Dear NFL (yes, all of you),
I spend a great deal of time making sure my children are exposed to the right kinds of things and shielded from as much of the crap that goes on in this world as I can. As football fans, my boys and I spend hours every week watching Monday and Thursday night games during the season and devote 18 entire Sundays soaking up every televised hour we can find.
All the while, I have to explain terms like “erectile dysfunction” to my kids, remind them that drinking beer isn’t as cool as all the ads make it seem, and distract them from Go Daddy commercials that border on soft porn. While I don’t hold the NFL responsible for the juvenile advertising, I’m sure a few a pointed comments from Commissioner Goodell to sponsors about respectability wouldn’t hurt.
Goodell’s a busy guy though. He’s got to figure out what to do about all those players out there running people over, carrying concealed weapons, getting into fights, and getting arrested for DUIs. Naturally, that means I’m busy, too, talking to my kids about why the sports figures they look up to act like arrogant asses who think they’re above the law.
Imagine my surprise when I found out that while NFL players may be subject to the laws of this country, apparently the NFL has its own little Vatican City thing going on where the rules of the common man — or in fact, of any civilized society apparently — don’t apply.
Since maybe you NFL officials missed the memo, let me bring you up to speed on something:
Michael Vick kills animals for sport.
Evidently, that’s all right with Mr. Goodell and all the rest of you in the NFL, but it is not all right with me. It is also most certainly not all right with my children, who were horrified to hear during last night’s first preseason game (what genius approved that timing?) that Vick is being welcomed back into the NFL fold now that he’s done serving his sentence for killing animals for sport.
I understand other players who have committed crimes have also been allowed back into the NFL after serving out their sentence and, in my opinion, that entire policy ought to be reviewed. However, we’re not talking about someone who stole money, forged checks, or even ran over an innocent man. We’re talking about a person with an underlying character flaw so disturbing that he committed acts on defenseless animals that I can’t even bring myself to write.
Michael Vick’s actions weren’t a crime of passion or a momentary lapse in judgment. They were repeated and deliberate. Let me say that again, Michael Vick made repeated and deliberate choices to kill animals for sport. The man has presented himself to society as a monster with so little regard for life that he willingly abused and killed hundreds of dogs.
Tell me, NFL, what makes this player so appealing that the Eagles were permitted to sign him and pay him millions of dollars for him to throw a football downfield? If you tell me it’s because he “paid his debt to society”, I’m going to throw up.
Mr. Goodell was quoted as saying recently, “The intent [behind bringing him back] was to do the right thing with a young man’s life.” Well, what about the lives of my young men, Mr. Goodell? What message are you sending to my three boys about character and responsibility? Why are you telling them that it’s okay to do whatever you want because if you get caught, just pay the consequences and then pick up your life where you left off?
Crime is never okay. Crimes against other adults are never okay. There is a reason, though, that our society has special laws in place to protect children and animals. They can’t speak for or defend themselves and it is up to society to punish people who prey on them with impunity. You gave Vick a free pass so I can only assume that if a wide receiver lights kittens on fire in his driveway or a place kicker puts out his cigar on a child’s forehead, that’s okay too? As long as, you know, they’re “remorseful.”
So, NFL, I’ve covered for you long enough. My kids love football more than anything on this planet. When they’ve asked questions in the past, I’ve explained away the obnoxious advertising and arrogant player behavior so they don’t become disillusioned by a sport that means so much to them. I won’t cover for you this time, though. This time you guys are on your own.
If you support bringing someone back to the NFL who is so vile that even my youngest son recognizes it, then they deserve to see the people who run the NFL for who they really are: An organization with no principles that’s willing to bring back a dirtbag player no matter what atrocious message it sends to kids. Nice.
I see you have a few job openings around the league. This guy will probably be looking for work soon, so why not give him a call.
Formerly yours,
Lisa
I couldn’t have put it better. MAYBE they’ll listen (riiight!). I overheard my 5 & 9 yr-old grandsons talking. They love football & basketball, the older one playing football. The 9 yr-old stated that he was going to practice & be good at FB because he wants to play on an NFL team because he can do anything he wants & nobody will punish him. They’ll just get mad for a while. The younger one wanted to know why FB players are always doing “bad things,like Michael Vick, but later it’s OK”. It’s a real testimony to young men when you have to use sex in your ads to keep them watching your game. One day a child growing up now *will be president. Glad I won’t be here then.
As reprehensible as what Vick did is, people are really, seriously, taking things too far. If you had your way, the man would never have a job again. There are worse crimes than dogfighting, and none of them carries with it that sort of penalty. Our legal system may be flawed, but it is what it is. Vick was caught and punished, and it was not just a slap on the wrist. Should it have been more severe punishment? I think so, but the courts did not. It is not the NFL’s place to dish out punishment to criminals. It is the NFL’s place to put talented football players on TV, so that the fans can enjoy the game.
So it’s on *US*. Do not watch any games in which Michael Vick is present. Send letters to the NFL and the Eagles informing them that you will not watch any game in which Michael Vick is present. You think his job is to throw a football downfield. It is not. His job is to put butts in seats and increase revenue. If they feel he is not doing his job, he will lose his job.
Of course, that won’t happen. Philly fans will still fill the stadium. If Vick starts and wins games for them, they will cheer him. This is not the NFL’s fault. But nobody wants to blame themselves…
You make good points, but I’m afraid I wasn’t too clear in this post. My issue now is with Goodell, not Vick. Of all the talented players to choose from, why him? Why not choose a QB without the stink of dead dog on him?
I *will put my money where my mouth is and I’m *not watching any Eagles games, even when it means missing a Bucs game in Oct. This isn’t about Vick, or his crime. This is about yet another instance of society overlooking talented and capable people who Do The Right Thing and ignoring a pathological character flaw in someone in order to fulfill their own agenda (i.e. “put butts in seats.”)
Every day I see adults and children conduct themselves in ways that leave me speechless. It’s no surprise, really, when you consider that there are precious few real consequences for anything anymore since no one seems to be willing to hold the bar any higher than floor-level.
Of course Vic should be allowed to work. He just shouln’t be allowed to play FB, with the high salary it brings. Find another job, like the rest of us. Won’t watch when the Eagles play either, Lisa.
Hi there. Well, the NFL ads. You know, asking the advertisers to advertise nice is like asking everyone involved in the Western expansion of the US to not dispossess the American Natives.
Wasn’t going to happen.
Ain’t going to happen.
However, if there are enough people of a similar mind, and one could actually organize them…
Boycott the darn media in question.
Hit ‘em in the pocketbook.
Then they have to listen.
You can’t play nice with Big Money. It doesn’t work.
Rick