USA TODAY International Edition
OFF- FIELD ISSUES CRUCIAL, TOO
Get over it.
That was the punch line from an email received recently, some of the not- always- friendly reader feedback that presents intrigue.
The reader was appalled that I’d written about the racial element of the Jonathan Martin- Richie Incognito saga. Accused me of playing the race card.
Someone else, via Twitter, guaranteed that I frequently use the N- word.
( Wrong. Not me. I hate the term and am not among those who think African Americans can use the racial slur while expecting others not to.)
Another reader blasted me for denouncing Washington owner Dan Snyder as insensitive to Native Americans by allowing his franchise to carry a racial slur for a nickname. And so on. Lately, I’ve been drawn to write about so much that extends beyond the field.
The long- term effects of concussions. The psychological impact on Native American children. Domestic violence. Alcoholism. Racism. Diversity.
Sure, I realize what a wonderful job Andy Reid has done in turning around the Kansas City Chiefs and, no, I can’t get enough of appreciating Megatron, Peyton and A. D.
But the NFL landscape also allows the opportunity to address greater causes in society.
This age of enlightenment in the NFL should be embraced.
Martin, a 2012 second- round pick from Stanford, is probably not destined to become the next Jonathan Ogden.
Yet he might ultimately make his mark — in addition to whatever he might accomplish on the field — as the impetus for lasting impact on the NFL culture when considering the workplace environment, hazing, bullying and the liberal use ( by some) of racial slurs.
As more facts are revealed, we’ll learn more about Martin’s case.
He’s already a game- changer in one sense: The stakes are raised, as NFL player union chief DeMaurice Smith pointed out Monday during an ESPN interview, for the expectation that NFL locker rooms comply with federal and state workplace laws.
Given that Harvard- educated attorney Jane Howard- Martin specialized in employment discrimination litigation for years, it is ironic that
The NFL landscape also allows the opportunity to address greater causes in society. This age of enlightenment in the NFL should be embraced.
her son is a central figure in this particular NFL issue.
And it’s sad, too, that it came to this.
The NFL, however, provides the platform to make a difference.
The charge to Commissioner Roger Goodell, team owners and other power brokers is to passionately demonstrate corporate leadership in addressing societal issues that are part of the NFL, too. Being the proper example is a good thing.
They have the influence. Pro football is America’s most popular sport, and the business is booming, too, with the league generating nearly $ 10 billion in revenue last year.
It’s understood that the NFL’s primary mission is to entertain ... and sell.
But the mission should always be deeper than that.
Just look at the progress with concussion awareness after it became a front- burner issue — with prodding from the players union — in the NFL. In roughly three years, 49 states ( what’s the holdup, Mississippi?) have adopted legislation requiring that high school and youth athletes are medically cleared before returning to play after suffering a head injury.
The NFL, although its interest in the issue strikes at the core of its business, took the lead on that. And there was a trickledown effect.
Similar landscape changes can occur with other issues, too.
Players, more empowered than some realize, have a responsibility, too
hat’s not to suggest that Robert Griffin III take on some political issue that he might not be passionate about. He’s young. I’d think that this is an age of discovery for him, too, in some regards. Yet he should never forget that he stands for more than a mere football player.
This isn’t to single out RG3. There are teachable moments with all of these issues, like with the Miami Dolphins players who apparently had no objection to liberal use of a racial slur within their locker room. Let’s hope they learn from this. Even better, given one issue on top of another, we can all be enlightened.