How should fans respond?

[SWC75]

Watching ESPN sports reporters, they discussed the public response to the Ray Rice incident. One of them said that as long as attendance and ratings aren't effected, there's no motivation for the NFL to do anything about spousal or child abuse.

Really? How about doing something because it's the right thing?

It made me wonder what the fan's responsibility is in a situation like this. I don't get women wearing Ray Rice jerseys but are we supposed to not be fans anymore? Do we stop rooting for our team or stop watching football games in support of the victims of domestic violence? If Adrian Peterson serves a suspension and then comes back and runs 80 yards for a touchdown for the Vikings, should Vikings fans remain silent or not even be there? if somebody employs Ray Rice in the future and he scores for their team, should they make sure and not be happy?

Jim Brown was my idol as a kid. I later learned that he'd (allegedly) done some bad things. I later learned that he'd done some good things, too. I've had trouble dealing with that and wound up looking at it as a ledger with a positive and negative side, neither of which should be ignored. But when I watch highlights of Jim's career, am I obligated not to be thrilled by them?

The greatest catch I ever saw was made by Tommy Kane in the 1987 Penn State game. Sixteen years alter he murdered his wife. Should my reaction to the memory of the catch be any different?

Can we just rely on the administrators of our sport to do the right thing and continue rooting for our teams or do we have to accept the blame for their inaction because we don't "talk with our pocketbook"?

 

[djcon57]

Can we just rely on the administrators of our sport to do the right thing and continue rooting for our teams or do we have to accept the blame for their inaction because we don't "talk with our pocketbook"?

Agree 100%. I refuse to take any blame for this, or for head injuries, or for PED abuse, or for DUIs...add on from there...any more than I should take blame for Shia Lebouef being a cretin or the guy from Glee killing himself.

Watching sports is a form of entertainment. That's it.
I think we should get away from the general hero-worship of these players/entertainers/politicians because we always get burned.
But I'm not sure what can be done about it.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Watching ESPN sports reporters, they discussed the public response to the Ray Rice incident. One of them said that as long as attendance and ratings aren't effected, there's no motivation for the NFL to do anything about spousal or child abuse.

Really? How about doing something because it's the right thing?

It made me wonder what the fan's responsibility is in a situation like this. I don't get women wearing Ray Rice jerseys but are we supposed to not be fans anymore? Do we stop rooting for our team or stop watching football games in support of the victims of domestic violence? If Adrian Peterson serves a suspension and then comes back and runs 80 yards for a touchdown for the Vikings, should Vikings fans remain silent or not even be there? if somebody employs Ray Rice in the future and he scores for their team, should they make sure and not be happy?

Jim Brown was my idol as a kid. I later learned that he'd (allegedly) done some bad things. I later learned that he'd done some good things, too. I've had trouble dealing with that and wound up looking at it as a ledger with a positive and negative side, neither of which should be ignored. But when I watch highlights of Jim's career, am I obligated not to be thrilled by them?

The greatest catch I ever saw was made by Tommy Kane in the 1987 Penn State game. Sixteen years alter he murdered his wife. Should my reaction to the memory of the catch be any different?

Can we just rely on the administrators of our sport to do the right thing and continue rooting for our teams or do we have to accept the blame for their inaction because we don't "talk with our pocketbook"?

Why does the NFL (or any employer) need to take responsibility for non-employment related behavior?
Why not the union, of which Ray Rice is a member?
Isn't it really up to the justice system.
If the NFL said that having criminals, gang bangers, chronic reproduces and steriod users on teams is impacting viewership and revenues and we are going to suspend/terminate them, I would respect that. If an owner said I do not want to employ someone who does that because as a business that's not who we want representing us, those are valid reasons. (Kudos to the Ravens). Anything else is a load of PC scrap.

 

[Crusty]

When the applause / cheering is for something that happens on the field I think that is appropriate, but when fans behave in a fashion that gives the appearance of condoning the behavior or dismissing the punishment, then I think that is just stupid and wrong.

Women wearing Rice's jersey seems a bit in your face to the victims and the commissioner; giving Rice two standing ovations is clearly just ignorant in my opinion.

There comes a time when being sensitive to the victim(s) should be at top of mind and "support" for the transgressing player far from the first thing on your mind.

The Panthers behavior was just inexcusable. Being convicted ought to be enough for anybody to act, including the league. All fans should be in agreement on that I think.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

And now Adrian Peterson will test the league. At first I thought this was a PC issue like Capt. Tuttle mentioned, but with cuts to a child's groin and a scar on the other child's face, I'm thinking this guy has a real problem. Never mind the fact that he clearly is more interested in just having more kids with different women.

The NFL is getting a bit big for it's britches. Interesting how the NBA is now the example for how players should behave.

 

[SWC75]

I called Bud and the Manchild on this and Bud went off on a diatribe against the fans, saying that we don't care about spousal or child abuse as long as players score touchdowns for us. he said that if OK Simpson showed up at Destiny, he'd be mobbed by autograph seekers. A guy called in and said we've had our own problems and gave Jim Brown as an example. Bud said he was a perfect example.

As a fan of Jim Brown since I was a kid, I've had to deal with his misdeeds. I've decided to look at it as ledger, with things on the good side, (his athletic achievements, his work with prisoners, black capitalism and other activist thing) and negatives, (allegations of hitting women, problems with the police)> The positives don't make up for the negatives but the negatives don't erase the positives. If I was a Vikings fan, I might think Adrian Peterson needs a longer suspension but I'd watch the game and root for my team. What Peterson did and the decision to allow him to play so soon would not be my fault.

 

[Knicks411]

It's really tough, I don't get the wearing a Rice jersey or specifically cheering him at training camp or whatever, but if he comes back and he scores a TD for my team, the initial inclination is obviously to be happy. I feel like it's up to the NFL to keep these guys out of the league. I'm not sure Rice is ever gonna play again anyway. AP is of course a different story.

 

[PoppyHart]

It's a little disingenuous to criticize or mock a woman wearing a Rice jersey, even if it's something we personally can't comprehend. It would be akin to blacks showing up in defense of Donald Sterling. Surprising, but that's America.