Why in the world are so many NFL players so dumb? It's a question you have to ask these days as more and more football players are being arrested and convicted of various crimes.
The most recent mark against the NFL is the arrest of Shawne Merriman. It is alleged that Merriman choked and held against her will his girlfriend Tila Nguyen - known as Tila Tequila. This is insanely stupid if it is true, which I tend not to doubt.
Shawne Merriman is 6'4" and weighs 272 pounds or so. Tila Tequila is 4'11" and lucky to top 105 at a guess. So even if Tequila was drunk as some reports are saying, and used a baseball bat against Merriman I doubt he would notice. Thus I cannot see any reason for him choking her.
Given this news, his team - San Diego Chargers - has said they will wait to see what to do. And I'm thinking why should they wait. I mean if they really want to say something about stupid actions and deter any other member of their team (or the NFL for that matter) from doiung similar things, they need to act.
In my opinion the entire NFL needs to start acting. How many players can be named as having done acts of violence and criminal stupidity in just the last year? And of that group of players, how many are still in the NFL? Which means that pro football really doesn't care as long as they can make money.
This is not isolated to just the NFL. There are various entertainers like Chris Brown and others that just keep getting worse. All the while the entertainment industry does nothing, the legal system gives them a slap on the wrist (more often than not), and the media let's it all fade away (after they get paid for running the initial story). It's all getting out of hand.
Where is the voice of reason that says it's not ok for a man to beat on a woman? Or for someone to brutally kill animals for sport? Or to be involved with drugs? And on and on.
If the NFL wants to really make a difference they should start making some examples. Like Michael Vick being kicked out of football. And Merriman being suspended for at least a year, even if he is innocent. Because they all should be held to a higher standard, not lower ones. Fame has a price, and I don't mean the huge paychecks these entertainers get. Is it really too much to ask that entertainers abide by the same laws and common decency that everyone else lives by?
Maybe I am wrong. Maybe punishing Merriman before the facts are in is hyperreactive. But consider that if a stand is never taken to say that acting stupidly will have dire consequences, the limit of what is acceptable just goes lower each time.
Do you agree?
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