rookBoston
In the Starting Line-Up
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2004
- Messages
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There is a fine line between curbing destructive, socially irresponsible behavior, and whipping up frenzy of moral righteousness.
When Goodell first announced the 1 year suspension for Jones, I was totally on board and frankly somewhat relieved. Pacman is unapologetic and remorseless, thoughtless, entirely prepared to involve in whatever. The Las Vegas fight, shooting, which resulted in one guy paralyzed... clearly someone needs to hold Jones responsible for his actions. And the pattern of behavior is the thing that's most damning.
But watching ESPN yesterday, I was left with the vague impression that a line had been crossed, where the media was losing sight of the issue. John Clayton had a piece, and listening to him in isolation you'd think Jones's problems were escalating because:
1) He went to a strip club
2) He was caught speeding
3) He drove without a driver's license
Have we lost sight of the problem here? If you're trying to send a clear message to Jones and to football fans, it seems like we've regressed more than a bit from "shootings" to "speeding".
My criticism, I guess, is that Clayton should have limited himself to using the strip club and speeding without a license as signs that Jones wasn't holding himself to his own self-imposed rules for conduct. Instead it seemed to me that these actions were being positioned as morally reprehensible in themselves, as if to say, "here's more of the same from Pacman".
To me, Clayton missed the mark-- at worst those are stupid actions which show a lack of judgement and will, given the situation, but not at the same level as getting arrested for brawling. Going to a strip club isn't even borderline illegal. Perspective, John, please!
When Goodell first announced the 1 year suspension for Jones, I was totally on board and frankly somewhat relieved. Pacman is unapologetic and remorseless, thoughtless, entirely prepared to involve in whatever. The Las Vegas fight, shooting, which resulted in one guy paralyzed... clearly someone needs to hold Jones responsible for his actions. And the pattern of behavior is the thing that's most damning.
But watching ESPN yesterday, I was left with the vague impression that a line had been crossed, where the media was losing sight of the issue. John Clayton had a piece, and listening to him in isolation you'd think Jones's problems were escalating because:
1) He went to a strip club
2) He was caught speeding
3) He drove without a driver's license
Have we lost sight of the problem here? If you're trying to send a clear message to Jones and to football fans, it seems like we've regressed more than a bit from "shootings" to "speeding".
My criticism, I guess, is that Clayton should have limited himself to using the strip club and speeding without a license as signs that Jones wasn't holding himself to his own self-imposed rules for conduct. Instead it seemed to me that these actions were being positioned as morally reprehensible in themselves, as if to say, "here's more of the same from Pacman".
To me, Clayton missed the mark-- at worst those are stupid actions which show a lack of judgement and will, given the situation, but not at the same level as getting arrested for brawling. Going to a strip club isn't even borderline illegal. Perspective, John, please!
