https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 10 May 2026 12:28:17 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/football-vs-family#post-389140 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 13:18:41 +0000 Mommy Finger 389140@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As a HUGE Bears/Tillman fan, I fully support his decision to miss a game if his wife were to go into labor on Sunday. Knowing what he went through with one of his daughters and all of her health issues, I think it's great that he's putting his family first. I know that people go a little crazy when it comes to sports and you'll get lots of people on either side.</p> <p>Also, as someone who's due on Sunday, I hope we're both giving birth in the same hospital and the other Bears players can stop by and say hello to me too. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/football-vs-family#post-388692 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 10:51:15 +0000 mrbee 388692@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mandb36: not sure what a football obligation is? It's his job... he signed a contract and gave his word to honor it.</p> <p>Hopefully it's not an issue and she gives birth on another day! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/football-vs-family#post-388689 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 10:50:13 +0000 MamaMoose 388689@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mandb36: Regardless of what the other players are saying it's really just about what he and his wife want to do. I don't think anyone should judge him if he chooses to miss a game. I'm just saying that if my husband chose not to miss a game I would understand why he would make that decision even though it would be really difficult for him to do.</p> <p>If he was still playing once we decided to have kids we absolutely would have aimed for a due date during the offseason. Not in the interest of the team but in the interest of us. It would be wonderful to be able to have my husband totally off work with me during my maternity leave. </p> <p>Lastly... I think it's unfair to call it "football vs. family". It's not like he's a fan going to a college game. It's "career vs. family". I'm sure many men have difficult decisions to make around prioritizing between their careers and their families. Just because football is a game it's not any less of a career. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/football-vs-family#post-388630 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 10:21:04 +0000 DillonLion 388630@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think there are a lot of sacrifices required when you marry someone in that line of work, and that might be one of them. Like some PPs have said, it really is up to the couple. If they are okay with it, then who are we to judge? If I married a professional football player, I'd probably be open to him missing the birth if there as an important game and he was a vital player. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/football-vs-family#post-388558 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 09:49:00 +0000 singingbee 388558@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: this. </p> <p>Hubby works out of town. Obviously, it would be ideal if I could go into labor when he was off, but there is a chance he would be working and then I'd have to call and hope I didn't have a fast labor. You just do what you have to do to make it work for your family. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/football-vs-family#post-388550 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 09:45:04 +0000 lawbee11 388550@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would obviously be upset if DH couldn't be there for the birth of our child, but DH isn't an NFL player. I am sure his wife hopes he can be there, but at the same time, she probably realized that this was a possibility when she married him. </p> <p>Plus, they're playing the Texans on Sunday and I live in Houston, so I wouldn't mind if she went into labor then :) I think it's nice that Jay Cutler is supporting him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/football-vs-family#post-388468 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 09:06:15 +0000 blackbird 388468@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's his job, and sometimes jobs aren't flexible. If i married someone in that line of work, I'd be very understanding. I imagine there are lots of people who miss the birth of their child due to work circumstances. What's more important is the aftermath. </p> <p>And i 100% agree that it depends who is playing. If you're an important player, well, it'd be hard to let that go. It could mean the difference in going to the championship. It's more than "just a job" to some of these guys. </p> <p>It's like men who serve in the military and can't be home right away. They have to choose to be there for the birth or for right after. It just is how it is. You plan all you can, but you roll with the punches. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/football-vs-family#post-388458 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 09:02:03 +0000 littlebug 388458@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ben Roethlisberger also planned to miss a game for the birth of his child, if needed. I don't think it ended up mattering, but he had said all along he'd miss a game to be at the hospital.</p> <p>Either way, I don't think it's up to anyone but the couple to judge. Like @jennimac said, it's the couple's decision, and as long as they are both in agreement about whatever decision they make, then that's that. I think if it were me, I'd be disappointed, but I think I'd understand. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/football-vs-family#post-388418 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 08:45:34 +0000 singingbee 388418@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I feel like if it is a decision they are personally happy with, then it's fine. We are not in their relationship.y dad was not there for most of the birthing process for my mom when she had me. He was trying to finish his rounds and get ahead. His philosophy was that he wanted to be there for me during my life when I was actually here instead of all the waiting around time before I got there. If they are okay with the decision that's all that matters. The birth is important, but I feel like if they are there for the baby's life, that's more important. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/football-vs-family#post-388406 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 08:38:24 +0000 MrsHotDog 388406@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Like mamamoose said, we don't understand the culture but at the same time I really appreciate him standing up for his family and what he feels is right. We have no idea what they went through to conceive this baby so maybe they had been trying to have a baby during the off season. I respect the guy and I really respect his QB for standing up for him to the media (despite whatever could be going on in the locker room). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/football-vs-family#post-388380 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 08:23:44 +0000 prettylizy 388380@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I can see both sides of this. Personally I'd prefer DH to be there for that moment. As a professional in his sport, he gets millions of dollars to lay it on the line from August to February. If he were a third string kicker, likely no one would miss him, but Tillman is an important play for the entire team and franchise, and every game counts at this point in the season.</p> <p>I totally wouldn't judge him for missing the game, but I also wouldn't judge him for being there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/football-vs-family#post-388375 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 08:20:42 +0000 mediagirl 388375@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was listening to Mike and Mike this morning and they were talking to Jay Cutler about this. His response was - family comes first. He said, as a father, he couldn't imagine missing the birth of his kids. That being said, when they have more kids, they will try to plan to have them on the off-season. :)</p> <p>Obviously they are having a child during the season. If it were my teammate, I would say, be there for the birth of your child. No question. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/football-vs-family#post-388364 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 08:14:46 +0000 BelugaBean 388364@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: True, I didn't think of it that way. That makes sense.</p> <p>I still don't know about missing the birth though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/football-vs-family#post-388361 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 08:12:40 +0000 hilsy85 388361@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mandb36: that's not really any different from teachers trying to have babies during the summer though? I don't see anything wrong with that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/football-vs-family#post-388358 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 08:10:31 +0000 BelugaBean 388358@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaMoose: I feel like a lot of football players are even saying that he should be at the birth though.</p> <p>Since you have an interesting perspective, what do you think about the implication that children should be planned around the NFL season? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/football-vs-family#post-388357 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 08:10:25 +0000 heffalump 388357@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I remember watching American Idol and seeing the guy missed his kids birth to audition. I thought that was the craziest thing ever. Nothing is ever as important as seeing your child being born! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/football-vs-family#post-388355 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 08:08:32 +0000 MamaMoose 388355@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As the wife of a former NFL player I actually would totally understand if he missed the birth because he was at a game. It's a hard culture to understand if you haven't been a part of it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/football-vs-family#post-388344 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 08:02:10 +0000 BelugaBean 388344@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm sure some of you have read the story about Charles Tillman. His wife is due to give birth Monday and he said if she goes into labor before then, he'll miss the game Sunday. Here's a link to one article about it:</p> <p><a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/chicago-bears-charles-tillman-right-to-choose-birth-of-child-over-game-110812" rel="nofollow">http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/chicago-bears-charles-tillman-right-to-choose-birth-of-child-over-game-110812</a></p> <p>I totally agree with this article. Some, however, think he has an obligation to be at the game no matter what. I told DH that if he didn't show up to the birth of our child because of work/football, I'd be furious. He said he'd regret it. </p> <p>I think I do remember a football player not long ago going to play the game either the day after his child was born or later the same day (and I'm not sure he was at the birth).</p> <p>What do you think? I personally can't even fathom thinking a football obligation would be more important. </p>