Thursday, September 18, 2014
Political Mayhem Thursday: The NFL's Big Problem
Yesterday, I posted a piece on the Huffington Post sports page about the real mess the NFL finds itself in at the moment. Here is the heart of it:
If there is one thing the NFL understands, it is symbolism. That is the essence of the business after all: taking events with no inherent meaning and making it stand for something. The NFL's genius is in bringing us iconic characters and actions that would not exist but for the artifice of the game. Without the symbols and marketing, the Green Bay Packers are just a bunch of guys on a lawn.
That's what makes the league's bumbling reactions to a series of player scandals so tragic. Each of them represents an opportunity for the league, based on known evidence, to use its greatest power -- the creation of symbols -- for a deep social good. At times it has done this, but the league's actions have been neither consistent nor intentional. That should change.
Consider the variety of social issues raised by just some of the player behavior that has made the news. Michael Vick was convicted of running a dogfighting ring, Ray Rice of the Baltimore Ravens knocked his girlfriend unconscious, Richie Incognito of the Miami Dolphins bullied a teammate with racial insults, and Adrian Peterson beat his four-year-old son with a switch. This is a striking set of social issues on which there is a national consensus. We have passed the point where a significant moral argument could plausibly be made in favor of dogfighting, domestic violence, racial bullying, and corporal punishment that leaves scars. As a society we now reject those actions of violence and intimidation as wrong.
Were the NFL to use its power for good, it would consistently, quickly, and confidently condemn and sanction all of these behaviors. Right now, though, the messages it sends are muddled and weak. For example, consider the four incidents described above. They involved four different types of victims -- animals, a woman, a small child, and an NFL players -- and four different kinds of harms (animals fighting one another, a punch to the face, corporal punishment with a tree branch, and insult). The response was swift in dealing with Richie Incognito, who sent a series of texts to teammate Jonathan Martin containing threats and racial insults.
The way Incognito was treated stands in stark contrast with the Vick, Rice and Peterson cases. When Incognito's texts were made available to the Dolphins in the middle of last season, they indefinitely suspended him, which was appropriate. He has not returned to the NFL. The meandering response to Rice's actions went from nothing to a two-day suspension, to an indefinite suspension when the full video of the incident went viral. Vick was suspended only after he pled guilty. The Vikings announced that Peterson was expected to play for the Vikings on Sunday in New Orleans, before the team reversed course and "exempted" him from the team. These wobbly responses weren't driven by conflicting or unknown fact. In the Vick, Rice, and Peterson cases the plain truth of the underlying violence was publicly known well before a legal outcome was determined. A video of an unconscious woman or the photos of a beaten child speak for themselves.
It can't be that the NFL cares more about insults to a player than it does about domestic abuse or the welfare of children and animals, but it sure looks that way. The argument might be made that in the cases of Vick, Rice, and Peterson the NFL and the teams themselves were waiting to allow the criminal law process to complete its course, but that falls apart when held up against Incognito's situation. He wasn't charged with a crime, and wasn't likely to be charged with a crime. And yet, swift action was taken….
Make no mistake about one thing: the NFL is a business, created to make money. It's not a church or a prosecutor's office. Still, it is a business that is rooted in the creation of symbols and the building-up of heroes. A kid wearing a Ray Rice jersey or coming home to an Adrian Peterson poster on his bedroom door is the target of that myth-making. The NFL is one of that boy's teachers, and what it teaches is values: Strength, determination, perseverance. It takes nothing away from that business to also teach limits and respect for other men, women, children, and animals. That's the thing about creating heroes, after all; there will always be another running back to promote into heroism.
If there is one thing the NFL understands, it is symbolism. That is the essence of the business after all: taking events with no inherent meaning and making it stand for something. The NFL's genius is in bringing us iconic characters and actions that would not exist but for the artifice of the game. Without the symbols and marketing, the Green Bay Packers are just a bunch of guys on a lawn.
That's what makes the league's bumbling reactions to a series of player scandals so tragic. Each of them represents an opportunity for the league, based on known evidence, to use its greatest power -- the creation of symbols -- for a deep social good. At times it has done this, but the league's actions have been neither consistent nor intentional. That should change.
Consider the variety of social issues raised by just some of the player behavior that has made the news. Michael Vick was convicted of running a dogfighting ring, Ray Rice of the Baltimore Ravens knocked his girlfriend unconscious, Richie Incognito of the Miami Dolphins bullied a teammate with racial insults, and Adrian Peterson beat his four-year-old son with a switch. This is a striking set of social issues on which there is a national consensus. We have passed the point where a significant moral argument could plausibly be made in favor of dogfighting, domestic violence, racial bullying, and corporal punishment that leaves scars. As a society we now reject those actions of violence and intimidation as wrong.
Were the NFL to use its power for good, it would consistently, quickly, and confidently condemn and sanction all of these behaviors. Right now, though, the messages it sends are muddled and weak. For example, consider the four incidents described above. They involved four different types of victims -- animals, a woman, a small child, and an NFL players -- and four different kinds of harms (animals fighting one another, a punch to the face, corporal punishment with a tree branch, and insult). The response was swift in dealing with Richie Incognito, who sent a series of texts to teammate Jonathan Martin containing threats and racial insults.
