Ex-49ers RB Coffee: The NFL ruins lives

[BLUE 1,026]

Per Rotoworld.com:

 

Although former 49ers RB Glen Coffee still wants to play football at the recreational level, he believes the NFL "ruins lives."

"Because what happens is they see that as success," says Coffee. "And money throughout your life has nothing to with your salvation in Christ. A lot of players get that money. And they chase that money ... they're really missing the true meaning of life." Asked if he would return to the NFL one day, Coffee responded, "I never say never ... If the Lord should say that I should return one day, then I'll return. But as of right now, I don't see that happening." May 19, 4:29 PM

 

Source: Sacramento Bee

[Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014]

Coffee is a douchebag. He went to the NFL to get paid and then retired after he did so and is now acting like everyone that does that is wrong. He got arrested a while back for carrying a gun illegally and this fucker wants to talk about Christ and how the NFL and money ruins lives? Fuck off.

[Maverick 791]

And Zachary hits the nail on the head yet again.

 

Glen Coffee is one of the last people that should be trying to act as a psychologist with a recent history like his.

[Vin+ 3,121]

Coffee is a douchebag. He went to the NFL to get paid and then retired after he did so and is now acting like everyone that does that is wrong. He got arrested a while back for carrying a gun illegally and this fucker wants to talk about Christ and how the NFL and money ruins lives? Fuck off.

 

He was arrested, after he was pulled over for speeding, for driving a vehicle that was unregistered and uninsured. The gun charge later got dropped because, "Under Florida law, a person can possess a concealed firearm if it's 'securely encased.'"

[Shotgun 442]

Oh come come now, my esteemed African-American brother....surely you jest.

[badgers 380]

It's their job they need the money.

 

An electrician chases money. A CEO chases money. Everyone chases money.

 

What a chump.

[BwareDWare94 723]

I think this was more a racial comment than a God comment.

[CARDINAL 205]

I personally don't see how the fuck this is a story in the first place. Glen Coffee played one season in the NFL, and achieved only 1 rushing TD and less than 300 rushing yards. It is his choice if he wants to give up the opportunity to make a decent living for a few (average career for an NFL player) seasons and then finish school or do anything else he wants to do. I just think this is pretty sad when they are writing stories about douchebags like Coffee who are less significant then what I had for lunch at work today.

Edited May 20, 2011 by CARDINALOFWISDOM

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

A guy goes into the NFL, and after a year decides to leave because he wants to pursue his religious beliefs, and get an education and all the sudden he's a 'douchebag'? a 'hypocrite'?

 

That's an unfair judgement.

 

It's their job they need the money.

 

An electrician chases money. A CEO chases money. Everyone chases money.

 

What a chump.

 

He never said there was a thing wrong with trying to get money, he said their is something wrong with pursuing money and making it the be all end all.

 

And their No. 1 reason - their only reason - is money. It saddens me, man. If your only focus is money, you're going to be sorely disappointed.

 

Read more: http://blogs.sacbee.com/49ers/archives/2011/05/glen-coffee-the.html#ixzz1Mruu3Swi

 

He's simply implying that there is more to life then just 'paper chasing' and it's true.

[Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014]

A guy goes into the NFL, and after a year decides to leave because he wants to pursue his religious beliefs, and get an education and all the sudden he's a 'douchebag'? a 'hypocrite'?

 

That's an unfair judgement.

 

So he didn't want to pursue Christ before applying for the draft? He didn't want to pursue Christ before signing his contract that netted him $1,472,744? That's some bullshit. If he wanted God and money wasn't everything, he'd have never signed up for the draft and he'd never have signed his rookie contract.

[Guest MikeyDay]

So he didn't want to pursue Christ before applying for the draft? He didn't want to pursue Christ before signing his contract that netted him $1,472,744? That's some bullshit. If he wanted God and money wasn't everything, he'd have never signed up for the draft and he'd never have signed his rookie contract.

 

Well he retired. I just think he meant players only go to the NFL for the money and not for the game in the one part of his statement. Which id agree on. The Christ thing, well some ppl find Christ in different times and i dont see nothing wrong on it. The money is PART of playing football but shouldnt be just the main reason, it should be a balance of money and wanting to play for passion. Players like Jerome Bettis dont come in much anymore, take pay cuts for THE GAME, TO PLAY. Again i dont see nothing wrong in his statements as long he stays with what he saids.

Edited May 20, 2011 by MikeyDay

[Krawnka 282]

Yep, because the church doesn't care about your money right?

 

He'll be back once his church has bled his pocket dry.

[BoneKrusher+ 1,276]

and the kettle calls the pot black.

