Cris Carter, Motivational Speaker, Breaks It Down for NFL Rookies

If the television thing doesn't work out for Cris Carter, he's got a future in motivational speaking. Carter was the final speaker at this week's NFL Rookie Symposium, and his message was what you might expect -- don't do drugs, don't fall for groupies, don't start a dog-fighting enterprise, so on and so forth -- but his delivery was what made it memorable.

It was part overdramatized reality teevee, part televangelist. No mention of living in a van down by the river, however. Either way, I think he got through to almost everybody.

One player made the mistake of dozing off while Carter was speaking, and the player was awakened by a scolding he won't forget. Carter pointed out to the audience - but also to the player - that if you don't want to listen to people who know more than you and who can help you navigate through what lies ahead, then odds are you won't be in the league for long because someone who does want to learn will take your job.

Carter also explained how today's NFL is nothing like the one he played in during his 16-year career that started in 1987 and spanned the Pete Rozelle and Paul Tagliabue eras.

"I don't think Michael Irvin and I could have played in the league we have now. Roger Goodell, man ... Rog ain't got no rules, man. ... If you screw up -- I mean, it ain't etched in stone that you might get two or three games -- Rog gonna sit you down, though. We're seeing guys get suspended for the first time for stuff we've never seen before. So if y'all think the league is the same as it was then ... it is not, man. They ain't messin' around, bro."

Sounds familiar. On Wednesday, Stephanie Stradley did a fantastic job of documenting the implications of Roger Goodell's arbitrary approach to the league's personal conduct policy. Short story: making up the rules as you go along might be good for short-term public perception, but it doesn't address the problem. Somehow, that isn't obvious to Rog.