Today's NFL: Corrupt ot Not?

[King Colt]

The lack of responses and the given responses to the ongoing domestic violence issues has to raise many eyebrows as to something called "decency" and" integrity". Minnestoa's sudden turnaround is so incredibly see through they should pay a fine for being insincere. Now SF joins the little group of kids getting caught with their fingers in the cookie jar and now suspends their bad boy. Where is one statement from the commish? With all the political women's rights female politicians in SF not one word from anyone but Pelosi has fianlly spoken up. The NFL to me has elevated itself like a snake crawling up a chlid's backside. Heck, even Florida State reacted quickly to their bad boy. Peterson's insane defense that his father did it so it's OK. What if his father raped his daughters? And yet no word of indifference to this by the Vikings of the commish. Do not think for one second that there are not bundles of other cases the NFL has not acted on as they hushed them all up. Watching all of these persons representing their respective teams offer up these meeley mouth, spineless excuses for no discipline in favoer of winning has to stop....now! The only reason the teams are finally moving on these issues is sponsors...period, i.e, M-O-N-E-Y.

 

The long standing saying, "Winning is not everything, it's the ONLY thing" has never come to light as it has recently.

[Gramz]

I have to admit, I have conflicted feelings about all that is going on.

 

I think it is not reasonable to expect the NFL  to have control over players personal lives.  

Some things should be private and  between a husband and wife,  or  Parent and child.  

 

Now, before you jump all over me for that comment,  there obviously are "circumstances"  when the health and well-being and safety of another human being comes in to question that others do need to step in to insure that safety.   This is where other family members,  Law Enforcement and the Courts get involved.  

 

I also think AP's situation is very disturbing.  Just the fact that he admitted striking the child with the switch to "prove his point" that he "intentionally" meant to inflict harm and fear in a 4 yr. old child is criminal.   The scars from the wounds may heal, but the emotional scars may never heal.    I strongly believe AP should not be permitted to be alone with any of his children.

 

The whole situation nauseates me, but If I'm being honest,  I'm still a bit conflicted in the NFL's role in this.  

[jvan1973]

The NFL can't control every knucklehead in the league anymore than google, Microsoft, McDonalds can control the knuckleheads they employ

[Derakynn]

I don't think it makes any sense for the NFL to punish anyone in the first place, the government exists for a reason.

And people can do what they want, if there was such a thing as control, there would be no conflict in Syria and Gadafi would still be in Egypt.

[TheBlueAndWhite]

I'm considering not watching football anymore. All it is is a compilation of greedy owners, players and a shmuck of a commissioner. 3\4 of nfl players are downright thugs/druggies. I just can't take it anymore to be honest.

[ruksak]

Copy 'n' paste from a post I made somewhere's else;

 

I've grown sick of this. When I turn on sports news, I want to hear about sports, not shock media and tabloid scandal. 

Sports is supposed to be an escape, but look what we're doing to this outlet for our frustrations in life. We've turned it into another sick method of exploiting personal trauma for entertainment. People are entertained by this, and that is quite sick. 

Can we stop pretending yet, or is it not safe? This recent "epidemic" isn't recent nor an epidemic. I would venture a guess that domestic violence among players was likely much higher in Namath's day. Name me an employer with 1,700 employees and I bet more than 5 or 6 of them gets arrested for domestic violence in a given year. 

Ban players for life after a conviction, execute them.... whatever they need to do to shut this soap opera down so we can get back to football. 

All this attacking the NFL, and I've yet to hear anyone point out the FACT that no other employer/industry hands down such severe career consequence for misdemeanor crimes. There isn't one.

 

The NFL is the high water mark for lack of tolerance for domestic violence. Chris Brown beat the hell out of his celebrity girlfriend, and he's on tour right now.

This is all an act, and we're all licking this gruel off the floor, as if by command. I'm over it, I'm done. The only thing I'm boycotting is ESPN and the NFLN until they stop pandering to blind viewers by discussing drama over discussing stats.

[ruksak]

I'm considering not watching football anymore.

Liar

 

 

All it is is a compilation of greedy owners

Greedy billionaires, who'd a thunk it?

 

 

a shmuck of a commissioner.

