Petition To Fire Roger Goodell

[burnzy24]

 

...well, at least we know AP spends time with one of his kids...

To be fair I don't think AP has an accurate count of all his kids. It looks like he is done for the year too. I saw the pictures of what he did to his kid on deadspin and it's awful.

[yoshii8]

And AP is back after his one week suspension. Amazing.

[lcbj68c]

And AP is back after his one week suspension. Amazing.

 

To be fair, it wasn't even a suspension or recorded discipline. It was simply he wasn't on the active 45-man for the game. I knew the Vikings wouldn't have the cajones to take action. They'll hide behind the "let due process of the courts..." talk for as long as neccessary. Ray Rice was fired for a misdemeanor on an adult that wasn't even filed by D.A. If AP isn't fired from the Vikings for a felony on a child that was filed by a grand jury of his peers, I'll be outraged.

[fondybrewfan]

49ers and Panthers are also going to do the same thing. They all have good players that have the issues so they won't sit them unless they have to. Now if Guy #50 on the team has a domestic issue; the team will absolutely not tolerate that and his sorry butt will be cut on Day #1.

[Outlander]

If AP isn't fired from the Vikings for a felony on a child that was filed by a grand jury of his peers, I'll be outraged.

I agree with you on that. Also, just because the Vikings decided to bring him back doesn't mean the NFL won't do something. If Goodell doesn't want another reason for people to have him fired he will need to step in by this weekend if the Vikings don't change their stance.

[Point Beer Is Best]

49ers and Panthers are also going to do the same thing. They all have good players that have the issues so they won't sit them unless they have to. Now if Guy #50 on the team has a domestic issue; the team will absolutely not tolerate that and his sorry butt will be cut on Day #1.

 

The 49ers did not deactivate Ray McDonald for last night's game, and have been widely criticized for it. However, the Panthers did deactivate Greg Hardy (arguably the biggest "star" amongst Rice, McDonald & Hardy) for yesterday's game and are taking more time to decide whether or not to continue (wheras the Vikings decided that Peterson's "indefinite suspension" should just last the weekend). The CBA limits how many times they can do this, so their hands will be tied if the NFLPA decides to stand up for Hardy.

[JohnBriggs12]

Keith Olbermann has aired evidence of an old news interview where the owner of the team specifically said that the team was not named in tribute to any Native American coach or player.

 

And as for the name being offensive or not..it most certainly is offensive to those who are offended.

 

I'm offended by a lot of things. I get over it. What was simple "political correctness" has now evolved into a national dogma, or a nationally recognized set of beliefs that the media dictates we all must follow. It's the what our founders feared they when banned the establishment of a national religion in the First Amendment. If you disagree with any of it you get labeled a bigot or worse. You can't work at most media outlets without adhering to this set of beliefs in their entirety. It won't be long at the pace we are going that dissent from any view dictated by the media will result in not just labeling but persecution.

[RobDeer 45]

I don't see what the big deal is. I can see being mad at him, but to ask for his head is absurd. When it comes to the Ray Rice incident, worst case scenario is he saw a video, said he didn't, and then is guilty of not getting out in front of the backlash. He didn't cover up anything, he didn't obstruct the police, he didn't try to protect a criminal, he just didn't give a harsh enough penalty in some people's eyes.

 

In no way do I agree with anything Ray Rice did, but to ask for Goodell to be fired because he didn't give a harsh enough penalty to a player is crazy.

[JimH5]

 

I'm offended by a lot of things. I get over it. What was simple "political correctness" has now evolved into a national dogma, or a nationally recognized set of beliefs that the media dictates we all must follow. It's the what our founders feared they when banned the establishment of a national religion in the First Amendment. If you disagree with any of it you get labeled a bigot or worse. You can't work at most media outlets without adhering to this set of beliefs in their entirety. It won't be long at the pace we are going that dissent from any view dictated by the media will result in not just labeling but persecution.

