Over the past couple of days I have seen a couple of disturbing
videos connected to the National Football League. The first is what is known
as the second half of the New England Patriots loss to the Miami Dolphins.
It was, for lack of a better term, pathetic. As Patriots fan we
have come to expect better from our team. We didn't get it on Sunday.
The second video is the one that has taken
the nation by storm. It is the clip from an Atlantic City Hotel/Casino
elevator involving, now former, Baltimore Ravens Running Back Ray Rice punching
is wife (then fiancée) in the face an knocking her out. It is the most
disgusting displays of male behavior towards a woman I have ever seen.
How can Rice justify that behavior in any scenario? I was always taught to
never lay your hands on a woman, no matter the circumstance. As a husband
and a father of two girls, this video makes me very angry.
When the incident happened Rice was
suspended for two games by Roger Goodell, Commissioner of the NFL. TWO
GAMES! Matt Prater of the Denver Broncos was suspended double that for a
DUI of alcohol. Wes Welker, also of the Broncos was suspended four games
for testing positive for amphetamines. Josh Gordon, of the Cleveland
Browns was suspended for a year for a repeat offense of marijuana, which is
legal is some states. So the message that the NFL sent was that smoking
weed is worse than beating your wife. That is a good message to send to
your fan base.
That isn't even the worst part of this
disturbing display of cover up. Goodell and the Baltimore Ravens, on
Monday, claimed they hadn't seen the video until that day. I'm calling
shenanigans and I think the general public tends to agree with me.
However, following that statement, the Atlantic City Police Department
stated that the NFL had access to those tapes and did not ask for them, kind of
in a chest thumping manner, as if to say they were much better at this than
anybody. Hardly.
These events just show the ineptness of
all parties involved. Ray Rice and his wife for protecting the paycheck
rather than the truth. The NFL, NFLPA and the Ravens for being absolutely
wrong in the way they investigated this, handled it, and then defended Rice's
character. Considering how quickly and vigilantly they
handle suspensions in their league for off field incidences, they
completely dropped the ball on this one and this could leave a constant noose
around Goodell's neck.
The interesting statistic to come out of
this is that Rice has spent zero time behind bars. So, for the Atlantic City PD and
the DA to make comments that they always had the tapes and they were available
to the NFL to investigate, why didn't they use them? Rice was never
charged for anything shown in the footage. They evidently didn't need his wife to press charges. Admitting that
they had the tapes and seen them all along just shows the incompetence of those
parties and they opened themselves up to probably the biggest criticism of all.
I must admit that I am a huge fan of the
NFL and that is mainly because they have made it entertaining week in and week
out. That is largely due to what Goodell has done. But I am not
backing him on this, not one bit. I will continue to watch games and I
will continue to buy into the NFL product but if Goodell loses his job over
this I will not say one word in his defense. I have been against him from
the start on this and I will continue to be. He has prided himself in
being executioner and chief in all disciplinary matters in the league and the
one that should have been an easy touchdown, and he fumbled at the goal line. He needs to explain
why.
I am a believer that public figures do not
owe explanations for their misgivings, at least not to me. But in this
instance, I am owed one. I had bought in to the new NFL and I loved the
product and kept coming back. So, why now, are you going against
everything you preach? Please explain.
3D
If you don't take it from me, ask my
wife.
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