The Crystal Ball 2013 Goodell, Hernandez and NFL Crime and Punishment

Once again the NFL seems to be overrun by gentlemen of poor character. Former Cleveland Browns Ausar Walcott was arrested on charges of attempted murder for punching a man in the head. Cowboy Josh Brent, charged with manslaughter in the drunk driving death of a teammate, recently tested positive for marijuana. Raven Bernard Pierce and Steeler Mike Adams were both recent victims of carjacking attempts, with Adams being stabbed several times. While they weren’t committing crimes, the question is raised why they were out in the middle of the night? And of course, we cannot overlook the marquee NFL crime of 2013, Aaron Hernandez arrested on charges of murder, and being investigated in a double murder case from 2012.

Honestly, I could continue on with the list of NFL perpetrators. Several outlets have already, compiling a disturbing list of crimes from murder to drunk driving, drug possession and more. Adam “Don’t Call Me Pacman” Jones was arrested the week before he was supposed to speak at the NFL Rookie Symposium about potential off the field pitfalls these young men will inevitably face. Taste the irony.

As of the end of June over 29 players have been arrested since the Super Bowl, with the total for 2013 hovering around 40 arrests, leading to a rash of talking heads wondering if the NFL has an arrest problem, questioning what is wrong with the players and generally wringing their hands in impotent rage at the ills of society.

For a moment I will jump off topic and suppose aloud that while some of these men most likely just made a mistake of youth, some of them are just bad guys. And while you do not want to see bad people succeed or be in a position of influence, power or money, perhaps the problem is ours. We expect these young men who are paid obscene amounts of money to be good, upstanding God fearing men who will hold a door for a lady and climb a tree to rescue a kitten. And while there are many of those guys in the league, there are also some with whom you would avoid making eye contact. Look at any large group or organization you have ever been a part of in your life. Were there always groups of good kids and bad kids and everyone else somewhere in the middle? Well, the NFL is no different, yet are perceptions and expectations are. However, let’s save that particular discussion and debate for another day.

While it may be time to adjust our expectations of these young men, it is long overdue for us to tear off the blinders regarding our perceptions of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

When Goodell took office, he surveyed an NFL landscape that had been overrun by off the field transgressions and a public that had become increasingly displeased with financially and emotionally supporting a business that allowed questionable characters to run rampant. Goodell at the time promised to crack down on all troublemakers, and for a time, he did. Goodell ruled with an iron fist, freely fining and suspending players that ran afoul of the law. The general public cheered his actions and whether through actual better behavior or just less reporting of transgressions, overall player behavior seemed to improve. While there were repeat offenders who never got the message and soon found themselves unemployed and a few assorted idiots, Goodell did do a commendable job at establishing an environment that would not tolerate crime without consequences.

But his punishments were, even then, inconsistent. While each case is different, Goodell’s punishments seemed capricious. The length and severity of each punishment were not based upon merit for the crime, but of popularity of the player and potential for marketing and additional revenue. And thus began Goodell’s shift.

I’m sure many have wondered what happened to the iron fisted Goodell of his first few seasons as commissioner, especially when it became widely reported in the wake of the Hernandez arrest how many NFL players had been arrested this year. That Goodell never left, he just shifted his focus from punishing law breakers to punishing rule breakers.

After a particularly violent and concussion filled weekend a few years back, I believe you all remember it, the public not only began to lose their stomach for the ultra violence of the NFL, but also question how it is played, officiated and ruled. People wondered if this level of violence, and long term damage to its participants, were acceptable forms of entertainment. And the threat of losing money reared its ugly head.

Since then, Goodell has turned his act of judge, jury and executioner on anyone who breaks his newly instituted rules to protect players. Goodell and his NFL cronies have been desperately trying for several years now to force feed the public on a sham of a public relations campaign that he cares about and is actively working to improve player safety. But all he is doing is attempting to convince the public that an inherently violent game is safe, the men who participate will be fine and live long, happy, healthy lives afterward and that it is perfectly reasonable to expand an already long and taxing season that shaves years off of each man who plays by an additional two games. And God help the man who by his play or arrogance dares reveal this campaign as the farce that it is (see Harrison, James).

Unfortunately, by turning his energy to campaigning for an 18 game season, by haphazardly instituting a player safety campaign and rule changes and by punishing those who screw up said campaign, Goodell has turned his head away from the overall good of the game. It doesn’t matter if there are 16 or 18 or 22 games, if the general public is disgusted by the people who play the games, no one will watch or attend said games.

The NFL, and particularly Heir Goodell, has revealed their true colors. They do not care about off field behavior; they do not care about actual player safety or the safety of those who may come in contact with their rogue players. They only care adding revenue through an 18 game season.

Despite everything happening in the NFL right now both on and off the field. Despite the prodigious amounts of arrests for everything from drunk driving to murder, despite the thousands of players suing the league, despite the league still not taking serious strides toward actual safety other than public relations campaigns and throwing money at studies that will most likely favor their standpoint. Despite these issues and ever increasing questioning eye from the purchasing public. Goodell still insists on pushing an 18 game schedule.

I wish I could be the one to break it to him, but no, it’s not a topic of conversation. You know what is? Concussions, arrests and Aaron Hernandez charged with murder. Now do you believe me when I say Goodell cares nothing about player safety? Now do you believe me that he does not care what players do unless it jeopardizes his expanded schedule? If he did, this discussion would be over. Yet, here we are again. And for the final time, fans do not hate preseason games. We hate paying regular season prices for preseason games.

What Goodell seems to be missing is that players making violent hits on the field or breaking rules imposed by a competition committee will not affect a potential 18 game season. The real threat to an 18 game season lies in giving actual player safety concerns and initiatives lip service. It lies in ignoring the cries and crushing the lawsuits of former employees demanding answers and help. And it lies in allowing criminal behavior off the field to run rampant despite protestations otherwise.

But what do you expect from a league and a commissioner that spent the playoffs and Super Bowl deifying and celebrating a man not only charged with double murder, but convicted of obstruction of justice in the same case. A case that today remains unsolved thanks in part to his obstruction. Eventually, if the NFL continues to fete players as infamous off the field as famous on it, they will turn around and find the stands emptying of disgusted fans. And then what good will 18 games a season be?