This isn’t a column about how awful the NFL is, because the world doesn’t need another column about that right now.
Like so many fans, I’m shocked, horrified and disappointed by the acts of Adrian Peterson, Ray Rice, Greg Hardy and others. No video, no pictures necessary, really—though they do tend to twist an ugly knife into the ribs of anyone who likes to pretend the fantasy players they wager on exist mainly as numbers on a website or highlight reels on YouTube. Peterson was rightly sent home (again) by the Vikings Wednesday, to which every smart person replied, “Umm. Yeah. Why was he back in the first place?”
What else needs to be said that hasn’t been said already? That Roger Goodell’s example of trustworthy leadership through the last month could charitably be classified as a little less impressive than that of a third-rate boxing promoter urging you to buy his aging client’s last money-grab pay-per-view?
As cathartic as it would be to pile on—and that last sentence did feel pretty good to write—there’s no point. Any right-thinking individual is already suitably disgusted, and anybody still defending Goodell’s “leadership,” Peterson’s “discipline” or Rice’s “incident” simply isn’t worth the number of words it would take to convert them.
There’s no point in preaching to either the converted or the inconvertible.
Instead your thoughts should be with the innocent bystanders, the men, women and children most affected by the callousness displayed by both the athletes and those ostensibly in charge of punishing them for their misbehaviour.
Save your concern for Peterson’s children who, at age four, somehow know the same fear that grown NFL defenders face when their 230-lb. dad heads toward them with intent to punish.
Spare a thought for Janay Rice, who’s seen what is likely the worst moment of her life on television and computer screens, during news broadcasts and halftime shows, for two weeks now.
Remember the courage of Nicole Holder, who stared at her boyfriend, Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy, in a courtroom and said that when he attacked her, “I was so scared I wanted to die.”
Those are the people that matter here—the victims. Not the offenders, not Goodell, not the lawyers and sponsors and team owners desperately trying to hide behind whatever information they claim they didn’t have at the time.
Those people aren’t the NFL, even though it might seem like it right now.
For every villain, there are hundreds of normal, hardworking NFL players, who came to training camp seven weeks ago ready for an exciting new season and are now spending their time in front of the press being asked about their teammates, or former teammates, or opponents, and why they would do those things and what they think should be done about it.
Don’t forget about Cowboys tight end Jason Witten, who was working with his foundation to combat domestic violence years before Roger Goodell discovered this was a problem he should perhaps be halfheartedly addressing. (Seriously, Goodell now wants to be “a leader in the domestic-violence space”—which is a brand-friendly way of saying he’s hopefully going to no longer totally ignore the problem.)
Don’t forget about Texans receiver Andre Johnson, who drops thousands of dollars at Toys ‘R Us every holiday season giving underprivileged children shopping sprees.
Don’t forget about Richard Sherman, who talks some mean trash, then in his spare time works to give kids who are starting school clothes and supplies to get them through it.
The point here is not to list off a few NFL players who give back. The point here is that almost every NFL player gives back; almost every NFL player is a normal person with athletic gifts who puts his body on the line to support family and friends who often come from the most impoverished places in North America.
Watch football or don’t, that’s your decision. It might be a tough choice. It’s a complex and fascinating game that’s inherently dangerous. It’s a sport that can inspire and amaze, and also horrify and sadden. But it’s played by real people—more than 1,600 of them—and a dozen of them have been arrested for violent crimes in 2014. Judge those 12 all you want, but don’t waste your thoughts on them, or on Roger Goodell. There are people involved who deserve your thoughts a whole lot more.