Nobody got kicked in the face this Sunday, but this week in NFL brought even heavier headaches and more headshaking. Week 2 featured great games under the cover of one of the worst weeks in NFL history. You've read it everywhere: The horrific elevator video that disgraced the commissioner, the league, and its values; and the child abuse photos that destroyed the image of someone who made one of sports' most improbable and inspirational stories just two seasons ago. Bluntly, it sucked to be affiliated with the NFL these past couple of days.
And what's worse about the situations is how they weren't greeted with sudden shock. The week was the culmination of an ugly image of masculinity that the league built for itself over the past few decades. As Cris Carter and the Sunday NFL Countdown noted, the problems put in the forefront this week extends beyond the league — they're societal. They're going to take a while to fix. So for now, football continues under the hard pretexts.
TMZ leaks video showing Ray Rice punching out his fiancee Janay Palmer, kicking off NFL's worst week ever.
Adrian Peterson gets indicted after leaving 4-year-old child scarred.
Adrian Peterson's child injury case was the other story of the week, but his case was far more divisive than Ray Rice's. That's because many have been through beatings. So is it wrong? Sunday was good because it brought two different perspectives on the issue from two prominent sports figures.
From Cris Carter (Hall of Famer):
My mom did the best job she could, raising seven children by herself. But there are thousands of things I have learned since then, and my mom was wrong. This is the 21st century. My mom was wrong. She did the best she could, but she was wrong.
I promised my kids I won’t teach that mess to them You can’t bend a kid to make them do what you want.
The only thing I’m proud about is the team that I played for, they did the right thing. Take him off the field. As a man, that’s the only thing we really respect. We don’t respect no women. We don’t respect no kids. The only thing Roger [Goodell] can do, take him off the field.
From Charles Barkley (Also a Hall of Famer):
I’m from the south. I understand Boomer’s rage and anger. He’s a white guy and I’m a black guy. I don’t know where he’s from, I’m from the South. Whipping — we do that all the time. Every black parent in the south is going to be in jail under those circumstances.
We spank kids in the south. I think the question about did Adrian Peterson go overboard — Listen, Jim, we all grow up in different environments. Every black parent in my neighborhood in the South would be in trouble or in jail under those circumstances.
And it's crazy that this kind of debate is stemming from Adrian Peterson, the man who completed one of the greatest seasons ever by a running back after coming from what's usually a career-damaging injury (ACL).
Take whatever side you'd like, but think about what could possibly justify a 4-year-old having laceration on his knees and a wound on his scrotum.
Robert Griffin III got injured again.
CBS cuts "Run This Town" from pregame segment because you know why.
The Giants are 0-2 and still pretty bad.
Richard Sherman gets "exposed" against the Chargers and doesn't want to talk to the media about it.
Phillip Rivers got smacked up on Sunday but give him his props. He threw three touchdowns and dented what looked like an infallible Seahawks defense in a 30-21 victory. But most importantly, oh shit: He exposed Richard Sherman. The one with the braids. The one who's supposed to be the best cornerback in the league.
Well, he actually didn't. Aaron Rodgers didn't even test Sherman last week, but this time, Rivers threw it in his direction and completed three passes. But note that they were short passes, little bubbles in Sherman's normally airtight coverage. The only thing notable is it's Sherman allowing this. Those passes would've been regular highlight reel fodder for anyone else. So no, Sherman didn't get exposed.
This would've faded into memory easier if Sherman simply talked to the media after the game. He's known for being prideful, and sometimes that trait comes in the way of his professionalism, as was the case here. Sherman had no problem going to Twitter to defend himself, though.
Lmao Exposed? .... Complete 3 passes 0 touchdowns 0 explosive passes.... These guys make me laugh
— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) September 15, 2014
The only person who really "exposed" Sherman was Tony Dungy during NBC's Sunday Night Football broadcast. He criticized the tweet by simply saying, "Just say that to the media." Exactly.
Brandon Marshall is so good at football that it doesn't make sense sometimes.
The Most Meme'd NFL Player of the Week: Ray Rice
Date: September 8
C'mon. You didn't think anyone else was going to get this dubious distinction, did you? Rice screwed up and the Internet isn't a clement place. Thusly, Rice has been condemned to a week's worth of slander and lampooning.
Rice is expected to appeal the NFL's decision, and he might be playing again by 2015. However, the running back is going to be nearing 30 if he comes back, and he didn't look too hot at all last season. Memes are probably the least of his worries.
