Law & Politics

NFL's Goodell Thinks Substance Abuse Worse Than Domestic Abuse, Source: https://lammatlarge.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/goodell1.jpgNFL Commissioner Roger Goodell proves once again that he cares more about substance abuse than domestic violence.

San Francisco 49ers star pass-rushing inside linebacker, Aldon Smith, has been in some legal turmoil for the last few years. Starting with an illegal weapons charge (illegal in the state in which he was residing, not in which he purchased said weapons) and a scuffle at a party he was throwing that resulted in some relatively minor injuries (to Smith and a man who attacked him), Smith has seemingly been in the headlines often.

Last fall, he was found passed out behind the wheel of his car, foot still on the gas, peeling rubber while butted against a tree. That incident prompted Smith to go on some self-imposed rehab for the length of 5 games.

Just months ago, Smith was involved in a silly incident at LAX where he was accused of making bomb threats. It turned out to be not much more than hearsay, and no charges were filed against Smith. Earlier this month, Smith had a one on one sit down with Goodell to discuss his behavior and what might come of it as far as league punishment.

On August 29th, we received word that Smith will be suspended for 9 games, despite Goodell’s promise to factor in the 5 games Smith already missed during his self-chosen rehab. What is it with Pro sports commissioners just lying through their teeth? Not long ago, the NBA commissioner all but promised Seattle the right to buy the Sacramento Kings and rebirth the Sonics franchise, only to pull the rug from our feet at the last moment. I digress.

NFL's Goodell Thinks Substance Abuse Worse Than Domestic Abuse, Source: http://blog.sfgate.com/49ers/files/2014/05/AS1.jpg

Aldon Smith faces a 9 game suspension.

I want to make it clear that I in no way mean to suggest that Aldon Smith should have gotten nothing but a warning or a fine. He clearly had/has some off the field stuff to sort out and, to an extent, I understand Goodell’s perspective. Fair or not, our culture holds professional athletes to a high standard of decency and conduct. Aldon’s behavior has not been what we would call exemplary by a long shot.

If there were some equation to follow that showed x infraction equals y punishment, it would be easier to swallow and easier for players to self-police. But there isn’t, it all seems largely arbitrary and based on the whims of Goodell. For instance, the whole Ray Rice debacle. For a quick recap: Ray Rice is a running back for the Baltimore Ravens who was caught on film dragging his now wife by the hair while she was unconscious. She was unconscious because Ray beat the ever-loving shit out of her. Her face was unrecognizable. For all that intentional abuse and unacceptable treatment of women, Rice was given a 2 game suspension. I almost throw up in my mouth just thinking about it.

Again, Aldon had firearms and recklessly piloted a vehicle while drunk and/or stoned. He should not get a free pass by any means. But let’s look, for a moment, at the nature of these transgressions. Aldon Smith made some really dumb choices and at times acted down right moronic. However, it would be hard to say that his actions were driven by violence or hate and, outside of the actual person who he fought with at his party, no one got hurt (thankfully). He’s a young star athlete who overestimated his sense of invincibility. I think we all have a story or two about being young and dumb, albeit perhaps not to this same scale.

Now let’s consider Ray Rice. Beating a woman half to death can hardly be chalked up to poor judgement or youthful idiocy. That is a deep seeded rage that will almost certainly crop up again, a level of abuse and disrespect for women that Goodell basically deemed less detrimental to the image of the NFL than a dumb kid with too much money, making an ass of himself.

Since the Ray Rice nightmare, the NFL has announced much stricter penalties for domestic and sexual assault. A first offense will get you a 6 game suspension, a second offense results in banishment from the league, for life. Even with the new rules, the initial punishment is less than Aldon Smith will suffer from his substance use problems.

At the end of the day, Smith with his substance issues will miss 14 games total. Ray Rice and his fists of misogyny will serve only 2. Worse still is the plight of Josh Gordon. Gordon has no violence or abuse counting against him, just a slough of failed drug tests (mostly for cannabis) and he’s been given a 16 game suspension. I have a suspicion that Goodell really, really doesn’t like marijuana.