Brought to you by Roger Goodie Goodell . . .
The National Football League is in the news a lot lately, unfortunately for Roger Dodger, it ain’t all good. First off we have the Richie Incognito/Jonathan Martin he said/he said imbroglio around Incognito’s harassment and subsequent twitter frenzy, the arrest of NFL Network stalwart (and, creepily, the self-proclaimed pick magnet) Darren Sharper, who was charged with drugging and raping 2 women in LA, with pending charges in 3 other states, and throw in Ray Rice beating his fiancee unconscious, and there you go. Life in the NFL fist lane.
The Incognito deal just won’t go away for poor ol’ Jolly Roger (he of the $44.2 million in earnings last year. It’s good to be da king). The Wells report details a pattern of homophobic, racial, and general assholery harassment of certain teammates and an Asian trainer by some of the Dolphin players. If you are really bored/interested/insomniacial, here’s the report in its entirety:
http://i.usatoday.net/sports/nfl/miami-dolphins-ted-workplace-conduct-report.pdf
Makes you wonder how ready the typical NFL locker room is for an openly gay player. As in Mike Sam, All-SEC defensive player of the year. I’d love to think that our country has moved on from our puritan ways in regards to sexuality and how adults conduct themselves in their their own bedrooms, and certainly more and more states are allowing gay marriage, but the NFL is at best a very private club among people who nominally give their all to meet a common goal. This isn’t war or battle or any such nonsense, but football is a violent game played by large aggressive men. The locker room is supposed to be an-off-limits place where these guys decompress after the intensity of a game. At its worst, the locker room can apparently be a place of constant and endless bullshit from the very guys you are struggling to win games with. Seems like a pretty stupid way to build a coheseive offensive line to say the least. At some point, you’d think the coaches would at least tell them to tone shit down some. It turns out they were in on the harassment, and encouraged it.
Yes, I’m sure there is a lot of stuff going on in many locker rooms that would gross out/disgust/piss off regular folks, but these aren’t regular folks. But for Richie Incognito to be seen as anything other than a shit-dusturbing troublemaker is pretty weak. Even given the support of some of his teammates. The fact that the coaches place him high up on the leadership council (or whatever it was) is even more insane. When you see how Sam’s college teammates reacted to his coming out before the 2013 season, you see that people can adjust their perspective on things when it becomes real to them.
How this works in the NFL remains to be seen. Given the off-the-cuff comments by Chris Culliver, and Jonathan Vilma’s preening statments (if I’m showering with a gay guy, how can he resist me?) I really wonder if he even gets drafted. I’d like to think it’ll happen, but the owners are a very good-old-boy network, and they don’t appear to be ready for this. NIMBY indeed. Regardless, I wouldn’t hold my breath for the Dolphins to draft him.
Anyhow, there has been no official reaction to Miami’s handling of the Incognito deal from the league office. The thought though is Goodell drops the hammer on Miami as he did on the Pats and Spygate, and the Saints on Bounty-gate. Incognito likely gets some kind of major suspension. Lifetime? Right Just like Gregg Williams.
Speaking of Williams, did anyone notice that his ‘lifetime’ suspension lasted all of 2 years? Williams quietly slipped back into the DC job he was supposed to get after he blew the Niner playoff game back in 2012. Great. Goodie Goodell is certainly very good at the old smoke-and-mirrors parlor trick. Nothing to see here. Pay attention to all the money we just got from CBS for broadcasting some Thursday night football games! Cha-ching!
Forty Niners Forever 
Gregg Williams is good at his job despite going man coverage against Vernon in the playoffs. Gregg will make the Rams a much improved defense, and they already have a lot of great players on defense. If the Rams can get healthy play from Bradford and Zac Stacey continues to shine, the Rams will make some noise. If the 49ers or Seahawks slip just a little, the Rams will slide into a playoff spot. But don’t sleep on the Cardinals either. Bruce Arians in his second year with Carson, Floyd and Fitz, also with that defense, will be tough as well. Everyone said the NFC West was the best division in football last year. Next year, with Arians in his second year and Gregg Williams in St Louis, the NFC West might become the best division ever. That conversation won’t have merit until the end the year, though.
