Sit Up And Listen When......

You hear Cris Carter or Marcellus Wiley giving their insight or opinion on football. I have grown to enjoy these two former NFL players more and more each time I hear them. What makes them so enjoyable? Simple. They speak what they really believe without fear. Being genuine, what a concept.

So many sports analyst or commentators are afraid to really speak their mind. They are afraid that they will ruin their friendships with so many other players, coaches, or front office people. Cris Carter and Marcellus Wiley are not afraid to criticize anyone.

Just a few weeks ago, Cris Carter's son left Ohio State's football program due to his bad grades and enrolled at a junior college. I was very interested to see if Carter would hold his son to the same standards he indicates professional athletes should keep. Sure enough, about a week after the news broke, Carter made a public statement that the family's goal was for his son to be back at Ohio State next year. He also indicated that him and his wife wanted their son to grow up, accept responsibility and "be a giver in life and not a taker". That last quote is my favorite quote of the year so far.

Carter has also spoke candidly about how he himself failed his teammates at Ohio State when he took benefits from an agent and was ruled ineligible his senior season. In addition, he has been very brutally honest about how partying almost cost him his NFL career in the early years.

Earlier this year leading up to the NFL draft, Jeff Ireland of the Miami Dolphins asked Dez White if his Mom was a prostitute. A big uproar ensued over whether a GM should ask such a question of a player. Marcellus Wiley was very candid in stating that a GM should be able to ask anything he or she wishes. He elaborated on the fact that football is an emotional game and that if you are going to draft a kid and pay him millions of dollars, you want to know how the kid is going to react in pressure situations. Wiley is a very smart guy, who attended college at Columbia.

In a day when it seems everyone is kissing up to someone or stroking someone's ego, it is very refreshing to hear two former players who have been there - TELL IT LIKE IT IS. ESPN should create a radio show for Carter and Wiley. They would need a host who could ask the thought provoking questions and stir the pot. Carter and Wiley could just be themselves and give informative, opinionated answers. I guarantee you it would be a great show. Anytime you hear Cris Carter or Marcellus Wiley, I encourage you to sit up and listen. You may or may not like what their opinion is, but you will know exactly WHAT THEIR INFORMED, EXPERIENCED, OPINION IS.