You hate him because he's rich and powerful. This arouses contempt in people with compensation issues. He is a toady for the aforementioned owners. He does what they command, not the other way around. 

 

 

3\4 of nfl players are downright thugs/druggies.

I could pull the race card, but I'll assume you're just ignorant. 1,700 players. There's like what.....10-15 players with issues this year? You think domestic violence has gotten worse, or you think we're just far FAR more sensitive now? I assure you, domestic violence was a bigger issue in the NFL back in the good 'ol 1950's. Ya know, when women couldn't enjoy football because they're too silly and emotional, "best to stay in the kitchen lest you taste the back of my hand". 

 

 

I just can't take it anymore to be honest. 

 

You can't take what? This is all pretend time. 

[ReMeDy]

What I don't get is why doesn't Roger Goodell just step down? It would be the "honorable" thing to do. Get a new face in and let them have a go at it. Goodell has been a commissioner long enough (since Aug. 8th, 2006).

[theomaestro]

I'm considering not watching football anymore. All it is is a compilation of greedy owners, players and a shmuck of a commissioner. 3\4 of nfl players are downright thugs/druggies. I just can't take it anymore to be honest.

Your numbers are way off but I see your point. I do not have the enthusiasm for the game that I had years ago. I have seen too many of my heroes become cripples and suffer from dementia from this game. I think in ten to fifteen years the game will be reduced to glorified touch football. Football is a violent sport. People don't turn off their violent nature just because the game ended. Lots of money is put in the hands of young men with no knowledge about how to handle it. The NBA and baseball have these problems to but they are not as violent as the NFL. I know people will say that the players know what they are getting into and what the risks are when they sign a contract. That same argument used to be made about coal miners and other high risk occupations before unions came along and forced safety issues. They are still dangerous jobs. Young people think they are indestructible and it could never happen to them. Well, ask RG3 and others, it can happen to anyone and that includes are own Andrew Luck if we keep letting him take the worst beating in the NFL every year.

[theomaestro]

Liar

Greedy billionaires, who'd a thunk it?

You hate him because he's rich and powerful. This arouses contempt in people with compensation issues. He is a toady for the aforementioned owners. He does what they command, not the other way around. 

I could pull the race card, but I'll assume you're just ignorant. 1,700 players. There's like what.....10-15 players with issues this year? You think domestic violence has gotten worse, or you think we're just far FAR more sensitive now? I assure you, domestic violence was a bigger issue in the NFL back in the good 'ol 1950's. Ya know, when women couldn't enjoy football because they're too silly and emotional, "best to stay in the kitchen lest you taste the back of my hand". 

 

You can't take what? This is all pretend time. 

I think the number of players with issues is a lot more than the 10-15 you name. They are the ones we know about. I would guess their are a few times that amount that we have not heard about yet.

[theomaestro]

What I don't get is why doesn't Roger Goodell just step down? It would be the "honorable" thing to do. Get a new face in and let them have a go at it. Goodell has been a commissioner long enough (since Aug. 8th, 2006).

Money. Doesn't he make something like $85 million per year? They will have to drag him out.

[ReMeDy]

I just can't take it anymore to be honest.

 

Oh no! Don't do it! You have so much to live for! Like... football, for instance!

[ruksak]

I think the number of players with issues is a lot more than the 10-15 you name. They are the ones we know about. I would guess their are a few times that amount that we have not heard about yet.

Kinda like the people you work with, huh? There's nothing fundamentally different about this dynamic. 

[amfootball]

The NFL exists to make money. The gaffe here is Goodell thinking he could control the behavior of his players.

[GoPats]

 

I also think AP's situation is very disturbing.  Just the fact that he admitted striking the child with the switch to "prove his point" that he "intentionally" meant to inflict harm and fear in a 4 yr. old child is criminal.   The scars from the wounds may heal, but the emotional scars may never heal.    I strongly believe AP should not be permitted to be alone with any of his children.

 

 

Very much with you on this, Gramz. I've kept my opinions to myself on AP for the most part, but as the father of two young kids (5 and 2), I question any parent who thinks that a 4-year-old can intellectually grasp the meaning or motivation behind any sort of physical punishment. Yes, they will know what they did is wrong, but will they know why? And "why?" is more important, IMO, in the grand scheme of things. I just don't think it's an effective means of raising healthy, happy, well-adjusted kids.

