Rice, Goodell, and the Morally Decaying Days of the NFL

Ethan Westbrooks is this rookie for the St. Louis Rams that got the motivation to play for the NFL by getting a face tattoo. His logic was that with the face tattoo, he could never, ever get a normal job—pretty much forcing him to man up, beef up, and shoot for a football career. And he is most certainly right; the NFL is not a normal job---because it has such a blurred line as to what is considered wrong, what is considered right, what is considered fair, and what is considered a fireable offense. Welcome to the job that employs convicts, women beaters, drug addicts, rapists, dog-killers, assault weapon owners, and other hoodlums without taking an extra breath. In this job, no matter what awful society-threatening activities you commit off the field, as long as you produce on the field it’s all okay.


But we’ve reached a point that even the biggest football fans are starting to cringe.



The NFL is in a bit of trouble.


Because it has done absolutely everything wrong in the past few weeks, and it’s now opening the doors to other issues that up until now was secretly plaguing the league.

The Ray Rice ordeal has been an absolute disaster from start to the eventual finish. And everyone involved is totally in the wrong here. The Ravens were absolutely disgusting in their stupid pep rally for the domestic abuser. The Ravens fans are rather disgusting in forgiving him so quickly, still wearing his jersey, and nearly making him out to become some sort of victim in all this. Ray Rice sunk to a level that very few men would ever find themselves (although apparently in recent statistics, some would debate this) in as he not only struck his fiancée (twice) but also spit on her in the process, before treating her body like a sack of potatoes. The justice system was horrifically wrong in pretty much giving him a slap on the wrists for the incident which could have turned out to be much worse if she had landed incorrectly. ESPN should have fired Stephen A. Smith for suggesting that the victim provoked and slightly deserved the beating. Paul George and some of the other asinine athlete Tweeters are in the wrong for also claiming the same thing.

Before I dwell on the main culprit for all this, let me point out that no matter what she says, what she does, or what she threatens to do, you as a man should never, ever, ever, ever strike your woman, or any woman for that matter. It is as simple as that. We are not in the caveman days. Grow the f’ up, America.

And point #2, if anyone brings up race in this debate, you need to go home. This is not a white/black issue, this is a domestic abuse issue that is bringing light on one of the sadder epidemics occurring in the country.

But the National Football League and Roger Goodell, you messed this up royally in every possible conceivable way.


I mean seriously: Every. Single. Way.


The first video alone should have led to a much lengthier suspension than just two games. At least a season. Rice treated his fiancée like a heavy bag of garbage as he was dragging her along as opposed to asking for any type of help to remedy the situation. That first video should have been evidence enough that at that point he has little respect for human beings. You just don’t do that to anybody. We all knew what had happened on that elevator. Nonetheless, the NFL gives him two games. Josh Gordon caught with weed? An entire year. Granted he is a repeat offender, but it wasn’t performance-enhancing, isn’t anything that can effect anybody. He didn’t hurt anybody. One year.

And only God knows how much more lenient the punishment would be if he was playing for Denver or New England as opposed to Cleveland---because now Wes Welker after getting busted for illegal drugs suddenly gets to play again as the NFL approved a new deal with the player’s union and immediately reinstated the Broncos star. But no hope for Gordon. He gets 10 games, Welker comes back after getting in trouble for the same exact offense, and Ray Rice originally got two games.Must be good to be part of a successful franchise, eh?

Then of course there’s the NFL’s newest punishment for domestic abuse: 6 games. Really? Tormenting your significant other with mental and physical pain warrants you only missing 6 games? At this point it was realized that the NFL didn’t get it. Yes the other leagues have their players with domestic abuse problems: but the NFL hands-down has the biggest staff of delinquents, and as the league with the most public case of domestic violence, should have made a firm example on how to handle this. Yet we have two players (one for the 49ers with Kapernick, and the other for the Panthers with Newton) still playing despite being enamored in their own domestic abuse case. We have an announcer for San Francisco suspended for COMMENTS, while the ACTUAL ABUSER IS STILL PLAYING.



