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Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Cheating in Football: Where's the Outrage?

Let us tell you a story.

A commissioner comes into a new job running a large organization. He declares he is going to clean up the image of the sport and is going to demand that those fortunate enough to gain the opportunity to be a part of the league respect the game with their off the field action. He says that if they don't, he is going to exercise new powers to suspend them.

And he does.

A scandal comes along. It involves game day conduct. It involves an organization willfully acting to operate in direct conflict with a reminder the commissioner issued to all teams in the weeks or days before the season started. It involved a coach deciding to demonstrate his complete disregard for the rules and his complete lack of concern about being caught. He did it against an opposing coach that flat out new his modis operandi. He did it with not one eye toward possible consequences. His explanation was ridiculous. He didn't understand the rule?!

He was caught.

The suspension happy commissioner was given an opportunity to exemplify his commitment to the integrity of the game as it relates to on the field incidents. He was given the chance to drop the hammer and show that the NFL will not tolerate such callous disregard for all the NFL stands for.

Instead, he fined a billion dollar organization less than a million bucks. And took away a few draft picks.

Message received commissioner, loud and clear.

Suspensions are reserved for those that hurt the marketing of NFL with bad press for being jerks off the field. Those that thumb their noses directly at you on the field and tell you ridiculous lies as their excuse are safe. Gotchya!

Perhaps even more outrageous than Goodell's complete lack of spine in standing up to the league's flagship franchise is the media's handling of the aftermath.

We aren't going to pretend that this is the most horrible form of cheating ever documented. But it is cheating. It is bad for the game.

Remember when Michael Vick was initially accused of the dog fighting and abuse? Do you remember Donovan McNabb saying it would be prudent to wait for things to run their course before we cast judgment? Do you remember the media lambasting him and accusing him of supporting dog abuse? Do you remember McNabb having to come out with another statement explaining that -surprise - no, he didn't support dog abuse?

Any words of support for Vick were demonized in by the media. Anyone asking the public and media to reserve judgment was labelled as horrible and evil.

"I thought the fan support was terrific. You could really feel them behind us in this game. I was touched by some of the support that they gave. It was a good feeling. I think that this team has a lot of confidence in our fans and I kind of feel like the fans have confidence in us. That's a good situation."

That is what Bill Belichik had to say after the Pat's game.

"No one supported Belichick with more passion than linebacker Tedy Bruschi, who stood at his locker after the game and defended his coach and his franchise.

It meant a lot," said Belichick. "Nobody has more heart on this team than Tedy Bruschi and I mean that figuratively.

The team was very supportive, the entire organization, starting with Mr. [Robert] Kraft going all the way down to the players and everybody else. Tedy, he's one of our emotional leaders. He's one of our best players. We have players who are well-respected. I don't think there's anybody who has any more respect on this team than Tedy does."

Why is the media not roasting Bruschi for such unconscionable defense of cheating? Why is Kraft not being chastised for coddling a cheating culture? Where is the outrage for this support and lack of condemnation? Why is the media not devouring this chance to beat down anyone with a positive word for Belichik? Why are the fans of the Patriots being portrayed as wonderful for showing support for this misconduct?

We watched anyone asking for the observance of due process in the Vick case receive a lashing from the press.

Now, we are watching those that are rallying around a man who essentially has admitted to wrong doing (and used possibly the most mundane and ridiculous excuse he could think up) portrayed as heroes.

Rally round the cheater. The world's against us. Win it for Belichik.

Where's the outrage at the support for the cheater and the cheating?

Oh, that's right.



There's none left now that the Negro QB is being fitted for his prison orange.

18 comments:

RockyJasons said...

"We watched anyone asking for the observance of due process in the Vick case receive a lashing from the press.

Now, we are watching those that are rallying around a man who essentially has admitted to wrong doing (and used possibly the most mundane and ridiculous excuse he could think up) portrayed as heroes."

Bilichick should have been suspended and the Patriots should have been made to forfeit the Jets game, in addition to the announced penalties.

