Cardinals DL Darnell Dockett's unfortunate tweet

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First of all I never thought I would type the word "tweet." :eek: Secondly, Darnell, how else were we supposed to take your remark besides murdering your wife because she might get half your stuff in a divorce? Thirdly he got in deeper by insisting that O.J. was innocent which will cause even more controversy than his tweet.

I like it when players and coaches of rival NFC West teams say and do stupid things over the off-season. Keep it up guys. The more distractions for your team, the better.
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Darnell Dockett makes stir with O.J. comments
Posted by Mike Florio on June 22, 2014

dockett.jpg
AP

In most cases, Cardinals defensive lineman Darnell Dockett is colorful and entertaining and ultimately harmless on Twitter. On Saturday night, he shared an observation that even he soon realized should be deleted.

“When you get married and shit don’t work out,” Dockett said. “She want 1/2 ‘HALF’ and see that’s where I have a issue.. I don’t blame OJ nevermind.”

After many reacted negatively to Dockett’s endorsement of O.J. Simpson’s alleged murder of his wife from 20 years ago, Dockett said, “I deleted my last tweet because y’all would take what I said wrong and I don’t feel like explaining where I’m coming from.”

And while he didn’t explain where he was coming from, Dockett finished with a flourish.

“And FYI I was not talking about murder,” Dockett said, again without explaining what he was talking about. “But if this was the case let’s not forget Oj was innocent and he proved it in court!”

Of course, O.J. wasn’t innocent. He was found not guilty because a jury disregarded overwhelming DNA evidence and other proof, locking instead on Simpson deftly spreading his fingers just enough to keep his bloody gloves from fitting his hands. A civil jury later found Simpson responsible for killing his ex-wife and her friend, imposing a verdict on him of $33.5 million.

Dockett will likely face no scrutiny from the NFL or the Cardinals for his comments, and many would say he shouldn’t. Dockett is on his own time, away from work. If he wants to say something stupid, insensitive, or inflammatory, that’s his right. (And it’s everyone else’s right to point out that he’s being stupid, insensitive, and/or inflammatory.)

Making the situation a bit more delicate for the NFL and the team is the fact that, if Dockett had made a comment reflecting reluctance to tolerate or accept Rams defensive end Michael Sam or any other gay player, actions possibly would have been taken. It’s a balance the NFL and its teams will have a hard time striking, if teams like the Dolphins willcontinue to discipline players like defensive back Don Jones for things said on Twitter about Sam.

Darnell Dockett on divorce: 'I don't blame O.J.'
By Kami Mattioli

Darnell Dockett, the NFL's king of non-sequiturs and facepalm-worthy moments, has really outdone himself this time.

Dockett's Twitter feed reads like a bizarre stream of consciousness on good days, and on Saturday night he used it to opine about marriage.

But his tweet went far off the rails when he drew comparisons between pre-nuptial agreements and O.J. Simpson.

Some have pointed out that Dockett's tweet reads like an old Chris Rock skit, but the average person may not make that connection.

And, even if the words were in fact lifted from a Rock joke, it doesn't make the statement any less tasteless.

At what point do the Cardinals (or the league, if we're aiming high here) step in and muzzle Dockett?

Is intimating that committing violence against a spouse is a better solution than splitting money just not crazy enough for them to do something?
 

ScotsRam

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I usually like Florios stuff because he strikes me as an anti-establishment guy, and I can respect that and relate to it. But there was really no need to bring Michael Sam into that piece, that was totally irrelevant.
 

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I usually like Florios stuff because he strikes me as an anti-establishment guy, and I can respect that and relate to it. But there was really no need to bring Michael Sam into that piece, that was totally irrelevant.

Yeah that does seem kind of strange. Florio used to be a lawyer before he struck gold with PFT. I enjoy his insights on the legal aspects of the NFL but not the constant pushing of his social agendas such as getting the Redskins to change their name. Still, it's his site, co-owned by NBC, and he can do what he wants.
 

