“To be Rich and Ignorant”
That’s got to be the title of the NFL Owners Manual. Each year they have to sit around a table during the owners meetings and go over how to say the dumbest things possible while keeping a straight face.
That’s the only way to explain the wave of foolishness we’ve heard from them recently in regards to CTE and concussions.
To start off Roger Goodell, the commissioner mind you, started by saying that you can get hurt while sitting on your sofa. I don’t know what Roger is interested in, and it’s none of my business, but I’ve never been hurt while sitting on the couch. If that doesn’t blow your mind then let’s check in on Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. Good ole’ Jerry stated that the link between CTE and football is quote, “absurd.” If you’re sill not impressed by the level of incompetence displayed by owners then allow me to introduce Jim Irsay. The Colts owner claims that the dangers of playing football are the equivalent of taking aspirin. His theory is that aspirin has different effects on different people, just like football.
Huh?
These men aren’t stupid, you don’t obtain the amount of wealth they have by lucking into something. They’re shrewd businessmen trying to downplay the danger of playing the most violent game on earth. It’s all part of the NFL’s plan to deflect responsibility for the alarming amount of CTE cases that have surfaced recently.
This isn’t about how players should hold responsibility and use some common sense. They knew, or should have known, going in that this sport was dangerous and can lead to life-altering injuries.
This is about the NFL’s hypocrisy in all of its glory.
Since Goodell took over in 2006 many of his actions seem to be based on the famous, right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing, phrase. Time after time Roger has been hypocritical in his approach to matters that are concerning. Outside of his Ray Rice domestic violence blunder, Goodell has been most hypocritical about player safety issues. Time and time again he’s stood at a podium and reiterated that player safety is his number one issue and his main goal is to make the game as safe as possible. Meanwhile, he’s discussing adding another game to the schedule, inserted Thursday Night Football, thought about moving a team to London, and continues to deny the link football has to CTE.
That sounds as safe as living the life of a crash test dummy.
The NFL is all about collecting money. That’s not a knock on them, it is a business model. The knock comes in thinking that we, as fans, don’t see that. The insult is thinking that we’re foolish enough to think that Roger and the owners are actually looking out for the safety of their players.
The sad part of this entire picture is that even with all the hypocrisy blatantly flying around the NFL is fine. People will continue to consume the product in swarms. We will continue to pack stadiums, tailgate, buy apparel, purchase the Sunday ticket, and trash talk opposing fans. Our wallets will forever be shelling out money to the NFL owners and Goodell.
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In fact, that’s what they’re counting on.
As always, thanks for reading.
Feel free to drop me 140 characters @mattgarrett41
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