 

You make a fair point. None of us like to think of ourselves as uncaring Neanderthals. Daniel Snyder has said that he was a Redskins fan growing up and he loves the tradition and thinks of the team name as one of honor. I believe that he is telling the truth in that. I don't think he dislikes Native Americans. I just think he's too invested in the Redskins name to see that others might find it offensive.

 

And while most of us are fine with changing our minds from time to time on various subjects, none of us likes to be nagged into doing so, either by the media, or our self-righteous BF-net buds.

 

But this has united people as disparate as Keith Olbermann and Charles Krauthammer, who both see the name as offensive. When do you see them agree on anything?

 

People don't get to own other people's heritage, to use their image, to wrap all that in a package and sell it for their own gain. As much as Snyder loves and respects the past and present tribes of native people, he shouldn't be able to profit from them.

 

And it is not lost on me that I have used a picture of Judge Landis as my avatar for the past 10+ years. Nobody else on this board has snagged a historic racist as their own semi-official logo. It may be wise for me to change that.

[logan82]

It's hard to suspend guys unless there is a video. In the case of McDonald I don't think he has even been charged with anything yet.

[DocLuna7]

For what it's worth neither Ray Rice or Adrian Peterson have been found guilty in a court of law yet. I am obviously not saying that they didn't do something heinous (obviously the video of Rice is pretty damning) but we do live in a nation where we aren't supposed to be pre-judged as guilty without the supposition of innocence.

[JimH5]

For what it's worth neither Ray Rice or Adrian Peterson have been found guilty in a court of law yet. I am obviously not saying that they didn't do something heinous (obviously the video of Rice is pretty damning) but we do live in a nation where we aren't supposed to be pre-judged as guilty without the supposition of innocence.

 

So what of the disparity between what football has done with Rice and Peterson? Rice is out of the league, and Peterson is suiting up this weekend. Isn't that disparity on Goodell?

 

That the Vikings are letting Peterson wear their uniform and appear on their team is absurd. Are they really that shortsighted? Do people really not care about the pictures of what Peterson did to his son? Do they just shrug it off and keep cheering for their guy?

 

How could they sit in a room with their own sons and watch the Vikings play, cheering for a guy who admitted to leaving whip marks and drawing blood from his own?

[DocLuna7]

Yep, you are definitely correct in pointing out the vast disparity between the punishment given to Rice and Peterson. This has everything to do with the NFL's need to cover its own butt (and market) than anything having anything to do with actual justice.

[superfly]

For what it's worth neither Ray Rice or Adrian Peterson have been found guilty in a court of law yet. I am obviously not saying that they didn't do something heinous (obviously the video of Rice is pretty damning) but we do live in a nation where we aren't supposed to be pre-judged as guilty without the supposition of innocence.

 

So what of the disparity between what football has done with Rice and Peterson? Rice is out of the league, and Peterson is suiting up this weekend. Isn't that disparity on Goodell?

 

That the Vikings are letting Peterson wear their uniform and appear on their team is absurd. Are they really that shortsighted? Do people really not care about the pictures of what Peterson did to his son? Do they just shrug it off and keep cheering for their guy?

 

How could they sit in a room with their own sons and watch the Vikings play, cheering for a guy who admitted to leaving whip marks and drawing blood from his own?

 

 

I'm sorry but I am going to opine here. By no means am I going to choose to discipline my children in such fashion, but I think people are being short sighted in judging how Adrian chose to discipline. Not only is this a cultural issue (we are NOT getting into that today), but THIS is how kids have been disciplined for eons. "Please stop" is only a recent occurrence in society, and judging by how today's children and 20 somethings act, it isn't working very well. Did the man go too far? I personally think he did. Does he realize he did? I believe now he does, and you can bet he won't be doing it again.

 

To call discipline the same as a (likely drunk) Ray Rice knocking his fiance out in an elevator is wrong. They aren't even close to the same circumstance, it is merely a talking point. I think what people can't come to grips with is when you discipline a child, there are bruises, welts, scars, whatever else. I personally don't understand why that is considering so many of us received it when we were young...I for one learned after the first go-round from the belt buckle I better shape up and knock it off. I have friends who had to walk out in the backyard and choose THEIR OWN switch, and if they chose a bad one they'd receive twice the whooping.

