s also possible for players to respectfully play together with each other, but never really totally forgive their teammate for what he did.  However and whatever they do they must be able to work with this person in a constructive manner.  They may not love them or hang around them away from the job, but they must be able to respect each other and work together with each other.

Unfortunately, violent and angry words are said and used against each other at times, but they have to get past it.  Sometimes the fights can divide a team, if players aren’t able to forgive each other or professionally let it go, then the team falls apart.

It’s difficult for players who can’t forgive to be good teammates and work together on a good team.  It’s also possible for players to respectfully play together with each other, but never really totally forgive their teammate for what he did.

The veteran players on the Eagles roster stood up and let everybody know that they can handle what Cooper said and move past it.  All veteran NFL players know that letting things go is part of the job description.

On a side note, I didn’t like the fact that nobody has talked to Cooper about the alcohol issue.  I’m concerned that might be at the heart of his problem.  He seemed like he was totally “hammered” in the video and that’s an issue that should be dealt with at some point.

GCOBB

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paulman
paulman
August 7, 2013 10:09 am

Good Post G-Man and I agree, and surprised that no mention of Alcohol or the Abuse of Alcohol, has been not be stated or addressed by anyone in this entire Cooper story.. I would think Cooper meeting with an Alcohol Counselor would have been in order (and maybe this did occur)… But most of these Athletes are very wound up, with Type-A Personalities and Naturally Aggressive due to the Demands of being an Athlete and many of them seem to have real issues of handling Alcohol or that Alcohol seems to bring out their aggressions even more so…. Something to keep an eye on ..

btc24
btc24
August 7, 2013 11:18 am
Reply to  paulman

Paul, I don’t see how alcohol abuse should even be mentioned in this conversation. Riley had been drinking (extremely common) and the alcohol probably fueled his motivation to use the slur. I don’t think he needs to see any sort of counselor; that’s just absurd. I would imagine that every single poster on this site has had a few drinks and done or said something they wish they hadn’t. It doesn’t mean the person has a drinking problem.

paulman
paulman
August 7, 2013 12:02 pm
Reply to  btc24

I am not saying he does BTC, but with the attention and severity of the backlach, what does it hurt if the Team hafe him see a Counselor and receive some Feedback from a Professional who deals with Alcohol Abuse, remember that Alcohol effects everyone a little differently.. If you see or have erractic behavior with Alcohol involved, then maybe there is a Alcohol issue.. why not have it checked out if your the Employer/Eagles Organization ..

jakedog
jakedog
August 7, 2013 10:57 am

People like Vick, Ryan’s understand that racism was not what motivated cooper to say what he said, but dominance

The guard probably said something to put Reilly in his place, and cooper would have none of it and alcohol , testosterone fueled his tirade

Some of you may not understand this, but it’s not racism

That is why it’s easy to move one from when the bulk of your teammates are like wired men

That’s why the media and some players can’t because the arent the same type of men

ChuckRob
ChuckRob
August 7, 2013 11:30 am

Agreed, good post. Everyone has to move forward. The alcohol could be a problem.

crazy johnny
crazy johnny
August 7, 2013 5:34 pm

Well, I don’t really know how Riley feels about black people, or if he is racist? But if he doesn’t feel differently after being welcomed back by his brothers, there is no hope for him. Word up!

jakedog
jakedog
August 7, 2013 8:05 pm

Johnny, don’t you think his teammates would know if he’s a racist , they know he’s not except for that pussy McCoy, what cooper did was fueled by testosterone and alcohol shady needs some testosterone, little bitch beating on women

E-money
E-money
August 7, 2013 11:45 pm

Cooper should have been cut…

3 years ago when it was clear that he had marginal skills.

Stevo
Stevo
August 8, 2013 3:05 am

Pman… how do u know he didnt talk about drinking with his “help”… again… your not “reporting” anything.

Emoney… we have no idea what cooper can do. He didnt fit the bombs away coach but in this o.. who knowz. I for one am looki g forward to seeing. I dont expect much but… cut? No.

paulman
paulman
August 8, 2013 8:03 am
Reply to  Stevo

If you read my first Post, I stated that maybe
A meeting with a Alcohol Counselor did occur with Cooper..
What I said that there has been no mention of this as far
As the Team goes which could be the root of his problem, poor judgement and behavior unbecoming of a Professional..
I will continue to call them as I see them..

