Even if you weren't around for Cris Carter's prime (and we're sorry if you weren't), you'll realize part of his greatness is his ability as a passionate speaker. Take his Hall of Fame speech for instance.
Like Ray Lewis, Carter had to address one of the league's troubling issues of the week. He focused on Adrian Peterson's indictment for injuring his 4-year-old child and the images of the kid's lacerations and scars. Carter grew up as one of seven children who suffered through beatings from his mother. Now, he's a Hall of Famer and a respected analyst. Still, he says his mother was wrong.
“This is the 21st century. My mom was wrong… And I promise my kids I won’t teach that mess to them," Carter said. "You can’t beat a kid to make them do what you want them to do.”
It's a needed perspective, too. Many defended child beatings as an acceptable form of punishment because they believed it set them on the right path (e.g. "Now I'm on my way to my Master's"). The "look at me now" argument isn't a perfect one, however.
Carter has struggled with drug and alcohol issues early in his career. That temporarily forced him off the field, and for Peterson to realize his errors, Carter argued that the same must happen to the running back. Peterson is deactivated for this week.
"We don’t respect no women. We don’t respect no kids...Take them off the field because they respect that.”
Watch his speech above and pay attention how his voice rises from reason to passion over the two minutes.
[via YouTube]
