AssHat Award: NFL’s San Diego Chargers rookie dinner tradition
It’s been awhile since I’ve posted an AssHat Award. So many AssHats, so little time. Today I came across an article that immediately set off my AssHat sensor.
Apparently NFL’s San Diego Chargers have a tradition: the team’s rookie first-rounder has to take the team out to dinner. No pre-selected menu. No dollar limit. Just a bunch of big guys sucking up as much food as they can because the rookie is footing the bill. No doubt any member of an NFL team can afford this.
What ticked me off? The fact that it was reported on Yahoo’s ‘Shut Down Corner’ that rookie Larry English “got off light” compared to other rookies who have had to pay for this costly tradition. Maybe I just don’t have money to throw around to the tune of:
$14,508.67
There are children who aren’t eating, families living in tent cities and unemployment is a household word. It’s a given that theses guys with their big bank rolls might be aware of the state of our union, but where’s the common sense here? There are so many people who do not think this news is funny. Here are some facts in case anyone in the NFL thinks gorging themselves on $14,508.67 worth of food is funny:
- Nationally, there were 358,471 foreclosure filings for the month, down less than 1 percent from July and up 18 percent from August 2008, according to the report.
- In August, the number of unemployed persons increased by 466,000 to 14.9 million This is how thousands of people are living:
The government said 35 million Americans are currently receiving food stamp assistance. The Associated Press reports the numbers are 22 percent higher than in June of 2008 and the highest since the program was established in 1964 and revised in 1977.
- Demands for food at the nation’s food banks has increased 30 percent in the past year.
“I had a child who came in at breakfast and waited until the end to get the leftover food that no one had opened,” – Caroline Hines, food service director at Rachel Freeman Elementary School, Freeman, NC
Enough said. That $14,508.67 restaurant bill might have been better used to help someone in need. How about the fact that it would provide well over 7,500 school lunches? Not that it would cure hunger or put a roof over everyone’s head but in these trying times, what the hell are people gloating over wasting money for.
Bottom line? Because they have it to spare. In abundance. While kids go hungry, pets end up in overcrowded shelters and people wonder if there job is next to be cut. What happened to giving back to the community? I know there are many sports stars who do.
Perhaps the San Diego Chargers (and any NFL team who has this gauche rookie tradition) should think about helping out those in need with this money instead. That would be a tradition they could feel good about, don’t you think?
Until that changes, The San Diego Chargers and their rookie spending fest gets my vote for The AssHat Award.
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Ok, i think i will save this for thenext time I’ll have to argue with Frank (friend of mine) about it! I wasn’t wrong
Fantastic post. Iam not the one who often blog arcticles, but i wish to know where you take your infos from?
You know, lots of people make tons of money (movie stars, CEOs, politicians, etc.) and they spend money in all kinds of superficial, frivolous ways. Sure, it would be nice if these rich folks made a personal pledge to live on what you or I might live on and give away the rest to the needier people in our society but that's not how it works. The deal is that you should be able to make as much money as you can (legally, ethically) and you get to use it for whatever you want. Fancy cars, expensive dinners or charitable causes.
Bill Gates made tons (and still does) by shutting out the competition through some pretty strong armed tactics. However, now that he has more money than he knows what to do with, he gives a lot of it away to help fight disease in Africa as well as other good causes. Does that make his anti-competitive tactics OK?
I understand where you're going with this asshat award. I understand the great need in the world. It's a tough call.
Hi Doug! Can't leave a post on your blog—it says I have to register? That's some fancy gatekeeper you have! SO, I tried to follow you on Twitter to say hello and give you my rebuttal but you've got a fancy gatekeeper there, too!! Yikes. You're updates are blocked. Ugh. What's a girl to do? Well, you called me out in your blog and ASSUMED an awful lot about me…even called me a "Thief"….Doug, what were you thinking? That was not nice. I didn't say this kid was an asshat—I called the team an asshat for having that type of "challenge". And I did mention that many gave to charities.
And what do you know….I know a bit about shredded knees….so you can watch for my response because I'm not only flattered you wrote about me and called me ugly names, I'm impressed that you took the time. Maybe it'll be good for your blog traffic. You have an interesting blog name there, dude.
You assumed a lot. Look out !
I wanted to comment on Doug's blog as well, but his blog is not optimized for that. I have to agree with Doug. These athletes work hard for their money and how they spend it is cool. Although, you only really iterated that they shouldn't gloat about reckless spending. I and many other of my friends recklessly spend all the time and we by no means make as much money as these rookies. Most of my friends don't give to charities and if I have to choose between my only entertainment for the month and charity. I will choose my own entertainment.
Oh and doug was no punk. He used his own blog to reply. Much love to my favorite Blonde! ~G
…and much love to my notsoPlain Gerlaine……..it's 10pm and I just read Doug's blog. I'll post a rebuttal tonight or tomorrow. I need to be careful–he's already called me names without getting to know me. That's OK…I can handle it…but he doesn't know how hard I've worked or anything about how I've struggled…etc. Assuming sucks on both sides.
Thanks for being VERY cool!
Good morning, TheDailyBlonde! I don't know what the deal is with comments. I'll have to dig around… and, before your rebuttal, I'd like to point out that the two names I called you were actually :honorable" and "compassionate." The third name, far less flattering, was contingent on whether or not you thought a specific way. Please remember that when you load the shells and fire!
I hear what you're saying, but they are spending the dough in a restaurant. Restaurants go out of business more quickly than flies poop on your face, so that's a good thing in my book. Excess? Yes. But the problem is in the system itself more than in the product of the system. These athletes are held up like Gods from the first moment their potential becomes apparent to recruiters. Many come from homes where money was never available. With new money, flaunting it seems to be the primary focus as though it could chip away generations of familial inferiority complex.
I agree–kudos to the waitresses/waiters who got a nice tip!
Very good point—at least some of the money went to people who don't have the money to flaunt and work hard on their feet daily….and might have helped the restaurant stay afloat. All good things.
Saw the link on Twitter, followed it here to read (big football fan). Seriously disagree. I disagree so strongly, in fact, that my reply was too long for the comments. I was going to need to leave several, so I just wrote a blog reply.
I applaud your compassion, abhor your thoughts on property.
Read or not, your choice. http://dougroberson.com/blog/?p=171