This morning’s (9/15/2014) news is full, once again, of discussion about Ray Rice, the video that shows him striking his (then) girlfriend and how women in several places are picketing/boycotting the NFL in a demand for more action. There was also an announcement in the news this morning about how Ray Rice is going to appeal the NFL’s decision to suspend him AND I heard one “news” pundit (opinionist) say how ludicrous it is for the NFL fans to want football players to be violent on the field but then expect them NOT to be violent everywhere else. As if a person can ONLY be either violent or not?
Keeping in mind how much money some NFL “professionals” get paid (multi-million per year multi-year contracts) and keeping in mind that they worked all through high school and college to secure that professional contract, how about if the NFL simply puts a “behave clause” in EVERY NFL contract? It would say something simple like:
If you get arrested for ANY violation of ANY crime while this contract is in effect, your pay will be immediately suspended until such time as the crime is adjudicated, and
If you are found guilty of such crime, your contract, from date of arrest for said crime, is immediately null and void, and
If you are found not-guilty of such crime, your contract shall be reinstated retroactive to date of arrest for said crime, and
“Crime” shall be defined as violation of any law not including traffic law with the exception of drunk driving, driving a stolen vehicle or driving without proper insurance.
Does that seem extreme? For those who think it does, let me add on this observation: These men are held up as examples for our children. They are paid millions of dollars per year for playing a game, and they can get millions more for product endorsements, advertising appearance, merchandising, etc. Shouldn’t we at least demand that such “heroes” be held accountable for their behavior on AND OFF the field?
In fact, shouldn’t every professional sports league demand such accountability?
Every police officer, deputy sheriff, federal agent, etc. is held accountable for their behavior 24-7-365. Random drug testing is common practice. Being drunk, or even having a measurable amount of alcohol in your blood, within the time frame of your shift is grounds for termination in many agencies. ANY act of domestic violence… even an allegation of domestic violence, is sufficient to have your employment suspended and, if the allegation is upheld, terminated.
What’s my point? Law enforcement professionals get paid A LOT less than sports “professionals,” but have a MUCH HIGHER requirement for professional conduct in the course of performing their duties AND when they’re off duty. Yet today’s society doesn’t recognize law enforcement professionals as good examples for our young. Instead, the mainstream media carefully edits events to sensationalize any even potential wrong-doing on the part of a police officer, on or off duty, and uses the press – in all of its variations today – to try that police officer in the “public court of news.”
Meanwhile, “professional” football players get arrested for murder, domestic abuse, drug abuse, drunk driving and more, but they “are worth so much money” that the NFL and team owners do all they can to keep those alleged CRIMINALS playing the game.
If the NFL – or any other professional sports league – wants to continue to be viewed as a viable entertainment medium, I submit to you that it’s far past time for them to demand professional behavior from their players. Put that “good behavior” clause in their contracts. Make background investigations a part of the drafting procedure. If people – men or women – want to become professional athletes, demand that they meet the same standards as every other good citizen: no criminal history; no habitual drug or alcohol use; a clean driving record.
Yes, I’m suggesting an entirely new professional field of endeavor: background investigators for professional sports league drafting agents. I know a whole bunch of retired police officers who know how to do exactly that kind of work.
But before they can do it… before such standards can be enacted, the various professional sports league controlling bodies have to stand up publicly and announce their commitment to making the professional sports leagues PROFESSIONAL – on and off the field of play; in every aspect of a professional’s life. If they want their players to be viewed as examples for our children; to be seen as heroes in any sense of the word – then they need to insure that they are hiring people of good character and they need to demand, through contract, that those players maintain a clean living standard.
Heck, if that happened, I might even become a sports fan…
