I’m just a fan … living in the world or
Why I might have to boycott the NFL
An open letter to Roger Goodell
Mr. Goodell,
This could be my last Super Bowl ever. That thought brings tears to my eye like I was Eli when TC resigned… Say it ain’t so, Roger.
The other year I was in a pub watching the pre-game coverage of a 49ers-Packers game that I was very much looking forward to. My beloved Giants had failed miserably in their title defense; they hadn’t even qualified for the postseason. Nonetheless, I was confident (and subsequently proven right) that these two marquee franchises were about to put on a heckuva show.
I was living in NorCal at the time, so the Niners were the home team. The place was kinda empty, so I noticed when this fellow walked in with a Packers ball cap on his head. Being that my Giants were already eliminated, I was not wearing any team colors at the time. Anyway, I could tell that this Packer fan wanted to engage in friendly rivalry with someone … anyone, and I was the only target in sight. So the guy approaches me and says, “who’s yer team?”
“My team’s toast. Maybe next year,” I replied.
“Huh.”
“Giants fan.”
“Giants?!? What gives?”
“I was born in Brooklyn; I bleed blue.”
He gave a little chuckle. “That’s cool. But then what are you doing here?”
I looked him straight at him, pointed at the TV without breaking eye contact, and said, “this here is an NFL playoff game. We only get eleven of these a year.”
“Oh, I see,” he replied respectfully, “you’re just a fan.”
“Yup,” I replied proudly, “something like that.”
I’m just a fan; living in the world. Just a fan; that’s all I’ll ever be. I could tell many stories about my love of the game. My first heartbreak when Herm, dressed in green, delivered that cruel blow. The jubilation when Phil and Bill first hoisted the Lombardi trophy. Denying Joe the three-peat. Ray and Ed crushing Kerry. The helmet catch. Besting the mighty Patriots. Twice. Good times. Bad times. Love it. Love it all. I could tell you some stories; I was born in 1971, and I have loved this game as long as I can remember.
But the story I want to tell you today started before I was born. You probably know a fair bit of this story, but, this being an open letter, I shall tell it in its’ entirety, for the benefit of your fellow readers. This story begins in 1968.
That year Paul Brown paid $10 million to enter the AFL. As he famously stated, he “did not pay $10 million to get into the AFL.” Two years later, the Cincinnati Bengals were full-fledged members of the NFL, and proved they belonged by capturing their first division championship in just their third year of existence.
Over the course of their first twenty odd years the Cincinnati Bengals, though not the most dominant team in the league, enjoyed some modicum of success. They appeared in seven NFL postseason tournaments, winning two conference championships and providing us, as fans, two thrilling super bowl experiences in the 1980s. For that, I shall forever be grateful; thank you, Mr. Brown.
Not only was the product on the field respectable, but the Cincinnati Bengals were a proud, honorable franchise with a proud, honorable owner. They carried themselves with honor, dignity, and professionalism. These values were instilled by the great Paul Brown. Then, sadly, Brown died.
Over the next twelve seasons, the Bengals were an embarrassment. They lost 137 games, losing ten or more nine times in twelve years. The high point came in 1996, an 8-8 record. If the honorable gentleman who founded the franchise had witnessed the bumblings of his beloved Bengals throughout the nineties and into the early aughts, he surely would have been disappointed and embarrassed.
However, if Paul Brown were alive today, such disappointment and embarrassment would surely pale in comparison to complete dishonor and abject horror he would feel due to the complete disgrace and utter travesty that is the Cincinnati Bengals in 2016.
This is an organization that is actively harboring vicious, violent criminals within their ranks. And they have been doing so for some time now. If Paul Brown were alive today, I do not believe that Adam Jones or Vontaze Burfict would be Bengals. Perhaps Carson Palmer would. If I were a Cincinnati Bengal with honor and integrity right now, I would be looking for a way out.
