Vikings RB Adrian Peterson indicted for child abuse; deactivated for Pats game at Minnesota

Wow, looking at those pics and texts. Unreal.

That kid didn't get spanked. He got beat.

What Peterson did isn't right at all and I'm glad he's getting punished for it to set an example to the rest of society.

However, the sad thing I don't -think- he was doing it in an evil way, I'd guess he was raised the same way and this was just "normal" to him. It doesn't excuse him from it, but this is more negligence/ignorance than evil, imo.

Hopefully this will make it clear to anyone who thinks this is normal because they were rasied this way that it ISN'T, and it's an outdated, cruel and ignorant form of indiscipline.

PATS16N0 said:

It's excessive. He said he didn't know the `switch` was wrapping around the kids legs and he felt bad about it. I don't mention that to defend his actions, but to point out that that could very well mean the extent of the kids welts and bruises were accidental. That doesn't mean it isn't still a Police matter, and that he should suffer the consequences of the law, because we pay in life for our accidents, especially the ones with horrible ramifications, but it also doesn't necessarily mean he was raising the Texas Chainsaw massacre family in his `whoopin` room either.

This began with me defending a reflectance to rush to judgement based on allegations, a news story, and a lawyer's comment, and for me that's what it remains.

If anyone thinks I'm defending child abuse, they're completely wrong.

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Stop. You've been going out of your way to rationalize this horrific child abuse.

"Oh, I'm not rushing to judgment."
"Oh, maybe it's just a family matter."
"Oh, he didn't know it was wrapping around."
"Oh, he says he felt bad."
"Oh, it's a cultural difference."
"Oh, it's an accident."
"Oh, maybe it shouldn't have become a police matter the first time."

I've elected to believe that you've been trolling the whole time, because the alternative is that you're just vile.

SB39 said:

A awful lot of people think they should let the legal proceedings play out before levying any punishment. Then something as incredibly upsetting as this comes up and people want the league to act immediately.

The NFL is damned if they do, damned if they don't.

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Well I've always been of the opinion that if a player is accused of a serious crime he should be out indefinitely until the legal proceedings are over.

If you are dumb enough to put yourself in a situation where you are charged with a serious crime then you deserve to sit out until the legal proceedings are over. If you get acquitted you get to come back.

I love watching the games on Sundays, but this league from top to bottom, from executives to stars to bench-warmers, has some real d-bags. Not everyone, certainly, but far more than a few. As I mentioned ed a while ago, Mark Cuban may be on to something.

RobAllan said:

When I made my post there were pictures that appeared to be of a 4 year old's arm bloodied up because AP went old school with the lumber. Those photos were taken sometime after the incident (obviously) and they LOOKED pretty bad considering that time had passed and the wound had probably been cleaned somewhat by the time it was taken. (To me, on my monitor, in my home.) Kids are just as serious business as women are and, for me at least, the crime is just as revolting as the other one.

So it's a leap, but at time of my post, I thought the possibility is on the table, ESPECIALLY because of the timing. (From a marketing perspective alone, if that makes sense.)

This is the same AP that called the NFL slavery, had a child he didn't even know he had die in the care of another less than a year ago, and now this. I know he seems nice in interviews, but there's obviously some issues with the guy. And this would seem to demonstrate they're not "past" issues. I'm not saying he's a monster, etc. (I don't know yet- need to read more.) But there's now stuff you can point to in recent history that are red flags of past behavior that won't help him in the court of public opinion which is going to be hungry for more action from the NFL to clean up its ranks.

So yeah I took a kneejerk leap, but my thinking above justified my perspective. I'm just now signing on to see what additional info there is.

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Just a small correction. That was his leg, not his arm.

Brady6 said:

I do not think Adrian Peterson should ever play a down of football in the NFL. His actions exceed the heinousness of Ray Rice’s, this is a 4-year-old boy that could not defend himself, and had no resources to help himself against a 6’3” 230lb football player.

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I will add to this: a 4-year-old child, boy or girl, DOES NOT UNDERSTAND that kind of punishment. That's the kind of crap that results in lifelong emotional problems. When I heard what Peterson did, I was upset. When I heard it was a little 4-year-old, I was livid. If Ray Rice's career is over, Peterson's should be over yesterday.

Fixit said:

Stop. You've been going out of your way to rationalize this horrific child abuse.

"Oh, I'm not rushing to judgment."
"Oh, maybe it's just a family matter."
"Oh, he didn't know it was wrapping around."
"Oh, he says he felt bad."
"Oh, it's a cultural difference."
"Oh, it's an accident."
"Oh, maybe it shouldn't have become a police matter the first time."