Muimuiman
Muimuiman
August 8, 2013 3:22 am

Riley Cooper would be good… if he had a QB like Brady throwing him the ball. With Vick or Foles on the other hand, pretty unlikely.

And lets be honest, he is a racist. Not that big of a deal though because Im sure both black and white players in this league are racist. But face the facts and stop making excuses for him.

daggolden
daggolden
August 8, 2013 5:03 am

One thing is for sure its not a good year for the University of Florida alumni. Saying all that I think Cooper is gonna have a GREAT year. Its called opportunity. There is no reason to believe Cooper cant give me 4-5 catches a game which is 60-70 for the year with 7-10 tds. He is big, durable and has very good hands. He is so focused and has so much to prove that I think he will lead this team at WR this year Just my opinion.

Frank22
Frank22
August 8, 2013 9:58 am

I would not subject the guy to AA for one really dumb, drunk outburst. He was completely wrong for using the language, but he sure a hell was not wrong for going to a concert and getting loaded. He’s 25 with money and notoriety.. I’d be doing the same thing minus calling people names.. He probably pulled 3 blondes and called it a day.

Frank22
Frank22
August 8, 2013 10:01 am

Bold prediction for the year… Danny Watkins is a beast!!

haveacigar
haveacigar
August 8, 2013 3:57 pm
Reply to  Frank22

of burden!!!

Butch007
Butch007
August 8, 2013 12:34 pm

If there ever was a best case scenario for rewarding bad behavior this has to be it. Thanks a lot Mr. Roger “The Bully” Goodell. Riley Cooper is on his way to being the most celebrated mediocre WR in the history of the NFL. He’s been the marquee story of the off-season NFL for a week, had a day or two full of glad handing with teammates, sympathy and support from part of the locker room, and a guaranteed job without having to compete much for it…If I didn’t know any better I’d think the guy just recovered from chemotherapy.

My suspicion is that a lot of players in the coming days, weeks, months will look back at the actual situation and the result, as it stands today, and they may re-evaluate their thoughts on it and Cooper. The rethinking of this situation will probably happen most when the Eagles start hitting the field with other teams and they all have multiple players that, at the very least, have a few choice words for Riley Cooper and then the fines start raining down.

As to jakedog’s comments…again the words of an ignorant person. Racism has NEVER been about hatred except to the dumbest of the dumb. Racism has always been about, in his own words, asserting a constructed false “dominance” over a group of people based on race. By default that also means it’s been about maintaining privileges/entitlements exclusively for others.

No one degrades another person without the internal need or an external want to protect something be it pain or material providence. Cooper is no different than the racists of 18th century that all justified or stayed complacent in a country that endorsed the enslavement of human beings with the idea of protecting the greater economic good of white countrymen. Cooper isn’t any different than the racists of 1960’s, particularly in the south, that believed that separate and definitely not equal was in the best interests of the majority of Americans that happened to be white at the time and that the media had become agitators in their “plight.”

Even if he’s straddling the fence and trying to figure it out at this point he’s going to have to contend with more than a few defensive players that he’s already played that will show up in games with much more aggressive/hostile intentions for him than in the past and he’s going to have to accept of or deny that in the midst of trying to figure things out for himself. Him being in the NFL is just a sh!t storm waiting to happen.

haveacigar
haveacigar
August 8, 2013 2:47 pm

Ray Lewis was rewarded pretty well. He and his pals showed dominance to the point of murder

jakedog
jakedog
August 8, 2013 4:48 pm

Butch, you sound like some angry college professor, knock it off, this country affords you many opportunities, take advantage of them, and you will be a lot less angry

your definition of racism is way off as well

a racists believes that certain human behavior is inherent or particular to races, and ultimately a superior race produces superior people

Quit crying about Cooper, his comments have been uniformly criticized, he holds no power over you or anyone else, but the more you bring him up the less empowered you are to make a difference in your life and somebody elses

Peace

Butch007
Butch007
August 8, 2013 10:43 pm

I already said my piece jd.

Just because your glass is full today and you’re unwilling to listen to reason doesn’t mean it will always be that way and certainly there might be some other people that see the lack of basic logic in what you’re positing.