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Video: Redskins Owner Would Like Eric Cartman to Change the Name of His Football Team

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/redskins-owner-would-like-eric-cartman-to-change-the-name-of-his-football-team/

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ORIGINAL: cloudboy


Everyone felt the same way as you until the TMZ video. Then all hell broke loose and the public wanted to see heads roll.

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ORIGINAL: DesideriScuri

Damn. Your stock just dropped with me, Gauge (regardless of how great "mashing the spuds" is as a cheer). Big time.

How 'bout them Cowboys!

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Those issues don't actually impact the game, though. The NFL isn't a court. It isn't a police department. It isn't the proverbial executioner. The NFL isn't the employer, either. The team is. If the team wants to suspend a player, so be it. Players have been suspended for lengthy periods for "conduct detrimental to the team." Why can't they do the same with illegal activities?

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If Ray Rice isn't convicted, then what? Clearly his actions were not desirable, but if he's cleared by law enforcement and the courts, what then? Is he reinstated?

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Yes, the NFL has a clear drug policy. Yes, there are grey areas (is the player just saying he took it to get his wife pregnant?). That's why I stated the NFL should have a clear policy with regards to people convicted of crimes. The policy should be tailored to the level of crime, but not the specific crime itself.

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Was Michael Vick's animal abuse crimes worse than Ray Rice's? How many dogs did Vick abuse (or have abused)? How many times has Ray Rice hit his wife? Sure, an animal isn't a human, so it's definitely not a one-to-one weighting, but will that have to be defined? Did Vick deserve to be reinstated and to play again after prison because he paid for his crimes?

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Should Josh Brent be allowed to play after serving his sentence in the drunk driving case that killed a friend and teammate?

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Where does the line get drawn?

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ORIGINAL: subrosaDom

The Ravens deny Harbaugh ever said that. ESPN stands by its story. Harbaugh denies it. Harbaugh paid megabucks by Ravens. Harbaugh unlikely to be paid megabucks by another owner if he rats out owner who made him eat his words.

So who the fuck knows what the truth is. ESPN is not exactly Woodward and Bernstein. They are heavily sensationalistic. Harbaugh has many reasons to take back his words, since no one questions his balls.

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ORIGINAL: Zonie63

Under what circumstances would NFL fans ever abandon ship? It hasn't happened yet. I don't think people have any kind of backbone or set of principles that would enable them to do that. Either the NFL is like a religion to people - or it may be some kind of drug they're addicted to. Either way, people are just too weak-willed to simply walk away from the NFL.

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ORIGINAL: Gauge

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ORIGINAL: DesideriScuri

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Those issues don't actually impact the game, though. The NFL isn't a court. It isn't a police department. It isn't the proverbial executioner. The NFL isn't the employer, either. The team is. If the team wants to suspend a player, so be it. Players have been suspended for lengthy periods for "conduct detrimental to the team." Why can't they do the same with illegal activities?

The NFL however oversees it's franchises and has league policies. Teams have benched players, suspended them, and even cut players for illegal activities. The league, I believe must approve the suspensions, or they can come directly from the league office. I am working on my coffee... so forgive me if I am making sense every third word.

I have no idea if the league has to approve team sanctions or not. The news of the Ravens releasing Rice was announced before the NFL suspended him indefinitely (but still on the same day). That's not to say there was no communication between the Ravens and the NFL, just that the Ravens actions were announced before the NFL's.

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If Ray Rice isn't convicted, then what? Clearly his actions were not desirable, but if he's cleared by law enforcement and the courts, what then? Is he reinstated?

As long as he does his pre-trial stuff, Ray won't see the inside of a courtroom. They gave him some pre-trial intervention that basically allows them to go through counseling and whatever else, and keep him out of court and ultimately off of his record. The court felt he was worthy of a second chance for whatever reason. This is why I was initially OK with how this whole thing was handled... and then the tape came out and the shitstorm hit.
I somehow doubt Rice will ever play in the NFL again, if he does, the female fanbase will take a hit (no pun intended) because they have been outraged over this whole thing. Ultimately, Rice's only logical position if he wants to return, is for he and his wife to become a spokesperson for domestic violence, perhaps do some public service announcements, and begin talking about what happened. NFL fans are just a little tired of seeing athletes act like this and then clam up. I understand why he is clamming up because he doesn't want to say anything wrong and get crucified more, but his silence is hurting him more than it is helping.

This gets lumped into the same category, then, of Vick and Josh Brent. Both Vick and Brent have served their sentences. There is a 49ers player that has appealed his conviction (that is, he's been found guilty, but is appealing), but is still playing.

Rice clocking his now-wife (I haven't seen it, and I have no need to) is excessive force, to me, but does it matter? Will there be punishments for emotionally abusing your spouse?

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Yes, the NFL has a clear drug policy. Yes, there are grey areas (is the player just saying he took it to get his wife pregnant?). That's why I stated the NFL should have a clear policy with regards to people convicted of crimes. The policy should be tailored to the level of crime, but not the specific crime itself.