Goodell making 44 million pissed me off big time. I think Calvin Johnson only made 18. If Goodell made that much, how much do you think the owners made? The players need a better union.
This locker room stuff has been an open secret for years. It’s like the Priests bullshit in so far as everyone knows it goes on but it’s swept under the carpet for the greater good, then we are all “shocked” when evidence comes to light, gimme a break..
As for this kid Sam I don’t know if he hurt his stock or not but why take the chance? He could just as easily announced himself after the draft and not taken a risk.
Other than that it’s another non story since everyone knows gays are and have been playing in the NFL for years yawn..
Williams is what he is. An excitable guy who got caught cheating. Very disingenuous for Goodie Goodell to let him come back after 2 years. The blowback is over apparently.
Williams was suspended _indefinitely_ not permanently IIRC.
2 years is plenty considering what you get for murder in Goodell’s world.
Yeah murder, big deal. That’s nothing compared to gays playing football.
sarc/irony/snores
Williams was in the league last year with Tennessee. I can’t remember his official title with Tennessee, but he was on the sidelines, picking up a pay check.
Indefinitely, lifetime, 10 months?
I missed Gregg’s reinstatement last year and his subsequent hire by the Titans. What a joke.
Goodell’s the king of window dressing.
Yup PR kingo nothing more just so it kinds looks good
12th, I’m pretty certain Sam came out before the draft to get in front of it, and to not be forced to lie in the combine.
You think the combine would have outed him? I figured the NFL was in line with the military on this, don’t ask don’t tell kinda stuff. All the other gay football players going through the combine before him kept their secret. I thought he did it just to be the first and was worried some other candidate would beat him to it.
To me it was dumb to make himself stand out that way before the draft but time will tell. Will he be a good pro football player has become secondary to he will be the first known gay football player.
Infamous rather than famous.
Good piece Chuck.
As we’ve all seen, the NFL cares about the bottom line, first and foremost.
Roger is paid by the owners, while holding ultimate power over the game.
Quite the private enterprise huh?
Protected from taxes, workplace laws and the like, only serves to provide ‘The Shield’ with near untouchable power.
In the general business world, this kind of arrangement is called collusion.
Gets to the heart of our recent musings, regarding the Vegas Factor and, the ability of Roger and HIS Officials to drive a game outcome.
Injury lists are another factor.
Remove a given player on gameday, move the needle in Vegas.
It’s gotten a lot more conspicuous for me in recent years.
But, it is what it is, entertainment for profit.
Think of the days when a mortal human was trotted into a coliseum to entertain the masses against a lion.
No question where the money was wagered in those matchups.
I stand by my Shipping Container hostage theory.
The Mob still exists to enforce a given agenda.
Where there’s money, there’s corruption.
Thanks. It’s not like it hasn’t already happened with a pro sport. The whole tail wagging the dog kind of deal.
12th, I don’t think they would have outed Sam. I think he didn’t want to lie to them. And I seriously don’t think he came out now to be the first.
He at least knocked himself down a couple rounds, and maybe right out of, the draft. He was slated to go anywhere from 3 to 7, and he could simply fall out of the draft. The owners have plenty of time to discuss among themselves how they want to deal with this.
It always comes down to production on the football field with any potential Draftee.
Sam felt is was necessary, for whatever reason, to be honest about his sexuality.
I don’t for a minute believe, there aren’t others playing Professional sports, that are Gay.
They’ve just chosen to keep it private.
To each his own.
What Sam has done is leveled the playing field for anyone who might have had concerns about it in their Locker Rooms.
Help or hurt?
Probably hurts him more because he’s limited his options for potential employment.
Either way, he’s obviously felt it more worhwhile to be open about it.
It’s not just about being in the closet anymore.
Sam played at Mizzou. The Rams would seems like a logical choice re: location, except their DC is now Gregg Williams, so good luck with that…
Justin and Aldon played for Mizzou too.
How’d it sit with Culliver if Baalke brought another Mizzou like Sam to SF?