Marvin Lewis is obviously a keen football intellect. He has guided the Bengals to unprecedented regular season success. However, something is clearly missing. I am not intimately involved with the situation, but from what I can surmise, there must be a lack of maturity, a dearth of dignity and honor, a complete disregard for order, and absolutely no respect for the rule of law. Clearly there is a lack of discipline and control. To have a single player wreak so much havoc not only for himself and his team, but for multiple franchises, and indeed, the entire league, speaks volumes about the Cincinnati Bengals ability, or lack thereof, to compete in a civilized, sportsmanlike and lawful manner. This is not okay.
Vontaze Burfict is beyond dirty or reckless. This player has displayed a pattern of behavior that rises to the level of malicious criminal intent. He has attempted to maim multiple rival players with the intent of ending their careers. The vicious criminal should be arrested, indicted, convicted, and incarcerated.
You, sir, along with the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), have an obligation to protect the rights and safety of the players under your charge. This vicious barbarian has criminally assaulted multiple players on multiple occasions.
The NFLPA should be condemning the inadequate consequence the league has levied and demanding this vicious criminal be immediately expelled from the league. Furthermore, they should be demanding criminal charges brought against Burfict, as well as an investigation into the activities and policies of the Cincinnati Bengals, who have displayed a gross disregard for the health and safety of players in their employ as well as all those competing in this inherently violent sport.
You, sir, should be leading this charge.
Many have publicly questioned whether Mr. Lewis has control of his players in Cincinnati, and rightly so. But I wonder if you, sir, have control of these franchises.
I think it is telling that you fined Mr. Burfict for his conduct against the Ravens in week 17, but did not announce it publicly. In light of the fact that you could not suspend Mr. Suh last year in the playoffs, I wonder if you feared another such defeat this year. I believe that the NFLPA, (improperly) acting in the interests of immoral, dangerous players, has you intimidated.
This is not only unacceptable, this is an outrageous and despicable state of affairs.
You suspended Odell Beckham Jr. for his unsportsmanlike and dishonorable conduct against the Carolina Panthers. As previously stated, I am a Giants fan. As such, I thank you for teaching a player, whom I hope will be a Giants legend someday, a lesson about being a real man in this world. A real man is not only a sportsman and ferocious competitor, but an honorable member of society with morals and integrity. I do hope OBJ got the message. Once again, I thank you.
And yet this man child, this violent psychopath, this outright CRIMINAL, Vontaze Burfict, has feloniously assaulted at least ten players. TEN PLAYERS! And it is only now that you are attempting to enforce real discipline?
You need to get your house in order.
Now don’t get me wrong, I love a good, clean bone rattling hit as much as any true fan. I understand that this is an inherently violent game, and there is a hallowed tradition of knocking opponents out of the game/season/career. But times are a’changin, my friend. Check this out.
I’m not much of a baseball fan, but my favorite part of that game is when the catcher has the ball at home plate and the runner from third is out by ten feet; then the game turns to football. I’ll always fondly remember Kirby Puckett vs. Terry Steinbech. Epic. Just epic.
But in the light of Buster Posey’s lost season, baseball had to change that rule. No more football on the diamond. Baseball had to evolve, sir, and so must the NFL. The days of the headhunter must end.
No longer can the Suh’s and the Harrison’s and the Burfict’s and the Talib’s of the world be allowed to roam free on the gridiron, dealing out felonious blows to defenseless men. You, sir, must put a stop to this. If you can’t, then step aside and let someone else do the job.
To this end, I will say that you (the NFL) have shown ability to change. Your evolving stance on domestic violence, while still in its’ infancy, is promising. (I got my eye on you…) Football has a long history of violence. But it is time to evolve; if you can’t, then I will be forced to turn my back on you.
Mr. Goodell: lead, don’t follow, or get out of the way.
Sincerely,
A fan
PS: I have fairly singled out the Cincinnati Bengals; currently, they are the worst offenders, and in the spotlight. There are others. I need not name names; you know who they are.
PPS: As a final aside, I shall point out that the product you put out on the field in Denver during the second week of this year’s postseason was inferior to what it should have been. At least three premier players for the visitors were either playing at diminished capacity or unable to perform at all. I am holding you personally responsible for my impaired enjoyment of the 2015 AFC Divisional Playoffs. How could you let this happen?