You missed the point.
Yeah, I had heard that Smoker liked this Coca-cola. Not sure what else those boys were into then but fact remains that a lot of players smoke weed, even CJ, and they still were able to have long, prosperous NFL careers.
Like I said, it didn’t matter if it was here in Michigan or some other city, Rogers needed a come-to-jesus moment where he decided to change his life.
Lots of variables as to why people do drugs, stay doing drugs, get addicted, etc. Hard to speculate what would have changed their life other than the person themselves wanting to change.
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Or how about instead of moving away (which is also called the “geographic cure”, and almost never works), or hoping against hope that you meet that one special person (which is not a sufficient solution either against the disease of alcoholism), why not swallow your pride and go to AA- like Raider teammates Darren Waller and Maxx Crosby?
There are over 2 million active members of Alcoholics Anonymous around the world right now who are living their 12-step recovery a day at a time and enjoying fantastic lives. No white knuckling, no jonesing, no repeated relapses. Most members of AA (including myself) have outrageous stories and were considered utterly hopeless. Guys like Charlie Sheen, Eminem, Robert Downey Jr, and Anthony Hopkins fly under the radar publicly, but “the program” has saved their lives and provided them with a design for living that really works. It’s amazing.
I thought it was pathetic and the worst thing that could’ve ever happened to a nice drunk like me, but it’s turned out to be the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me. Changed my life completely. AA isn’t perfect but it’s proven, it delivers, and it’s free!
A shame Charles Benjamin Rogers never got to taste the sweet freedom of sobriety.
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Here is where I need to steer you in another direction. Its not that he was guaranteed to be successful in Houston or some random other city. The observation is strictly about the results of leaving some players in their current environment or the environment they have had issues with. For Rogers staying in the same orbit that he had already had so many issues with was something he needed to get out of to have a chance. The observation that Rogers needed to get out of Michigan does not mean he would have been naturally successful anywhere else.
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This would be really funny if his name Jeff Smoker. So I actually thought Charles Rogers would be really good. One of my first lessons as a draftnik amateur.
Chuck was also very very dumb.
Plus, we had to hire his college head coach as our WR coach just to keep an eye on him.
Failed and failed. Where is Bobby Williams now anyways? Behind the dumpster giving handjobs for cash?
Special Teams coordinator for Oregon you say after a stint as a special assistant for Saban and before that a HS coaching gig?
My guess was pretty real close.
Reading his Wikipedia page is just sad:
- 8 Children with 4 Women - Charles had 2 Children before graduating High School
- Died of Liver Failure at age 38. Destroyed his liver with a Vicodin addiction
- Arrested for assault and battery of girlfriend
- Arrested for DUI
- Ran a 4.8 in 2006 trying out for Miami after running a 4.4 at the 2003 combine.
I’m pretty sure @BigNatty said this in an unrelated thread, but you will find what you seek (paraphrasing). His life challenges were most likely a stressor, but also could’ve been a motivator. Unfortunately from this whole thread and the insights everyone has provided, it seems like he just didn’t have good people around him, or didn’t listen to the ones he had, and in the end it’s what you make of it and he succumbed instead of overcoming. But again never judge until you walk a mile in their shoes as the saying goes.
Life is a convoluted messed up thing. We make of it what we do and we absolutely all make “mistakes” or simply life decisions which lead us to where we go. And how we address them and handle them (or don’t handle them) can dictate so much. And on top of that it can happen in the blink of an eye. In 2 years everything you had can be gone. In 2 seconds it can be gone.
Maybe being out of state would’ve given him a chance, maybe if he stayed healthy and had the team around him he wouldn’t have had so much time off… I don’t know. His story is sad and yet not uncommon in the grand scheme of things.
I remember him flashing amazing potential and being an incredible athlete. I might’ve been a couple years younger than @wesleysh21 but it sounds like we were in college around the same time, albeit a couple years apart and I was at UM, but had many visits to MSU. I remember him being drafted and that first game and thinking oh my goodness, did the lions just set themselves up with Harrington and Rogers for the next 10 years? And then it all went away in the blink of an eye.
Whether it’s success or failure, it’s what you seek is such a true thing, and so many choices but ultimately the choice of self love is the most important one you can make.
Also not trying to ape your show @BigNatty but just thinking what I’ve learned from ya and what you’d possibly say 
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Dude, I WANT you to get something from that stuff. That’s why I put it out there. Sending love to the universe. I’m secretly hoping people are teaching this stuff to their spouses, kids, siblings, etc. I’m here to spread love into the world.
p.s. I’d LOVE to work with rooks going into the NFL.
