Comments on: Pacman Suspension Is Wrong

By: August 23rd « al gore’s beard

August 23rd « al gore’s beard — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 23:57:30 +0000

[...] I am for the advancement of colored people. The legacy of racial segregation and slavery continues to poison American society pretty much on a minute-by-minute basis. This is why I find it so troubling that the NAACP is petitioning the admittedly draconian National Football League to not ban Michael Vick for life. The NFL, which I generally loathe, is well within its rights to permanently ban Vick. Why? Because Vick has admitted to involvement in an illicit gambling organization. That the gambling involved dog fights is irrelevant. Any legitimate sports league has not only the right, but the obligation to ensure the integrity of competition, something gambling interests have corrupted throughout time. The NAACP is hitching itself to the wrong wagon. Again. — [...]

By: gp john

gp john — Sat, 12 May 2007 08:41:36 +0000

yay jay

By: Jay

Jay — Sat, 12 May 2007 05:48:30 +0000

What is it with this race-card crap, quit playing the race-card-card crap. It’s no coincidence that 3 of the first players targeted were black, and the only players that have been targeted are black. There were 36 players arrested last year, 6 were white.

These are the facts Pacman is innocent until proven guilty, yes this holds true even for black men, last I checked, that’s the way it went. If Roger Goodell wishes to impose his new standard, judge, jury, etc… to protect the league he should do it uniformly.

How about banning alcohol at games? Minor league baseball has really caught on in the last couple years, because it’s family friendly. How about Philly, the games there are so bad they have a jail under the stadium. Shouldn’t Mr. Goodell be talking to that organization, saying straighten up your fanbase or lose the team.

Goodell’s efforts so far seem to be nothing more than pandering to the bigoted fans of the NFL Further what is Goodell saying by not punishing athletes like Jeremy Stevens, who just recently received a DUI. Is drunk driving an approved crime by Goodell. Some way to clean up the image.

I’m not boycotting the NFL I’m just going to quit watching. It’s one thing to have bigoted fans, but Goodell just rubs me wrong on so many levels.

By: gp john

gp john — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 20:40:00 +0000

i never alleged he was innocent
i’m just asking
what business is it of my employers if i am dealing with the police outside of the wokrplace

and if it IS their business, which it’s not,
then a policy exists that penalizes a specific group of employees more than others

the NFL’s integrity is not at stake because pacman is a jackass or even a criminal, as long as said crimes, of which he’s yet to be found guilty, do not involve his ability to play football

By: Gene

Gene — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 18:20:36 +0000

Open your eyes!!
This is not your stereotypical liberal case of the black physician being pulled over in a white neighborhood and being harassed because of his race.
Have you seen the list of offenses for which Pacman Jones had his run ins? These took place because of his character, not his race.
The NFL players’ union, the head of which is Gene Upshaw, who is African-American, is not as upset about this as you are. Have you stopped to ask yourself why?
In our society today, it is very hard to get witnesses to testify because of the intimidation factor. Just ask Larry, whose close friend was killed in cold blood. Probably fifty people know who did it but are afraid to come forward for fear of retaliation. The lack of a conviction does not mean the perpetrator was innocent. I cannot believe that you think that Pacman and his posse were innocent in all of those police encounters for a wide variety of offenses and that they did not ever intimidate witnesses.
Athletes and entertainers in general get many extra chances that you or I do not get, regardless of race. I would have been discharged from all of my past jobs for only one ot two of Pacman’s escapades. What about you?
This is not about race. It is about the integrity and honor of pro football. Remember, any football player is free not to go to the NFL if he doesn’t like the rules and bylaws. Kudos to Roger Goodell for doing what most commissioners in all sports have been too chicken to do for too many years.

By: gp john

gp john — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 22:57:31 +0000

IF Goodell has the right, I’m questioning if the players should stand for it. It’s totally draconian, and predisposed to hurt black players more than others. It’s not about the race card, it’s about the fact that the “perception” of being a bad guy is admissable evidence in deciding whether PacMan, or anyone, can continue to make a living. If being a “bad guy” means run-ins with the police, this means Black players are at an inherent disadvantage and will face an elevated risk of violating a league policy. Which is wrong.

And players’ police involvment is nowhere NEAR the threat to the league’s integrity that gambling presents.

By: Gene

Gene — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 21:37:10 +0000

John,

Pacman and Henry are bad dudes, no matter what color they are. Don’t play the race card here. The commissioner of the NFL has the right to suspend them if their conduct is detrimental to the NFL and the game.

Two white guys named Paul Hornung and Alex Karras were each suspended a year by then-commissioner Pete Rozelle for gambling because it was in the best interest of the NFL and the game, and they were both future Hall of Famers.