 

I'd personally rather not see this kind of behavior in society, but I am also a realist, and sparing the rod spoils the child. Adrian deserves a fair punishment once there is a conviction, but until that time he needs to be able to go to work just like any other job. As for Goodell, what exactly is he supposed to do? There are CBA rules to follow, not to mention the tens of millions of armchair QBs who sit back and critisize every move made.

 

I'm sure i'll enrage some with my post, but that's OK, this is America and we all have our opinions and rights to agree or disagree.

 

 

As for the Viking fans - I live over here and have spent the past 12 hours listening to local talk shows. It is very 50/50 and perhaps more on the side of releasing AP than it is happy he's playing. Keep in mind the media has a socially liberal bias however so it can be skewed.

[lcbj68c]

I'm sorry but I am going to opine here. By no means am I going to choose to discipline my children in such fashion, but I think people are being short sighted in judging how Adrian chose to discipline. Not only is this a cultural issue (we are NOT getting into that today), but THIS is how kids have been disciplined for eons.

 

I'm only 32, but when were the days that stuffing leaves into a child's mouth was acceptable discipline? What exactly did that teach them?

[JimH5]

This is a topic that could go off the rails any moment, but I think if we keep it engaged in a respectful way, there's nothing wrong with not agreeing.

 

Superfly, you make fine points.

 

In my own mind, I see the pictures of the preschooler and read the accounts of what happened, and I think that Peterson went beyond discipline and went into a rage. Obviously I don't know if that's true, but he did accidentally strike the boy in his genitals. And he raised welts across a number of areas on his body.

 

But whether it is child abuse or not isn't for me to decide-- or Ziggy Wilf, or Roger Goodell. It's up to the courts.

 

The decision facing Goodell and Wilf is how to best proceed. How do they "protect the shield" and the franchise, and still appeal to the public?

 

Even if Peterson isn't a convicted child abuser, do they want an accused, or suspected child abuser wearing the shield? They fine players if they wear their socks too high, but they don't have a problem with Peterson appearing inside their jersey?

 

Aren't the Vikings saying they would rather win games with a suspected child abuser than have him sit out while the matter is addressed by the courts?

[lcbj68c]

But whether it is child abuse or not isn't for me to decide-- or Ziggy Wilf, or Roger Goodell. It's up to the courts.

 

The decision facing Goodell and Wilf is how to best proceed. How do they "protect the shield" and the franchise, and still appeal to the public?

quote]

 

^^ This

 

And to be quite honest, it's really just an issue for Wilf in how to proceed best. Wilf is Peterson's employer and Wilf is the one who has a responsibility to employ ethical human beings. I think Goodell and the NFL often times stick their necks where it isn't neccessary. The Ravens had fired Rice and it could have been left at that. The indefinite suspension from the NFL was simply posturing with no real purpose.

 

Again, as JimH5 has pointed out, the topic of this discussion for me has nothing much to do with what is acceptable discipline of a child. People could go around and around on that forever. The character of Mr. Peterson isn't one that I would want in my organization. A jury of his peers already viewed the evidence and indicted him with a felony. That to me is enough baggage that I would fire him from my company. The Patriots didn't need a conviction to fire Aaron Hernandez. The Ravens didn't even need a charge filed to fire Ray Rice. The belief that the Vikings need a conviction to fire Adrian Peterson just doesn't make sense to me.

[LouisEly]

For what it's worth neither Ray Rice or Adrian Peterson have been found guilty in a court of law yet. I am obviously not saying that they didn't do something heinous (obviously the video of Rice is pretty damning) but we do live in a nation where we aren't supposed to be pre-judged as guilty without the supposition of innocence.

 

So what of the disparity between what football has done with Rice and Peterson? Rice is out of the league, and Peterson is suiting up this weekend. Isn't that disparity on Goodell?

