Calvin Ridley’s only mental health issue is he’s an idiot
The NFL suspended Calvin Ridley 1 year for gambling on the NFL. Including betting against his own team, allegedly. This was November of last year. Calvin was not playing for the Falcons at this time because he bowed out of the season due to “mental health” concerns.
Let’s make one thing abundantly clear. Based on Calvin’s tweets after his suspension this kid is a bonafide knuckle head. Just clueless.
Ya, you’re getting 1 year. Pete Rose got life. Tim Donaghy went to jail. Jim Sweeney almost got wacked by the mob for point shaving. Cheating the sport through gambling isn’t taken lightly.
And don’t tell me this was just isolated to the $1,500 he claimed. That by the way looks like was made online. Using his name and personal bank account. He might be fast, but I’m not bringing this dude in on any kind of heady heist scheme.
Look, I don’t give a shit about a player betting on his sport. He just absolutely can’t bet against his team. That’s the only rule. If it’s confirmed he did bet against the Falcons and especially if this was going on while he was playing then 1 year is a minimum suspension. And, yes the NFL are hypocrites and back-asswards when it comes to suspensions. Greg Hardy, Antonio Brown, Ray Rice, Terrell Suggs can all beat the shit out of their wives and miss a couple games. But, Calvin Ridley throws some cash down on a parlay and buh bye? Or Aaron Hernandez gets accused and convicted of 2 measly murders and banned for life? A little consistency here Godell. Do I even have to mention the most egregious 4 game suspension in the history of suspensions?
My problem with Calvin Ridley is him jumping in this mental health illness awareness wave from professional athletes. I’ll say up front of course I don’t know the inner working of his brain and what he may or may not be going through, but I’m willing to make a bet it’s not a real mental health issue. I know. How insensitive and fopaux of me to make judgment on a young person’s sensitivities. How am I supposed to know his truth? Bite me.
The mental health excuse for professional athletes needs to be criticized. Why? Because #1 it diminishes people who have real mental health issues. #2 It’s bullshit. Succumbing to the stress of professional athletics is not a mental health issue. Dealing with that pressure is part of the job. Really, that is what the professional athlete mental health awareness campaign is about. The pressure. Well, too bad. It’s a big part of the reason you make egregious amounts of money. No one is forcing you to play a sport for a living. A very handsome living. Like better than 99% of the world. Look, the money can’t be ignored. Life is just way, way, way, fucking easier when you have money. Problems are just easier to deal with. Including mental health problems.
So, if Naomi Osaka feels depressed when reporters press her on a bad match she doesn’t get to call that a mental health problem. She makes $50 million dollars a year playing tennis. She claims she has been battling depression since winning the 2018 US open. Stop playing tennis.
“In any other line of work, you would be forgiven for taking a personal day here and there, so long as it’s not habitual,” she wrote. “You wouldn’t have to divulge your most personal symptoms to your employer; there would likely be HR measures protecting at least some level of privacy. .” - Naomi Osaka
In any other line of work!? This 23 year old has never worked a day in her life. How about you just go make a pathetic $100,000 as a tennis pro and see if you feel better.
If you want to speak out and explain that the pressures of being a champion are hard, go for it. Don’t use it as an excuse to belittle mental health. Ask the single mom making $35,000 with a sick kid and no help how she thinks the pressures of being a champion for $50 million a year stack up. I’m pretty sure she would be okay with a couple tough questions from the media. And news flash chief personal days are not that easily accepted in the real world if they are accepted at all. Just for the next time you’re kicking it in the slums of middle class society.
How about when Ben Simmons gets called out by his coach and cries mental health so he can sit out?
Why is Simmons, who says he’s not mentally ready to play, so adamant about not playing for Philadelphia specifically?
Several reasons have been cited:
Simmons resents 76ers president Daryl Morey saying he saying he wouldn’t trade Simmons then offering Simmons to the Rockets for James Harden.
Simmons was bothered by Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers, in the aftermath of the 76ers’ playoff loss to the Hawks, saying he didn’t know whether Simmons could be the point guard on a championship team.
Simmons was upset Joel Embiid threw him under the bus after that playoff loss.
Simmons no longer wants to play with Embiid.
Simmons just felt mentally exhausted and underappreciated.
Simmons, because he began his career on a good team, never got to spread his wings in Philadelphia.
BAHAHAHAHAHA. I’m sorry, fuck off. Having baby back bitch sensitivities isn’t a mental health problem. And using it to leverage your way out of town from one $30 million dollar contract to another is just bull shit. The fact anyone gave credence to Ben Simmons having an actual mental health illness is gross.
Sorry not sorry to sound like the get off my lawn old guy here, but we are in serious need of a shift back to the “suck it up” attitude. This me first, know my truth, selfie, tik tok, everyone’s a star waiting to be born, give them all trophies isn’t doing anyone any favors. It’s so self consuming. If you don’t think it’s a problem just think. We are going through a world wide pandemic killing 6 MILLION PEOPLE and we’re bitching about masks and whining about when it will be over like it never happened. Like a toddler in the back seat screaming are we there yet. Ya sure, more coddling for the overly privileged is absolutely what we need.
This guy lost $19 million dollars this year because he didn’t like his coach and the fans were mean to him because he sucked. NINETEEN million. That’s almost the GDP of a small nation. Just take a second to think about the rest of the world when Ben Simmons masks his self centered childish behavior in a “Mental Health Illness”.
Poor Guy
It’s a bad president. Professional athletes are put in positions to make generational wealth. They have to be physically gifted, work extremely hard, and most importantly have the mental fortitude to deal with the stress and pressures that come with opportunities in that tax bracket. If you can’t handle that then find an intramural league and invest wisely. Or hit up that internet bookie and spread the wealth, eh Calvin? Just don’t down grade mental health because it’s easy to.
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