Does Neal have an attitude problem?

[Pugger]

I saw this quote on foxsports.com just now. They list 5 guys who might be the next high draft pick bust. I donno if a guy taken in the second round should be in this list, however. Have any of you heard this before now?

'Neal is a guy who turned a lot of people off with his attitude at the NFL Combine. He repeatedly stated he didn't care who took him, he just wanted "the money." You've got to admire the honesty, but that's not the mind-set a lot of coaches are looking for.'

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/lists/Who-is-next-JaMarcus-Russell-051610#sport=NFL&photo=11212640

[Tony Oday]

Well if he just wants the money hopefully he plays well enough for a monster extension :)

[Joemailman]

Neal is known as a tough guy who occasionally lets his emotions get the best of him. I'm guessing he went to the Combine with a chip on his shoulder due to the fact he wasn't one of the top rated DT's.

Obviously TT liked Neal a lot more than other people since he was projected as a 3-4 round pick. I'll defer to TT on this one. He hasn't drafted any guys who turned out to be locker room problems even though he has drafted some guys who may have had some maturity issues. As long as Neal works hard, and he has a reputation for that, I think the Packers have a pretty solid group of veterans and coaches who can handle any other problems that might pop up.

[bobblehead]

I saw this quote on foxsports.com just now. They list 5 guys who might be the next high draft pick bust. I donno if a guy taken in the second round should be in this list, however. Have any of you heard this before now?

'Neal is a guy who turned a lot of people off with his attitude at the NFL Combine. He repeatedly stated he didn't care who took him, he just wanted "the money." You've got to admire the honesty, but that's not the mind-set a lot of coaches are looking for.'

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/lists/Who-is-next-JaMarcus-Russell-051610#sport=NFL&photo=11212640

I read this. The only thing they quote Neal saying is "the money". I'd like context before I condemn the guy. "It doesn't matter who drafts me, I just want to get the money of an NFL contract so I can help my mother and father who supported me this entire time."

Hmmm....would make him a solid dude if that was the exact quote. Just curious, how many times was he asked who he wanted to take him that he stated it repeatedly?? Also, why, in all the draft coverage, did I never hear this until some obscure report by Hunter Ansley came out a month after the draft?

[Tarlam!]

O.K. let's keep the line moving along; nothing to see here. :bs2:

[KYPack]

I agree with Tar.

But at least the kid had the balls to say what 80% of the Rooks all are thinking.

[Lurker64]

Why would a draft prospect indicate a preference for playing for one team more than another at the scouting combine anyway? Either you're going to turn off a prospective employer, or you're going to look like a sycophant.

Seems like this is potentially a trap in combine interviews:

-"So, what team do you want to get drafted by?"
-"I don't have a preference."
-"So if you don't care where you go, why are you even in the draft?"
-(Athlete trips up at this point).

[Gunakor]

Well I suppose you could say something like "I want to win a ring" or something like that vs. "I wanna get paid." But it's a non issue. I hope like hell the kid wants to get paid and plays like he deserves to get paid.

[Pugger]

Well I suppose you could say something like "I want to win a ring" or something like that vs. "I wanna get paid." But it's a non issue. I hope like hell the kid wants to get paid and plays like he deserves to get paid.

Yes, I thought this "I wanna get paid" was a pretty weak argument against Neal in that slide show on BSPN's web site too. I originally posted it to see if any of you guys had heard this before or not.

[Tarlam!]

I originally posted it to see if any of you guys had heard this before or not.

My apologies, Pugger, if my comments seem to be directed at you and made you feel in any way attacked; I wasn't degrading your post or the content. I was commenting on the article, which seems to be a stretch IMHO.

Thank you for posting it, It's always of value to know who's being misrepresented in press reports. It does give us something to talk about.

[Pugger]

I originally posted it to see if any of you guys had heard this before or not.

My apologies, Pugger, if my comments seem to be directed at you and made you feel in any way attacked; I wasn't degrading your post or the content. I was commenting on the article, which seems to be a stretch IMHO.

Thank you for posting it, It's always of value to know who's being misrepresented in press reports. It does give us something to talk about.

No problem. :) This is a slow time of the year football wise and not much else to talk about. It will be interesting to see how the OTAs are coming along. I thought I read the media can observe these tomorrow? :?:

[run pMc]

I think it's much ado about nothing. Slow time of year...but we need something to read/post.

I'd be surprised if that kind of attitude got him elected team captain at Purdue. Either way, he's a rookie R2 pick so it's not like he's making JaMarcus crazy money, and if he is a talker the coaches and veterans will shut him up fast.

[billy_oliver880]

I think it's much ado about nothing. Slow time of year...but we need something to read/post.

I'd be surprised if that kind of attitude got him elected team captain at Purdue. Either way, he's a rookie R2 pick so it's not like he's making JaMarcus crazy money, and if he is a talker the coaches and veterans will shut him up fast.

This type of stuff drives me nuts because I am sure there is nothing behind this story. :roll:

[Lurker64]

I worry more about Jolly having an attitude problem:

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/50494897.html

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/94590334.html

[hoosier]

Too bad polls can't be modified. The JH makes the team poll should be changed to: Who will get cut first, JH or JJ?

[Lurker64]

Here are some of the pictures that got Jolly in trouble:

http://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/jolly-in-a-heap-of-trouble

[vince]

Jolly has a noticeable lean to him in those pics, great photography, and that's a good looking purple shirt he's got on, but what's he drankin'?

[PlantPage55]

While I'd rather he be known for saying he wants to win, perhaps he was just inarticulately saying that he has no team loyalties or preferences, wasn't interested in projecting his own worth, and that the bottom line is that he will get paid by whichever team values him?

And money may be a bottom line that most of us don't like our athletes caring about too much, but the smart athletes know that the money is made by playing well for a long time.