North: Why I don't want to see Rice, Peterson play again
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson faces charges of reckless or negligent injury to a child after he used a tree branch to punish his 4-year-old son in Texas.
This is just another sorry example of the losers that permeate the National Football League. I have spoken at length about the Ray and Janay Rice domestic abuse situation, but unfortunately when the dust settles and time moves on, Rice will probably be back in uniform.
The toughest week I ever spent on sports radio was the first week of the Penn State child sex abuse scandal. There was so much venom then that I thought Penn State would be burned to the ground. The university was fined $60 million, and the football program was banned from post season play for four years, and all of its wins from 1998-2011 were removed.
But here we are after just two years of banishment and Penn State is back with all its privileges. It looks like only coach Joe Paterno's legacy will be left in tatters.
The Big Ten needed a winning team and the NCAA lifted the ban during the season. Unbelievable!
So now we hear about Adrian Peterson, who not that long ago was being told he had a 2-year-old son — a child he didn't know about — who died after a beating by the mother's boyfriend.
Then came last weekend's news, and the Minnesota Vikings did the right thing by deactivating Peterson for Sunday's. According to news reports, the bruises on his 4-year-old son were the result of Peterson disciplining his son with a switch or branch.
Sadly, child abuse hits close to home for many people. In the 1950s, '60s and '70s, domestic and child abuse occurred behind closed doors and many women and children lived in fear in their own homes. Unfortunately, it often was considered an acceptable way of life.
Thankfully, we now have acknowledged it wasn't OK then, and it shouldn't be now and needs to be addressed.
I believe Peterson will get survive his courtroom troubles. Peterson has been cleared to play by the Vikings in Week 3, and it is possible Rice will pay sooner than later.
That brings us to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Why isn't he on a leave of absence or holding a news conference to explain his actions? He is the one who has told the organizations and players that their “ignorance is not an excuse.”
I don't believe Goodell has done his due diligence and it has allowed domestic abuse cases to spiral out of control.
The NFL doesn't need a glad-hander as a commissioner. Goodell has lost the players and many of the fans, and his general incompetence and unawareness is mind-boggling.
I really don't want to see Peterson or Rice in an NFL uniform, but I am pretty sure they will be back. Many of us express concern, and then move on and forget.
Let's try to not forget.
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• Mike North's column appears each Tuesday and Friday in the Daily Herald, and his video commentary can be found Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at dailyherald.com. For more, visit northtonorth.com.