 

I know it's hard... man, sometimes my kids run me into the ground! But the most important ingredient in any good parent (again, IMO) is patience. You always love your kids, but it's not always easy to be patient with them. Being a dad is the best and most important thing I've ever done in my life, and my singular focus is doing the best I can for them.

 

I've also got to add... I really hope, as a society, we stop leaning on the concept of cultural tradition when some of those traditions inhibit progress and social evolution. Folks defending AP say, "That's how it goes in the South," or that it's culturally ingrained somehow. They said the same thing about dog fighting when Michael Vick got busted. The idea, as far as I've always known, is that each generation should be better than the last. Stronger, smarter, more successful... I certainly hope that my kids' lives turn out that way. 

[ReMeDy]

Money. Doesn't he make something like $85 million per year? They will have to drag him out.

 

To me, since Goodell was appointed by the owners, the position of Commissioner should begin running more like an American presidency and have them set strict terms. The NFL I feel has gotten way too big and powerful, and I'm concerned the NFL needs to do something to stop complacency at the Commissioner's level.

 

Either that or I wish they'd take a page from the Japanese, and step down. Goodell needs to show some balls, realize he had a good run of it, and take up a new hobby, like gardening.

[theomaestro]

Kinda like the people you work with, huh? There's nothing fundamentally different about this dynamic. 

Oh, I think the percentage is much higher in the NFL. A lot of the players came from poor backgrounds and they are not equipped to handle the money they are being paid. You are right, the problems exist everywhere but more so in the NFL with the nature of the game, the physical size of the players and where they came from.

[ruksak]

What I don't get is why doesn't Roger Goodell just step down? It would be the "honorable" thing to do. Get a new face in and let them have a go at it. Goodell has been a commissioner long enough (since Aug. 8th, 2006).

The NFL has done more than it ever has to punish players for domestic violence under Goodell than any other commish....which would be exactly nothing at all before him. We had players sniffing frickin' cocaine on the sidelines when I was a kid. 

 

Don't get sucked in to the drama. The media has pumped this up to gain viewership, and people love it. They promote this Chiken Little nonsense, and people actually believe this?

[jvan1973]

I'm considering not watching football anymore. All it is is a compilation of greedy owners, players and a shmuck of a commissioner. 3\4 of nfl players are downright thugs/druggies. I just can't take it anymore to be honest.

ok, well i think your stats are slightly exaggerated. You can thank the media for only focusing on the bad things the *s do and not the wonderful things far more players do

[ruksak]

 A lot of the players came from poor backgrounds and they are not equipped to handle the money they are being paid.

So poor people are bad people? Give them money and they go all nanners? 

 

These are guys with college educations. 

 

The issue is, 1,700 players and an average age of 27. 

 

High density of young people is gonna equate to numerous bad decisions. Frankly, I'm shocked the NFL doesn't have serious issues. Which they don't. Remember, this is all pretend time. We're supposed to pretend the NFL is on it's heels, WILL IT SURVIVE??? Tune in at 9pm EST and find out. Durrrrp

[jvan1973]

Oh, I think the percentage is much higher in the NFL. A lot of the players came from poor backgrounds and they are not equipped to handle the money they are being paid. You are right, the problems exist everywhere but more so in the NFL with the nature of the game, the physical size of the players and where they came from.

the percentage is actually lower in the nfl than the average joes in the US. They always fail to leave that part out during the coverage of their fake outrage during their broadcast

[jvan1973]

The NFL exists to make money. The gaffe here is Goodell thinking he could control the behavior of his players.

at least he is trying. He has done more than all other nfl commissioners combined

[ruksak]

ok, well i think your stats are slightly exaggerated. You can thank the media for only focusing on the bad things the *s do and not the wonderful things far more players do

[amfootball]

So poor people are bad people? Give them money and they go all nanners? 

 

These are guys with college educations. 

 

The issue is, 1,700 players and an average age of 27. 

