A Von Miller Enigma – Buffalo FAMbase – #BillsMafia

While NFL players in previous eras were far from behaving like angels, these days, criminal/violent behavior seems to be commonplace in the league. It is now rare for sports teams to go long without horrible behavior being reported towards one of their players. This is what happens at the intersection where big money meets the opportunity to behave badly, or something worse.

It’s so easy to pass judgment on players on other people’s favorite teams when terrible things happen. We often feel compelled to laugh about how glad we are that so-and-so from Team Z isn’t “our problem.”

But what happens when it does?

When Von Miller faced domestic violence allegations last year, it was certainly a day of reckoning for Buffalo Bills fans. After all, weren’t the Buffalo Bills supposed to be an organization that refused to draft “problem players”?

Whether or not you believe the Buffalo brass truly has a “family first” priority when it comes to player behavior is up to you. It’s also up to you whether you care about player behavior. Many fans don’t.

Well, this fan does.

When news of the domestic violence allegations against Von Miller first broke, my heart sank. I’ve read about some questionable behavior he’s displayed in the past, and you’re free to go Google it if you want. The purpose of this article is not to rehash Von Miller’s personal history.

It’s about discussing how we deal with our ambivalence towards players on our favorite team when they are accused of doing bad things. Again, for some fans, this is a no-brainer. They don’t care about anything other than what a player does on the field for their favorite team.

But for others like me, we struggle with love of the team and the realization that some players on said team will behave in ways we find objectionable. Is it a rationalization to think that a given player could feel remorse and truly repent of their sins?

When the recent press conference with Von Miller was released a few days ago, I eagerly pulled it up on my computer to read it. I was curious to see how much Von would talk in the media. Of course, some parts were definitely media-speak, but the old psychotherapist couldn’t turn a blind eye to what else I was observing.

Von Miller has always seemed to be an outspoken man with the media. So I suspect that Brandon Beane and Vice President Derek Boyko shut down Miller’s discussions with the media immediately after the previously mentioned allegations. I understand.

What I also hope and suspect are some very in-depth discussions between Brandon Beane and Von Miller at the end of last season. Von often mentions his desire to one day become an NFL general manager and apparently has a deep respect for Mr. Beane’s mentorship.

It’s a relationship I think we can all learn something from.

One of Mr. Beane’s greatest qualities, in my opinion, is his measure in everything he tackles. No euphoria, no hysteria, no refusal to be held accountable. He is also a good-hearted man. It is difficult to find a man with such a level of mental and emotional intelligence in any profession.

When Von Miller took a pay cut to alleviate the cap pressure Beane was facing, it spoke volumes to me on so many levels. First, it’s not every day you see a guy of Miller’s stature in the league take a significant pay cut without complaining.

Beane stood by Miller through some dark days last season…both domestic violence allegations and plenty of criticism that Von wasn’t going to give the Bills a good return on their investment. In return, Miller agreed to a significant pay cut so that Beane could sign other players. This support is undoubtedly because Brandon Beane is an extremely capable general manager and Von has the chance to learn from one of the best.

It’s great when there is a win-win situation that could otherwise have been disastrous if handled poorly.

What I saw at Von Miller’s recent press conference (see above) was a man much more relaxed with himself and responding to reporters’ questions with thoughtful responses. He made solid eye contact and seemed genuinely excited that his young sons are now old enough to remember their father’s career later in life.

There’s a realization in Miller’s comments wondering how much longer he’ll be able to play NFL football. He is keenly aware that time stops for no one, especially aging athletes. Von also exudes a sense of appreciation for everything Brandon Beane teaches him about “GMing” along the way.

However, what comforted me most about this Von Miller interview was how it opened the door to a personal exploration of what it means to let go of judgment and look for reasons to “BILLieve.”

Editor’s Note: Negotiating life’s journey one day at a time, lol. These kinds of situations force us to rediscover our authenticity while loving a team that is not always easy to love. This and more of my nonsense can also be found on Xwitter @RobynMundyWYO.

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