Is it possible to have Men's professional sport be any scummier?

[slingnit]

I haven't read this entire thread but to those that are AD apologists, you're idiots!!! What he did is child abuse! Now do I believe he did it with the intentions of abuse, I don't think so and at very least hope not. Are there many of us that were whipped like this when we were young? Yep. Are there some of us that whipped our kids like this? Yep. I look back and see all the mistakes I have made raising my kids and wish I had a redo. That is why I am more pissed at the people that are defending him than AD himself! Parents are gonna make mistakes and hopefully learn from them but to keep defending these actions is why people still think it is OK. And in no way am I defending AD. For God's sake he lost a son to abuse last year. You would think he would be making better decisions. And for those that are saying "he is a loving father just disciplining his kids", F off! He is a part time father at best. And a product of his own upraising and just doesn't know any better at very least. And the "my pappy whooped me like that so I'm gonna whoop my kids like that" crap doesn't fly either. Slavery was once accepted and at that time the attitude was "why I don't see a problem with slavery, my pappy owned slaves". Yeah not a problem for anyone, unless you were a slave.

 

[slingnit]

I've worked with several pro franchises and a few 'big' college sports franchises and there has always been a small scum level. The % is probably higher than the general population (one big reason is they HAVE money and spare time to get into trouble) but it is not outrageous - most are good people as you would expect.

The difference today is that it is impossible to cover up major incidents or most minor incidents. With the internet, camera phones, TMZ, Deadspin... everyone is a reporter and thus the franchises can't control the narrative any more. The days of influencing the local newspaper or TV station to be quiet or lose access is gone.

On top of this Twitter is a killer - panders to the ego but gets players in trouble because again, once it is out there, it is out there.

Also exposure means that athletes from other cities are no longer anonymous so when they are traveling people know who they are - they are on TV all the time.

The % level is not higher but is definitely more publicized. Granted this arrests not incidents. and definitely not excusable regardless.

 

[riseball]

I find it interesting that out of all of the incidents of domestic violence, this one which pales by comparison to many is the one which people choose to rally around. What I saw in the video was 2 losers engaged in what is typically considered mutual combat. Yes one was female which is an aggravating factor. But you can't convince me that this was the first time it ever happened. Just happened in front of a camera. Unfortunately that is how some couples roll. One can only hope that they both slither away and fade into obscurity.

 

[Cannonball]

Don't like arguing w/ you, CB, as we typically have a similar way of looking at things. But here goes, fwiw ...

Don't you think Ray Rice was trying to change some behavior, also? Wasn't he setting limits with his fiance? He was saying, 'If you do that, I will do this, in order to deter you from doing that again.' And the strategy was probably effective in changing behavior.

So the only difference that I see between the two behavior-modification attempts is that that many people believe that parents have the right to injure their children in the name of behavior modification, but people do not have the right to injure spouses or siblings or non-family members in the name of behavior modification.

I just don't see the comparison between the two. I'll leave it at that. Have a great week. The NFL might become like Peyton Place.

 

[Cannonball]

I haven't read this entire thread but to those that are AD apologists, you're idiots!!! What he did is child abuse! Now do I believe he did it with the intentions of abuse, I don't think so and at very least hope not. Are there many of us that were whipped like this when we were young? Yep. Are there some of us that whipped our kids like this? Yep. I look back and see all the mistakes I have made raising my kids and wish I had a redo. That is why I am more pissed at the people that are defending him than AD himself! Parents are gonna make mistakes and hopefully learn from them but to keep defending these actions is why people still think it is OK. And in no way am I defending AD. For God's sake he lost a son to abuse last year. You would think he would be making better decisions. And for those that are saying "he is a loving father just disciplining his kids", F off! He is a part time father at best. And a product of his own upraising and just doesn't know any better at very least. And the "my pappy whooped me like that so I'm gonna whoop my kids like that" crap doesn't fly either. Slavery was once accepted and at that time the attitude was "why I don't see a problem with slavery, my pappy owned slaves". Yeah not a problem for anyone, unless you were a slave.

I don't see the need for the name calling and "being pissed" but if that trips your trigger have at it. I received similar discipline and was not abused. Again, there are those that want to play morality police but perhaps they should take a look at their own house before passing judgement on others.

I just finished re reading your post. __-off? Really. Pure class! You're going to tell us about your morality and then you put that on a website that is read by all ages. You even bring slavery into this discussion. Wow!

Darrell Butler

 

[JJsqueeze]

So it's Ok at 4 Yrs old CB. What about 3? Or 2 Or 6 months? At what age does it stop being a personal parental choice and start becoming wrong?

 

[Slappers]

I'm not defending AP, just saying it is different than what Ray Rice did. Did AP take that a little too far? Probably. I'm not sure a 4 yo understands what he did was wrong so the whipping probably isn't going to have the effect AP was desiring.

I'm tired of everyone trying to parent my kids. I'm the parent, not society, not the schools etc. I don't mind mentoring or encouragement but I decide what is right and wrong. Everyone cries that kids have no discipline and then when they get it, everyone cries they went too far.

I don't have all the answers. I just know what worked for my girls thus far. They are too old for spankings, and I remember each one as do the girls, but they know if they get out of line they will get snapped back to reality in a hurry. BUT, they also know that I have their back and love them no matter what...unless they strike out...haha.

 

[Cannonball]

You see the problem is, if you take a stance, as I have, you get all of the PC comments that most likely place the parents of those making these comments as child abuser also had our society had their nose in your parents affairs as it does today. I doubt that few, if any of you, were not spanked at a very early age. To what degree might be the question but then again, as I have explained, the instrument in this case, a switch, left marks while you or others might have been more severely whipped with some other instrument like a paddle that didn't leave marks. Be thankful that back in the day, someone didn't turn your parents in for disciplining you. I don't have all of the information about the AP case and have stated that a few times now. As I stated, a judge will make that determination in this case.

Now, lets take this PC thing just a little further. How many of you have children that are fat? Are you abusing them and destroying their health. How many of you drive your child in sports? How many of you have children that have suffered over use injuries? How many of you mentally abuse your children when they get into the car after a poor performance? Heck, how many of you abuse your child when they get into the car after a game where their performance doesn't match your standards? How many of you have allowed your child to play in a game when they were hurt or questionable in the name of allowing them to compete and the team needs them?

While I don't know the answers to these questions, you might want to ask your self if:

I knew that I should have stayed out of this discussion. Count me out.

Edited to add:

Since I have now been categorized as somewhere between Attila the Hun and ... in fact, I never struck my child while she was growing up. I never had to. That doesn't change the fact that I was corrected a whole lot by my parents and needed it. I was never abused.

 

[riseball]

Looking back I have no doubt that my parents, my friends parents, my coaches, my teachers, and the nuns, especially the nuns would have gone to prison for child abuse today.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

^As they should Riseball. It is awful what children and their parents thought was acceptable, then. It is not acceptable, nor should it be. If anyone, parent or not, took a switch to my kid or grandchild they would regret it the rest of their lives. Do I swat on the the bottom, sometimes? Yes. Do I strip the child and whip her with a tree branch? Absolutely not. I predict that AP will not play football on Sunday. If he does, he may find out just how people view him.

I hope that he gets 6 months in prison.