Just watch me.
Hey NFL, if I were your mother, I would take you out of the game. No time outs, no suspensions. I would throw your disrespectful ass out on the dirty street where it belongs.
Your behavior is reprehensible, disgusting, and shows absolutely no regard for your players or their families.
It is clear beyond a shadow of a doubt that the machine called NFL doesn’t give a rat’s ass about its players. What they care about is ticket sales. Period.
It is a commonly known fact that many a coach has put their players into harm’s way for the revenue. Concussions run rampant and they don’t care. Players are injured and they don’t care. Many players receive little to no education at their collegiate institutions, and you guessed it, they don’t care.
Most recent in the news is Ray Rice, the Baltimore Ravens running back. Yet another fabulous example and role model being employed by the NFL and being paid millions by its sponsors. We are being led to believe that the NFL never saw the video that demonstrates Mr. Rice punching his then fiancée in the elevator and knocking her out cold. Yeah, right. If you believe that, I’ve got some sink-hole land to sell you in Florida.
I’ll tell you what the NFL didn’t know. They didn’t know that the video would go public. Or that the public would be so outraged that they would stage mass jersey burnings on social media everywhere. Or that their 45% of female patronage would be outraged enough to refuse to buy tickets.
The NFL has 3 other domestic violence players that they have yet to deal with. It is obvious that their strategy is to wait long enough that the public forgets about it, then suspend the player for a game or two and on with the show. Cowards! This is no way to run a business, let alone an American institution.
I am aware that there are a lot of decent hard playing young men wanting to get ahead who signed on with the NFL in good faith. Will they find good faith at the NFL?
I would, however, venture to guess that the majority signed on with the esteemed (choking on my words) NFL with the full knowledge that their grades were at the 6th grade level and that their job was simply to play ball.
Who would have thought that Michael Vick, the dog torturer and murderer, would be the NFL’s least offensive player? And by the way, on a personal note, how dare you put that demented piece of human slime back on the field! But I digress.
When did American sports become all about the trophies and ticket sales? What the hell happened to fairness in the game, integrity of the players and honesty of the institution? It got sand bagged for big bucks, then bigger bucks.
Speaking of bucks, don’t even get me started on the ridiculous million dollar salaries these guys get to catch, throw and kick a pig skin. All while our teachers, firemen, social workers, etc. go horribly underpaid and remain far too undervalued.
The NFL stands for everything America does not. Lies, crooked dealings, drugging damaged players, hiding disgusting, vile and deviant behavior, denying head injuries exist in their players and hiring hot shot attorneys to fight the notion, and supporting many players not getting their education, all so they can continue the game. That’s some prideful organization.
I admit that I know very little about football. But I was raised to believe that it had everything to do with integrity, sportsmanship, honesty and fair play.
Ping Pong is looking better and better!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbwTMJroTbI
Joan Cooper - Well said, Tammy.
It is puzzling to me why the NFL does not have counseling available to its’ players who have problems, and keep a file on that. Yes, this is an investment for them, so why do they not protect that investment and also help their men who so much need help.
You know me Tammy – I put Vick at the top of the list for hanging in public. This is the ultimate violation – to hurt a flesh and blood creature who has no chance to fight back. Rice’ lady married him fully knowing his violence. That is a little different. Not approving – but she did have a fighting chancre – no pun intended.
Joan
Linda Lichtman - I’m cancelling my season’s NFL tickets and donating the $$$ to a battered women’s shelter.
Tana Bevan - What is an appropriate punishment? Well, seems to me castration along with a frontal lobotomy. Then place him in a room/stadium of women while showing the video. Let justice be done. (Wouldn’t be surprised to learn vigilante justice is on the rise.)
Tammy - Joan, I AGREE with you on ALL counts. That is rare for us. I welcome the company. It’s all so disgusting to know that it’s part of our “Americana”. God help us.
Tammy - OMG, Linda, that is FREAKING BRILLIANT! So LOVE the idea. Man, would that many will follow in your footsteps! Thank you for being here, my friend.
Tammy - Tana, this is all so crazy and out of whack. I’m learning that the NFL will allow him to play sooner than later. What the hell?! Women need to take over this shit. Men are clearly incapable of looking past their wallets. UGH! Do like the stadium suggestion!
Carol Cassara - I am with you 300 percent.
Helene Cohen Bludman - I am so disgusted with this Ray Rice incident and the sloppy way the NFL has dealt with it. And I hate that his wife is defending him.
Maureen Musgrave Armentrout - You tell ’em!! The whole sport – owners, players & advertisers – need fixing! Not to mention counseling for the wives…….
Barbara Torris - You are saying what we have ALL known for longer than we care to admit. However, until the football fans of America let their voice be heard, nothing (nothing) will change. I believe that football players are allowed to do things on the field that they would be arrested for on the street or in their homes. The game is simply barbaric!
Cathy Chester - This whole incident is another shameful event in the world of sports.
mel glenn - Dear Tammy,
As with politics and business, the bottom line is the bottom line. Now sports. The NFL is a cash cow and nobody wants to see that the milk is sour.Shepard Smith interviewed an ex-wife of an ex NFLers today who admitted she was the victim of domestic abuse, and the coach of her husband’s team told her NOT to report the incident.
I am sure ping pong has its dirty elements, but not on such a large scale. Sportsmanship? integrity? fair play? Those concepts, my dear, are gone with the wind. And we will always have football playing Mondays, Sundays, now Thursdays just outside of Tara.
Kim Tackett - I’m not a football fan, so no love lost. But it seems that the game
itself is an exercise in violence (like I said, not a fan, so the strategy part is invisible to me), so why are we surprised when the athletes, or stars, behave in this way? I do hope this opens up a conversation and real changes are made. Thanks for this piece!
