Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo will be a first- or second-round draft pick on Saturday, and before NFL teams spend first- or second-round draft picks on players, they like to get an idea of what kind of person they're adding to their roster.
But while due diligence is understandable, this question seems a bit excessive:
"They said 'When's the last time you cheated on your girlfriend?' " Mayo said. "They didn't even ask me, 'Did you cheat on your girlfriend?' I told them I didn't cheat on my girlfriend."Mayo didn't say which team asked him that question, but at some point you have to wonder whether the questions cross the line from legitimate efforts to get to know a player into pure nosiness. Questions regarding sex, gender, sexual orientation and marital status are almost always considered inappropriate and are in some cases illegal in job interviews, and NFL teams need to remember that a job interview is exactly what they're conducting when they talk to draft prospects.
Latest NFL Photos
** FILE ** Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young during the second half in a AFC wild-card football game against the Chargers in San Diego in this Jan. 6, 2008 file photo. The Titans' mission in this year's NFL draft is to provide Young with more playmakers. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson, File)
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** FILE ** Atlanta Falcons newly hired general manager Thomas Dimitroff speaks during a news conference at the Arthur Blank Family Foundation headquarters in Atlanta in this Jan. 15, 2008 file photo. On Monday, April 21, 2008, Dimitroff hinted he may have the option of trading the Falcons' No. 3 draft pick. Only two weeks after he said he had no offers for the pick, Dimitroff says he has had interest from other teams. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
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This handout provided by the NFL shows Indianapolis Colts football player Kenton Keith. Colts running back Kenton Keith was out of jail Monday April 21, 2008 after being arrested for refusing to leave a nightclub parking lot outside Indianapolis, Ind., and yelling at officers that he was a Colts player who had done nothing wrong, police said. (AP Photo/NFL)
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Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh throws out the ceremonial first pitch before the Baltimore Orioles New York Yankees baseball game, Sunday, April 20, 2008, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
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** FILE ** This Sunday, April 6, 2008 picture shows football player Eli Manning in Los Angeles. Manning married college sweetheart Abby McGrew during a sunset ceremony Saturday, April 19, 1008 at a resort in Mexico's Baja Peninsula. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
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Former NFL player Jason Sehorn attends a silent auction and reception at the 11th annual TigerJam, a benefit for the Tiger Woods Foundation Saturday, April 19, 2008, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
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New Orleans Hornets owner George Shinn smiles with New Orleans Saints football team owner Tom Benson after the Hornets game 1 of their NBA play-off basketball series with the Dallas Mavericks in New Orleans Saturday, April 19, 2008. Hornets won 104-92. Benson attended his first Hornets game.(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
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New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson, right, holds up the hand of New Orleans Hornets owner George Shinn near the end of game 1 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series Saturday, April 19, 2008, in New Orleans. The Hornets beat the Dallas Mavericks 104-92. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)
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Newly acquired Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Brian Griese throws out the ceremonial first pitch before the start of the Chicago White Sox and Tampa Bay Rays game Friday night April 18, 2008 in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
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Minnesota Vikings' Kenechi Udeze, who has been diagnosed with leukemia, appeared with his wife, Terrica Udeze, and daughter, Bailey Udeze, 4 months, before a 24-hour soccer marathon to help the Twin Cities-based National Marrow Donor Program at the Vikings' headquarters in Eden Prairie, Minn., Friday, April 18, 2008. This was the first public appearance by Udeze since his leukemia was revealed; he said it's in remission. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
4-21-2008 @ 8:10PM
color said...
That was the dummiest question you could ask a person and let's not mention personal and somewhat illegal. Where does this people get off asking such ignorant questions. I wonder did they ask white boy Peyton Manning questions such as that. Ignorant, Ignorant, Ignorant
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4-21-2008 @ 8:11PM
beckettsgurl said...
OMG y do they need to no that i meen really who cares if he cheated besides his girlfried
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4-21-2008 @ 8:11PM
hank said...