But as usual, your hyperventilations are askew.

Michael Vick committed a crime against the people of the United States; Bill Bilichick's crime was committed only against the National Football League--big deal.

nation_of_islam_sportsblog said...

"Michael Vick committed a crime against the people of the United States; Bill Bilichick's crime was committed only against the National Football League--big deal."

Sir, and as usual, your interpretation of our hyperventilations is at the most rudimentary of levels.

If Vick's crimes were indeed against the people of the US...then wouldn't the punishment meeted out by the US courts be sufficient? Why would the NFL suspend him then?

This isn't about Vick's crime.

It's about the league's reaction and the media's reaction.

The league didn't suspend Vick or anyone else for committing a crime. They suspended them for garnering bad publicity for the NFL...or as the commish calls it, violating the conduct policy.

The media lambasted anyone that said a thing to slow down the lynch mob.

As far as your ill conceived notion that our hyperventilations are askew....please, sir...at least have an idea about what we are hyperventilating.

In the future, when you confuse YOUR take on the situation at hand with what WE are saying about the situation at hand...have the decency not try to interpret what we are saying.

You clearly can't do so correctly so it will save us from having to waste time rehashing things for your wrong thinking mind.

And we don't mean that as an insult. It is what it is.

Your comments tell us...you are dense.


So....we can agree.

No more of you pretending to interpret what we say, k?

Excellent.

lgf said...

Outrage can only be manifested if its has someone stirring the pot. That someone is the media. Currently they are busy fabricating public outrage towards another prominent black athlete. As such, the public will be left to come to their own conclusions; free from an unrelenting media imposing its witch-hunt mentality into the subconscious of the public. End result, Vick vilified, Bilichick romanticized.

There is no talk of scrutinizing Bilichick's past accomplishments. There is no talk of appending asterisks to his win which we know is tainted.



(...And they expect the black community to jump on their band wagon? Shocking.)

Sebastian said...

NOIS,

I expected you would have had something up about this 2 days ago. What, you people have lives or something?

Remember, a $500,000 fine is nothing to sneeze at. But Goodell should have suspended Belichick for at least 2 games. I think he opted to "split the baby."

I'm not real crazy about it, but I honestly thought Goodell would have fined the team $100,000 and taken a draft pick.

As far as the Vick stuff goes, dogfighting is a federal offense. But expecting the media to react in a specific manner is a quick way to drive oneself absolutely bat-shit crazy.

ColonelStinkmeaner said...

"Michael Vick committed a crime against the people of the United States"

Speak for yourself I am a person of the united states I I gave a fuck that Vick was fighting pit bulls.

Gabby's World said...

That whole "protect the shield" crap by Goodell is just that....crap.

Gabby's World said...

Hell....cheaters get the gameball... http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/2007/09/bills_game_ball.html

RockyJasons said...

"If Vick's crimes were indeed against the people of the US...then wouldn't the punishment meeted out by the US courts be sufficient? Why would the NFL suspend him then?"

I admit not following here. I'm sure you're not suggesting that the NFL would or should continue to pay Vick's salary while he is awaiting/serving sentence...??

"This isn't about Vick's crime.
It's about the league's reaction and the media's reaction."

I did indeed interpret your original post's outrage at the variants of reaction, outrage, and hyperbole concerning Bilichick's actions as compared to Vick's crime.

I'm sorry the subtlety of my short explanation of why this is so was lost on you.

Vick is a felon. He committed a federal offense [this was the bit about the crime against the people of the US.] Felons often attend federal prison, pay fines, lose their jobs, and often struggle to find future employment because the are FELONS. Levels of outrage: high.

Belichick broke company rules. Big Deal. He can't even be characterized as having committed a crime. A high profile cheater? Yes. Unethical? Yes. Deserved suspension? Yes. A felon? No -- long way from it. Levels of outrage: Not so high.

Two vastly varied activities, perpetrated against two vastly different populations, thus two vastly different levels of reaction and outrage.

