Confirmed Buy-Out [FLA] Scott Darling

[Canes]

The way he handled his offseason after signing with Carolina was unprofessional any way you want to look at it. Even if he did have problems we didn't know about then, it's not like he's the only athlete who has ever had to deal with them while trying to continue to be a professional in his job. No one is saying this makes him a bad person, just that he was not good at doing his job, a job that ultimately doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things anyway.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

To call a player “unprofessional” because they fell out of shape is obnoxious and arrogant.

It’s fair game to say he sucks and was overweight etc., but you have no reason or understanding of what’s behind the scenes. Not every human body is designed to be an athlete through the age of 35. There are tons of medical causes for weight gain, and it’s not exclusive to laziness. Better just to leave it to the facts, rather than trying to extrapolate information based upon little evidence.

My point was that not everything is as meets the eye. Everyone comments on professional athletes like they definitely have perfect lives and absolutely don’t have any of the same issues that common people do.

Evidence I’d be talking about is partying it up the night before games. Someone’s general laziness could be driven by personal/family issues, mental health, etc... not really worthwhile to criticize. Just acknowledge he was overweight, out of shape, and pure garbage in net. Being care free during the summer isn’t unprofessional and I guarantee you many NHLers do so, but some who try lose it all and others do not.

It's more than being carefree - he's said in interviews that his normal routine was to stop at McDonald's after practice and get lunch/dinner there. I won't necessarily say lazy (Darling himself has said he took the foot off the gas), but you'd expect a premier level athlete in this day and age to have more of a commitment to the dietary component of conditioning.

Why would someone be looking down at him being happy to get engaged? His Dad just died, he lost his job but he found a person to be with for hopefully the rest of his life and presumably someone that makes him happy when he’s a guy who’s struggled to be that way.

Congrats man. Anyone know if it’s the same girl he was dating when he was with the Canes? Good for them. For the love of god be happy.

It is.

 

[Revelation]

To call a player “unprofessional” because they fell out of shape is obnoxious and arrogant.

It’s fair game to say he sucks and was overweight etc., but you have no reason or understanding of what’s behind the scenes. Not every human body is designed to be an athlete through the age of 35. There are tons of medical causes for weight gain, and it’s not exclusive to laziness. Better just to leave it to the facts, rather than trying to extrapolate information based upon little evidence.

Yeah most human bodies are not designed to be athletic when they eat every day at McDonalds lmfao.

 

[Dr Beinfest]

Yeah most human bodies are not designed to be athletic when they eat every day at McDonalds lmfao.

I fail to see how his lack of investment in himself is unprofessional. He was a terrible investment by that franchise, but it’s not like he was making poop jokes during video coaching, skipping practice for a day at the beach, and wearing pj’s in front of the GM. By all accounts this guy was professional, just not very responsible on his personal time and that impacted his work.

 

[Revelation]

I fail to see how his lack of investment in himself is unprofessional. He was a terrible investment by that franchise, but it’s not like he was making poop jokes during video coaching, skipping practice for a day at the beach, and wearing pj’s in front of the GM. By all accounts this guy was professional, just not very responsible on his personal time and that impacted his work.

I guess showing up hungover to work isn't unprofessional either if it's a product of drinking the night before during "personal time".

Also is making poop jokes at work really unprofessional if it's a result of someone dealing with personal issues? Uhhh we need 2 be more sensitive it's 2019!

 

[garnetpalmetto]

I fail to see how his lack of investment in himself is unprofessional. He was a terrible investment by that franchise, but it’s not like he was making poop jokes during video coaching, skipping practice for a day at the beach, and wearing pj’s in front of the GM. By all accounts this guy was professional, just not very responsible on his personal time and that impacted his work.

I understand what you're getting at here, but I think in the environment of a professional sports franchise, professionalism doesn't just extend to what you do during practice and at game time but also what can happen outside of the rink to. If what you're doing in your personal time, in this case failing to take diet and conditioning seriously, hurts the team, then yes, it's unprofessional. Again, by all accounts, Darling's play was effected by this, thus it comes off as unprofessional. That Darling took that all seriously in this past offseason is a redeeming factor and points in his favor, but I think there's more going on than just his conditioning given his play once he returned from injury and essentially playing himself out of his job.

 

[Lempo]

It's literally the first thing the SPC (Paragraph 2) says of the players duties on top of playing hockey for the Club:

The Player further agrees,

(a) to report to his Club's Training Camp at the time and place fixed by the Club, in good physical condition,

(b) to keep himself in good physical condition at all times during the season,

--

 

[Frank Drebin]

I fail to see how his lack of investment in himself is unprofessional. He was a terrible investment by that franchise, but it’s not like he was making poop jokes during video coaching, skipping practice for a day at the beach, and wearing pj’s in front of the GM. By all accounts this guy was professional, just not very responsible on his personal time and that impacted his work.

"Being a professional" means doing all the little things that make you the best at what you do. Things that separate you from those that are not professionals.

