Calvin Ridley "A Letter to the Game" (2 Viewers)

[saintmdterps]

Outstanding read & a LOT of respect for the man laying bare his emotions for all to see.

A Letter to the Game | By Calvin Ridley

All I want is for people to understand that, when I made those bets, there was a hell of a lot more going on with me.

www.theplayerstribune.com

Wow. I can't imagine. I don't think Calvin Ridley is unique in his struggles with pain and the pressure to play, as well as the anxiety and depression that arise from those issues. What is unique is his honesty. Letters like this help to remove the stigma of mental health issues.

I also deal with depression, counseling is a help. When I rolled my ankle I went to the doctor to make sure it wasn;t broken. When I suffered personal and professional setbacks I sought counseling to make sure my mind wasn't broken. It was in fact broken, but there is no cast for the mind. Only the hard work of being honest with your counselor, even when it hurts. It's rehab for the mind.

I wish you well, brother. I'll pull for you on and off the field

 

[Snakehead]

Are the Saints able to sign him. He would be a very nice WR3 to have provided MT is healthy and an upgrade over Landry.

With him M.T, OLAVE, SHAHEED and TQS that's a very nice group. At this point I would take TQS over Callaway.

The Jags traded for him before the trade deadline. It was really a smart move on their part because they didn't give up much for a very talented player.

 

[kennydfresh]

I became a fan, great read!

 

[sammymvpknight]

The Jags feel like they are going to wreck the AFC South for about a decade

 

[Optimus Prime]

Great read, thanks for posting

Semi related: I see else aren’t the only team with a bad medical staff

 

[jayd265]

stuff likes this is why i get frustrated when players get hurt and fans are like "they get paid millions, i'd be out there if it was me"

no you wouldnt.

these are top athletes, that are still going thru day to day life just like the rest of us. money doesnt fix everything in life.

we never know where these players truly come from. i know i wouldve never thought he was taken to a foster home at 8 years old. that letter was powerful

pulling for this guy. wish hed be a saint.

 

[saintmdterps]

stuff likes this is why i get frustrated when players get hurt and fans are like "they get paid millions, i'd be out there if it was me"

no you wouldnt.

these are top athletes, that are still going thru day to day life just like the rest of us. money doesnt fix everything in life.

we never know where these players truly come from. i know i wouldve never thought he was taken to a foster home at 8 years old. that letter was powerful

pulling for this guy. wish hed be a saint.

Be nice to everyone you meet. We're all fighting some kind of battle

 

[El Caliente]

Is it wild to anyone else how the league has made such a hard push to make money off of sports gambling, but their players aren’t allowed to participate in the gambling?

 

[GrandAdmiral]

Is it wild to anyone else how the league has made such a hard push to make money off of sports gambling, but their players aren’t allowed to participate in the gambling?

It's not wild at all. I don't think they prohibit them from gambling at all, just not on football, which I definitely understand.

 

[jayd265]

Be nice to everyone you meet. We're all fighting some kind of battle

exactly. never know what someones dealing with behind the scenes.

coming from someone thats dealt with depression but no one would've known.

 

[GeauxSainz]

Good read.

 

[Optimus Prime]

There was a player (forget who but wasn't a Saint), I don't remember exactly when it was, but it was ages ago when either when the internet, Facebook or Twitter first got big and online trolls became a thing

The player was getting a bunch of shirt online and basically responded with "I go out and play a professional football game in pain that would keep these forkers in bed for a week!"

 

[efil4stnias]

That was fantastic.

I hope he blows the doors off in 2023 for Jacksonville. I will be rooting for that young man hard.

So happy he found someone to talk to, to open up and release that inner stress that can kill from the inside. There is no shame in having help navigate life. None.

My youngest has one and it has changed her in ways we couldnt imagine. In ways we couldnt because we were "mom and dad". We recognized, she recognized and made it happen.

I hope more people who need help read that and decide "its time".

I hope he gets everything he desires out of life.

 

[GrandAdmiral]

One thing I can say. The league really needs to do a league-wide assessment of these medical staffs. Ridley went an entire year with a broken foot. A bone bruise? Really? That's all types of forked up.

 

[nolaswede]

The Jags feel like they are going to wreck the AFC South for about a decade

Who would have thought that a few years ago!