Bravo ! More elder statesmen in sports should publicly humiliate "rookies",or any other teammate who refuses to grow up.
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4-21-2008 @ 8:14PM
BOSTON BOB said...
ya dog its ok dont ask dont tell
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4-21-2008 @ 8:18PM
BOSTON BOB said...
WE dont want no chaetin blacks
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4-21-2008 @ 8:20PM
the TRUTH said...
So it's back to pounding Bill Clinton for getting a BJ from a WOMAN? And JFK and RFK for their relationships with Marilyn Monroe? Well, what about Republicans Mark Foley and Larry Craig? The difference in Democrats and Republicans is that male Democrats like to have sex with WOMEN, and male Republicans like to have sex with MEN.
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4-21-2008 @ 8:23PM
Don said...
Questions only refer to past experience as a player..personal extracurricular subjects has no merit..when referring to the game as should be omitted in questioning.
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4-21-2008 @ 8:24PM
George said...
Yo color,they have to ask 'yall' those questions to keep ya in check,dumbarse. The whites are tired of wasting their money on stupid black gang-banging drug-abusing athletes,black boy.
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4-21-2008 @ 8:28PM
JMTJJC said...
Thats a very stupid question to ask and he should not answer. And for the one person turning it into a black thing, get a life, sad pathetic people, my god thats what is wrong with the world today. We're talking about sports, you have such a sad life that you need to try and make something worse with adding race into. And the cheating word is spelled a little wrong.
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4-21-2008 @ 8:32PM
tkline said...
It's a psychological survey where they are trying to judge the character of someone they are going to pay millions- ask whatever you want
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4-21-2008 @ 8:35PM
metallica83one said...
TRUTH -
Where in this little 150 some-odd word blurb did anyone mention politics? Nowhere. Why do people such as yourself always have to attempt to make everything into a political battle. The reason why things don't get done in politics is people like you who would like to argue over nothing rather than just deal with the facts. Next time you want to piss and moan about political parties, think of The Four Seasons....Big Girls Don't Cry.
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4-21-2008 @ 8:41PM
J.C. said...
Hello TRUTH can you say BARNEY FRANK? The most well known homosexual politician of all time oh yeah he's democratic,so grow up and shut up.This is about a football player there was no mention of politics til you brought it up
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4-21-2008 @ 8:44PM
ken said...
There's only one way for a gentleman to answer that question; "none of your business".
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4-21-2008 @ 8:47PM
Mark Wagner said...
Did it mention that they would tell his GF?
NO!
It tells about your character is all.
If you lie about relationships, it means you lie about a lot of things, that is all.
CHARACTER is what this is all about.
Incidently, who reported that they didn't ask the SAME question of WHITE DRAFTEES????
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4-21-2008 @ 8:47PM
Jeff Edgmon said...
Not saying I condone the question, that's absolutely ridiculous and none of their business, but they may have asked the question just to see the response also. Reporters ask stupid questions all the time, it's good to know how a guy will react to a stupid question if it's thrown at him.
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4-21-2008 @ 8:49PM
Whitebeater said...
y doez everything have to be about race???? it's jus a stupid question and everyone cheats...whether ur white or black, orange or purple...GOSH...shut up...geez. and who cares about who's gonna win the presidency anyway...america is goin to HELL n' everybody knows it..republicans goin to win anyway
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4-21-2008 @ 8:50PM
bilko said...
Please. He's from the University of Tennessee. He is probably lying!
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4-21-2008 @ 8:51PM
Mark Wagner said...
hey Whitebeater:
Not everyone cheats, and if you pay zillions for some thug, why would you anyway?
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4-21-2008 @ 8:54PM
Nick said...
Wh the Hell would do you have to bring race into George? What are you racist or something you son of a bitch. I hope you walk into the wrong neighborhood and get yours buddy
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4-21-2008 @ 8:56PM
Maggie said...
Most draft picks are investigated , besides with all that money the owners are paying out . Can u really blame the owners,they don't want to wind up like the Atlanta Falcons.Spent and nothing to show for it.
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