The Sports Story That Must Go Away

Before Wednesday, everyone wanted political ads to stop clogging their sports.  On Monday Night Football Chris Berman, the overzealous and campy ESPN broadcaster, interviewed both presidential candidates, despite the fact most of us who watched that game did so to avoid the political game.

But thankfully for anyone with a sports pulse, the election finished yesterday.  Regardless of your affiliation or preference, we can finally come back to the greatest unifier of them all, sports.  No matter what, even Democrats wear red during Ohio Saturdays.  For all the rhetoric that’s grated on our ears the last few months, we can finally return to enjoying the finer things in life (e.g. Michael Vick’s collapse, the NHL greed, and the simultaneous catch rule in the NFL, just to name a few).  But, one sports tory continues to reappear and, frankly, I’m tired of it.

That’s the Saints bounty scandal.  The first news broke back in April that Saints players allegedly put out bounties on opposing stars such as Brett Favre and Kurt Warner.  Commissioner Roger Goodell handed down penalties to four players, a general manager, and the head coach Sean Payton.  Before you knew it, this story received more air-time and Word Counts than any other sports story this year.

What’s followed the initial penalties has been confusing and ultimately circular.  First, all penalized players appealed the decisions amid strong complaints from the players’ union.  When Goodell rejected those appeals, the players went to civil courts.  Somewhere in that process he lowered the penalties in an attempt to placate those courts.  A defamation lawsuit and a few district court proceedings later, the situation came right back to Goodell considering appeals.  When meeting with the suspended players, Goodell apparently gleaned enough information from them to re-assess certain penalties and to send letters telling players their own testimony had incriminated them.

Let’s briefly stop there…the above paragraph occurred over the course of five months.  For five months we watched the Saints organization and players association focus on lifting these penalties, never accepting any supposedly final decision by Goodell.  And by now the process has grown repetitive…a court tells Goodell to do something, he complies, the players challenge…and the circle keeps going. 

I can’t deny the players a chance to clear their name.  Current trends look to prioritize player safety in the NFL, so how the league and players jointly handle these bounty penalties will likely reverberate at some point in the future.  But, the players continue to reach into a bag of tricks, and we’re already halfway through the season in which many of the suspensions ended.  While I care about the legacies of individual players, the increased attention on the appeals process at the expense of the actual games on the field strikes me as ridiculous.  Jonathan Vilma, who had been suspended for a whole year, has drawn the process out over these past six months, ostensibly trying to clear his name.

But, each successive update in this process points to the continued futility of giving this story tons of coverage.  When asking Goodell to recuse himself, the Saints stirred up the familiar “us against the commissioner” bit.  If they make that play, the players should also accept when Goodell actually makes a good call.  He appointed former commissioner Paul Tagliabue, and before too long the players took issue with that appointment, scrambling lawyers to join in the fight.

I don’t want to insinuate the players are necessarily wrong on all of this.  They should be able to appeal these decisions.  But, these kinds of powers came to the commissioner’s office through the recently approved CBA.  If the players have buyer’s remorse, they have no one to blame but themselves.  Accusing Roger Goodell of prejudicial bias when he has meted out punishments to every team in the NFL for endangering player safety makes no sense and does no credit to his fairness.  Sure, he’s suspended a few Steelers…but all those guys knew they were repeat offenders, and still groaned about it.  And yet, Goodell recused himself and chose as his replacement his mentor.  While that might sound just as prejudicial, Tagliabue did not have to deal with issues remotely similar to those Goodell has addressed.  And, while he’s his mentor, think about the times you and your dad disagree…it happens to everyone.

Still, the media prefers to emphasize the players vs. commissioner theme, rather than focus on why the Saints, even with Vilma back on the field, consistently put out a miserable defense.  Each new “Developing Story” banner at the beginning of a SportsCenter adds new “intrigue” to the bounty scandal.  These were unprecedented measures, which I disagreed with at the beginning and still find misplaced.  But, this story has run its course.  The media, the Saints, and the players should understand that, barring crazy happenings, the evidence in league hands remains good enough for some kind of punishment.  I would also encourage the Saints to focus on their disappointing season.  It’s high time to play football, not mess around in court.

Bit #1: Redskins Awful Performance

I’m officially throwing the towel in for this Redskins season.  I attended the Panthers game this past Sunday and, while enjoyable, I saw the worst performance by this team all year.  With the schedule hardening significantly, we are done.

Third down conversions are still a huge problem.  The Skins were 3-for-15 on the penultimate down and remain right near the bottom of the league as far as their 3^rd down efficiency goes.  The defensive stats might not be as terrible as weeks prior, but the long pass from Newton to Edwards for 82 yards in the fourth never should have happened.  The Skins also allowed Deangelo Williams, previously embroiled in a slump, to romp for a 30-yard touchdown.  Those are big plays, and the defense let the team down by giving those up.

I’d also like to point out a fact about the NFL…defenses are so good that getting any points on a drive makes way more sense than going for it on 4^th down in the red zone.  The decision to go for it from the 2-yard line in the second quarter gets many fans excited, but makes very little sense.  There’s no shame going into halftime down 7-6 if your defense can hold the opponent in the remaining time.  Enough time was on the clock (about 5 minutes) for the Skins to have the ball back should they make a stop.  Unfortunately, Shanahan went for it, got nowhere, and watched his D give up a 12 play, 98-yard drive.  Take the points and get out of there.  That’s always a better long-term rule, especially in the second quarter.

