The two biggest sports stories going on right now in the world are Pacman Jones year long suspension and Don Imus’s insensitive sexist and racist remarks about the Rutgers Womens Basketball Team. If you haven’t heard of these stories please say hello to Bin Laden for me because you have been living under the same rock as he has for the last 5 years. For those of you of that have not heard these stories here are extremely short synopsizes.
Pacman Jones has been in trouble with the law from the moment he entered the NFL (Something around 10 arrests or so). While he has never been convicted of anything the NFL started a Player’s Conduct Policy that punishes you for your indiscretions off the field. Not too long ago Pacman was in a strip club with $81,000 in one dollar bills. He was a regular patron to this gentlemen’s establishment and like to have things his way. This includes “making it rain” by throwing the money in the air and having the women keep dancing while the money rained down on them. Most of the strippers knew the rule (set by Pacman) that you are not to start picking up the money until Pacman gave you the ok. A new girl didn’t know the rule and started picking up the money immediately. Pacman grabbed her and punched her in the face and the proceeded to smash her face into the stage. A bouncer immediately stepped in and grabbed Pacman and forced him to leave the establishment. Once outside the DA claims Pacman sent a posse member of his back into shoot the bouncer. The bouncer was shot and remains in critical condition. After this last situation the Commissioner of the NFL decided to suspend Pacman for the entire upcoming season without pay. Also if Pacman gets in trouble with the law while suspended he is kicked out of the league for life.
Here is my problem with this. While I agree that Pacman is a complete douchebag and probably shouldn’t be allowed in the NFL for what he did, we live in America where everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Let me reiterate this point, Pacman has never been convicted of anything. He has never served any prolonged jail time. He is an asshole that always seems to get himself in the wrong situations but he has never been convicted. Apparently Goodell (the Commissioner) has instituted himself as the judge, jury and executioner of the NFL. That is what my problem with the whole situation is. This could just be a series of unbelievable coincidences (I doubt it) but the point is that we don’t know. Until he is convicted of something (Charges for the strip club incident have been filed against him) he should have the luxury of all of the same freedoms that we all get.
Moving on to the Imus Situation. Don Imus on his nationally syndicated radio show said he watched the National Championship Game for the Women’s NCAA championship and said that the Rutgers Team was some “nappy-headed hoes”. He then proceeded to go on many news outlets and use excuses like “we were just having fun, I’m not really a racist” and the worst one of all time “I’m not a racist, I have many black friends.” The “I have many black friends” card is the single worst thing of all time. By saying something like that you are just proving what even more of a racist you are. What Imus should have done was just shut his damn mouth. His comment was awful but really dug his grave was his stupid comments surrounding the incident. Don’t go on the Rev. Al Sharpton’s Radio Show. What do you think was going to happen to you? He would forgive you? No what he did was make you look more like an idiot racist bigot and now you got fired from both of your jobs. Bravo Imus, you really showed us all how not to handle this situation.
So those are the big sport stories in the news this week and my take on them. You think I’m wrong, then let me know. Come back next week to see the reappearance of the Marcia Column.
1 comment:
I think you've been in law school for too long. a professional athlete doesn't need to be formally convicted of something to warrant a suspension. i would venture to guess that most normal people would be fired from their jobs if they were involved in an incident like that, whether or not they were ever formally charged or convicted. this idiot makes the nfl and ever other player in it look bad. . . in fact, i heard on ESPN the other day that a lot of the other nfl players actually thought he should be kicked out of the league.
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