Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Did Pacman Get Justice?

One of the papers I read in the past day or so had a bunch of pictures of NFL players who have had recent run-ins with the law.

This morning’s USA TODAY reports that the Tennessee Titan’s, Adam “Pacman” Jones, “facing felony charges in two states” has been suspended for the ’07 – ’08 season. The Cincinnati Bengals’ Chris Henry,” arrested four times in three states since 2005,” has been suspended for half of the upcoming season.

The owner of the New England Patriots said “I hope this sends a message to people in our league for how to conduct themselves. We have to be careful. People in America can’t relate to overindulged athletes not acting responsibly.” His statement nicely juxtaposes the two competing issues – punishment for crime by the government and protection of profit by professional sports leagues.

Neither player has been tried or convicted on any of the charges. Roger Goodall, the NFL’s commissioner, invoked the league’s “conduct detrimental to the game” power. Warren Sapp, an Oakland player, reacted “Oh, that ‘we can do whatever we want’ rule.”

I’m waffling on which side to take in this. The lawyer in me wants to read the NFL’s player agreement “conduct detrimental” clause. My inner lawyer also understands the New England owner’s “send a message” stance. He doesn’t want anything happening to slow down the money train. I shake my head and roll my eyes somewhat at both Sapp’s naiveté (you signed the contract didn’t you Warren?) and the owner’s disingenuous labeling of the players as “over-indulged” (who does he think was the supplier of the excess indulging?).

I’ve read a lot lately about the “thuggery” problem in professional sports. Most sports writers and cable “news” show hosts are middle-aged white guys. They are put off, to put it mildly, and alienated, to put it strongly, by 20 year old millionaires who sport dredlocks, tattoos and assorted “bling.” The pundits’ audience, mostly middle-aged white guys, and the writers’ audience, guys, from twenty to fifty something, also react negatively to the “thugs” due to a varying combination of generation, culture and wealth differences. To some extent, for some of the audience, substitute race for the word culture in the last sentence.

So, the title to this post is misleading. Justice has nothing to do with the issue. Pacman will receive justice down the road when he goes to court. Right now, the issue is what does professional sports do with its spoiled kids. For decades it did nothing. As with “performance enhancing” drugs, it has done nothing until seeing an issue with potential negative impact on revenue. From the leagues’ points of view the problem is framed by money. “What do we have to do to keep these kids out of the media?” First, publicly wap a couple. Pacman would have made $1.29 million this season. Henry is going to be out $435K. Sorry guys, but you are the medium for the message to your fellow delinquents. Next, set up some counseling and support programs for the rookies according to the article. After that? Once a year hold a meeting where police tell the players they can go to jail for doing the things they do (part of the NFL’s newly announced thuggery policy).

My conclusion: Corporate America makes a poor, and late to the party, parent. Society needs to wap some parents upside the head. then set up some real counseling anf support programs for them to make up for what their parents, the thugs’ grandparents didn’t do for them.

7 comments:

fermicat said...

I do think that unsportsmanlike conduct that occurs at games should be severely punished. This has the most direct impact on the sport, and on the fans (especially kids) who watch it.

As for off the field or court behavior, the athletes don't seem any worse than any of the other so-called 'celebrities' in the news. There is a lot of appalling behavior going on these days.

BBC said...

Hi Dave. I almost missed your comment on my blog. It's true, you would have to read all of my blog post to understand where I'm coming from.

That is one problem with blogs, people don't read them from page one to the end, like books.

You said, "How 'bout poor young kids caught up in another old people's war?"

Ah, collateral damage. Not pretty is it? But lets face the cold hard facts of life. Unless you are a christian of course, then you won't.

There are too many people/monkeys on this planet. Being selective at this time is past my concern as long as the populations get reduced.

Besides, you are an American attorney, I wouldn't put it past you to defend a person that kills a child even though you know that person killed a child because all the evidence and witnesses are there.

How does that make you feel at times? The judicial system in this country is bullshit and you know it.

BTW, I don't watch sports, it's just a bunch of monkeys fucking around. I'm going to have a few more beers and go to bed.

How much have you studied Einstein and Russel and others like them? If they where today they would be saying what I'm saying, that we are God in evolution.

It's just a fucking spirituality, not an omnipotent being. Hugs.

Anonymous said...

I lived in Dallas when Barry Switzer became head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. His attitude was, "These are grown, professional men, and I don't have to babysit them." Boy, they sure proved him wrong!

Monica said...

My kids and I are avid sports fans, from hockey to baseball, basketball to football, with soccer in the mix.

My older son has loved the Dolphins since he was 5 and like one of the statements in your post, he wondered if Ricky Williams had read his contract.

Used to be (especially with baseball), the players loved the game so much they'd hitch rides on trains and hitchhike just to get to a game. Now it's all about the money.

Thanks for stopping by. I think R's second blog is just phenomenal writing-wise...his first has always been so funny and uplifting as well.

Have a great day from Texas!

Ryan said...

Ahh... BBC has been here.

LOL - That is interesting.

I purposely refuse to watch ANY sports because of the spoiled, childish behavior exhibited by a few of the athletes.

I couldn't have summed it up any better than you did in your last paragraph. Society needs to implement some serious changes, and not only would we see professional athletes dramatically change - everything would change.

But it will never happen. The next generation is going to make the previous generation look like lil' angels.

Anonymous said...

From the very moment that these kids show the potential to be pro athletes they are told, repeatedly, that they are "special". They are treated like thouroughbreds, allowed to do whatever they want, so long as it keeps them focused on "the goal". By the time they get to the bigs, they have been bailed out of trouble innumerable times, by parents, coaches, scouts, agents, etc.
Then, when they get into "big people" trouble, we accuse them of being irresponsible and immature.

Dave said...

Not to ignore the rest of you, and thanks for the comments, but, BBC, you need to chill out. For the rest of you I came across his blog and left this comment:

Haven't read enough of your posts to judge; but, what's with the invective?

"'Dead American monkeys, dead Iraqi monkeys. Whatever, glad to be rid of them and I wish they would just kill each other off faster. Stupid monkeys.'"

How 'bout poor young kids caught up in another old people's war?

I gather the monkey moniker is related to the evolution thing; but, I don't get how antipathy for religion leads to antipathy for dead humans, evolved or created.

For some reason, BBC didn't respond on his blog and came over here.

BBC, my thoughts on your comment. You need to start making some sense. Dead kids in Iraq as collateral damage in some sort of Malthian population reduction program? I should be uncomfortable as a lawyer defending an accused child killer? Under your world view, isn't my hypothetical client doing yoeman's working in the population reduction program? You should praise me, not try to shame me.

You say the judicial system is bullshit and posit that I know it. Not much reasoning there.

Finally, the "hugs" at the end just doesn't quite get it for me.

Best Regards,

Dave.