A professional would have the discipline to avoid McDonald's in lieu of healthier options that would benefit his performance on the ice. He would make sure he is well rested on game days so his focus and stamina are where they need to be.

It means doing your job well. Look the part, act the part and be the part

 

[Dr Beinfest]

I understand what you're getting at here, but I think in the environment of a professional sports franchise, professionalism doesn't just extend to what you do during practice and at game time but also what can happen outside of the rink to. If what you're doing in your personal time, in this case failing to take diet and conditioning seriously, hurts the team, then yes, it's unprofessional. Again, by all accounts, Darling's play was effected by this, thus it comes off as unprofessional. That Darling took that all seriously in this past offseason is a redeeming factor and points in his favor, but I think there's more going on than just his conditioning given his play once he returned from injury and essentially playing himself out of his job.

Sure, and I admit that perhaps not showing up to camp in decent shape is being “behind” and somewhat “unprofessional,” but on the whole yes I would also say there’s more than meets the eye. But that’s not everything in a nutshell regarding his behavior. Keep in mind, the comment I harshly responded to came to a rather definitive conclusion that Darling signed a big contract and just called it quits and never got his confidence back.

Really all my point was that there’s no point in railing someone for a situation that’s not adequately understood. So many things can come into play here. Better to question rather than to state.

 

[Jets4Life]

Just came across this thread, and I can't help but be absolutely disgusted with some replies.

Having suffered from mental health issues eerily similar to Darling, I was really pulling for him. When, as a society are we going to take mental health issues more serious? How many Rick Rypiens, Wade Belaks, and Derek Boogaards do there have to be to know that players are human beings, and to kick someone when he is down is disgusting.

Being traded from your hometown team (Chicago), where one has tons of support in terms of friends and family, and being uprooted to an area without those supports is hard for the best of us, never-mind someone suffering from severe anxiety/depression issues. It;s a shame we as society can disregard mental health issues. I'm sure many of you would be signing a different tune if Darling's issue was diabetes or a heart ailment.

 

[Edenjung]

Just came across this thread, and I can't help but be absolutely disgusted with some replies.

Having suffered from mental health issues eerily similar to Darling, I was really pulling for him. When, as a society are we going to take mental health issues more serious? How many Rick Rypiens, Wade Belaks, and Derek Boogaards do there have to be to know that players are human beings, and to kick someone when he is down is disgusting.

Being traded from your hometown team (Chicago), where one has tons of support in terms of friends and family, and being uprooted to an area without those supports is hard for the best of us, never-mind someone suffering from severe anxiety/depression issues. It;s a shame we as society can disregard mental health issues. I'm sure many of you would be signing a different tune if Darling's issue was diabetes or a hear ailment.

I see it the same way as you.
I have mental issues myself (depression) and i find it disgusting what some said.

 

[tapi]

Darling deserves a new chance.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Just came across this thread, and I can't help but be absolutely disgusted with some replies.

Having suffered from mental health issues eerily similar to Darling, I was really pulling for him. When, as a society are we going to take mental health issues more serious? How many Rick Rypiens, Wade Belaks, and Derek Boogaards do there have to be to know that players are human beings, and to kick someone when he is down is disgusting.

Being traded from your hometown team (Chicago), where one has tons of support in terms of friends and family, and being uprooted to an area without those supports is hard for the best of us, never-mind someone suffering from severe anxiety/depression issues. It;s a shame we as society can disregard mental health issues. I'm sure many of you would be signing a different tune if Darling's issue was diabetes or a heart ailment.

He wanted more money than he's worth, he got traded. Not like it was a surprise.

He took training like a joke.

He played for 14 teams in 7 years. Didn't seem to have too much trouble changing addresses then.

It sucks that this situation hit him hard, especially with the untimely passing of his father, but if he was so happy and had a great supporting staff in Chicago he would have taken a little less to stay there. He wanted more, he got more and he didn't approach training as seriously as he should and never got back on track. You have to blame some of it on him.

I hope he recovers and goes on to have a great, happy life, but part of this is on him and not just the aspect he can't control..

 

[Mike Jones]

Darling deserves a new chance.

I only want to see him sign so that his new teammates can say "Good morning Darling" when he first walks into the locker room.

 

[Cardiac Jerks]

Darling deserves a new chance.

He’s not having a great year statistically in Austria but honestly, if he’s enjoying himself and making money playing the game then he’s better off there. Austria is a beautiful country and I’m sure there’s much less pressure on him. Hopefully he has access to a good support group while overseas.

 

[Jets4Life]

He wanted more money than he's worth, he got traded. Not like it was a surprise.

That's a ridiculous statement to make. Name an NHL player who doesn't want money. The market dictates how much a player is worth. To put this on Darling is absurd.

Some players perform above their cap hit. Others never live up to it. If you were offered more money at the company you were employed at, would you turn it town?

 

[Super Hans]

I just hope he's happier where he's at now, rather than his days in far away Carolina. Though I didn't know Austria was a suburb of Chicago; learn something new every day.

 

[uncleben]

We'll start a new one if anything more happens with Darling and the NHL