Hold on, the fun continues.


Now we have the second video come out, which was far more graphic than people imagined, and suddenly the Ravens cut Rice and the NFL suspended him indefinitely. This caused even more disaster because now people are trying to figure out why suddenly the punishment increased tenfold when we all knew what had happened. Ray Rice had already (sort of) mentioned what he did during the “pep rally” yet somehow this video made the NFL rethink the punishment. And this was after Roger Goodell lobbied and explained and argued his reasoning behind the original suspension.


Now….the question is…did the NFL have the tape? Goodell says no, and the flurry of anger continues.

How on earth could TMZ have the footage, and the NFL does not? How can the multi-billion dollar industry not be able to obtain the footage of a simple elevator exchange? How is it that it seems like TMZ was more willing to reveal the truth than the league employing the culprit? And now with the investigators claiming that the NFL had the tape back in April, everything smells like bullcrap. Goodell says he didn’t have the tape, and even went as far as to say that Rice never told him the actual story as to what happened on that fateful night. Both are obvious lies.


Wait, there’s more….

Now Goodell starts up an independent report---that is being overseen by two owners that have deep ties with the commissioner that’s already in trouble. This entire thing is a pure mess. So now we have controversial decisions, dumbfounded decisions, and even more player violence occurring at the same time with Adrian Peterson suddenly being wanted for beating one of his kids with a switch many, many times. What you see here is a horrifically botched attempt at a cover-up and hordes of athletes continuing to operate without much regard for others. The NFL is in pure moral decay, and the entire front office has to go.

Roger Goodell has to go, plain and simple.


He had one job. ONE JOB. The NFL was already the biggest thing in American sports by far. Surely the world prefers its soccer, baseball, and basketball, but in the US of A football was reigning supreme. The 2000s has made it excruciatingly easy to follow your sports teams no matter what league you follow. MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS, and even the WNBA has seen a vast increase in fame and fortune thanks to evolving technology, thanks to sports becoming a more desirable and required escape, and because the talent level amongst all sports has become more streamlined so even lower-market and lesser-known teams like the Florida Marlins, Chicago White Sox, San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Columbus Crew winning the championships within the past 15 years. And even then, thanks to the influx of sports in the American mainstream, teams like the Spurs are becoming well-known even if they come from more obscure cities.


GOODELL YOU HAD ONE JOB: KEEP THE BOAT AFLOAT. Ride the wave of success and prevent it from crashing.


All he had to do was improve the player conduct that was getting rather out of hand in the early 2000s. However we have seen no improvement whatsoever and not just on the player conduct, but we are seeing a commissioner that overplays his hand to a point of diminishing the overall product. The BountyGate Scandal happened, the referees were locked out, the players at one point were locked out and nearly sacrificed part of the season, we have seen the issues of concussions reach new levels because of the increase in suicides and post-traumatic cases long after the football careers were over, and then the overall attitude of the league remained stuck in the 20th century.

We have Michael Sam perform quite well in the preseason, even taking in a few sacks (and taking out Johnny Football) in the process. Now, it is easy to say that I am jumping to conclusions as to his sexual orientation factoring in to why he didn’t get the job----but then there’s the Tim Tebow story.

Tim Tebow is the ultimate example as to why the NFL hasn’t grown up or evolved with the times. This man was a proven winner, the perfect breath of fresh air for the league. He was the Mary Poppins of the NFL, couldn’t do anything morally wrong. Constantly remained positive, never had a bad bone in his body, and still managed to lead a less-than-decent Denver Broncos team to the playoffs despite having rookie numbers and even beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in the postseason. His numbers were on par with most rookies that would become great quarterbacks, yet after one not-even-full season he was gone. Picked up by the Jets as a joke, picked up by the Patriots also as a joke, and now is doing Good Morning America not being able to fulfill his actual dream because he has been blackballed by the entire league.