I've elected to believe that you've been trolling the whole time, because the alternative is that you're just vile.

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So without all the information, you alone possess the insight and morals to... what? Order the storming of his house with armed agents to kick in the door and take the kids away?

What exactly should my opinion be today, before he's even been arrested? Further more, what should be done about it right now with you not fully knowing yet if you have the slightest clue what goes on at his home? If your mob justice had supreme authority tonight, on 9/12/2014, what's it going to do?

Please tell me what I should be doing right now other than waiting to see the facts unfold.

FreeTedWilliams said:

No, but what you don't realize is the kid just committed a robbery, the cop thought he was just telling a stupid kid to get out of the road, but Brown thought he was getting arrested and was going to jail, as an adult for the strong arm robbery he just committed. He was already in fight or flight mode and fought the cop. That is what made him dangerous, being high obviously impaired his judgement.

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You might want to look at the actual witness reports of what happened. You know, the ones that described him running away, then yelling ok, ok and putting his hands up, only to get shot in the back.

SB39 said:

When situations of any type arise, an awful lot of people think the NFL should let the legal proceedings play out before levying any punishment. Then something as incredibly upsetting as this comes up and people want the league to act immediately.

The NFL is damned if they do, damned if they don't.

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There's nothing other than the f**cking greed of the owners stopping them from implementing a 'get in trouble, you're suspending /with/ pay until it's resolved'. That's the standard for any number of other jobs in the US.

JMC00 said:

Well I've always been of the opinion that if a player is accused of a serious crime he should be out indefinitely until the legal proceedings are over.

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No offense but that's kind of silly because legal proceedings can easily take an entire season - if not longer - to resolve. You'd almost be better saying "just give me the 4/6/8 games" instead of being suspended until the proceedings are over.

JMC00 said:

If you are dumb enough to put yourself in a situation where you are charged with a serious crime then you deserve to sit out until the legal proceedings are over. If you get acquitted you get to come back.

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So in other words, you have no problem with a player losing millions of dollars even though he was found not guilty or charges were dropped or whatever and he did nothing wrong. Can't say I agree.

I am not advocating patience so that guilty guys get away with stuff. I am advocating patience so that innocent guys don't get punished for something they didn't do.

rochrist said:

There's nothing other than the f**cking greed of the owners stopping them from implementing a 'get in trouble, you're suspending /with/ pay until it's resolved'. That's the standard for any number of other jobs in the US.

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Oh really? "Most" jobs in the U.S. will suspend someone with pay for the entire months (if not years) long legal process? Bullcrap.

shmessy said:

You mean the "appearances" of his OWN TEXT MESSAGES????????

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I was unaware of his texts when I posted this, I was going off of what was said by the person I was responding to. Obviously these texts are damning.

Tunescribe said:

I will add to this: a 4-year-old child, boy or girl, DOES NOT UNDERSTAND that kind of punishment. That's the kind of crap that results in lifelong emotional problems. When I heard what Peterson did, I was upset. When I heard it was a little 4-year-old, I was livid. If Ray Rice's career is over, Peterson's should be over yesterday.

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A Few thoughts The point about the 4 yr old not understanding is perhaps the best point I have seen raised in this thread. They don't really comprehend what is happening.

A few thing I have thought about since I heard this. IIRC correctly Peterson's father was in jail while he was a player at Ok, so there were home issues this guy dealt with as a young person, and probably corporal punishment. I am over 60 and was disciplined with a belt plenty of times. Never had permanent damage but that was 50 + years ago. Never had an occasion to raise a hand against my children treid to avoid the sort of discipline I was exposed to/

Peterson seems to have what I view as a fairly complicated personal life, he seems to be an absentee father and perhaps isn't with his own children enough to know how to discipline a child, problem is teaching a child how to behave is a continuous process of setting expectations and being consistent IMO. I rarely had to even raise my voice, as a result if i even used a stern tone it would get my childrens attention, if you always yell it becomes background noise. Dynamic range helps.

The text to the child's mom, copping to going overboard and hitting on the legs indicate an intention to discipline rather than injure the child. However clearly he went wayyyyyy overboard and has no clue about being a parent or father IMO. Not sure jailing him will solve anything but he really needs counseling to try to learn about being a father. A child growing up without a structured home life is at a real disadvantage however beating the child isn't a way to provide structure and discipline to a child especially a 4 yr old.

ahhhh...what's all the fuss? this is just normal media 24 hour sensationalizing..this will all blow over in a day and the league will be back to normal under the astute guidance of the greatest commissioner in any sport in history...ain't that right, Remoradell?