Lisa @ Grandma's Briefs - There are so many ways in which the NFL needs to shape up, do the right thing. Will it ever happen? Doubtful. It’s an endless exercise in frustration.
Lois Alter Mark - Great post. The NFL is a disgrace, putting money before basic human rights. They could set a great example for generations of boys by kicking out abusers. Instead, they protect and defend them. If Ray Rice had knocked out anyone other than his girlfriend/fiance/wife like that, he’d be in jail. Where he should be.
Tammy - *Big Sigh* No doubt you are right, Mel. 60 Minutes did an expose last year on the NFL on how they drugged up wounded players to play. One would think that was illegal. They didn’t flinch. Like the NRA, they don’t have to. What a crazy world we live in.
Tammy - Hi Kim, happy to have you here. Yup, it opened up conversation alright. Let’s see if anything comes of it. Fingers crossed!
Tammy - It IS an endless exercise in frustration! As long as those tickets get sold, this will continue. Only when they are hit where it hurts, in the wallet, will it matter. How sad is that?!
Tammy - I’m with you Helene. His wife’s actions are even more bizarre. It seems clear that priorities are completely upside down. Can you imagine this kind of incident happening in baseball 40 years ago? Of course not. Baseball prided itself on integrity and the honesty and purity of the game. Too bad we’ve lost touch with that sentiment.
Doreen Mcgettigan - AMEN!! The NFL needs to stop signing thugs to multi-million dollar contracts, especially thugs with poor educations.
Toni McCloe - The NFL said today that they did not see the video of Rice hitting his fiancee. They saw only a video of him dragging his fiancee out of the elevator. Duhhh??? “dragging!!!”
Tammy - You made me laugh, Toni. Duhhhh! Yup, I would think that if you see a guy dropping and dragging his fiancée out of an elevator and not even bending over to see how she is, that something not so awesome went down. This post was picked up by HUFFPOST today, and as it turns out, they DID see the entire video in April. Shocker. Not. These guys are cover up artist, crooks of the worst kind. Send them all to jail! Bah!!
Mary La Fornara Gutierrez - I totally agree!
Rosalind Warren - LOVE it! (Especially that Michael Vick aside.)
Ruth Curran - Oh you are preaching to the choir on this one. I get it that holding professional athletes up as role models is not always a good idea but criminal behavior is a different story. Great post
lizzy - Pro teams have always been about the revenue. What is, sad is hearing the Commish saying he hoped the couple would work things out. Huh??? Would he hope his daughter stay with a guy who beats the shit out of her? This is all so classic victim that it’s shocking and heartbreaking. A great lesson for the public on domestic abuse, victims, and why they stay.
Tammy - Ruth, we are on the same page. If only everyone else was too. Thanks ever so for the read and the comment!
Tammy - Lizzy, holy cow, I didn’t hear that from the commish. That is insane! I’m sure the tables would be turned if it were his daughter. At least, we hope so. The poor money hungry lying scum. Wait … was that my outside voice? You’re right…it is a great lesson for the public and hopefully some good dialogue will come of it.
Jeanne Moattari - Sports figures have stopped being American idols. They are businesses. No person should have to be beaten or brow beaten by anyone else. Mental abuse occurs every day in every job. Why doesn’t anyone blog about the woman who is let go for being overweight? Or school principals who make racist statements to young student teachers? These are power plays. Everyone wants to see the guy who makes an insane amount of money, go down. His wife and he need therapy and other relationship help. But calling them out, taking away the job of the breadwinner, is not addressing the issue..wasn’t there a famous athlete charged with rape– which is violence, physical and psychological..he was fined and back at work. Definitely the ATHLETIC professions need to hire psycholigists. These athletes live abnormal lives. Bigger than reality. But they deserve to be judged like everyone else, not in the media or on blogs. Michael Vick was guilty of animal abuse and more. Why is he still playing?
WendysHat - This is a whole other world from the one I live in. Sad state of affairs I’m afraid.
Jeffrey Davidson - Great post! It’s amazing how these “role models” just like the Senators and Representatives in Washington get away with all kinds of illegal and immoral things. The NFL at the very least should ban him from all future games, nullify his contract and never allow him to play in the league again. That goes for all of the felons, drug users, spousal, child and animal abusers etc. That being said, the salaries that any professional athlete commands, just like many CEO’s, etc. is what the market will bare. It is truly sad that our teachers, law enforcement officials, fire fighters, etc. command such low pay. However, that is a societal problem when the athletes are paid so much more. You commented that: “Speaking of bucks, don’t even get me started on the ridiculous million dollar salaries these guys get to catch, throw and kick a pig skin. All while our teachers, firemen, social workers, etc. go horribly underpaid and remain far too undervalued.” Athletes get paid because they bring in the money that society pays to see them perform. The others get paid from tax revenue. One is voluntary and the other is required. I don’t blame the “good” athletes, but like you, I think the sports management should have much higher standards as well as requiring a minimum, legitimate education.
Janice Wald - I agree with your thoughts. However, do you feel all NFL members should be shamed for the behavior of a group within their professional? Should all take the fall for the behavior of some?
Tammy - Hi Janice, absolutely NOT. But I do believe that the institution which has harbored, hidden and controlled matters unbecoming a civilized company need to be called out for what they are-greedy bastards. Shame on the NFL for not caring if their players are injured, abusers or uneducated. In America we are more than about the money. We are about the game, the players, the families and the fairness of it all. Not lately!
nfl now - Thanks for the post.