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

So he didn't want to pursue Christ before applying for the draft? He didn't want to pursue Christ before signing his contract that netted him $1,472,744? That's some bullshit. If he wanted God and money wasn't everything, he'd have never signed up for the draft and he'd never have signed his rookie contract.

 

He played a full season in the NFL, it's not like he just came in, signed a contract to get paid and chucked up the deuces. And im pretty sure (though I could be wrong) that he even said when this whole thing first broke out that he always thought in the back of his head he was doing the wrong thing, "not listening to God," and that he decided after a year that he was "tired of not pleasing God".

 

Well he retired. I just think he meant players only go to the NFL for the money and not for the game in the one part of his statement. Which id agree on. The Christ thing, well some ppl find Christ in different times and i dont see nothing wrong on it.

 

This is exactly how I feel. The guy seems humble, seems like he has his head on straight. He's got a view and so far he has stuck with it. IMO until he does something that truly contradicts anything he's done, I don't see any reason for hating on the guy for his decision.

[Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014]

He played a full season in the NFL, it's not like he just came in, signed a contract to get paid and chucked up the deuces. And im pretty sure (though I could be wrong) that he even said when this whole thing first broke out that he always thought in the back of his head he was doing the wrong thing, "not listening to God," and that he decided after a year that he was "tired of not pleasing God".

 

He played a full season in which he carried the ball 83 times. He got paid a LOT of money and then quit. If he knew that he wanted to please God and all that crap, why would he ever go to the NFL? Money. $1.472 million.

 

 

 

This is exactly how I feel. The guy seems humble, seems like he has his head on straight. He's got a view and so far he has stuck with it. IMO until he does something that truly contradicts anything he's done, I don't see any reason for hating on the guy for his decision.

 

Yeah, he's got his head on straight. He drove a car around that was unregistered and uninsured while carrying a gun and speeding. Now he's this high and mighty, preachy douche that wants to act like he knows best because he's "with Christ". It's a bunch of bullshit.

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

He played a full season in which he carried the ball 83 times. He got paid a LOT of money and then quit. If he knew that he wanted to please God and all that crap, why would he ever go to the NFL? Money. $1.472 million.

 

He was contemplating quitting from the start, before he entered the NFL draft. He only went on to through the draft, and through football because it's what was expected of him from everyone around him. He quit because he was tired of ignoring "God's call".

 

His will, I felt, wasn't football. I felt like I forced football because everyone expected me to play football. He told me a long time ago to walk away from the game.

http://www.aolnews.com/2010/08/14/glen-coffee-on-sudden-retirement-ive-told-christ-its-time-to/

 

And it's not like he's taken the cash and blown it off, he has done everything he said he would do, he has gone back to school and has apparently done some outreaching... Im not gonna deny he quit, but if he quit because of his religious view and his will to finish his education, I don't see why there's any reason to rip the guy personally.

 

 

 

Yeah, he's got his head on straight. He drove a car around that was unregistered and uninsured while carrying a gun and speeding. Now he's this high and mighty, preachy douche that wants to act like he knows best because he's "with Christ". It's a bunch of bullshit.

 

Carrying a loaded gun in a concealed location is legal in Florida, the compartment that it was in was closed, he did nothing wrong by having the gun where it was. And there is a difference between buying a gun with the intention to kill, and the intention to protect yourself. In the interview he brings up two cases where his life was possibly in danger when he was a sophomore. that was before he "found Christ", he purchased a gun at that time as well, the same gun that was in his car. There is nothing wrong with having a gun in a concealed area in your car for protection-- I wouldn't do it because i've been taught that Jesus is enough, but it has been noted in the Bible even that some of Jesus' disciples carried weapons to protect themselves.

 

Driving an unregistered and/or uninsured car may be a bad thing, but even when you believe in any God your still human, and still make mistakes. Tons of people get in trouble for it a day who are Christians, there are people who get in trouble of doing it and they aren't Christians but they have never been in trouble with the law before. As far as we know it was his car, so it's not like he stole it, it's bad. Same goes for speeding... Everybody speeds when they are driving, he just happened to of been caught. As far as I see he's just a guy who's doing everything he can to live the way he said he was going to when retired... And this whole thing is getting overblown.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

He was contemplating quitting from the start, before he entered the NFL draft. He only went on to through the draft, and through football because it's what was expected of him from everyone around him. He quit because he was tired of ignoring "God's call".

 

 

 

 

 

Please tell me you don't really believe that. If so, you're alone.

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

Please tell me you don't really believe that. If so, you're alone.

 

Then I guess I am alone. I just don't see how it's fair to judge someone of being or doing something when there isn't any hard evidence to back it up...

