NFL rookies get one more history lesson

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=walker_james&id=3443225&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab2pos1

A nice little story from James Walker. I was stunned when he revealed this was the brain child of none other than Michael Irvin. But I must give him his due: Irvin has the right idea in trying to get the kids to appreciate what came before them; giving them a sense that what they do now will have lasting effects and they will never get this opportunity to do it again. In other words: don't f**k this up.

Anyone imagining Dennis Rodman trying to pitch this to David Stern.

 

That's actually a really great idea.

They should do it in every pro league.

 

When I read Michael Irvin was suggesting another lesson to rookies I figured it had something to do with not driving around with cocaine in the trunk.

 

Well, he could've said,

"OK, get all your teammates together and rent a house. You keep all your drugs and whores at that house..."

I'm not saying Irvin is the guy anyone would want to hold up as an example in the NFL, but this was a damn fine suggestion.

 

I hated Irvin when he was a Cowchip. I like him in his role now as a broadcaster. I think this is a great idea, TBH.

I think the NBA has it worse with as many guys coming out of high school or one year in college as they have. One thing that struck me about Kobe Bryant way before even the Colorado rape case was his passion for the league's history and how much of a student of the game he was. We don't see nearly enough of that from today's ballers.

Back to Irvin, the thing that sold me on him was in the wake of Matt Millen calling Johnnie Morton a faggot. Of the entire ESPN Sunday NFL Countdown crew, he was the only one who really let Millen have it for his comments. It seemed like everyone else was only talking about the issue because Chris Berman brought it up and sort of forced their hands.

 

He could have also encouraged all NFL rookies into investing in a full-body fur coat.

This suggestion was much better.

 

And fatter, shorter ties.