The League

AND MATROX (the very last comment)
that just got me pissed. "how does anyone get lost off the Gulf Coast??" do u know how many people get lost in the gulf a year? look it up.

i don't undrstand y all u people r acting like this. i can't believe u guys. these r just 4 ordinary guys doing the job they're best at and u guys r just sayin they're probably having a party? like u didn't grow up with the dream of becoming a famous athlete. all of the people that commented negatively r most likely hypocrites. u guys just need to grow up. if u were out there in those waves would u want people to be writing all this crap about u? think about it.

gnomek2 i have to say ur comment got me really mad. especially how u said they have 21 foot yachts. a 21 foot boat is pretty small. it is not the kind of boat u want to take to open waters. so before u go all off on this artcile, get ur facts right. and most people who read this article arent like "oh no he might not be able to come back next season". they actually feel bad for the players and their families like me.

and to the friends and families of these players:
ur in my prayers and keep ur hopes up. even though they say there is not much of a chance for survival, there still is.

There is no way they should have gone 50 miles out into the Gulf in a 21 foot boat, even if the weather was perfect. That is just insanity. With 14 foot waves, 30 knot winds, and 37 degree air temp these guys will need a miracle to survive. I have fished in those waters and seen monster hammerheads every time I went out. I would not want to be in a life jacket in the water in the Gulf at night. Sorry to say, but I see little hope for them.

Based on GNOMEK2 ignorant _ss logic, whats the point of even having a "sports" section of the newspaper?? HE/SHE clicks on a story in the "sports section" and comments that its not news because they are atheletes?? huh? personally - I'd bet that you're a closet racist. lol! what a waste...

GNOMEK2:

Your comments sound really ignorant. One big contradiction. Just because this isnt "news" to you doesnt mean that it isn't news to a lot of other people like their family, fans, friends, classmates, etc...

As so, arent you really just saying that YOU'RE not interested in this story? And to that, who cares?! NO ONE cares that YOU dont care. So whats the point of you taking the time to post a comment to everyone that YOU specifically dont care about this story? Not to mention the risk you take of really really offending the friends and family of these two people?? Your comments say a lot about WHO you are, how you think, and exposes a scary element of your conscious. It'll probably be to your benefit to rethink a lot of your beliefs on life, and tighten up some of your own personal insecurities. Just sayin....

gnomek2 said: "I'm just saying that it's hard for me to get all sympathetic about two big, bad football heroes getting tossed around in the surf, when there are over 3 million real American heroes..."
"I'm really trying hard to feel sorry for these young, multi-millionaire football players out in choppy waters..."

1. Many Democratic members of Congress are very wealthy.

2. I think President Obama would be appalled at your comments.

3. If you had rich friends who were kind enough to invite you on their boat, you'd be singing a different tune.

The plight of the economy or jobless rate or people losing their homes or the idiocy of the war in Iraq or these guys being rich foot ball players has no bearing on the matter. It just reflects the small mindedness of some who even dwell on such considerations that such comments would even be made. Lets hope they are found. They are living beings (and human at that) and hence their life is important.

I remember some crazy arguments trivializing the 9/11 tragedy by comparing the percentage of people that died in it with the numbers that die every day in strife torn parts of the world. Such things are not comparable. We are individuals we live as individuals and die as individuals and suffer as individuals, whether rich or poor - not as part of a statistic.

Lord have mercy on this poor soul who says he doesn't care about two fellow human beings lost at sea, to even bring politics or their socia-economic status into play is heartless, cold, and callous and downright sick. This is a prime example of the sad state of humanity in not only this country but the world in general.

Ignoring their wealth or social status, this is a tragedy that could have been prevented.

1) Don't go sailing without a sail plan and leave it with someone who's NOT going with you. Firmly tell them "If I'm not back by XXXX hours, call the Coast Guard."

2) A 21-foot boat (the size of a typical Bayliner) is not designed for 8 foot waves. If the weather looks bad, and you're not experienced, don't go. Bad weather comes quickly, especially in winter.

3) Wear your life jacket at all times. Too many people have slipped and fallen in the water and drowned because of a moment's neglect. This is not a scare tactic; too many Coast Guard SAR cases end tragically because of that.

4) Have your marine radio on Channel 16. If you have a GPS unit, connect it so the Coast Guard's Rescue 21 can locate you more quickly. Don't rely on a cell phone off shore; you're out of reach of the towers in many cases.

5) Take a boating safety course offered by your state, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, or the U.S. Power Squadron. It can save your life.

6) If you can, stay with your boat, even if it is overturned. Even 70°F water will kill you in time; 58°F will do it in hours. Hypothermia occurs quickly for you lose body heat - and where are you going to get it back?

7) Have your vessel undergo a free Vessel Safety Check; the examiners will let you know what you need to have for a safe voyage.

