AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2007 > May > 28
Monday, May 28, 2007
NFL must act on dogfighting; but how?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
According to a study by the Humane Society, dogfighting is a crime in all 50 states, a felony in 48 of them, unlawful even to watch in all but two (Hawaii and, oops, Georgia) - but completely legal in American Samoa.
Unfortunately for NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Pago Pago doesn’t significantly factor into the league’s image or merchandising sales. So we have a problem.
If you missed it this past weekend, ESPN, whose reporting on the Michael Vick/dogfighting investigation had been relatively tame to this point, took the story to a level that made Goodell’s head hurt.
They showed footage of actual dogfights. They juxtaposed it with words and images of Vick. They played an interview with a confidential informant, who pointed the finger at Vick as an active and eager participant who raised fighting dogs, fought dogs and gambled on dogs.
Nothing is more important to the NFL than its image because that’s what allows for everything else: obscene television rights, jersey sales and power. It’s the most successful sports league in the world because of what people perceive about the product, the structure, and, yes, even the league’s morals.
Dogfighting is not steroids.
Dogfighting is not drugs.
Dogfighting is not bar fights, or spousal abuse, or sexual assault.
In at least one way, dogfighting is worse than any of those things. Why? Because you’re not going to find people - particularly NFL players - who publicly defend any of those other things.
Understand this: Dogfighting is generally run and supported by the lowest common denominator of society. But some clearly believe there is nothing wrong with it. Some include Clinton Portis, the Washington running back who defended the indefensible, saying people should leave Vick alone even if allegations are true, and added: “It can’t be too bad of a crime.”
No. Just a felony. Dolt.
Do you think Portis is alone? Former NFL running back LeShon Johnson twice was arrested for dogfighting. Was he alone?
Rape is a felony. But nobody needs to declare, “I don’t believe in rape.”
The ESPN story prompted the league to release a statement. It read, in part: “Dogfighting is cruel, degrading and illegal. … Any NFL employee proved to be involved in this type of activity will be subject to prompt and significant discipline under our personal conduct policy.”
Question: Before Goodell suspended Adam “Pacman” Jones for the season, was the league moved to announce, “The NFL is against any player, coach or official who might incite a riot by ‘making it rain’?”
Goodell is worried about this story and where it’s going. That’s illustrated in how league officials are scrambling to jump in front of this train. On Monday, NFL.com, the league’s house Web site, carried a rewritten version of the ESPN story - a story that tarnishes its own product.
Imagine WorldCom posting a story on its Web site: “The Securities and Exchange Commission tells us that Bernard Ebbers is a cheating weasel who committed fraud,” without rebutting it.
The league has even offered NFL Security - which ranks significantly closer to the CIA than mall security - to assist the beleaguered Surry County (Va.) prosecutor.
Dogfights on SportsCenter. A confidential informant, identity hidden, his voice digitally disguised, implicating Vick. Bad images.
The NFL doesn’t want this story covered up - it wants resolution, and quick. There’s a big difference. The league can protect its image with the best of them. It strong-armed ESPN into taking the weekly sex-drugs-lies-and-football serial, “Playmakers,” off the air. That doesn’t mean the themes in “Playmakers” don’t exist in the NFL. Of course they do. But those ills also are a significant part of society.
But dogfighting? No. There is no rationalizing that. Goodell needs anybody associated with that sick pastime out of the league.
The problem is, this isn’t just a drug problem, or a crime problem, or an ethics problem. There’s no book on how to deal with this. We don’t know how extensive dogfighting is. We only know there are several backwoods yahoos - some of whom wear nice suits and drive nice cars - who don’t know how to define the words “felony” or “decency.” And outside of American Samoa, that matters to the NFL.
Permalink | Comments (468) | Categories: Falcons / NFL, Jeff Schultz
.JPG)
-1.JPG)
Services »
