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Goodell sending strong message on Stallworth
Goodell's record
The list of people who have run afoul of Roger Goodell keeps growing. With his suspension, Donte' Stallworth is just the latest addition.
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But he killed a man. His name was Mario Reyes, a crane operator with a 15-year-old daughter. And the manner of his death — Stallworth driving drunk — represents the NFL's biggest single problem. What's more, after Vick did 18 months for dogfighting, Stallworth's incomprehensibly lenient 30-day sentence for manslaughter ensures that he'll become the latest, greatest symbol for all that is wrong with sports in general, and pro football in particular. An otherwise decent guy will go down as a horrible example.
That's not so bad, though, as it has afforded commissioner Roger Goodell a chance, once and for all, to change the way football players think about drinking and driving.
Goodell suspended Stallworth indefinitely without pay on Thursday. Perhaps it would've been more efficacious to give him a lifetime ban with the possibility of clemency. But who am I to argue?
"Roger Goodell stepped up," said Chuck Hurley, CEO of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. "That's not spin. He acted quickly, forcefully and clearly."
Hurley's organization was outraged with the 30-day sentence. There may have been a number of ameliorating factors that worked in Stallworth's favor. It's unclear if Reyes was crossing the street legally. The wrong forms may have been used in processing his blood alcohol level. Also, Stallworth — who has no priors — accepted full responsibility, expressed remorse and reached a quick settlement that should provide for his victim's daughter. As per the terms of the plea deal, Stallworth was to pay $2,500 to MADD. But Hurley turned it down.
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| Roger Goodell has established a reputation for aggressively handing out punishment. (Drew Hallowell / Getty Images) |
"By accepting, we'd become party to the settlement," he said, referring to the disposition of the criminal case. "We thought it sent the wrong message. We needed a message of deterrence."
Now he has one, courtesy of the commissioner, with whom he spoke Thursday afternoon. It's worth mentioning that the NFL and MADD have been talking — a conversation initiated by the league — since 2008, long before the Stallworth case.
"Goodell's leadership needs to be matched by the players association," said Hurley. "... We asked for the same from the union, a clear statement ... "
I don't disagree. So I asked if he or any of his people had spoken with the new players union boss, DeMaurice Smith.
"Shame on me, we have not," he said. "I will try to reach out to them."
Good for him. Good for everybody, you hope. Going back to the 1999 case of Leonard Little — a defensive end whose drunk driving killed a 45-year-old mother — DUIs represent a far greater and more prevalent threat to the NFL than dogfighting. According to a recent report, at least 73 players on NFL rosters last year have been arrested for DUI. The league takes comfort in other statistics suggesting that DUI arrests rates for NFL players are actually lower than for all American men ages 21-35.
Hurley wasn't aware of those numbers, but according to the San Diego Union-Tribune, which keeps a tally of NFL players arrested since 2000, the "arrest rate among NFL players is less than that of the general population." Of 308 cases cited by the paper, however, "the most prevalent charge was driving under the influence, which accounted for almost a third of the arrests."
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Whatever you make of the figures, the chance for ballplayers getting into high-profile trouble behind the wheel of a car seems excessive. Last month, I went through the Union-Tribune list and counted 59 incidents going back to May 1, 2008. Of those, 26 were arrests for guys who were driving drunk, or recklessly or in possession of marijuana. A few of the cases were dropped. But others, like Marshawn Lynch — who hit a pedestrian with his Porsche — make no mention of intoxicants. Then again, the case against Lynch, who was arrested again while driving with a loaded firearm, was basically a hit and run.
Players have the money and the resources to be better, a lot better. Get a cab or a limo. Most teams offer something called a "Safe Ride." A player calls a hotline and a guy comes out to drive him and his Bentley home. Why all teams don't offer this is beyond me. Goodell should make it mandatory.
The issue isn't one of relative jurisprudence, comparing the sentences of Vick and Stallworth. It's about changing behavior. Players might think they can beat the legal system. But if they can't beat the NFL, they won't try. Risking a short career is a real deterrent.
Toward that end, Goodell sent out a memo to chief executives, club presidents, general managers and coaches on Thursday:
"Please ensure that your employees are aware of the resources available to them, including Safe Ride and similar programs. Let's make sure that the 2009 season does not bring more tragedy or embarrassment to ourselves and our employees."
In other words, don't be another Donte' Stallworth.
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