Actually, no, it's not on Goodell. Goodell suspended Rice indefinitely because they said the video was "in stark contrast" to what Rice and his NFLPA rep told the league happened. The Ravens chose to terminate his contract and release him, not Goodell. Also, Rice hasn't been found guilty because his wife refused to press charges. You can't be found guilty if no charges are pressed.

 

This whole thing with Peterson just broke at the end of the week. The league is still investigating and gathering evidence. While I do not approve in any way of what happened (and would personally enjoy a severe penalty given to Peterson if for nothing else than fathering so many kids with so many women, but that's a different story), I do believe in due process and not trial by media. Occasionally the media gets it wrong - see: Richard Jewel.

 

One other note - if the player is released before he is suspended or jailed the team takes the salary cap hit. That could have significant financial consequences for a team with someone as highly paid as Peterson.

[Invader3K]

An interesting point not brought up in the AP case (at least not that I've really heard much from the media) is that he had another child tragically die about a three years ago when some other man abused the boy. Seems like he is pretty inconsistent with which children he chooses to raise and how he raises them.

[fondybrewfan]

I am sorry but the kid was 4 years old. Whether you believe in this type of punishment or not; 4 years old is way to young to be doing that to your kid.

[lcbj68c]

Would Brewerfan.net shut down over a team scandal?

 

The Vikingsfan.net equivilant has decided to do just that over the AP situation. Radisson, their major sponsor (seen on all their press conference bunting) has also pulled out.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/vikings-message-board-shuts-down--disgusted-by-both-team-and-fans-141959347.html

[FVBrewerFan]

Well, now there's evidence that he has "punished" another child of his. Apparently, actually an old story, but now seeing the light of day again. This time it's the child's head that was injured. Mother has text messages where he admitted doing it.

 

I don't need a court to tell me whther or not he's guilty, I'm going to believe there's a pattern of abuse here. I refuse to believe this only happened twice. Not sure what the NFL and/or Vikings will do about it, but there's enough there that he's already guilty in my eyes.

[Baldkin]

I'm sorry but I am going to opine here. By no means am I going to choose to discipline my children in such fashion, but I think people are being short sighted in judging how Adrian chose to discipline. Not only is this a cultural issue (we are NOT getting into that today), but THIS is how kids have been disciplined for eons. "Please stop" is only a recent occurrence in society, and judging by how today's children and 20 somethings act, it isn't working very well. Did the man go too far? I personally think he did. Does he realize he did? I believe now he does, and you can bet he won't be doing it again.

 

It's always been that way is a terrible reason to allow anything to continue. Spousal abuse was commonplace and almost never prosecuted as recently as 40 years ago.

 

Because my grandfather could hit my grandmother doesn't make it okay for me to hit my girlfriend.

[JimH5]

While I applaud Radisson Hotels, the only thing that really matters to the NFL is what happens to them financially. Will the Vikings suffer for this, or will another sponsor jump at the chance to partner with the team?

 

Michael Vick killed dogs, Ben Roethlisberger behaved badly toward a woman/women, Junior Seau killed himself because of brain damage. . .and yet the NFL's revenues have never been higher.

 

These news stories create a bunch of outrage, and then we go back to watching games.

 

If we keep watching games, buying merchandise, etc. then all this message board stuff is empty.

[fondybrewfan]

The governor of MN has also come out telling the Vikings to suspend AP. If he actually plays on Sunday I will be shocked; the Vikings are coming out looking awful.

 

I think Goodell is giving the Vikings an opportunity to fix this themselves; but if he isn't satisfied he will step in. I don't think Goodell will let AP play on Sunday and for at least a couple more after that.

 

AP has basically admitted to beating his kid and causing visible injuries twice. Now maybe he doesn't get convicted because it doesn't quite go as far as child abuse according to the letter of the law; but the public has seen these pictures so he is guilty already. Most likely he reaches some sort of plea agreement anyways; I doubt he spends any time in jail unless even more issues pop up.

 

That message board shutting down is nuts. The strange thing is I did read through their AP thread on Saturday of last week or so and there was definitely 3 or 4 posters there that were defending AP and his right to whip his kids. I.E. the wussification of America is terrible.