Teddy 'Over Troubled' Bridgewater

[MaroonBells]

Weird story. Teddy certainly wouldn't be the first high school football coach to spend his own money to help get his players what they need. I'm just curious why the writer of the tweet chose to put "recovery services" in quotes. Many are going to read that in a winking way, as if something more nefarious were involved.

[purplefaithful]

MIAMI — Former NFL quarterback Teddy Bridgewater said he has been suspended from coaching his former high school team in Miami because he provided players with financial benefits that he says he'd reported to the school.

The 32-year-old Bridgewater publicized action taken against him by Miami Northwestern High School in a social media post in which he also reaffirmed his desire to continuing coaching the team for which he once played.

''I'm not going anywhere,'' Bridgewater's social media post said. ''And if it comes down to it, I will volunteer from the bleachers like I used to in 2018 and 2019 when no one had a problem.''

A message left Monday for school administrators seeking comment was not immediately returned.

Last fall was Bridgewater's first season coaching his former school, which he led to a Class 3A state championship before signing with Detroit in late December to serve as a backup for the playoff-bound Lions.

Bridgewater had written in an earlier social media post that he paid for rides, meals and treatment for players last season. This year, he solicited donations to help cover those costs.

He said in his more recent post that he reported those payments to the school.

Startribune

---

Journeymen QB's can make generational $$$

Teddy's done pretty good for himself!

Teddy Bridgewater has earned over $65 million during his NFL career, according to Spotrac and Over the Cap. His career includes stints with the Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, and Detroit Lions.

[Vikergirl]

Personally I think it's ridiculous. I'm used to seeing him with the truckloads of toys and stuff for kids, helping people during the holidays and just because. He is a good dude. I get the school's viewpoint but they could also help.

[medaille]

I lowkey feel like the response people have to this story is largely centered on how “underprivileged” the players are. If this was Deion Sanders, bringing a massage truck for his star players, and getting them steaks from a fancy steak house, to bring in the 5 star recruits to his high school to help his kid win the championship, we’d probably be singing a different tune.

[JimmyinSD]

I lowkey feel like the response people have to this story is largely centered on how “underprivileged” the players are.  If this was Deion Sanders, bringing a massage truck for his star players, and getting them steaks from a fancy steak house, to bring in the 5 star recruits to his high school to help his kid win the championship, we’d probably be singing a different tune.

Is there evidence that this is over the top recruiting for self promotion vs simply helping underprivileged kids from the old hood as has been reporting in TBs case?

[medaille]

Is there evidence that this is over the top recruiting for self promotion vs simply helping underprivileged kids from the old hood as has been reporting in TBs case?

I don't think there's any evidence either way.  Or at least as of yesterday.  They do have a ton of 4-5 star athletes.  Where did they come from? IDK.  I don't think anyone has done any deep dive on the specifics other than look at the county as being poor and minority.  We all have known Bridgewater to be a genuine and good guy, so you probably have to assume the best intentions.

I was just more commentating on the idea that I think that people would hate these actions if they were done by rich adults for rich, "privileged" kids.  Like we all kind of dislike the idea of rich people buying advantages for their community's sport teams, when we went to a school that didn't have those luxuries.  We all know that this is just how it works.  Rich school sports have a competitive advantage over poor school sports.  Kids want to transfer to those schools because they want to win or have a better chance at getting into an elite college or go pro.

---

I do think there's probably a pretty high likelihood that there's some number of kids transferring in just because Bridgewater, a former NFL player, is the coach. Are these the same kids getting Uber rides? Would these kids be transferring to the school if it was their parents who had to pay the Uber costs instead of a coach? Would it feel different if he just bought them cars instead of spending it on Ubers?

I don't think anyone really cares that much, because other schools are also doing it, but probably just in a smarter way that complies with the rules, but it is kind of sad the lengths teams have to go to get the competitive advantage to win high school sports, and that the winning teams are the teams that do these things.

[JimmyinSD]

I don't think there's any evidence either way.  Or at least as of yesterday.  They do have a ton of 4-5 star athletes.  Where did they come from? IDK.  I don't think anyone has done any deep dive on the specifics other than look at the county as being poor and minority.  We all have known Bridgewater to be a genuine and good guy, so you probably have to assume the best intentions.

I was just more commentating on the idea that I think that people would hate these actions if they were done by rich adults for rich, "privileged" kids.  Like we all kind of dislike the idea of rich people buying advantages for their community's sport teams, when we went to a school that didn't have those luxuries.  We all know that this is just how it works.  Rich school sports have a competitive advantage over poor school sports.  Kids want to transfer to those schools because they want to win or have a better chance at getting into an elite college or go pro.

---

I do think there's probably a pretty high likelihood that there's some number of kids transferring in just because Bridgewater, a former NFL player, is the coach.  Are these the same kids getting Uber rides?  Would these kids be transferring to the school if it was their parents who had to pay the Uber costs instead of a coach?  Would it feel different if he just bought them cars instead of spending it on Ubers?

I don't think anyone really cares that much, because other schools are also doing it, but probably just in a smarter way that complies with the rules, but it is kind of sad the lengths teams have to go to get the competitive advantage to win high school sports, and that the winning teams are the teams that do these things.

the sadness for me is that the sports comes before the education at so many of our publicly funded schools.  I hear all the time about schools new sports facilities or coaches that need to be replaced,  but I rarely hear about parents clamoring for a new science lab,  or better math teachers.  I played school sports in the 80s, so yes I see the hypocrisy of this statement,  but IMO I think the best thing for our kids future would be to get all sports out of the schools,  put all those monies towards educating them for a better future.  

I just dont see the advantage athletics in the schools provides,  its often argued that sports keep kids in school,  looking at how badly our test scores have gotten I think sports are likely more of a distraction to better educations than helping deliver them.

I wonder how many kids (what %) open enroll to a different school for a better education?