THE ROYCROFT REPORT

May 11, 2013

First of all, I am not taking sides on this issue surrounding Tim Tebow. I’m just pointing out one example of the bullshit that goes on in pro sports, especially among the National Football League. With the exception of Tiger Woods, at least Golf remains a class act when it comes to pro level sports.

Tim Tebow has apparently been blackballed by the NFL. Really? Apparently being a popular Christian football player with a huge following doesn’t set well with the typical tat covered, ghetto thug mentality of today’s NFL. Must really suck to have a bigger, more intelligent following than most of NFL’s thug club. Oh but wait, now we get to watch the politically correct coming out of gay players prancing the around the field playing with their balls. What ever you do, you better not show any religious leanings on or off the field if you ever expect to become an accepted NFL jock. 

So let me get this straight, it’s perfectly acceptable for the NFL to give players a pass if they get busted for animal cruelty, murdering and torturing dogs, drunk driving, beating their women, abusing drugs, and homicide? Of course now we are to believe that those acts of violence perpetrated by jocks were likely caused by concussions they received during games. Yea, right.

Want some examples of the NFL hypocrisy? These are some you probably forgot about.

• In 1998, St. Louis Rams’ defensive end Leonard Little ran a red light, while driving drunk and hit and killed wife and mother Susan Gutweiler, 47. Little pleaded guilty to a manslaughter charge, served 90 nights in a work release program and was back on the field the following season. In 2004, he was arrested again on drunk driving charges. In 2006, he was selected for the Pro Bowl.

• In 2000, Baltimore Ravens’ linebacker Ray Lewis pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice, and agreed to testify against his two friends, Reginald Oakley and Joseph Sweeting, in exchange, prosecutors agreed to dismiss murder charges against him. Lewis was accused of stabbing to death two people after a Super Bowl party he attended, where a fight broke out between he and two members of a rapper’s entourage. While the NFL did fine Lewis for the crime, they did not issue any suspension. In 2008, Lewis received his 10^th selection to the Pro Bowl.

• In 2003, Chicago Bears’ defensive tackle Christian Peter retired after spending six seasons in the NFL. Before being drafted, Peter was arrested eight times for various offenses while in college at the University of Nebraska, one for grabbing a woman by the throat. Peter was also alleged to have raped a freshman named Kathy Redmond multiple times, while head coach Tom Osborne helped cover up the crime, Osborne has since apologized to Redmond. .In 1993, Peter also sexually assaulted two women. Peter was drafted by the New England Patriots, who in light of his long history of criminal behavior, and his eighth arrest just before the draft, relinquished their rights to him. Peter entered the NFL the following season with the New York Giants.

• In 2005, Cleveland Browns’ running back Jamal Lewis served 4 months in prison for attempting to set up a drug deal. Lewis was caught in 2004, as he tried to obtain and distribute five kilograms of cocaine. He received a four-game suspension. In 2008, Lewis rushed for 1,000 yards.

• Between 2005-2007, Dallas Cowboys’ cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones was arrested and/or convicted of multiple charges including disorderly conduct, public intoxication, assault, felony vandalism. In 2006, Jones was arrested for spitting in a woman’s face at a Nashville nightclub. In 2007, Jones assaulted a stripper in a Las Vegas club and threatened the life of a security guard, Jones eventually pleaded guilty to lesser charges. Jones was suspended for the 2007 NFL season, but returned to the league with the Cowboys in 2008.

• In 2006, Cincinnati Bengals’ defensive tackle Tank Johnson was charged with aggravated assault and resisting arrest, after allegedly threatening a Chicago police officer. At the time of his arrest, Johnson was on probation for a 2005 guilty plea to carrying a concealed weapon. Johnson was also charged with further probation violations in 2006. Johnson received an eight-game suspension, after serving 43 days in jail.

• In April 2009, Cleveland Browns’ wide receiver Donte Stallworth pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges and received a laughable 30-days in jail after hitting and killing husband and father Mario Reyes, 59 in Miami, Stallworth was drunk at the time. Officially, Stallworth is still on suspension from the NFL. The Browns have not released Stallworth, who signed him to a $35 million contract two weeks before he killed Reyes.

• During the 2007 NFL season alone, an incredible 21 percent of the players had arrest records.

What was it that Bob Costas said  about the culture of violence in the NFL during his little pro-gun control rant on prime time television last season? Maybe he should add those Christian Cult followers in his next politically correct NFL rant. -JRoycroft