[rzb+ 367]

There's plenty of religious guys in the NFL, who also stay out of trouble.

 

It seems Coffee is using the NFL as his excuse for loss of faith which is a bit lame but at the same time, it's good that he realizes his loss and is making strides to fix it. Good luck to him.

[Maverick 791]

Then I guess I am alone. I just don't see how it's fair to judge someone of being or doing something when there isn't any hard evidence to back it up...

 

You're not completely alone, DMac. You and I have very similar beliefs in regards to Christ and I do believe that a man will answer God's calling for them at different times of their lives.

 

Now who am I to judge, but personally I feel that Coffee is not one of those people because of his criminal background and doing it a year after he signs that contract. I could be wrong, that's just my opinion if I had to take a guess.

[GA_Eagle 595]

A couple of things.

 

-He's giving an interview. He answered honestly how he felt. Its not like he walked up to a podium and started calling folks out. What he said wasn't revolutionary or anything new.

 

-He did something stupid for sure, but its not like he stole the car or hurt anyone. He didn't get his car registered or insured. Big woop. Also, I take a gun in may car sometimes, depending on where I'm going. Another big woop.

 

My bigger issue with Coffee is taking the money and running. If you really believe its poison you give it all back. Sure he didn't return and therefore missed out on a lot of money in the long run, but he made a lot of money too for very little production

[Maverick 791]

A couple of things.

 

-He's giving an interview. He answered honestly how he felt. Its not like he walked up to a podium and started calling folks out. What he said wasn't revolutionary or anything new.

 

-He did something stupid for sure, but its not like he stole the car or hurt anyone. He didn't get his car registered or insured. Big woop. Also, I take a gun in may car sometimes, depending on where I'm going. Another big woop.

 

My bigger issue with Coffee is taking the money and running. If you really believe its poison you give it all back. Sure he didn't return and therefore missed out on a lot of money in the long run, but he made a lot of money too for very little production

 

That is something I forgot to include in my post, thank you for the reminder. If he really did feel that God's calling was now, the biggest action he could take to prove that to folks is giving most of that money back to the poor and needy.

[FartWaffles 1,857]

Per NFLEvolution:

 

Former 49er Glen Coffee close to completing Airborne School

 

After one season with the San Francisco 49ers, running back Glen Coffee went to training camp. And then he quit after two weeks.

 

Coffee said at the time that his heart was not into football and he planned to return to the University of Alabama. But Al.com reported that Coffee has changed course with his life again. He joined the U.S. Army in February and is about to graduate from Airborne School in Fort Benning, Ga.

 

“You don’t remember much of your first jump,” Coffee said in a phone interview with AL.com on Thursday. “You remember the wind hitting you, the prop blast and then before you know it, your chute opens up and then you’re floating in the air and you’re like, ‘OK, I could get used to this. I could get the hang of this.’”

 

Coffee’s demeanor changed with each passing jump. His eyes open wide, Coffee now smiles and laughs when he’s supposed to be counting down from five.

 

“I can’t help it,” he said. “Maybe it’s a mechanism to deal with my fear, but it’s kind of fun for me now.”

 

As he talked Thursday, Coffee was moments away from completing his fifth and final jump required to complete Airborne School at Fort Benning in Georgia. He graduates Friday and hopes to be on his way soon to Fort Bragg in North Carolina, where his goal of becoming a member of the U.S. Army Special Forces eventually could be realized.

 

“I know my motivation and I know my focus,” Coffee said. “I just felt like being in an elite unit would pretty much weed out anybody who didn’t have the drive and focus that I believe I have. I feel like if I make it in (Special Forces), that guy to my left and my right is somebody I could depend on with my life and visa versa.”

 

Coffee said he had thought about joining the military as far back as 2006, when he suffered a knee injury at Alabama. Coffee recovered and had a stellar season with the Crimson Tide, but he said he lost his love for football.

 

When he quit the NFL , he said at the time it was for religious reasons. He went through some troubled times before he decided on joining the Army.

 

Coffee said he has had no second thoughts and no regrets about his decision to leave the NFL. He eventually wants to become a minister, but considers that to be more of a long-term goal.

 

In the short-term, Coffee is focused on the next jump.

 

“I expect it to be the hardest thing I’ve done in my life physically and mentally,” Coffee said, “but I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

 

– Bill Bradley, contributing editor

Thought it would be interesting to bump this thread with this article, especially considering all the ruckus he created at these forums over his suddenness leaving from the NFL. Seems as though that he's doing alright.

[RANGA+ 1,210]

Glad to see he's found something that he truly enjoys.