Please, don't think 'it can't happen to me' or 'they deserve it'. The sea is an enemy that is ruthless, relentless, and doesn't even know you are there.

'Semper Paratus' shouldn't be solely restricted to the Coast Guard and the Auxiliary. Be a prepared boater and enjoy many many more happy trips. Don't let this happen to you.

I don't think I have ever commented on a website before. And after having read more than a few message boards, the ever present vitriol really shouldn't be so surprising. It's so costless to say heartless things, especially anonymously. Still, I wanted to express my thanks to those who care about the lives of those two men because they are human beings. Here's to a dose of fellow-feeling, and to the hope that tomorrow we will awake to an all-too-rare feel-good story.

Human sympathy is not zero-sum. There's no reason why one can't feel badly for those lost on the boat while simultaneously feeling frustration and anger about the inequality of American society.

OBAMA WILL BAIL THEM OUT>

AND I WILL PAY FOR IT JUST LIKE ALL THE REST?

Sad story, those guys are most likely no longer alive. The Gulf of Mexico is cold in the winter, they probably succumbed to hypothermia sometime last night. You have to be careful on a small boat.

Too bad they didn't have EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) or a Personal Beacon. I would not go out of sight of shore without one on my boat. Hope for good weather and they might be found yet.

Dang...did I strike a nerve or what? Sorry to piss some of you off, but I was just saying...you know...who cares? There are so many people out there dying and suffering and going bankrupt and becoming homeless, and so on and so on, but they don't get to be written up in the news. No...Why? Because they don't play football and have 21 foot yachts, that's why. Does any of you care about them....NOOOO. You just wanna know about your poor, dear football millionaires. Are they gonna be all right? Are they gonna be there for the team next season? That's all you care about.

You say I'm the ___hole and the POS. Well, that's your opinion and you're entitled to it. But notice, I'm not the one resorting to such creative name-calling.

I'm just saying that it's hard for me to get all sympathetic about two big, bad football heroes getting tossed around in the surf, when there are over 3 million real American heroes who have already drowned in what's left of an economy destroyed as a result of the misguided and ridiculously expensive war efforts of Mr Bush and his cronies.

If it's modern boat, it should float even if swamped. Hopefully the water isn't too cold. I'm betting they will be found.

Am I heartless, or what?
---------

Oh, no no, we know you wish them the best...

Too bad Kobe Bryant wasn't on that boat, that sack of sh_t rapist.

what's the matter with you guys. These are human beings and they are in danger! If they are still alive that is. Go to the political comment section if you want to blame Bush or the Democrats for this. Neither brought on the choppy seas or high winds that may have gotten these guys. Grow up please.

There is NOTHING political about four people missing at sea. Nobody is as politically opinionated as Myself but in this situation lives are at stake. Coast Guard Clearwater is a good group and I wish them luck as they try to save lives. The weather here in Florida is rough offshore due to strong West winds with this front. Things in a 21 footer offshore today will not be pleasant indeed. The only good thing is that if they are afloat they will be drifting shoreward.

How does an article like this even generate the negativity that came from the first 3 posters??? What is wrong with people today that they turn ANYTHING into a reason to spout politics, racism, hatred etc.

I hope these guys are safe (all of them, not just the celebrities). Anyone wishing someone in distress ill will is not just heartless. You are a first class POS.

@Gnomek2 -

Spoken like a typical Obama supporter by implying that wealth somehow makes you less of a person. Oh - and by the way - markets are forward looking. They plummeted as the odds of Obama's policies being implemented climbed. Bush sucked, but the economic problems stem from the Democratic congress overspending during his term and now worsening things with this massive government expansion and socialism, led by Obama.

gnomek2, I would not want to be in your shoes when you meet your maker. Regardless of who these people are I hope they are safe.

gnomek2 -

I see that you have conveniently forgotten about the (usually) poor relatives a lot of NFL players provide for. Y'know, the single moms and or grandparents who raised these players well enough so they could attain their dreams.

Without those riches they will, of course, be sinking as you say. And I guess they'll do so with your wholehearted encouragement because you care more about putting down successful people than you do about helping the others in their lives.

But to answer your question, yes, you are heartless.

Not as marketable as missing young white women, of course. Still, it should keep the masses distracted and staring slack-jawed at their TV screens for 24 hours, at least.

Not heartless; just an ___hole...

I'm really trying hard to feel sorry for these young, multi-millionaire football players out in choppy waters while the rest of us ordinary, poor folks sink in the storms of Bush's economic legacy. I just can't do it. I couldn't care less what happens to them. Am I heartless, or what?

Oh..Puleeze...how does anyone get lost off the Gulf Coast?? These dudes are lost on purpose with a boat load of hoochie mamas having a wild party. They will turn up, you'll see.