NFL Rookies Will Get Their Symposium After All

The Oakland Raiders rookies, and their fellow rooks from the other 31 NFL teams, have been drifting around in a brave new locked world symposium-less. It was the first NFL event to fall victim to the dreaded 2011 NFL Lockout. The symposium imparts vital knowledge to players of how to survive life as a NFL player. It is hard to imagine how they have adjusted to life without it. Check out the importance Rolando McClain told the Associated Press the symposium played as he transitioned from a college to a NFL player:

I mean they try to give you an understanding of what it's like to be a rookie, but a lot of that off-the-field stuff, that's just common sense. Stay out of trouble. That's it.

Well fear not NFL rookies—the NFLPA is not going to let you dangle common senseless. They announced that they will hold their own two day rookie symposium. According to NFLPA spokesman George Atallah, who was quoted in this ESPN article, there were countless factors playing into this decision:

We're doing this because it's the right thing to do.

Wait, that was a remarkably simple explanation. Does Atallah know there is a lockout right now? You can't just make decisions because "it's the right thing to do."

Who is Atallah to say what is right and wrong? These kinds of moral assessments need to be decided upon in court, and then they need to be appealed and decided in another court. This kind of moral precedence needs to be determined by the root beliefs in one of the two fundamental sides that have shaped the country and is supported by the court with the final say in such a matter.

Hopefully you caught my sarcasm here. And while I largely agree with Rolando McClain, that the issues of the symposium come down to common sense, it is still nice to have a decision that makes sense actually make it to the real world. I mean, if there was ever year where rookies may need a symposium this screwy offseason would be the one.