Talk about unwanted publicity. You have to wonder what 50 NFL
players charged with felonies thought about seeing their photos
published by USA Today, the nation’s leading circulation
newspaper.
Talk about unwanted publicity.
You have to wonder what 50 NFL players charged with felonies thought about seeing their photos published by USA Today, the nation’s leading circulation newspaper.
There’s no reason to sugar-coat this: The NFL has an image problem and Commissioner Roger Goodell is determined to do something about it in concert with the NFLPA union.
It’s an admirable undertaking. Whether it will be effective is anyone’s guess. Professional sports have been all too quick to give free passes to criminals who happen to be talented athletes.
Let’s set the record straight. It is a small minority. Even in the NFL, 50 players is a small percentage of its players. And yet, to its credit, the NFL is attempting to do something about it.
Don’t think we’ve heard the last of it from Adam “Pacman” Jones and Chris Henry, who were suspended for the season and eight games, respectively. It’s almost certain that we will hear from their lawyers, who will point out that their clients are being unfairly singled out.
It’s hard to imagine Jones winning that argument. According to published reports, Jones has been interviewed by police for 10 off-field incidents.
The most recent was in Las Vegas during the NBA All-Star break when Jones flashed $80,000 in cash at strippers, and then tried to collect it all before leaving the nightclub. A man was shot and paralyzed from the waist down shortly thereafter and felony charges are pending against Jones.
Henry was arrested four times during a 14-month span, one of nine Bengals arrested in nine months.
It has been a public relations nightmare for the NFL. And it has even upset some of the players who have done things the right way. Deuce McCallister of the New Orleans Saints noted that he has had to answer questions about whether he was one of the NFL’s not-so Nifty Fifty.
Jones has become the poster child for the NFL’s new conduct policy, fair or unfair. His mother, Deborah Jones, said her son’s got a “tough guy mentality.” It’s easy to understand why.
According to reports, his father was murdered when Jones was 6. His mother went to prison for drug charges shortly afterwards. And, let’s face it, Jones’ physical size undoubtedly has led to the chip on his shoulder.
There’s no question he can play football. Jones, who grew up in Atlanta housing projects, has been a football star since he stepped on the field at Westlake High School.
It continued at West Virginia University where, incidentally, one of his teammates was Chris Henry.
At some point, we all have to grow up, to make good decisions. In a world where talented athletes are worshiped and coddled, some find it difficult to distinguish right from wrong.
This was not a knee-jerk reaction from Goodell. He took plenty of time before making the decision to suspend Jones for the entire season and Henry for eight games. Notice that Gene Upshaw, the player’s union chief, did not come out against the decision. That leads one to believe that the NFLPA is in agreement with the commissioner.
If that’s the case, Jones and Henry will have an uphill battle ahead. But there are still legal options available that I would expect one or both to use.
This will certainly serve as a litmus test not only for the NFL but other professional sports as well.