BTW, let the record show that I have always supported the NFL acting based on a preponderance of evidence. I am not one of the "let the legal proceedings play out in full" types because that process simply takes too long.

That plus I think they should throw the book at Peterson (if he did what he is accused of), Hardy and McDonald and make the NFLPA look like assholes for defending those slimes.

condon84 said:

Wow, looking at those pics and texts. Unreal.

That kid didn't get spanked. He got beat.

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Yeah. That's a little excessive. I mean I got it with the belt and spoon when I was a kid, but nothing as bad as that. Those hits broke the skin while mine usually just left a bad sting or a minor welt at the worst.

EDIT: All that said, growing up in the south, I know a few kids that got hit with switches before by their parents. It's a popular type of discipline down here. But I didn't know any kids that got it that excessively.

Fixit said:

Stop. You've been going out of your way to rationalize this horrific child abuse.

"Oh, I'm not rushing to judgment."
"Oh, maybe it's just a family matter."
"Oh, he didn't know it was wrapping around."
"Oh, he says he felt bad."
"Oh, it's a cultural difference."
"Oh, it's an accident."
"Oh, maybe it shouldn't have become a police matter the first time."

I've elected to believe that you've been trolling the whole time, because the alternative is that you're just vile.

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Also, this conversation has taken a lot of twists and turns, and touched on whether or not even spanking a child is considered child abuse. To take a brief summary of everything I've said and bring it all directly back to center on this particular incident is dishonestly removing a lot of context of where this thread has come and gone.

I can wait to see what happens and what we learn as this develops before deciding how much I should hate Adrian Peterson and what's been transpiring in his home.

Child abuse isn't a new menace that has suddenly arrived with the breaking of this news story. It was taking place last night in far worse circumstances than what is reported here, and will take place the same tomorrow. I don't wear a new cause on my sleeve with every news cycle.

I've been against child abuse before tonight, and will be still next year when this isn't a headline, so I don't feel any need to join your posse for a forum hanging when the courts will surely get to the bottom of it.

We've all said it looks excessive for a four year old.

What I think we don't know yet is if this was him going way overboard, accidentally or not, on one occasion, which he should certainly pay the price for, or if he's a complete, psychopathic monster.

I don't think it's so horrible a thing to opt to wait to see if he's the latter before convicting him as one.

You think you know what happened. You don't know yet, and if it is revealed that he is a child abusing monster that is pure evil tomorrow, that doesn't change the fact that you don't know yet for sure today.

Do you think I give a #%@& about Adrian Peterson? That I'm saying I can wait before forming a complete judgement because I hope the Vikings ownership sees it and holds off on cutting him?
I could care less.

spare the rod spoil the child...it's a fundamental biblical axiom...here's a breakdown from a perspective of a few dozen biblical sources.
"Verse 24. - He that spareth his rod hateth his son. Correction of children is a great point with our author (see Proverbs 19:18; Proverbs 22:15; Proverbs 23:13, etc.; Proverbs 29:15, 17). So Ecclus. 30:1, "He that loveth his son causeth him oft to feel the rod, that he may have joy of him in the end." Dukes, "Gold must be beaten, and a boy needs blows"

http://biblehub.com/proverbs/13-24.htm

I have no idea how anyone can say, one way or the other, that Peterson's INTENT was criminal. He is known as a very religious person in the way of the southern Baptist teaching and strict interpretation of the Bible. The photos are reprehensible in a vacuum. This is a can of worms no one needed to open TODAY...but now it's out there.

The NFL has a really tough decision to make here. I wouldn't want that responsibility.It's a felony, Peterson has no previous record...Solomon needs to be resurrected to hear this one iMO.

KontradictioN said:

Yeah. That's a little excessive. I mean I got it with the belt and spoon when I was a kid, but nothing as bad as that. Those hits broke the skin while mine usually just left a bad sting or a minor welt at the worst.

EDIT: All that said, growing up in the south, I know a few kids that got hit with switches before by their parents. It's a popular type of discipline down here. But I didn't know any kids that got it that excessively.

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Wow sorry to hear that Kontra. Hopefully you are doing better now. I feel that NO parent should hit their child in any way shape or form as discipline. There are other ways that a parent could and should exert control without getting physical. A parent should talk with their kids, explain to them what they did wrong, ground them, take away their toys etc.