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It sounds like Haley and the Chiefs looked into Baldwin's issues, discovered that they were blown out of proportion, and had no problem taking him in the first round.
Baldwin's "issues" stem from some comments he made about the coaches and QB at Pitt weren't getting him the ball enough. I believe the comments were made after a frustrating loss. I've heard that the comments were overblown. But, the media ran with it and it developed into "major character concerns" in the draft.
Call him a diva for that if you want, but I know a lot of talented receivers that are vocal about wanting the ball. Non-issue to me.
Also, I'm defending Baldwin not because I believe he is innocent in this situation, but because he has done good things up until this point and the source that these reports stem from is a notorious idiot. Nick Wright is a small market sports radio host. He's not a real reporter. He doesn't have legit sources. He makes shit up all the time so he has stuff to talk about on his show. Yet, unfortunately, other media outlets spread his "reports" like they are facts.
The real facts are that Baldwin has been a good teammate up to this point. He stayed at Matt Cassel's home in the off-season to learn the playbook and develop a relationship with his QB. It was Baldwin's idea to take Cassel down to Joplin, MO to help tornado victims. Baldwin, without a contract, without any ties to that area, went down to help strangers in a time of need. Yeah, sounds like the guy has some character concerns.Comment
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Yeah.
There's also this...Eric Edholm(from Pro Football Weekly)
Hearing Thomas Jones-Jonathan Baldwin fight might not have been the rookie's fault. Certainly makes sense given past TJ behavior. #chiefs
In talking to some people close to the University of Pittsburgh football program on Friday, I discovered a few different takes on Baldwin and some of those rumors.
I was told that Baldwin wasn’t a locker room distraction as was portrayed in various pre-draft reports about his character. The person we spoke with, who wanted to stay anonymous, said that Baldwin was a gym rat who worked hard to maintain his body. And further, that he never gave less than 110% when he was on the field.
Yes we were told that he has a confidence that can come off as arrogant. But what NFL player, doesn’t have that charm.
So what really happened? Why did Baldwin go off on Jones?
Per an NFL source, Baldwin since training camp began in St. Joseph had been ridden hard by Head Coach Todd Haley, who champions his coaching philosophy to his mentor, Bill Parcells. So the hazing a head coach can bring down on a player, is hardly a shocker.
After all, Haley did the same thing to All Pro Wide Receiver, Dwayne Bowe two years ago. And look at him now.
He kicked him into his doghouse and eventually it made an impact. Bowe turned around his 2010 season and was one of the most feared wide receivers in the game. And it’s been well documented that Bowe, like Baldwin, has some serious ‘Show’ in his nature.
So Haley felt that those tactics would do for Baldwin what they did for Bowe. Apparently that backfired.
From what we’ve been told, Baldwin had become increasingly agitated with the way in which he was being spoken to by the head coach. So whatever transpired on Wednesday between player and head coach, back-up running back Thomas Jones decided to get in the middle of the fire.Comment
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Great story, but that has little to so with this story. I really don't care about what people say about him and neither should you. Ray Lewis is my favorite player of all-time and we all know he's had his issues. In the end it isn't my job to defend him. I have no issues with any so called "diva" WR...not even Freddie Mitchell....who cares? Everyone doesn't have to have the personality of a guy who is just happy to be there. If Baldwin is arrogant or a punk who cares? That has little to do with any of us.
I just don't see why you feel the need to defend him as if you've been there with his experiences. Okay, he went to Joplin and volunteered his time....good for him, but something obviously happened between him and Jones. Its not as if he was sitting in his locker reading his Bible and Jones just hits him and he falls to the ground injuring his wrist.Comment
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Because idiots are reporting on Baldwin like they were there with his experiences. They weren't. They don't know what happened anymore than you or I do. But, they act like they do. That's what I have a problem with. I don't like bad journalism and bad reporting unfairly criticizing a player on my team and giving him a bad rep around the league. That's annoying.
I also have a problem with Thomas Jones being in the middle of this. The Chiefs don't need him policing the locker room and getting players hurt...especially players that the Chiefs are counting on.
The fight itself isn't a big deal. That shit happens all the time. It's the fact that Baldwin hurt himself and will miss valuable time. Hopefully it's a learning experience for him and he comes back and makes an impact.Comment
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Thomas was a #6 overall pick who seriously underperformed with his first team.
He picked up plenty of steam once he left Arizona, but there's no denying he was a serious disappointment there. And by the team he became the kind of back he was supposed to be, he was already pushing that age where teams are reluctant to pay a RB accordingly.
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