Why NFL's Breast Cancer Movement & Domestic Violence Problems Don't Mix

Every October, the National Football League has a program where the players all wear pink covering their gloves, cleats, towels and the refs wore pink hats. It is all for Breast Cancer. Many people have opinions on it ranging from the NFL goes over the top in an attempt to sell more stuff and monetize the whole situation from it is a really nice gesture from the NFL.  But let's remember a report came out last year stating only eight percent of the proceeds to go to the American Cancer Society. 

As I saw the quotes from Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, I realized he would probably be wearing pink at some point. The guy beating up his wife, someone whom could get diagnosed with breast cancer as anyone including Rice could get the cancer, will be showing his support for women. Is it time for the NFL to end the pink movement until they admit their players have a problem with women and domestic violence?  

Hopefully, no one forgets how bad Rice's press conference was from the player perspective and the team's prespective. They did intentionally on Memorial Day Friday so many people would completely forget about Rice and his transgressions. The fact he made his wife apologize for getting dragged through an Atlantic City casino is pathetic and sickening including a tone deaf response by Baltimore's social media team whom I assume are all out of jobs today.  Dan Patrick has "Best and Worst's" of the week every Monday and with this being the first day of the work week, not one person has mentioned Rice's terrible press conference. Sports On Earth Tomas Rios does point out why this is a problem for the NFL and the Ravens nailing it in every facet.  With how Rice handled this whole situation, he will probably be covered in pink supporting women when he is one of the worst humans in sports.  

Rice isn't the only one. He will probably only get a three-game suspension, but it would be great if the NFL suspended him for half the season admitting to their problem with women. Carolina Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy was accused for domestic violence in May where he apparently threw his girlfriend on a heavy array of 25-30 guns claiming he would kill her if she talked to the media. Now Hardy handed over his guns only to have 10 of them, but the 10 were stuff you would see in Call of Duty, not a normal home owner. Hardy will probably be covered in pink from head to toe. Now, Hardy could be innocent, but watching him being covered in pink-related gear seems tone deaf as well. 

What about Ka'Deem Carey?  He isn't in the league yet, but the Chicago Bears drafted him in the fourth round with a story about him beating up his pregnant girlfriend. Granted, the charges were dropped but he still carried around that reputation. Carey didn't get drafted higher because of his 40 time, not his attitude towards women. Now, the charges were dropped, but usually, they say with cases like these in falls somewhere in the middle of both of their stories. He will rock pink too probably and no one will really move a muscle. 

The NFL cannot ban a player from wearing pink, but it would be nice if they suggest to those players to maybe avoid it. But the NFL will not because they don't seem to care about women. If I were a woman football fan, I would be wondering why I support the shield with buying tickets, jerseys, etc when they don't seem to care about the opposite sex whom has way more fans than the dumb jock stereotype gives it credit for.  

Hopefully, one day in sports people like Rice's wife will get justice, but right now, the NFL continues its ignorance with its attitude towards women.

Charlie.  

The NFL's Continuing Diminished Image

For the longest time, people believed the NBA had an image issue. A great deal of it had to do with racial undertones and code words which many people didn't really understand at the time. Also Allen Iverson was the star of the league which made a ton of suburbanites uncomfortable. Fast forward to 2014, some people still have a ridiculous view of the NBA from the early 2000's days, but really where they should be riding the crusade is with the National Football League. They are the most powerful league in all of sports, but they are also the league with the biggest issues concerning their image even if their issues fall on deaf ears. 

Today, Aaron Hernandez, the former New England Patriots tight end, was indicted on a double murder charge in 2012 stemming from an incident that happened over the summer. This means Hernandez played the entire 2012 season with potentially killing two men and thinking nothing of it.  Hernandez currently has another pending murder case in the murder of Odin Lloyd in 2013. Three possible murders in two years. He was also one of the most notable players on one of the most public teams in the NFL with New England. This guy hung out in the locker room, played football, did things in the community all while it's believed he murdered two men. This is straight out of a Law & Order plot we would see for a Season Finale.

Hernandez coming back into the headlines is an absolute headache for the NFL. The double murder where it looks even more so like Hernandez did it as the evidence is building up against him is a nightmare for the NFL. While they had no idea what Hernandez did in 2012, the fact he was on an NFL roster is all needed to hurt the shield. No professional sports team or league has a former player charged with murder right now. There have been murderers in different leagues, but this is looking like one of the worst humans to play sports since the days of Rae Carruth. In 2014, it is a lot harder to avoid these things with the ever growing media and the 24/7 news cycle including the mainstream media desire to dip their toes into sports stories more so than ever before. 

Hernandez's double murder charge continues the bad week for the NFL. Carolina Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy was charged with assault and asked to attend Alcoholics Anonymous after a woman claimed Hardy dragged her through the house throwing her on a couch filled with 25-30 assault rifles and threatening to kill her if she spoke to the media. Hardy's attorney claims she was the attacker and wouldn't leave Hardy's residence. Before we discuss the ramifications against Hardy, let's remember he became one of the more public players on Carolina. A fan favorite if you will with his whole KRAKEN campaign and playing his ass off in the 2013 season. This isn't like a no-name scrub doing something potentially despicable.  

If the case against Hardy holds true, he should be suspended for his behavior. Hardy did some miserable shit if her story becomes true and apparently news today about Hardy having an issue with her former relationship with Nelly. The story might become a bit clearer as the courts required Hardy to turn over any guns he had in his possession. Therefore if there were 25-30 guns like the accuser claimed, we might get an insight as to what's really going on in this story.

 Further if this story becomes a reality, we will have two notable NFL players this offseason beat the hell out of their significant others. Notice how the Ray Rice story has virtually disappeared? No one is talking about Rice being suspended or the pending trial. It's hilarious how much power the NFL yields and how much they don't care about domestic assault.  Grown men that wear pink to support Breast Cancer in October to show their love to women also beat them.  Good message from the shield if you ask me. 

As for Hardy's guns given the Hernandez cases, I don't have an issue with a player having a gun or two. The fact of the matter is given what happened with Sean Taylor, I could understand players having an issue feeling unprotected. But it would be alarming to find out if Hardy did indeed have 25-30 heavy artillery weapons. Were they collectors items for him?  Why on earth would he need that many guns and why ones that you would see a Grand Theft Auto character use on a consistent basis. This is a story to follow in the coming week.  

To think, people believe PED's in baseball is a problem. Ha. 

Charlie.