The Giants released K Josh Brown earlier this week, but the NFL's issues when it comes to handling cases of domestic violence "are far from over," according to Jane McManus of ESPNW.com. The complications "seem clear for the NFL," as the league for one "is not in a position to fully investigate allegations of domestic violence and is completely reliant on facts to become known." The league is also "realizing these cases have too many mitigating circumstances." The NFL has an "incredible amount of control over how it disciplines player conduct," but discipline "is one thing." McManus: "Actual investigations?" As it turns out, investigations "aren't any easier for the NFL than for law enforcement" (ESPNW.com, 10/26). USA TODAY's Christine Brennan writes the "very men who could make a strong statement against domestic violence by immediately repudiating any player who is linked to it have in fact taken the opposite approach." Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones and Giants President & CEO John Mara are thought of "as leaders," but they "aren't." They are "followers ... bowing to their teams' needs on the field at every turn, unable to muster the least bit of outrage, finally changing their stance only when the rest of the world crashes in on them." The NFL "put together the toughest domestic violence policy in professional sports in the aftermath" of the Ray Rice video. Brennan: "But it means nothing if its owners continue to blatantly ignore it" (USA TODAY, 10/27).
MUCH TO LEARN: In DC, Deron Snyder writes the NFL said that it "learned a lesson" after the Rice case, but "now we know what the league was talking about." The takeaway "didn't involve domestic violence and how best to address it; the focus was damage control and how best to manage it." Snyder: "Even with that shallow goal, the NFL is failing miserably." It is "hard to believe the NFL really cares about victims of domestic violence ... as opposed to the potential public relations damage when the league consistently hits all the wrong notes." The NFL is "more concerned about its image than adequately addressing the issue of abuse" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 10/27). Pittsburgh Sporting News' Shannon Carroll said the NFL "seems to see this as a PR issue, 'Here, let's just push rhinestone-encrusted T-shirts at women and make it better.'" She added she "sees it as hypocrisy." Carroll: "The league claims it cares about women. It claims that it cares about issues like domestic violence, but nothing is done." ESPN's Andrew Brandt: "We're back to where we were. We thought we made a big inroad in domestic violence, and here we are again" ("OTL," ESPN, 10/26).
PRESSURE POINT: In Houston, Jenny Dial Creech writes for all the "outrage in the NFL over everything from blown calls to deflated footballs to what players are doing during the national anthem, there has been too little noise about domestic violence." It is time for the NFL to "do something regarding its players and domestic violence." The problem "isn't going away and will not until the league makes a policy that it actually enforces." The "occasional purple ribbon for domestic violence awareness isn't enough," and only "reacting when there is a damning tape isn't enough" either. Creech: "The NFL needs to do so much more" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 10/27). In Orlando, George Diaz writes the "league of denial is at it again." NFL officials are "always a step or two late, always on the wrong side of the right thing to do, and doing it only because it caves into common sense and pressure from fans and media" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 10/27). In Albany, Jennifer Gish writes the pressure put on the league and the Giants "actually made a difference." That Mara "shifted" from defending Brown to releasing him is "good." Now the NFL needs to "stand for victims from the start." Gish: "I'm sorry the NFL is just catching up. They better keep learning, and we can have a role in that" (Albany TIMES UNION, 10/27). FS1's Katie Nolan said, "The truth is our outrage gets s*** done. In 2014 during the whole Ray Rice debacle our collective displeasure earned us a shiny new domestic violence policy. Sure it ended up being the 'fine china of policies' in that year, we have it but we only use it on very special occasions." She said instead of "punishments and bans and the commissioner's naughty list or whatever, what if we demanded that the league get serious about counseling and support services for players and their families" ("Garbage Time," FS1, 10/26).
GOODELL UNDER FIRE: Twitter users have been highly critical of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's handling of this case. NESN's Matt Chatham: "Basically, @nflcommish says DV is complex, y'all just don't understand. SO WHY MAKE AN AUTO 6-GAME POLICY, dumbass?" Houston Chronicle's Stephanie Stradley: "Goodell is easily the biggest drag on the NFL brand. All commishes take heat but ways to do it without being insulting to oblivious." SB Nation's Ryan Van Bibber: "Goodell is like William Westmoreland and Bob McNamara rolled up into one big ball of denial." Ohio Univ. sports business professor Robert Boland: "#JoshBrown controversy demonstrates @NFL needs to outsource discipline. Commissioner Goodell better as Chief Executive, than Chief Judge."
LOOKING AT THE GIANTS' ISSUE: In Newark, Steve Politi writes the Giants "did the right thing" by releasing Brown, though it was "either six days or several months too late, depending on your perspective." Mara "missed an opportunity to show strong leadership in this instance." Brown reportedly told the Giants that he had abused his wife, and Mara said, "What I think is a little unclear is the extent of that." But that was "exactly the wrong message to send." Mara is a "good man," but he "failed to show strong leadership here, and now it's the Giants organization that is left with a battered reputation" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 10/27). ESPN N.Y.'s Dan Graziano said, "A case like this really shows you that to hold out one team as sort of an exemplar of class and dignity is a little bit of a dated concept. I mean, the Giants are just like 31 other teams" ("OTL," ESPN, 10/26).
WORD FINDER: SI's Jonathan Jones notes the NFL two years ago "took a firmer stance on players using the n-word on the field" following a "push by the Fritz Pollard Alliance." Refs can now hand out a 15-yard penalty when they hear the word, but there have been "only two known cases of officials penalizing players for using the word." An NFL spokesperson "declined to say how many times players have been flagged for using the n-word," but while there were 20 penalties for abusive language in '14 and 15 last season, through Week 5 this year there had been nine such penalties. Jones: "Even if the NFL does everything it can, is it possible to eliminate the use of the word on the football field?" (SI, 10/24 issue).