So we hate the calm, religious, and anger-free Tim Tebow to a point of driving him away, yet we forgive and forget the crimes of the other NFL hoodlums? The culture of the NFL is very contradictory, as it doesn’t want to be known as a league that has become softer yet at the same time introduce dozens of rules that reduce players of all their individualism into mere money-making drones. Roger Goodell has created all these limitations to the way players play, celebrate, tackle, defend, and even unveil emotion and this has done little to nothing to fan the flames of player misbehavior.

Within this decade, we have seen terrible replacement referees with superior instant replay technology ruin entire games, we have seen a terrible murder-suicide happen in front of an NFL stadium, we nearly saw the cancelling of a football season, an inconsistent drug policy, an inconsistent celebrating policy (Lambeau Leap still allowed….), and just a decrease in quality coming from the overall product of the league. While it is still the #1 sport in America, its firm grip on the nation’s sports pulse is beginning to waver a little.

Originally, this article was going to dwell upon how the NFL will still survive this and will maintain its position as the top entertainment billing in television. Originally, I was going to put down that the fans will forgive nonetheless and we will still be moving on despite the awfulness of the current scenario because the NFL sells hope, as a miniscule 16-game season gives every fanbase the mentality that there is a chance. But as more and more complications mount as I type this, I am not sure if the NFL can recover from this without any bruises.

The current NFL has taken too many punches. And do remember that being on top of the mountain never lasts forever. Once upon a time MLB was king. Once upon a time boxing was king. If the NFL wants to keep being #1 in popularity and revenue (its lead over baseball is dwindling) it needs to do one major thing:


Get rid of Roger Goodell. His time is up.

Netflix DVD Pick of the Week: The Grand Budapest Hotel (9/10)

You know you've made your mark in the cinematic world when just a few visual images from a trailer reveals that you are behind the movie. Whether it's the rapid-fire editing of Tony Scott (or his successor, Edgar Wright), pulp house content of Robert Rodriguez (who just isn't the same anymore), or the long-sweeping blockbuster shots of Steven Spielberg, if you can immediately figure out who made the movie with just an image or a scene alone, it's a very, very good sign.

And now we have Wes Anderson and his whimsical, colorful, adult Dr. Seuss style of storytelling that has potentially reached its peak with the enduring, zany, and unpredictable Grand Budapest Hotel. This cinematic ball of energy looks like a Pollock painting if it ever got organized, runs like a Looney Tunes cartoon, and delivers an adult story in a most unique, childlike wondrous way. Similar to how Woody Allen's career took a second wind as he went overseas, Wes Anderson's movie-making trip to Europe elevates his skills and abilities as a director to brand new heights. Just one look at this film not only do you know who made it, but more or less what type of movie you are about to witness.

The story is surprisingly dark, as it spans multiple World Wars and covers a mystery involving a woman that may or may not have been murdered. The plot however moves so swiftly, so quickly, and contains so many humorous twists and turns you don't have time to dwell on the grimness. It does help that we have an excellent cast playfully tagging along for the ride, including Ralph Fieness in an Oscar-worthy performance, William Dafoe, and Tony Revolori---while also giving points to Jude Law, F. Murray Abraham, Adrian Brody, and Jeff Goldblum for their small but memorable roles.

Cast is important (Wes always has great casts, Hollywood should take notes), but this is Anderson's work first and foremost, and it's his writing and meticulous attention to detail that has allowed for him to emerge as one of the top directors in the game. Too bad that his light indie style doesn't exactly fit with the norm that usually gets Oscar attention (Similar to Spike Jonze). Don't let the lack of Oscar bait bum you though, the movie is dazzling eye candy with gorgeous shots and even more gorgeous cinematography that warrants multiple viewings to appreciate the backgrounds and foregrounds that blend with the cast and the story being told. The unconventionalism (not a word, I know) of Anderson separates him from not only Hollywood but from the Indie movement as well.

