With Florida State University football players back in the news, it has to be asked: When are we going to hold ourselves accountable? Former FSU QB Jameis Winston’s well documented shoplifting and alleged rape of a young woman did not stop him from winning the Heisman Trophy and becoming the number one draft pick. Unlike Winston, however, FSU’s current QB did commit his violence against a woman on film. One week later, an FSU running back was charged for assault on a woman. Yet, we, as fans, continue to support this behavior.
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| Infamous Rice video |
How would the entire Ray Rice attack in the elevator have gone down had there not been a video so shocking and upsetting that even Ray Lewis couldn’t ignore it? Still, Rice remained defiant and the NFL remained mute, initially only suspending Rice for two games, until the video went mega-viral and proof surfaced that NFL officials had seen the video long before they admitted to it. In the last decade, there have been almost 800 assaults by NFL players against an array of victims with very few making headlines.1
Throughout time, celebrity athletes have always had coaches and team managers cover their indiscretions. As we entered a new era of technology, however, it became harder and harder to keep illicit behavior under wraps and a new breed of fan was born. Prior to the technology boom, fans could remain blissfully uninformed and cheer without conflict. But that changed July 19, 1991, when heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson raped Desiree Washington, a Miss Black America contestant, and the news of the story spread like wildfire. Sports fans turned a blind eye to the issue of rape and supported Tyson with renewed vigor. Similarly, when Floyd Mayweather brutally beat the mother of his children in front of his young offspring, causing his son to call 911 in fear for his mother’s life, fans were relatively quiet. There was a lot of money riding on his upcoming fight and, besides, as his lawyers pointed out, there were no pictures.
In 2010, Sports Illustrated described the actions of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger as “an NFL superstar’s repulsive behavior, the ultimate expression of athletic entitlement run amok,” following accusations of rape by multiple women. Still, despite the well-researched article, fans pretended not to see. Big Ben was a favored QB.2 And when Brett Favre sent unsolicited pictures of his genitals to New York Jets hostess Jenn Sterger, more jokes were made about Sterger’s breast implants than fines were given Favre. It was Sterger’s father, Leo, who finally called the goose what it was. Enraged by Favre’s behavior and refusal to cooperate with the NFL, the former Favre fan let loose, saying, “Their [NFL] decision is a complete travesty to women, and they are just treating him this way because he is the NFL’s golden boy.” In 2011, when it was revealed that at least eight boys were molested by assistant coach Jerry Sandusky between the years of 1994 to 2009 at Penn State University, witnessed and later reported to head coach Joe Paterno, no one did anything. When the shocking evidence came out, Penn State fans were more upset about Paterno’s tarnished image than the depravity that occurred on campus.
For rabid fans, the game, the fame, and the Monday night highlights are more important than victims of assault or rape. We cannot continue to support this behavior in exchange for great plays. Forget the athletes, we need to demand better performance from ourselves.
1 Schrotenboer, B. (2015). NFL Player Arrests. USA Today.
2 McCallum, J. (2010, May 10). The Hangover. Sports Illustrated.
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