Today is a sad day for professional football. Ever since Roger Goodell became the commissioner of the NFL, he has had a stern policy against players involved in negative off-field conduct. Upon examining the list of suspensions he’s passed down to offending players, every one of them was well deserved. However, his latest judgment on Ben Roethlisberger is a joke compared to the severity of punishment served by previous offending players.
After a second allegation of rape from a separate victim, Roethlisberger was initially suspended for the first six games of the 2010 season. Let’s compare his suspension to previous players:
- Adam Jones was suspended for the entire 2007 season for his involvement with a shooting at a Las Vegas strip club which left a security guard paralyzed from waist down, and indefinitely in the 2008 season which was reduced to four games for an alcohol related fight with his body guard. His initial suspension was not reduced.
- The late Chris Henry was suspended for the first eight games in the 2007 season for various off-field offenses, which include driving under the influence, marijuana possession, assault, and criminal damage. His suspension was not reduced.
- Tank Johnson was suspended for the first eight games in the 2007 season for various off-field offenses, which include illegal possession of firearms in his car and home, driving under the influence, and being involved in a fight at a club which resulted in a shooting and the death of his friend/body guard.
- Michael Vick was suspended indefinitely in 2007 for his involvement of financially supporting a dog fighting ring. After serving nineteen months in jail, he was suspended for an additional two games in the 2009 season. His suspension was not reduced.
- Donte Stallworth was suspended for the entire 2009 season for driving under the influence manslaughter charges. His suspension was not reduced.
These are all serious offenses and no one had their suspension reduced except Adam Jones’s second suspension. How is it that after being accused of rape twice within a span of two years, Mr. Goodell would have the testicular fortitude to reduce Roethlisberger’s suspension from six games to four? What kind of message is he trying to send boys and young men all over America? It’s okay to commit a crime as long as you exhibit good behavior for a certain period o time? This decision simply isn’t right and sets the wrong precedent for fans of the sport and players around the league. In my opinion, Roethlisberger should have been suspended for at least eight games to an entire season with no possible reduction. He should have known better than to put himself in situation that involved young women and alcohol at a club. Goodell made his decision based upon Roethlisberger staying out of trouble since the incident but I call BS. The timing is also suspect because the projected starter of the season for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Byron Leftwich, went down with a sprained ligament in his knee. It’s also possible that Roethlisberger is getting preferential treatment based on race, but none of that can be proven. If Goodell wants to set a certain standard for the league, he should stay consistent with previous suspensions. If you do the crime, you must do the time! Shame on you Roger Goodell, shame on you.