Lastly, when trying to gain two yards, a designed stretch run for RGIII or bubble screens to Brandon Banks likely won’t get you very far.  Alfred Morris has been fantastic this year…put him between the tackles and let him fall forward.  Shanahan didn't do that.

Bit #2: Sean Payton

The NFL voided a contract the Saints paid with Sean Payton a few months ago, which was belatedly announced this past week.  The issue: Payton could expunge the contract if general manager Mickey Loomis were fired or suspended.

Generally, I’m not a fan of an interventionist league, so this move doesn’t sit too well with me.  I think the league voiding mutually agreed upon contracts to be a worse precedent than the specific clauses in question, but no matter.  The firestorm this started centers around Payton’s availability after this season.  He can go wherever he wants, and with juicy opportunities in Dallas and Philly looming, could he come terrorize the NFC East.

The short answer, I think, is no.  For one, he has found the ultimate partner in crime through Drew Brees, who possesses the necessary skill set and competence to run Payton’s unique offense to perfection.  Secondly, he has unfinished business in New Orleans after missing the entire season.  Third, the man must understand were he to rebuff the Saints after committing susepndable actions, Payton would become public enemy number one.  All the accolades and “Free Sean Payton” shirts that Jimmy Buffett promoted would go by the wayside.

Finally, there’s no way a guy like Sean Payton with a championship pedigree would ever let himself be ordered by Jerry Jones.  Jones might be able to pay Payton tons if money, but Payton runs to the beat of his own drum.  For Jones to take that leap, he would need to recuse himself from most football decisions.  So, don’t look for Payton to leave just yet.  He has the proper organization and tools in New Orleans to be very successful.

Bit #3: Jalen Rose Strikes Again

Jalen Rose, an NBA analyst for ESPN, always impresses me with his intelligence.  He’s also one of the best sports stories out there.  He grew up in inner city Detroit, admits to having hung around some very tough places and people, but hit the national stage at Michigan.  Part of the exciting Fab Five, Rose added his own brash style to that group that had so much success.

But, I am also surprised that Rose receives a free pass for certain admissions that truly shock me.  In September, Rose admitted to intentionally injuring Kobe Bryant during the 2000 Finals by sticking his foot underneath Bryant during a jump shot.  Kobe missed the rest of that game and the entire next game.  I guess that’s not too bad, considering Bruce Bowen has a job at ESPN despite being the dirtiest player in the league, but add that to Rose’s further admissions this week that he stole Patrick Ewing’s TV at an airport, and I’m wondering how long Rose can keep this up.  He played hard in the NBA and, while he’s proud of his background, using his “Detroit instincts” as motivation for stealing the property of another is not cute or funny.  It’s criminal, technically, so while he might find these kind of discussions amusing, they don’t exactly help his image all that much.

He’s making more money than lots of us, but every once in a while sports fans should ask for high standards from their pundits.  I know Rose has not met mine.

Bit #4: NFL Top Ten

1.      Atlanta Falcons (8-0)

Not a glamorous win yet again for Atlanta, but they are finding ways to win.  The Jones-White tandem on the outside recorded almost 250 yards receiving on Sunday night, a big performance in a big game.

2.      Houston Texans (7-1)

A 21-9 victory against Buffalo might not look great on paper, but Matt Schaub continues to be ridiculously efficient.  The long pass to Owen Daniels for a TD on Sunday coupled with the 100+ yard performance of Andre Johnson means the Texans might find the offensive balance they’ve lacked.

3.      Chicago Bears (7-1)

The defensive unit is two pick-sixes away from tying the season record for most interceptions returned…and we are only halfway through the season.  A 31-5 halftime lead for the Bears on Sunday resulted from a safety and INT return.  Throw in Brandon Marshall’s three TDs, and the Bears have a legitimate claim to being the best team.

4.      San Francisco 49ers (6-2)

Might have been on bye, but the 49ers still dictate the pace of play.  Nothing more to be said.

5.      New York Giants (6-3)

I’ve been bullish on the Giants despite close wins the last two weeks.  Well, the Steelers got them on Sunday, exposing the recent troubles of Eli and what’s been a lackluster running game the last two weeks.  Without a bad call on Michael Boley’s fumble return touchdown, this game wouldn’t have been at all close.

6.      Denver Broncos (5-3)

Close shave for Denver this week against Cincy.  The Bengals came into the game reeling, losing three straight, but still held a lead at the 14:00 mark of the 4^th.  But, Peyton Manning continues to play at a high level, throwing two touchdowns to put the game out of reach.  Still, not a great performance by Denver.

7.      New England Patriots (5-3)

The Pats had their bye this week, but think of them as being in a virtual tie with the Broncos, with neither team getting it done enough to hit the higher echelon.

8.      Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3)

The pass defense has allowed 407 yards to Andy Dalton, RGIII, and Eli Manning total in the last three games.  That’s jaw-dropping.  A gritty come-from-behind victory in New York this week also bumps this team up, especially if the backfield proves to be made of steel rather than tape.

9.      Green Bay Packers (6-3)

A slight demotion from last week, but don’t worry too much.  Another strong aerial performance by Aaron Rodgers means this team is able to cover up its lack of depth.  The bye week should provide a chance to get healthy.

10.  Baltimore Ravens (6-2)

When your team needs a come-from-behind victory to beat the Cleveland Browns, you deserve to lose some points in the Top Ten.  The offense, which looked so good to start the season, was outgained by the Browns, which can’t feel good for long-term plans.