Cullpepper's Open Letter To The NFL

[Chevelle2]

Must read, IMO

http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/08/29/an-open-letter-from-daunte-culpepper/

[Scott Campbell]

Vet minimum? Didn't we offer substantially more than that?

I like the idea of guys working without agents. I think John Stockton did it here.

[Guiness]

Mmm - interesting letter. Have to respect the guy for writing it. I don't like some of the things he did around the time he was trying to get away from Minn, but at least this shows that he wasn't doing it out of ego, that he was just doing what he felt he had to - whether you agree with his decisions or not.

It is curious that he didn't end up in a camp. I don't know why he would be 'blackballed' - he's never held out, been a cancer, etc. If he's true to his word, and just wants to be in a camp, I'm surprised he isn't.

The answer seems to point to something that I choose not to embrace at this time.

You can read this two ways, and it depends how honest he's being with himself. One guess is that the blackballing - the other is that 32 GM's agree that he's finished!

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Who did Daunte get to write that letter.

[Scott Campbell]

Who did Daunte get to write that letter.

SO NOW A BLACK MAN CAN'T BE ARTICULATE?!?!?!

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Who did Daunte get to write that letter.

SO NOW A BLACK MAN CAN'T BE ARTICULATE?!?!?!

When Daunte uses the term "on the eve" it will be the first time.

As for being articulate...i lived in orlando when duante went to UCF. Duante attended UCF because his test scores blew..and his grams got paid (i had a friend working at a major chain furniture store..and said her whole house got new furniture).

Artic: This is writing...wrong word scott.

[Scott Campbell]

Who did Daunte get to write that letter.

SO NOW A BLACK MAN CAN'T BE ARTICULATE?!?!?!

When Daunte uses the term "on the eve" it will be the first time.

As for being articulate...i lived in orlando when duante went to UCF. Duante attended UCF because his test scores blew..and his grams got paid (i had a friend working at a major chain furniture store..and said her whole house got new furniture).

Artic: This is writing...wrong word scott.

Hmmm. So are you avoiding the question because YOU ARE A RACIST?!?!?!

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Who did Daunte get to write that letter.

SO NOW A BLACK MAN CAN'T BE ARTICULATE?!?!?!

When Daunte uses the term "on the eve" it will be the first time.

As for being articulate...i lived in orlando when duante went to UCF. Duante attended UCF because his test scores blew..and his grams got paid (i had a friend working at a major chain furniture store..and said her whole house got new furniture).

Artic: This is writing...wrong word scott.

Hmmm. So are you avoiding the question because YOU ARE A RACIST?!?!?!

I didn't know the question was serious.

The question in itself is foolish.

[imscott72]

Interesting letter. It sure sounds to me as if Daunte is trying to say he isn't getting a chance because he's black.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Interesting letter. It sure sounds to me as if Daunte is trying to say he isn't getting a chance because he's black.

Where in the world do you get that?

[imscott72]

Interesting letter. It sure sounds to me as if Daunte is trying to say he isn't getting a chance because he's black.

Where in the world do you get that?

This paragraph.

Recently the Commissioner called to let me know that I was on the top of the list for a job if a key veteran got hurt. I really appreciate the Commissioner’s help, but I hate that I have to wait for a fellow QB to experience the misfortune of an injury in order for me to have an opportunity to continue my career. Why was I not given the chance to compete for a job? This is my question to the NFL. The answer seems to point to something that I choose not to embrace at this time. So instead, I will continue to believe for the best and prepare for the worst.

Of course I may be overanalyzing it, but that was my first reaction.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Interesting letter. It sure sounds to me as if Daunte is trying to say he isn't getting a chance because he's black.

Where in the world do you get that?

This paragraph.

Recently the Commissioner called to let me know that I was on the top of the list for a job if a key veteran got hurt. I really appreciate the Commissioner’s help, but I hate that I have to wait for a fellow QB to experience the misfortune of an injury in order for me to have an opportunity to continue my career. Why was I not given the chance to compete for a job? This is my question to the NFL. The answer seems to point to something that I choose not to embrace at this time. So instead, I will continue to believe for the best and prepare for the worst.

Of course I may be overanalyzing it, but that was my first reaction.

I think you are reaching. Plenty of black QBs in the league.

Could be that he doesn't want to embrace:

1. He is viewed as done
2. Viewed as a troublemaker (no agent)
3. Viewed as not good enough to compete
4. Viewed as strictly a backup
5. Viewed as having not part of anyone's future.

[imscott72]

Interesting letter. It sure sounds to me as if Daunte is trying to say he isn't getting a chance because he's black.

Where in the world do you get that?

This paragraph.

Recently the Commissioner called to let me know that I was on the top of the list for a job if a key veteran got hurt. I really appreciate the Commissioner’s help, but I hate that I have to wait for a fellow QB to experience the misfortune of an injury in order for me to have an opportunity to continue my career. Why was I not given the chance to compete for a job? This is my question to the NFL. The answer seems to point to something that I choose not to embrace at this time. So instead, I will continue to believe for the best and prepare for the worst.

Of course I may be overanalyzing it, but that was my first reaction.

I think you are reaching. Plenty of black QBs in the league.

Could be that he doesn't want to embrace:

1. He is viewed as done
2. Viewed as a troublemaker (no agent)
3. Viewed as not good enough to compete
4. Viewed as strictly a backup
5. Viewed as having not part of anyone's future.

Well at this point it could be any of those reasons and until he says something else I guess we're just left with our opinions and interpretations of what he did say.

[Guiness]

I think you are reaching. Plenty of black QBs in the league.

Could be that he doesn't want to embrace:

1. He is viewed as done
2. Viewed as a troublemaker (no agent)
3. Viewed as not good enough to compete
4. Viewed as strictly a backup
5. Viewed as having not part of anyone's future.

Agreed, and I alluded to that in my post above. Except of course the reasons you mention are not likely the ones he's contemplating!!!!

My guess is he's insinuating he's been marked as a pariah. Why he would think that is hard to tell. Maybe he has a persecution complex? I'm not being facetious here -

Does race come into it? I don't know. I can't see why it would, or why he would even think it would. His statement is incredibly vague though, so it's not possible to tell what he was thinking.

[MJZiggy]

I can see why he would. He's brought race into things before when it wasn't part of a discussion. I think he sees himself as a pioneer, showing that a black man can play quarterback, but the thing that perhaps he hasn't noticed is that it's not so rare as it was when he showed up in the NFL. Of course, this is just based on things that he's said in the past. I could be completely off. Or he could.