ScotsRam

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Don't get me wrong, I don't always agree with him. But in a world of football writers scared to say something controversial he sticks to his convictions. I admire that.
 

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I wish Dockett would keep talking and get himself into trouble and get suspended for being an idiot. That way we could even run Sam Bradford up the middle against that sorry ass depleted front seven.
 

RamFan503

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I usually like Florios stuff because he strikes me as an anti-establishment guy, and I can respect that and relate to it. But there was really no need to bring Michael Sam into that piece, that was totally irrelevant.
Yeah - it was like he needed a few more words and reached into left field to pull out that little useless nugget.
 

jrry32

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Yeah that does seem kind of strange. Florio used to be a lawyer before he struck gold with PFT. I enjoy his insights on the legal aspects of the NFL but not the constant pushing of his social agendas such as getting the Redskins to change their name. Still, it's his site, co-owned by NBC, and he can do what he wants.

It shocks me that a Florio, as a former lawyer, would make such a pointless observation as OJ being held liable in civil court. Being a lawyer, Florio knows that there's a different burden of proof in civil court when compared to criminal court.

Then again, I've never much liked Florio.
 

mr.stlouis

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I usually like Florios stuff because he strikes me as an anti-establishment guy, and I can respect that and relate to it. But there was really no need to bring Michael Sam into that piece, that was totally irrelevant.

Agreed. WTH did Sam have to do with that? Sam is a Rams football player and is treated as such within the Rams. Others may see it different, but Sam is a football player, first. So lame...
 

LesBaker

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What a stupid thing to say.

I understand the connection Florio is making with Sam and Dockett. He's just saying the NFL could punish him if they wanted for saying something insensitive/over the top. Though I feel the NFL is on a slippery slope because there really isn't any policy surrounding social media.
 

fearsomefour

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I can see the entertainment value in his comment. He is basically parroting something Chris Rock said in his stand up.
And who cares anyway? As much as the sensitivity police would love to punish people for thoughts and words this tweet is not related to any actions. The NFL can fine him of course for making a joke.
If I was close to an active pro jock I would really try to persuade them to not use social media, no upside.
 

GreeneCounty

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Another note I see the CARDS falling off this year. Palmer is up there and I am not that impressed with there offense. Think they are gonna be weak link in west this year.
 

AZRamsFan93

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I wish Dockett would keep talking and get himself into trouble and get suspended for being an idiot. That way we could even run Sam Bradford up the middle against that sorry ass depleted front seven.
I agree with your sentiment, but not running Sam up the middle... :)
 

Speeps

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This is Darnell being Darnell. However, the Sam comment was completely misplaced.
 

jjab360

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I usually like Florios stuff because he strikes me as an anti-establishment guy, and I can respect that and relate to it. But there was really no need to bring Michael Sam into that piece, that was totally irrelevant.
I can't fucking stand the guy, always has some backhanded comment to make about the Rams, this being a case in point.
 

Ramrasta

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Dockett's comments are ignorant on his part but social media moderates itself. I'm not sure if Florio is making a case that Dockett should be fined for his tweet or if he is saying the NFL takes too much control of players personal lives but the NFL has overstepped its realistic bounds as far as that's concerned. The NFL should allow freedom of speech in these types of situations (just not freedom of actions). They even fined Lynch for not speaking which is absolutely ridiculous. Just chill Roger.
 

WvuIN02

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I dont get all the hate towards Florio here.

Imo, all he was doing is saying that a comment about a gay player (it wouldn't matter who drafted Sam) would bring discipline from a team, so there should be some sort of precedent set since murder is a far more serious thing to be tweeting about. Why one and not the other is where I think he was going with that comparison.
 

RamFan503

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I dont get all the hate towards Florio here.

Imo, all he was doing is saying that a comment about a gay player (it wouldn't matter who drafted Sam) would bring discipline from a team, so there should be some sort of precedent set since murder is a far more serious thing to be tweeting about. Why one and not the other is where I think he was going with that comparison.
I can see your point. I guess it just came off a bit clumsy. That and I think most around Rams camp are a bit edgy about all the Sam attention.