I would love to be the resident coach for the Lions.
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In the end I’m sorry he never turned out to be the great WR and historic Lion he could’ve been but I’m more sorry his life became what it was. In the end as much as we may pride ourselves on our individual strength, we all need relationships. A lot of this sounds like he just never had great ones in any aspect that supported him. Just my perception/opinion as I didn’t know him and obviously didn’t know a lot about his personal life.
Lol I was just typing it and thinking “well this sounds like something you would say…”
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I have so much to say about energy assimilation, and masterminds, and how we absorb things that are aligned with us, and those things become part of us. All energy transfer. So good. Thankful if it is helping ya, man.
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Right on dude. It always helps and I’m the end I think we kind of approach things in similar ways. Even if differences in approaches it all comes back to love. You’re a good man!
I receive that, bro. Thank you!
You too, buddy!
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I’d still take Deion. Teams would go entire games without throwing to his side of the field. Being able to double team the other guys #2 because had their #1 locked up would be huge. A QB mistake and Deion could take it to the house. Then you throw in his return ability. Easy would have taken him a talent like him at #3. He’s what you call a generational talent.
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Go back and re-read what I said and really think about it. If you want Deion just go trade or buy Deion. You don’t have to draft him. That’s the point. Deion only spent 38% of his career with the team that draft him, and none of the other teams had to use the 5th overall pick to obtain his services. And that’s not even unique. If you start naming the best corners in the last 20 years you’ll notice the same thing.
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I wouldn’t label Okudah a bust. He had the unfortunate luck of being zeroed in on by the keen talented eyes of one Bob Quinn and being over drafted at #3OA. Being a rookie in the covid year, trying to learn thru zoom meetings and having such an outstanding coach as Matt Patricia didn’t help either.
As @radiofriendly stated Okudah does work hard but has had some unfortunate injuries. He studies the game and wants to be great. Just when ya think he has a chance to show what he can do this year his season is over.
Charles Rogers was a talented football player that could’ve been great. He was an addict that ultimately let his addictions take over and destroy him.
Reading @wesleysh21 personal insight of Rogers in college that Rogers drug use was known makes the decision to pick him mind boggling. But as a life long Lions fan it’s par for the course.
I wish Okudah well and from what we’ve seen work ethic wise from this young man I expect him to come back. Time will tell what his career will be but I don’t think he’s a bust. I’m leaning towards the thinking of switching him to Safety.
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It was known to us in his immediate orbit but not something that was broadcast. However I have come to the conclusion that if a guy has a “diluted sample” at the combine its a huge red flag. Players try to make the excuse of “well I drank a ton of water before the test because I was having trouble peeing.” But I’ve heard people who have knowledge of the testing methods who say the amount of water you have to drink is beyond anything but intentional dilution.
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You are correct. You either are drinking a TON of water OR you take a diuretic which would also increase the amount of water in a sample (essentially pulls the water out of your body) OR are directly inserting water/saline into the bladder via catheter.
We had a Navy testing lab in San Diego and all new students went on a tour of that lab and they learned EXACTLY how testing was done, what was tested for and people still did drugs. Before every Christmas break (students went home for 2 weeks) we had a briefing to all students that they WILL get tested when they get back from break. We lost students EVERY year after break and some people just can’t say no and these were just kids in the military. Someone like Rogers stood to lose millions of dollars because he didn’t want to give up drugs.
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Okudah is not on the bust level of Rogers. Not yet. BUT…it is getting close. Okudah was struggling early in year two but that isn’t uncommon for a CB. Slay was horrific in year one and got better. Okudah ha one game in year two and he is now done.
The concern is that his development is now stalled and he was trending down as it was. It is reasonable to think his future here just isn’t as a CB and if so yep, that is a HUGE sign of a bust. Holmes and Campbell are not going to wait for Okudah to become a good CB. I am not saying calling him a bust yet because he is a harding young man and his future is still uncertain. But he does have a one way ticket to Bustville though and his future is uncertain.
In the 2020 draft I was sure the Lions were going to pick DT Derrick Brown. I picked Brown in my moct Lionstalk competition and that blew my whole draft board. The kid was a known beast against the run and has potential against the pass. That would have been a better move then and now. Brown was the second highest Panthers defender in week one 2021.
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