NFL’s silence on violence galling and appalling
ONE week has passed since Giants long snapper Zak DeOssie was — and I don’t use this word incautiously — assaulted by Chiefs LB Terrance Smith, who “blocked” DeOssie during a K.C. punt return by leaving his feet to nail him in the head with forearms and his helmet.
DeOssie went down, hard, then unsteadily rose. Smith was given 15 yards for unnecessary roughness, as, on CBS, Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts gasped as a replay conveyed the indefensible brutality of the hit.
And then, oh, well, that was that; back to the game, back to all the games.
Since then, not a word of condemnation, not a word of outrage from the now CTE litigation-conscious NFL, just a quietly assessed fine ($24,309) six days later and word that Smith, not DeOssie, suffered a concussion on the hit. It’s not uncommon for the perp to suffer worse than the victim.
This one was another way over the furthest line, another glaring opportunity for Roger Goodell to demand culpability and change, another shot for the NFLPA to declare it will not indulge, let alone defend, acts of illegal, career-threatening violence by union members against union members.
But nothing. And as this “sport” becomes more insufferable by the game, nothing is what the NFL and NFLPA do best.
In that game, K.C.’s Demarcus Robinson caught a short pass then was run out of bounds along the Giants’ sideline.
Once, players could reasonably expect sideline opponents to reach out to brake or cushion them from being hurt as a matter of sport and humanity. They’d be protected from on-the-job but out-of-bounds injury.
Today? As Robinson crossed the sideline, Giants Devon Kennard and Avery Moss stood, arms at their sides and girded, tough-guy style, for Robinson to collide with them, which he did. Despite their effort, Robinson, having applied his brakes, wasn’t hurt.
Friday, Pitt’s Phil Campbell tried to subvert an upset of Miami by intentionally bumping Miami’s Mike Smith as the latter, after pursuing a runner, came off Pitt’s sideline. Fifteen yards, unsportsmanlike conduct.
But this incredibly stupid act of gratuitous macho was met with not a word of condemnation from ESPN’s Bob Wischusen and Brock Huard.
Still, everyone now demands total respect — in exchange for absolutely none.