Imagine that you are a long-suffering fan of the Browns. Imagine that you are a woman. Or someone who respects women.
Can you root for the Browns in good conscience now?
Or pretend you’re just an NFL fan. Most of us. After all, this is our national entertainment.
Can you root for Deshawn Watson in good conscience?
How can you at least not conflict?
When Vince Lombardi repeated those immortal words – “winning isn’t everything, but it’s the only thing” – he couldn’t imagine an NFL where morality takes a vacation and is, he says, valued more than it is, he says… all expenses.
Because, as always, if you can play, you don’t have to pay.
Oh yes, Roger Goodell and company will no doubt take action to save face when he imposes a politically correct six-game suspension – which is tantamount to losing pocket money for Watson – designed to show what the league’s zero-tolerance policy means for the new franchise person in Cleveland in accordance with the policy of personal conduct.
Alas, there is no zero-tolerance policy for a 26-year-old zero who could be good enough to lead the franchise to its first Super Bowl championship.
Watson comes out of a shady, disturbing 22 civil and nine criminal and sexual assault and harassment charges from his set of resentful masseurs with the biggest contract in NFL history? A five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million reward?
Deshawn WatsonAP
As Nickelodeon would say: Slime pays.
Surely Watson can make a living again after a year of football pranks. It’s not a problem. The problem lies in his historic award after a grand jury decided there was not enough evidence for a criminal trial. Which doesn’t fall into the “he’s innocent until proven guilty” category.
The desperation to win the Super Bowl made three other teams – the Falcons, Saints and Panthers – go out of their way to land him. The Falcons were ready to throw Matt Ryan, one of the coolest people in any sport, downstream. Why did the Browns leave Baker Mayfield? They wanted an adult protector. So they sell their souls for Deshawn Watson.
To get rid of Watson, the Texans received three first-round picks, a third-round pick, and a fourth-round pick and forked out for a fifth-round pick.
Another reminder that if Darth Vadar can help the team win, then the inevitable suitors won’t care much about their character.
Kneeling at racial injustice guarantees you a lifetime blacklist in your prime, while ostensibly kneeling before the dignity of female victims gives you a completely guaranteed bonanza.
The Browns are owned by Jimmy Haslam and his wife Dee. Saints owner Gail Benson.
What is the price of glory?
The Women’s Sports Foundation honored and honored Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians as the 2020 Equality Champion for his gender equality and commitment to diversity. The Arians had already hired assistant strength and conditioning coach Maral Javadifar and assistant defensive line coach Laurie Locust prior to the arrival of Jackie Davidson, who had previously worked for the Jets, as director of football research.
“If they are the best people to help you win,” Arians said, “let’s hire them. … It’s the same thing I told my daughter a long time ago – everything is ready for you. Work hard, stick your nose in the grindstone, and don’t give up. Never give up; just keep fighting for it.”
In February, the Giants hired Laura Young as director of coaching and Angela Baker, formerly on the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Scholarship with the Browns, as minority coach and offensive quality control coach. Giants general manager Joe Shawn and coach Brian Daball recently gave talks at the NFL’s 6th Annual Women’s Football Career Forum. They came from the progressive organization Bills.
(According to the Diversity and Ethics Institute, in the 2021 NFL season, women made up 38.8 percent of the NFL league office, 25.3 percent of senior team management, 3.1 percent of team CEOs and presidents, and 1.5 percent of team assistant coaches. in the sports annual report card.)
The NFL has courted the fan with enthusiasm, of course, ever since she found a disciplinary taint against Ray Rice’s domestic abuse, but mostly a look the other way at Commands owner Dan Snyder and his toxic cultural history tarnishes the record.
Deschouan WatsonGetty Images
“I grew up as a Browns fan,” a sports media friend wrote me. “I was a Browns fan before Deshawn Watson and will be a Browns fan after Deshawn Watson. In no way could anyone condone what he allegedly did, and I cannot support the man. But if the NFL allows him to play games, I don’t give up on my fan team because they are trying to improve QB and he was a natural choice. This is a big PR hit. Some fans will leave the team. But sports is a fantasy land where a guy can do what Watson does and still play. This is not the first time and it won’t be the last.”
Anyone remember the movie Draft Day when Browns general manager Kevin Costner didn’t pick quarterback Beau Callahan first overall because of character issues?
If Watson settles the outstanding cases against him, he should know that he will wear the Scarlet Letter for the rest of his career. But should he win the Super Bowl? Goodell will give him the Lombardi Trophy and all will be forgotten, if not forgiven, in Cleveland.