Peterson is right on Jared Allen and it speaks to more than just football. I've not been a supporter of Carl Peterson in general. The man's ego is just more than I can bear but when he didn't roll over and give Jared Allen a huge amount of guaranteed money and a long contract he was right to do so.
Allen was a young man who was in trouble and at a crossroads in his life....again. He had been in lots of trouble when he was younger that kept him out of the top collegiate programs in the country and the Chiefs took a flyer on him. If not them, somebody else would have so no crowns for the Chiefs on that one. Then he comes to us and finds that even the little bit of money he was earning was too much to handle. He got several DUI's in a single year. You know he was drinking and driving on regular basis to get caught that much. With his career at risk and needing to fly right to warrant a new contract he saw the light and finally decided to clean up and get some moral discipline.
No doubt everyone likes the new Jared Allen we see. He is the poster boy for redemption. But he
was a huge risk then and remains one to a certain degree now. We couldn't have predicted with certainty he would stop drinking completely and become a model citizen and player. It could have just as easily gone the other way. Further, who is to say once he gets his 10 million a year he doesn't do back to his old ways? No, this was a reasonable and prudent move by Carl. You know he's seen more personal nightmares from bad apples than we even know. The NFL might have saved his life. I give Allen credit for at least realizing that he was throwing it all away. Maybe he looked back at college playing at a small school and said....not again. I'll give him credit for that.
Allen says in the paper today in an article by Poz that he was humiliated and embarrassed by the Chiefs for calling him out. He said he paid his price and has moved on. He might have paid his legal price, his price to society but an employer has to have a higher standard. They have more at risk. No, what he must understand is that in many regards he will always need to keep paying for the aggregate of his mistakes. He is young, only 26, but he'll learn that your past follows you and it takes more than just a year of good living to prove to people you are a changed person. This is his ticket for one DUI to the left.
The Chiefs went to bat for you to get your suspension reduced and have applauded your efforts to clean up. They had a right to exact a measure of caution and if they gave him the big money and he went nuts on us we'd be going crazy on Carl's lack of judgement.
Finally, I think trading him is a great idea if we can get a couple high draft picks for him. We need picks and keeping him won't win us any more games in the next 2 years. By the time our rebuilding is complete he will be close t0 30 and only have a couple good years left. His stock is high so now is the time. That said, if the trade doesn't happen I hope he'll show the maturity to suck it up and play. Jared, you are still paying for your past. You are much more fortunate than most.
Jared, I have a friend who got a DUI and lost his job because he had to drive for work. It was a good job and it supported his family. He can't find an employer who will take risk on him so he is underemployed. He has lost his family. He has paid his fines and has his license back a year later but his life is a train wreck. Oh, by the way, he had to give up his season tickets to the Chiefs that he held for more than 10 years. He loved going to Chiefs games. He understands that you keep paying and the costs are much higher for him than they have been for you. I hope you understand.
I hope Allen stays clean and makes lots of money. I wish him the best either as a Chief or with someone else but on this one.......Carl has it right.
Allen was a young man who was in trouble and at a crossroads in his life....again. He had been in lots of trouble when he was younger that kept him out of the top collegiate programs in the country and the Chiefs took a flyer on him. If not them, somebody else would have so no crowns for the Chiefs on that one. Then he comes to us and finds that even the little bit of money he was earning was too much to handle. He got several DUI's in a single year. You know he was drinking and driving on regular basis to get caught that much. With his career at risk and needing to fly right to warrant a new contract he saw the light and finally decided to clean up and get some moral discipline.
No doubt everyone likes the new Jared Allen we see. He is the poster boy for redemption. But he
was a huge risk then and remains one to a certain degree now. We couldn't have predicted with certainty he would stop drinking completely and become a model citizen and player. It could have just as easily gone the other way. Further, who is to say once he gets his 10 million a year he doesn't do back to his old ways? No, this was a reasonable and prudent move by Carl. You know he's seen more personal nightmares from bad apples than we even know. The NFL might have saved his life. I give Allen credit for at least realizing that he was throwing it all away. Maybe he looked back at college playing at a small school and said....not again. I'll give him credit for that.
Allen says in the paper today in an article by Poz that he was humiliated and embarrassed by the Chiefs for calling him out. He said he paid his price and has moved on. He might have paid his legal price, his price to society but an employer has to have a higher standard. They have more at risk. No, what he must understand is that in many regards he will always need to keep paying for the aggregate of his mistakes. He is young, only 26, but he'll learn that your past follows you and it takes more than just a year of good living to prove to people you are a changed person. This is his ticket for one DUI to the left.The Chiefs went to bat for you to get your suspension reduced and have applauded your efforts to clean up. They had a right to exact a measure of caution and if they gave him the big money and he went nuts on us we'd be going crazy on Carl's lack of judgement.
Finally, I think trading him is a great idea if we can get a couple high draft picks for him. We need picks and keeping him won't win us any more games in the next 2 years. By the time our rebuilding is complete he will be close t0 30 and only have a couple good years left. His stock is high so now is the time. That said, if the trade doesn't happen I hope he'll show the maturity to suck it up and play. Jared, you are still paying for your past. You are much more fortunate than most.
Jared, I have a friend who got a DUI and lost his job because he had to drive for work. It was a good job and it supported his family. He can't find an employer who will take risk on him so he is underemployed. He has lost his family. He has paid his fines and has his license back a year later but his life is a train wreck. Oh, by the way, he had to give up his season tickets to the Chiefs that he held for more than 10 years. He loved going to Chiefs games. He understands that you keep paying and the costs are much higher for him than they have been for you. I hope you understand.
I hope Allen stays clean and makes lots of money. I wish him the best either as a Chief or with someone else but on this one.......Carl has it right.
Sorry about this picture.....just found it looking for pictures of Jared and couldn't resist.
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