The way Incognito was treated stands in stark contrast with the Vick, Rice and Peterson cases. When Incognito's texts were made available to the Dolphins in the middle of last season, they indefinitely suspended him, which was appropriate. He has not returned to the NFL. The meandering response to Rice's actions went from nothing to a two-day suspension, to an indefinite suspension when the full video of the incident went viral. Vick was suspended only after he pled guilty. The Vikings announced that Peterson was expected to play for the Vikings on Sunday in New Orleans, before the team reversed course and "exempted" him from the team. These wobbly responses weren't driven by conflicting or unknown fact. In the Vick, Rice, and Peterson cases the plain truth of the underlying violence was publicly known well before a legal outcome was determined. A video of an unconscious woman or the photos of a beaten child speak for themselves.
It can't be that the NFL cares more about insults to a player than it does about domestic abuse or the welfare of children and animals, but it sure looks that way. The argument might be made that in the cases of Vick, Rice, and Peterson the NFL and the teams themselves were waiting to allow the criminal law process to complete its course, but that falls apart when held up against Incognito's situation. He wasn't charged with a crime, and wasn't likely to be charged with a crime. And yet, swift action was taken….
Make no mistake about one thing: the NFL is a business, created to make money. It's not a church or a prosecutor's office. Still, it is a business that is rooted in the creation of symbols and the building-up of heroes. A kid wearing a Ray Rice jersey or coming home to an Adrian Peterson poster on his bedroom door is the target of that myth-making. The NFL is one of that boy's teachers, and what it teaches is values: Strength, determination, perseverance. It takes nothing away from that business to also teach limits and respect for other men, women, children, and animals. That's the thing about creating heroes, after all; there will always be another running back to promote into heroism.
Comments:
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Add to that the lawsuits about injuries to players going through the NFL and it certainly seems to be in a bit of a pickle. Maybe it's time for a little closer regulation, kind of like states do with boxing/professional fighting.
I appreciate your comment. I think a bit of the Rice thing was that the victim was opposed to any punishment. Also there was some indication that she also struck some blows in the altercation, but that is questionable.
I think the league needs to start all of these actions with an indefinite suspension, pending investigation. Then adjust the penalty depending on the outcome of a quick but vigorous investigation.
I think the league needs to start all of these actions with an indefinite suspension, pending investigation. Then adjust the penalty depending on the outcome of a quick but vigorous investigation.
# posted by 
: 7:16 AM
: 7:16 AM
It makes me also wonder about the silence of the NFL Players Union and wonder when (sadly) player contracts will start including clauses addressing these issues.
Waco Friend--
The league needs to do two things:
1) Decide whether or not they are going to defer to the criminal justice system.
2) Centralize these decisions about individual cases. The problem right now is that individual teams seem to make most of the decisions, and they are all over the place.
The league needs to do two things:
1) Decide whether or not they are going to defer to the criminal justice system.
2) Centralize these decisions about individual cases. The problem right now is that individual teams seem to make most of the decisions, and they are all over the place.
Christine, the NFL Players Union is not silent - it appealed the Rice suspension!
# posted by : 10:10 AM
: 10:10 AM
The NFLPA appeal is that Rice was levied a 2 game suspension, then it was changed to a longer suspension. That can be considered double jeopardy, and the precedent is not attractive to the NFLPA. An indefinite suspension to start with, to allow a definitive investigation, followed by, if appropriate a longer suspension woul not carry the double jeopardy worry that the union has clearly expressed. A part of their argument is that a public outcry should not cause a post suspension increase in the penalty, and they are right in that regard.
# posted by : 3:39 PM
: 3:39 PM
I guess what I mean is the NFLPA should be discussing a code of conduct. They can't undo what is currently in the works - except by what they have done - appeal on behalf of Ray Rice.
To be honest I find the whole thing (from all sides) reprehensible. I have tuned it out to the best of my ability. Beating wives, beating kids, torturing pets - all of it is just too much....
To be honest I find the whole thing (from all sides) reprehensible. I have tuned it out to the best of my ability. Beating wives, beating kids, torturing pets - all of it is just too much....
Two Things:
1. The NFL is an amoral business promoting a product. They are no more responsible for inculcating moral values into American life than Paramount Pictures. Every move they make at NFL headquarters is a PR move. You are right that they have stumbled and failed in their number one goal (only goal): promoting their product.
2. As you say, Rice, Incognito, Peterson, and Vick are all celebrated instances of NFL misbehavior. But, as you point out, one of these is not like the other. Incognito was punished much more harshly and consistently by the League than the other three for the one instance of misbehavior that was not potentially criminal.
Why? Incognito was the one player of those four who was not a household name (NFL star) at the beginning of the process. Perhaps that is part of the reason. And perhaps Incognito being the only white player in that group also played a role. Perhaps his race was pure coincidence (and I say that without a smidgen of sarcasm). But perhaps race did play a role in the way the NFL approached these PR problems. The question of race is at least worth considering.
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1. The NFL is an amoral business promoting a product. They are no more responsible for inculcating moral values into American life than Paramount Pictures. Every move they make at NFL headquarters is a PR move. You are right that they have stumbled and failed in their number one goal (only goal): promoting their product.
2. As you say, Rice, Incognito, Peterson, and Vick are all celebrated instances of NFL misbehavior. But, as you point out, one of these is not like the other. Incognito was punished much more harshly and consistently by the League than the other three for the one instance of misbehavior that was not potentially criminal.
Why? Incognito was the one player of those four who was not a household name (NFL star) at the beginning of the process. Perhaps that is part of the reason. And perhaps Incognito being the only white player in that group also played a role. Perhaps his race was pure coincidence (and I say that without a smidgen of sarcasm). But perhaps race did play a role in the way the NFL approached these PR problems. The question of race is at least worth considering.
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