 

High density of young people is gonna equate to numerous bad decisions. Frankly, I'm shocked the NFL doesn't have serious issues. Which they don't. Remember, this is all pretend time. We're supposed to pretend the NFL is on it's heels, WILL IT SURVIVE??? Tune in at 9pm EST and find out. Durrrrp

It is not that simple. Many of the players do come from underprivileged and broken homes.

 

The college degrees are a farce.

 

The NFL needs to get to these guys in high school or college to help prepare them for the fame, money and women that will come at that in the NFL.

[amfootball]

at least he is trying. He has done more than all other nfl commissioners combined

What has he done?

[jvan1973]

What has he done?

um, actually punishing players for off field issues. This kind of stuff has been going on since the beginning of time. Players didn't get in trouble with the league for it until recently

[Valpo2004]

I'm considering not watching football anymore. All it is is a compilation of greedy owners, players and a shmuck of a commissioner. 3\4 of nfl players are downright thugs/druggies. I just can't take it anymore to be honest.

 

First of all nearly everyone is greedy, we just only like to point it out when it comes to people who have a lot of money.  But I'm guessing you are just as greedy as they are, you just havn't had the opportunity to get as much money as they have.

 

The 2nd part about 3/4ths of the league being thugs or drug addicts is demonstrably false.  

[BrentMc11]

I think it is smart of Goodell to hang low for the time being.  He has a panel of lawyers and social workers working on it.  He is obviously NOT an expert on these issues haunting the NFL.

 

He also should not resign because he is not one of the perpetrators of these alleged crimes.

[amfootball]

um, actually punishing players for off field issues. This kind of stuff has been going on since the beginning of time. Players didn't get in trouble with the league for it until recently

Again, what has that accomplished? Last year the NFL had 38 players arrested in the off-season, one of the highest totals ever. This past year they had 28. You add to that Aaron Hernandez, Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, Hardy, etc. I don't see a positive affect from him punishing players.

 

And where is he now with the NFL under siege as never before, under ground apparently, http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11545517/roger-goodell-gone-ground

[Valpo2004]

What has he done?

 

We can all see what he's done.  The proper question is "what did previous NFL commissioners do?"

[ruksak]

To me, since Goodell was appointed by the owners, the position of Commissioner should begin running more like an American presidency and have them set strict terms. The NFL I feel has gotten way too big and powerful, and I'm concerned the NFL needs to do something to stop complacency at the Commissioner's level.

 

Either that or I wish they'd take a page from the Japanese, and step down. Goodell needs to show some balls, realize he had a good run of it, and take up a new hobby, like gardening.

Ahh....genius!!!

 

Fake solutions for fake problems as a result of fake outrage. 

 

You do realize that Goodell is nothing but a puppet for the guys calling the shots, right? Y'all can't be thick about this forever. Eventually, one of you Goodell haters is going to have to answer that question and not just ignore it. The reality is, we could replace Goodell with Ronald McDonald today, and the same boys club of 32 billionaires will be calling the shots. 

 

What you've done here, with your ignorant comments about Goodell (what many are doing) is supporting the idea of a fall-guy. You're showing why it does, in fact, work to have a lamb to offer for slaughter anytime things go awry. 

[jvan1973]

Again, what has that accomplished? Last year the NFL had 38 players arrested in the off-season, one of the highest totals ever. This past year they had 28. You add to that Aaron Hernandez, Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, Hardy, etc. I don't see a positive affect from him punishing players.

And where is he now with the NFL under siege as never before, under ground apparently, http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11545517/roger-goodell-gone-ground

So you expect the commissioner to keep 2000 players under his thumb year round? Seems totally reasonable

[Valpo2004]

Again, what has that accomplished? Last year the NFL had 38 players arrested in the off-season, one of the highest totals ever. This past year they had 28. You add to that Aaron Hernandez, Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, Hardy, etc. I don't see a positive affect from him punishing players.

 

And where is he now with the NFL under siege as never before, under ground apparently, http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11545517/roger-goodell-gone-ground

 

Oh wow a whole 38 out of 1700 players!!!  That's like 2.2%

 

While among the general population it's more like 3.9%

 

"The estimated arrest rate for the United States in 2012 was 3,888.2 arrests per 100,000 inhabitants. "

 

Source: http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2012/crime-in-the-u.s.-2012/persons-arrested/persons-arrested

 

So the treatment of NFL players as though they are somehow worse then the general population is demonstrably false.

