Investigating what fuels my dislike for the league
First and foremost I’d like to assert that I love the sport of football. It is a thrilling three hours of breathtaking athletics and astounding human achievement. That being said, I wholeheartedly despise the NFL and its reprehensible conduct towards its players, coaching staff, and fans.
This year has seen a number of embarrassing scandals that were dealt with even more embarrassingly – the Ray Rice case immediately coming to mind. Roger Goodell has left the NFL community humiliated by his negligence and lack of control over the affairs of these players. More importantly, he proved to the public that the NFL is an entertainment business – nothing more and nothing less.
Last Thursday, Commissioner Goodell – whose popularity has decreased exponentially since his succession of Paul Tagliabue in 2006 – addressed the public about the on-going investigations regarding the recent “Deflategate” scandal, as well as Marshawn Lynch’s relations with the media. Upon breaking his silence, Goodell once again publically self-destructed, as his press conference sounded more like a prolonged apology than an answer to the past few week’s mysteries.
“He has an obligation to the fans,” said Goodell regarding Lynch
Although it is a part of players’ contracts, when the media is portraying an NFL player negatively – through no fault of their own – the league should protect its players, not throw them to the wolves. Marshawn Lynch’s relation with the media is a case of a man stuck between two bullies: advertising and the NFL. Lynch might not be the brightest player on the gridiron – and a rather obnoxious one – but why are we forcing him to speak? What use will he be? Perhaps, if we push him enough, he’ll improve his relations with the media? Probably not. So why on earth is the media and the NFL shoving this player into a corner and forcing him to speak? It’s a power trip by the NFL and harassment by the media.
The recent Deflategate is one of the many long debates of sports ethics. It asks the long overdue question of where sports organizations’ interests truly lie: profit or fandom. Football has turned into a vicious gladiator sport where players are risking their lives for a greater paycheque, while the “suits” sitting atop their thrones are collecting stupendous amounts of money, all while we cheer on the destruction.
You may recall the Saints bounty scandal that took place from 2009 to 2012. The League punished the team by temporarily suspending several players and suspending the head coach for a season. Meanwhile, James Harrison single-handedly amassed an astounding $125,000 in fines for his dirty hits in 2010. The League’s reasoning was that it risked the health and safety of other players, especially now that the severe concussion issue has peaked.
However, the contentious concussion epidemic that surfaced in 2011 proved where the real interests of the NFL lie. It is a corporation, meaning that human emotion must be put aside so that the company will maximize its gains. It sends these players on the field to smash heads together for three hours, 16 games a season, for an average of seven years. After they retire, the players are left struggling to live with their scattered brains and worn-out joints.
Most important is the fact that sports – without advertising and the media – is a getaway for its fans. Sports are a getaway from the corrupt and capricious nature that lurks outside the stadium doors – a place where hard work, perseverance, and brotherhood are the pillars of accomplishment. Whenever business is introduced, corruption often follows. Business has successfully destroyed the last display of justice, honesty, and integrity. Business has removed the place where great players work hard with a culture where the wealthiest board of directors members win. Sports attracts viewers, meaning more people will watch ads, meaning greater revenue – that is the sad truth.
All in all, congratulations to the New England Patriots for winning the Super Bowl, a few of under-deflated footballs don’t win a championship – neither does filming the opposing sidelines. However, if you’re going to suspend a player for smoking marijuana, taking performance-enhancing drugs, amassing DUI’s, or, god-forbid, knocking out their wife in an elevator, maybe reconsider letting a team virtually walk away with a title after clearly violating a number of League rules.
“Fighting corruption is not just good governance. It’s self-defense. It’s patriotism.” – Joe Biden.