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you can't compare the two examples
you've got a someone getting pulled over for intoxication, which is punishable by law. Not to mention, it happens every single day, from the rich to the poor.
then you've got a man who says some horrifying things that while spoken every single day all across the country.....it's never taped and leaked to a gossip website
the reason you can't compare is that irsay's trouble is legal and will be handled in a courtroom. it's not surprising that the nfl hasn't done anything as they are more than likely waiting to hear those results before their punishment. while sterlings was in the court of public opinion, and it couldn't have come at a worse time. they had to make a move, and make it swift as to not upset fans and risk ticket sales and eyeballs on the tv's.
the nfl controls the narrative for their league with an iron fist and the fact irsay's was when it was, and it was so commonplace in the public eye, they never had to risk sales or viewership. they'll quietly make their announcement when his day in court is done, and it'll be on talk radio and tv for a day maybe 2 and then on to something else.
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Im 100% in agreement with Goodell ruining the league mostly because of his rule changes, but it's apples and oranges. Racism and Drug Addiction are not the same thing. He will be treated like an addict because being an addict is sympathetic in the publics eyes - that's why everyone goes to rehab immediately and the court of public opinion gives them a pass, remember Tiger and his "sex addiction" ? - while Racism is not.
I don't really want to get into the ethics of WHETHER WE SHOULD consider one worse than the other, but we just do. We live in an age where intolerance of differences when it comes to race religion or creed are completely anathema to profitability.
60 years ago if somebody was gay they had to keep it quiet and now Grammy Television Show Producers cash in on homosexuality resurrecting the corpse of Queen Latifah from U.N.I.T.Y. 20 years ago to generate social media buzz over mass marriages. You have people like Macklemore pretending that intolerance is still a crusade that needs to be fought. People change their avatars on facebook and use terms like "straight ally" when it isnt even their fight. Being tolerant is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and scores you cool points with your friends.
And thats just for homosexuality. the racial thing? that fight happened 40-50 years ago. We are post racial crusades. It's so completely out of bounds from what we expect public figures to represent that the lynch mob formed in like .7 seconds. It reminded me of that Chapelle Ja Rule skit: they had everyone weighing in.
The Isray thing isn't really news anymore and the guy was given a pass by a public.
In both circumstances, the commissioners did what was best for their brand. Goddell passed on Isray punishment because there wasnt much public outcry over it and (wisely) I believe he calculated that handing down punishments to a twitter spewer like Isray would have created more bad press than it solved. Silver had no choice in the matter, his players weren't even going to suit up (I doubt they actually would have boycotted, but it was a very real threat) until something was done. I'm guessing Andrew Luck couldnt care less if Isray signs his checks while popping painkillers. Painkillers are socially acceptable. Anyone can get them. We even invented a disease to make painkiller acquisition okay and called it Fibromyalgia. Nobody is pulling sponsorship from the Colts, who remain a marquise franchise post Peyton because of all the suck for Luck hype, and you know, Luck actually being a pretty damned good quarterback.
Both Comissioners did what they had to do to protect their brand and that's what they are paid to do by their bosses, the other owners.
Irsay will speak for himself I imagine and the silence we hear means that he has the support of the other owners.Comment
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