 

This is all the product of the media and it's faux outrage.  I mean I can't blame them really, they have nothing better to do.  A 24 hour news cycle is kind of hard to fill.  So you have to find something to get outraged about.  Then they get the public and other interest groups outraged about something they never cared or paid attention to before.  

 

It's ridiculous is what it is.  It's a moral panic and it's a witch hunt at the same time.

[jvan1973]

We can all see what he's done. The proper question is "what did previous NFL commissioners do?"

exactly. a point nobody really considers in their drummed up outrage

[amfootball]

So you expect the commissioner to keep 2000 players under his thumb year round? Seems totally reasonable

Bingo. He can't. It was a losing prop and a Pandora's box as soon as he came into the league with his John Wayne attitude. If you really want to clean up the league than you don't punish after the fact, you get to the players before they enter the league and continue to educate them once they are in the league about money, fame, women, media, etc. He knows his demographic. He knows what types of backgrounds these players come from and yet he wants to punish them after the fact. Counter productive and leads to the current storm the league is under right now ...

[BrentMc11]

I don't think it makes any sense for the NFL to punish anyone in the first place, the government exists for a reason.

And people can do what they want, if there was such a thing as control, there would be no conflict in Syria and Gadafi would still be in Egypt.

A scooch confused.... Gaddafi in Egypt?  Sadat was in Egypt.   Gaddafi did try to create an Islamic State with Egypt.  His work was done in Libya.  And....he is dead.  I think you knew that though.

[amfootball]

We can all see what he's done.  The proper question is "what did previous NFL commissioners do?"

Are you serious? This is the blackest hour in NFL history under Goodell's headship ...

[ruksak]

It is not that simple. Many of the players do come from underprivileged and broken homes.

 

The college degrees are a farce.

 

The NFL needs to get to these guys in high school or college to help prepare them for the fame, money and women that will come at that in the NFL.

No. They do not. They need to kick a man out of the league permanently for committing crimes and this all stops. Pretty sad when a man can't treat his wife and kids with respect unless Coach is standing there yelling at him. 

 

I realize their degrees are often just paper, but check out where I went to college;

 

Just lyin'. I never went to college and I grew up quite poor. I never hit a woman or a child, never been arrested. True, I don't have millions of dollars (I think I have a solid $9.56 on my dresser), but the kind of trouble these guys are getting into has nothing to do with money. 

 

I want to point out, the narrative many are following is dangerous. That the NFL has a domestic violence epidemic. It does not, and it is a dangerous narrative because it promotes the rarity of domestic violence in our society. This act, sadly, is not rare at all. We need to drag this creature out into the light and stop being dishonest about it. 

[BrentMc11]

Again, what has that accomplished? Last year the NFL had 38 players arrested in the off-season, one of the highest totals ever. This past year they had 28. You add to that Aaron Hernandez, Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, Hardy, etc. I don't see a positive affect from him punishing players.

 

And where is he now with the NFL under siege as never before, under ground apparently, http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11545517/roger-goodell-gone-ground

Not to be mean, but to my knowledge Goodell does not run a babysitting service.  These are grown men doing awful things.  If I did it or even missed a couple of days of work when I was still working I would have lost my job instantly.

 

I cannot fathom this disrespect for children and women.  Men getting beat up as well....but really not the issue on this one.

[jvan1973]

Bingo. He can't. It was a losing prop and a Pandora's box as soon as he came into the league with his John Wayne attitude. If you really want to clean up the league than you don't punish after the fact, you get to the players before they enter the league and continue to educate them once they are in the league about money, fame, women, media, etc. He knows his demographic. He knows what types of backgrounds these players come from and yet he wants to punish them after the fact. Counter productive and leads to the current storm the league is under right now ...

They actually do that sort of thing. Google the rookie symposium every player is required to attend. I guess they could make college players with violent convictions ineligible to be drafted but that might be a constitutional violation of some kind. But that would be a deterrent. The nfl arrest percentage is still much lower than the national average, so someone is doing something right considering the age of the players