Grand Budapest Hotel is a Wes film plain and simple: great plot, colorful cast of characters, detailed settings, bite-sized dark humor, quirky swirl of comedy and drama, and an energy that you just don't get in many works nowadays. Grand Budapest Hotel is a visual treat from start to finish, so if you can handle his unique flavor and brand, then there is no reason why you would skip this movie. Easily one of the best you'll see this year.

The Deja Vu Syndrome of the upcoming NFL Season

Originally I was ready to put down my picks as to who would win each division, what each team’s record would be, and other miscellaneous shenanigan predictions. I was going to put down that the stinkin’ Patriots would once again find a way to win the AFC East even though the Dolphins might actually make a run for it (I did predict something similar last season, and they were doing fine until the locker room drama overwhelmed the season). I would put down that the Colts would repeat, the Bengals would pointlessly repeat, the Broncos would run away, the Eagles would conquer, and the Packers and Saints would win their division. I don’t see a lot of upsets, I don’t see a lot of surprises, and unlike what’s happening in baseball, I don’t see the usual script dwelling far from the norm.

But the more I write, the more I realize that there isn’t a point to any of this. None. No point in talking about my Dolphins, the Broncos, the Patriots, the Packers, the Eagles, the Jaguars (Kidding), and not even the Browns (Simple: Keep the same quarterback that actually started winning until the injury, nuff’ said). Because there is one undeniable truth to all this:


The road to the Super Bowl is being paved in the NFC West, and the winner will be a West Coast team nearly guaranteed.


It will once again be the 49ers and the Seahawks duking it out for the Super Bowl, and whomever wins there will win the entire thing. Both teams are still mostly intact, still have their momentum, still have their drive, and still have their ferocious reputation. They still have their young quarterbacks, their coaching staff has returned, and it’s always an added bonus that they hate each other. Unlike the diminishing rivalries of the Colts/Patriots and Yankees/Red Sox, this one is just as strong as ever.

Both have an intense and deep defensive scheme that can reduce the greatest offensive blitzes into mere candy. Both have clutch quarterbacks (Even though Kaepernick did fail quite badly in the NFC Championship Game) that shall be around with their franchises for quite some time barring unforeseen circumstances. Both teams know how to run, know how to pass, know how to defend their home turf, and overall will find different ways to defeat you..and defeat each other. Their Championship Game was separated by a great tipped pass. 

The 49ers are absolutely starving for a Super Bowl, since they’ve spent the last three seasons getting so close. They could have destroyed the Broncos just as badly as the Seahawks did on that fateful night. Bruno Mars performed better than the Broncos, but it has less to do with the Denver squad failing and more to do with the Seattle/San Francisco style and intensity of play being far too much for anyone in the AFC to handle. The 49ers during their recent run were bested by the Ravens and the Giants in the playoffs and neither team will reach that level of play for at least a half-decade. The 49ers can handle the Saints, the Packers, anyone you can throw at them. Seattle will remain their only hurdle.

Yes, the Super Bowl Curse does exist as we haven’t had repeat winners since the Patriots a decade ago. But this Seahawks team is one of the younger ones to win a Super Bowl and would love to repeat and prevent their rivals in Cali from winning the elusive prize. The fans don’t like each other, the coaches don’t like each other, and both have enough bandwagon fans to keep the ball rolling. Arguably the best secondary in a decade, a quarterback that consistently gets the job done, a great coach whose carefree approach is perfect for the Seattle culture, how can you possibly not vote for Seattle to potentially win it all again? The 12th Man is no fluke, as the Seattle Seahawks cannot lose at home. The only way to get to them is to force them to settle for a Wild Card.




The script this season shall remain the same, whomever walks out of the NFC alive will win it all. And it will definitely be whether the Seattle Seahawks or the San Francisco 49ers.



No point in predicting any other team, because the champ will be somewhere between the Bay Area, and Starbucks Country.