You can't compare the two and expect reaction, outrage, chastising, etc to be equivalent -- that would be dense.

nation_of_islam_sportsblog said...

"
I expected you would have had something up about this 2 days ago. What, you people have lives or something?

Remember, a $500,000 fine is nothing to sneeze at."

Sir, we have been out of town on business.

500K is a joke when the reality of things is the franchise (which is worth a billion) will underight the cost....

Bat shit crazy?

Well, if you have been around here long enough...the comments of some of the readers would drive you there long before the media could

nation_of_islam_sportsblog said...

" No -- long way from it. Levels of outrage: Not so high.'


Sir, level of out rage to whom?

Sure, the general dog loving public should be unduly outraged at Vick.

But we are talking about the level of outrage to GOODELL and the SPORTS MEDIA.

Which is more detrimental to the game of football?

A- A guy fighting dogs and going to jail?

B-Or a guy cheating and tainting the game (see Barry Bonds for a reference).

Obviously, the answer is dependent on a variable.

Which one was a Negro?

Get the point?

nation_of_islam_sportsblog said...

" No -- long way from it. Levels of outrage: Not so high.'


Sir, level of out rage to whom?

Sure, the general dog loving public should be unduly outraged at Vick.

But we are talking about the level of outrage to GOODELL and the SPORTS MEDIA.

Which is more detrimental to the game of football?

A- A guy fighting dogs and going to jail?

B-Or a guy cheating and tainting the game (see Barry Bonds for a reference).

Obviously, the answer is dependent on a variable.

Which one was a Negro?

Get the point?

Malcom Hex said...

rocky has totally missed the point.

he is talking about crimes in general.

NOIS is talking about the sport of football.

obviously, there is a problem.

what vick and the other guys did hurt football in a public relations sense.

what belichick did might have tainted the outcome of games.

as for nuances in rocky's comment. there are none. there can't be.

he isn't even addressing NOIS's points.

MCBias said...

One part that NOIS didn't hit quite hard enough (everything else was good) was Belichick's quotes. Oh, I'm SO surprised that Belichick's players supported him! I'm sure that they had a choice and all, being that he was their BOSS and could cut them from the team for no reason at all. Belichick is sounding more and more like some sort of 3rd World Dictator every day. I mean, how can you act as if your players' support validated what you did? Similar comments about the fans and owner apply. I'm outraged at Belichick's comments--that's ridiculous.

Anonymous said...

It's obvious to me that the NFL does not hate Negros or favor whites over them. I mean, just look at all of the black owners/administrators/commissioners they have had.

Liston

Mack Power said...

belichik is gonna end up getting suspended.

goodell made it very clear that he reserves the right for more punishment as the ongoing investigation continues.

Unknown said...

Sir, the more successful the plantation, the more leeway given to the white slave owners.

Foxxy Brown said...

"belichik is gonna end up getting suspended."

Hopefully from your lips to mighty Allah's ears.


"Belichick broke company rules. Big Deal. He can't even be characterized as having committed a crime. A high profile cheater? Yes. Unethical? Yes. Deserved suspension? Yes. A felon? No -- long way from it. Levels of outrage: Not so high."

despite several explanations, you still miss the point. the issue is not the lack of outrage from the general public, it's about the lack of appropriate outrage within the "company" itself. this company claims to hold fair competition as paramount in its "mission statement," yet the chief executive officer has declared that the director of one of the company's most notable subsidiaries was caught breaking the paramount rule. and he wasn't even sent home from work. bullshit.

Sebastian said...

NOIS,

Hope your business was profitable.

Remember, the Pats can't pay Belichick's fine. He has to personally. He's rich, but not Buffett rich. I would hope you make the same bank Bill does, but if not, a half mil out of your personal account hurts, no matter what. Don't underestimate how much money talks to greedy, egotistical types.

But I'm not trying to mitigate Goodell's blunder. I'm with you. He screwed the pooch on this one. I just don't believe it's reasonable to think Bill is simply laughing this off.