SIMSANITY: NFL Controversies Could Affect Future Of League

SIMEON LAM
Sports Editor

I’m sure you’ve heard all about the news from the NFL in recent weeks, but I’m not talking about the scores and standings. It’s about the Ray Rice controversy that has rocked the football world and unfolded not only the truth about certain players, but more importantly the credibility of Commissioner Roger Goodell.

The Ray Rice incident occurred on Feb. 15. Rice, who was believed to be intoxicated, assaulted his then fiancée inside an elevator and was soon charged with domestic assault. Months after, Rice was finally suspended for two games on July 28. However, the video of the beating was not released publicly until Sept. 8. The video had major effects and the league suddenly decided to suspend him indefinitely. But why exactly did the video change the whole landscape of the story? None of the information about what had happened was secret. In fact, according to ESPN, he admitted exactly what he had done wrong to the commissioner and the team and was willing to work hard to change his actions. It’s shocking to see how visuals can be so detrimental to one’s portrayal. I’m not saying that Ray Rice was not guilty of violence, but I feel that this incident was blown out of proportion by the media.

TMZ released the video this month, but multiple sources have proven that the NFL had received the video prior to the release. Yet Goodell claims that he never saw the video. Whether he saw the video or not, his decision making was very questionable since Rice told him the facts of exactly what happened back in February. All of a sudden, the tables turned on Goodell. According to ABC News, on Sept. 19, he finally admitted that “he got it wrong.” This shows not only a sense of poor leadership, but more importantly a lack of responsibility on his part.

Now what’s next for the NFL? Many people are now wondering whether Goodell should continue to be the commissioner of America’s most popular sport. In fact, Ray Rice has decided to appeal his decision, which could strike a bigger blow to Goodell’s credibility if his appeal is actually warranted. The fact that Goodell let another occurrence of domestic violence pass so lightly portrays a character that angers many fans. Also, Goodell handled the situation very poorly by lying about the situation. He tried to keep the situation quiet, but the second the story came out, he realized that he had messed up.

But of course, Goodell is likely to still stay as commissioner. If he is given get a second chance, Rice should as well. What he did was a mistake in judgment, the same mistake that Goodell made. The important thing is making sure that mistakes are truly learned from. In fact, Rice was portrayed as the guy who gave back the most to his community in Baltimore. His identity contradicted his actions and I think it’s only reasonable to give him another chance at the NFL. Whether he is suspended the original two games or indefinitely, Goodell should find a middle ground that will discipline Rice enough yet find a way for the revival of Rice’s career. As one of the worst months of NFL history has gone, hopefully a brighter future lies ahead for the league and the eradication of domestic violence.