I do like EJ Gaines and Kony Ealy from Mizzou however.
It’s wide open in terms of possibilities.
Culliver has already bowed his head to the gays in locker room issue. (Unlike Duck Dynasty head dude whazzis name, very different circumstance) so this will not be an issue for him or Niners I guess.
Bowman rehab…
http://fieldofteams.csnbayarea.com/2014/02/14/a-glimpse-inside-navorro-bowmans-rehabilitation/
Go Bow!
Yep, go man go
It happens sometimes that other priorities/agendas are more important than playing a sport (or any other career too) for a particular player at a particular time. So they make a decision and maybe later it proves to be wise or maybe they wind up regretting it. That’s up to them no one else. M Sam may be making the right call for himself, I dunno. I don’t really care. Same with Tebow: celebrity is enough, never mind developing football skills? Fine, have at it. I like TT and wish he had continued in pro football but he’s gone in another direction for whatever reason- maybe no job offers? No worries.
It’s all good but if I was M Sam I woulda waited until after the draft just in case.
Phil I’m a guy that believes you keep your personal life and business life FAR,FAR apart.
Nothing good ever comes from crossing that line IMO.
However, I appreciate the fact that MSam felt it necessary to be honest with who he is.
Again, to each, his own.
We already know he can play football and, be recognized for his accomplishments in that regard.
Like Tebow, someone will take a chance on him simply because he’s a football player.
It likely will cost MSam some serious money on Draft weekend.
NYJ Sheldon Richadson came out in defense of MSam recently too.
He indicated to the media that he knew about MSam when they played together at Mizzou, even roomed with him.
As a friend and fellow team mate, he had no issues with it.
Quite a standup gesture on his part IMO.
It’s just a more accepted occurence with the younger guys these days.
No doubt it’s a Generational adjustment taking place.
No concerns on my part.
Be happy in your own skin.
Live and let live.
12th man, DADT policy was ended in the military by the teleprompter-reader-in-chief a couple years ago IIRC. Most folks that were real soldiers before are real soldiers still, mainly concerned with doing their jobs and trying not to be distracted by focus shifts to the current administration’s social engineering plays to garner some special interest votes.
Like the military, if it doesn’t help the military fight wars better, why do it?
The social engineering has resulted in a bunch of stupid changes in long standing policy and a whole bunch of fat single women trying to get pregnant and stay undeployable.
If Sam gets what he wants, ie, not just to be able to play, but to show he can be in your face and make you accept it, can women in the league be far behind?
I think you could argue that a more honest military would actually help the military fight wars better. Denial helps nobody. Just don’t have that cocksucker in my squad.
It’s funny that Singletary didn’t get the “it’s a personal choice” pass for wearing a big cross around his neck. He was vilified endlessly for that here.
The only reason to make it an issue is to make it an issue.
I find myself defending cocksuckers tonight, which is really somethin’. Singletary’s cross was vilified here because his actions didn’t match what his cross stood for. He didn’t behave like a Christian. See Dennis O’Donnell (sp?), Micheal Lewis and his agent, Kentwaun Balmer, Scot McCloughan (and the list goes on). If Singletary acted the Christian, I wouldn’t have vilified him about his inconsistencies in his personal life. Now his football acumen? That’s a whole different kettle of fish.
But that’s not even the real issue. The real cock suckin’ issue is that gays want to be free and open about their sexuality in all areas of their lives – without persecution for doing nothing wrong other than biting a few pillows from time to time. Singletary did things wrong. So far Sam hasn’t. Now if Sam goes hunting for mule deer in Nevada, I’m gonna ridicule the bastard I’m going to ridicule the CSer for being inconsistent. Playing football gay is one thing, but if you start bow hunting gay with Cat Scratch Fever, that’s just too much for me too fast. I’m still warmin’ up to this whole deal.
Singletary was free to wear his cross without persecution if he wasn’t a hypocrite. Mike Sam just wants to shoulder his cross without persecution.