Yes, that was what the player had said. I will agree with the punishment being proportionate to the level of crime committed.

Who gets to decide what is proportionate?

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Was Michael Vick's animal abuse crimes worse than Ray Rice's? How many dogs did Vick abuse (or have abused)? How many times has Ray Rice hit his wife? Sure, an animal isn't a human, so it's definitely not a one-to-one weighting, but will that have to be defined? Did Vick deserve to be reinstated and to play again after prison because he paid for his crimes?

I didn't like it when the Eagles signed Vick, his crime aside... I just never liked him as a football player. Did he deserve to be reinstated? Fuck man.... I don't know, on the one hand he paid his debt to society and he was following his sentence guidelines very specifically, so he obviously learned something from it. On the other hand... I find what he did repugnant and I wouldn't have cared if he had to clean toilets for the rest of his life. I struggled long and hard with this one because he signed with the Eagles... and I am still on the fence, but if he finishes his career and stays out of trouble, then I will say that he did the right thing and got his shit together.
Also, let's not forget that DaddySatyr has a point, Ray could actually be the victim. I have a bit of a tough time with that, but it can happen.

That doesn't excuse his actions, imo. It just makes her guilty of domestic violence, too.

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Should Josh Brent be allowed to play after serving his sentence in the drunk driving case that killed a friend and teammate?

I just don't know. Personally, I don't think so... but I just am not certain.

Why don't you think he should? He and a friend were drunk. He drove. He got in an accident and his friend died. Even his friend's mom didn't want Brent to get into a lot of trouble. That was poor choices, but definitely not intentional. Vick's actions were intentional. I don't see Ray Rice's actions as unintentional (he wasn't swinging to miss).

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Where does the line get drawn?

Wherever the NFL wants it drawn. The problem is that they have not drawn it fast enough, nor have they given what they got enough balls to make players stop and think.

Is that the NFL's duty, though? Isn't it law enforcement's job to do that? I will agree that the "rich and famous" don't seem to get held to the same standards, and that isn't right at all.


_____________________________

What I support:

• A Conservative interpretation of the US Constitution
  
• Personal Responsibility
  
• Help for the truly needy
  
• Limited Government
  
• Consumption Tax (non-profit charities and food exempt)
  

(in reply to Gauge)

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ORIGINAL: Gauge

You just told me.

Nah. A good writer always holds something back from a preview or even a Reader's Digest™ condensed version.

Some day, when the topic seems to call for it (and I have a ton of time to type the whole thing out), I will bedazzle the lot of you!

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ORIGINAL: DesideriScuri

As far as the domestic violence issue goes, it should stay out of it, or make a broad rule regarding lawbreakers. That is, each level of crime has it's own repercussion, but that has nothing to do with the specific crime. All misdemeanors will result in the same penalty, for instance. Each team has the right to penalize the player, too, and that can be more specific to the crime (afterall, the player is employed by the team, not the league).

The league should have more say in issues of performance enhancing drugs, as they do have a reason to maintain the legitimacy of the game itself.

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ORIGINAL: DarkSteven

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ORIGINAL: DesideriScuri

As far as the domestic violence issue goes, it should stay out of it, or make a broad rule regarding lawbreakers. That is, each level of crime has it's own repercussion, but that has nothing to do with the specific crime. All misdemeanors will result in the same penalty, for instance. Each team has the right to penalize the player, too, and that can be more specific to the crime (afterall, the player is employed by the team, not the league).

The league should have more say in issues of performance enhancing drugs, as they do have a reason to maintain the legitimacy of the game itself.

Exactly. I have a serious issue with the NFL acting as another branch of the law and fining players, suspending them, etc. But if it is to be done (and I see no evidence the NFL will stop), it must be done consistently, based upon the severity of the crime, without taking into account the player's abilities and what he means to the team, and the public reaction.

And I hate to point this out, but isn't it weird that some man makes his living hitting others, and be expected to leave that part of himself behind at home?

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ORIGINAL: Gauge

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ORIGINAL: Zonie63

Under what circumstances would NFL fans ever abandon ship? It hasn't happened yet. I don't think people have any kind of backbone or set of principles that would enable them to do that. Either the NFL is like a religion to people - or it may be some kind of drug they're addicted to. Either way, people are just too weak-willed to simply walk away from the NFL.

If your public image is one that doesn't sit well with a percentage of your fans, they will get tired of it and they will quit watching. Major League Baseball went on strike back in 93-94. I was working 80 hours a week and barely feeding my family and making ends meet. Some shitbag player came on TV, (he made about 12 million a year) and was asked why he was on strike. He said because he has to be able to feed his family. I turned off my TV and never watched a Pro baseball game again... and I love baseball.

I can walk away from the NFL too if they piss me off too much... and I love the game.