The beauty of it for me is that douchebag or not, I’ll fry ’em both. Inconsistency, consistency…. I’m an equal opportunity hater. But at least I see the difference. Why do I do it? ‘Cause I’m a mean, evil SOB who likes the status quo and enjoys finding the chink in the armor I can expose and beat into oblivion.
Here’s the link to the interview with Sheldon Richardson –
http://tinyurl.com/paneemx
Spitblood, it’s got nothing to do with sexual orientation. I really couldn’t care less. It has to do with it becoming a distraction. No different than unpaid bill collectors calling the commander or drug habits or anything else that causes him to lose focus and become undependable or distracted from the mission.
The main mission becomes getting the post commander to change the rules so that a post chaplain can marry two guys in the post chapel, even if the clergyman has his own religious objections, so that mission and training become less and less important. Is that what the military is for now? Is that what the NFL is for now?
I totally get what you’re saying and I agree with you. I don’t want to be a in helicopter going into battle when some dude next to me says, “If I die today, Spitblood, I just want you to know I’ve always had a crush on you.” I’ll still get my head right once the ‘copter sets down, but I didn’t need that.
However, my point is that through time and acceptance there’s no longer a distraction. Very few people living in a town like say, Seattle, would walk up to a black man today and slap him across the face and call him the N word. But they used to and probably still do in other parts of the country. In more progressive towns, like Seattle, there’s little racism and it’s improving all the time. Point is that it’s a process.
It’s the same with gays in the military. It will take time for gays to be accepted into the ranks – especially in the Marines. But if you got there, no matter how long it took, you’d have a better fighting force because there would be no secrets and people would be free to be themselves. I’ve never served, but I know it’s about the guy next to you. What if the guy next to you is forced to live a lie? He’s weaker so you’re weaker. The team is weaker. You want the team to be as strong as possible. In this case, strengthening the team requires changing attitudes and beliefs, and that takes time. It’s not a good policy to thwart the process of evolving a unit even if it’s a distraction for several years, maybe even decades.
Well said Spit.
Focus on the mission at hand.
United We Stand, Divided We Fall.
In that context is where the NFL is often compared to the Military.
One focus, one purpose.
You count on your partners to give it all they have when it counts.
Weakest link theory.
Well, I don’t agree and I have been there. In my war we didn’t have Skype and email but when a guy got a letter from home nobody asked who it was from. Two or three guys could share an apartment off base and nobody automatically thought “gay.” We didn’t outlaw words, even if they were derogatory. You think it’s better now? Be careful how you answer, the feebees are recording you.
And racism is rampant, much thanks to zero. Only the whites can’t express it anymore and nothing wrong with expressing hate for whitey. Have you ever heard an Attorney General of the United States declare he would never bring hate crime charges against any black person before the current idiot holding that office? (substitute any race you want for ‘black’ or any laws for ‘hate crimes’)
Do you think that’s not racism? Blatant racism? Black gangs go around assaulting unsuspecting white victims by sucker punching them and nobody is charged and it’s called a game until they get a white guy victimizing a black in the same way then they prosecute for hate crimes? No racism there?
Electing and re-electing Obama proves whites aren’t as racist as everyone wants to accuse them of being but he’s brought racism back in a big way. And I don’t think anyone ever walked up to black man in Seattle and slapped him in the face and called him an “N word.” Now tell me you don’t feel like a first grader having to say things like “the N word.”
That’s it in a nutshell NoFear49er.
Reverse racism, if you will.
I grew up in a very racially charged time, and environment, during the late 60s early 70s.
Because I was always involved in Sports during that time, I had many friends of the black variety.
For me, the N-word had more to do with attitude, not skin color.
One choses to participate in the color game.
I never do.
You’re either a decent human being or, you aren’t.
Judge people on character.
Justice should be color blind IMO.
Sadly, it often isn’t.
Equality is a much too selective, and loosely applied term, in our society.
“Justice should be color blind IMO.”
Justice is but people aren’t.
You’re right about that NoFear49er.
Sad, but true.
Yes, NoFear. Thank God someone sticks up for the poor rich white folks. They’ve had it so hard for so long.
They sure get the tax breaks.