Adrian Peterson Indicted

"Due process" is giving me a sad laugh every time I hear it.

On the theory as it applies to the NFL, there should have been outrage when the Patriots cut Aaron Hernandez. At that time, we hadn't even heard the no-bail decision that would have kept him out of training camp.

So if that's what people are clinging to, go all the way with it.

 

This is the kind of article (or more specifically, the headline) that makes people go the other direction.

Peterson didn't "spank" his kid. He beat him with a branch until he broke the skin.

 

Where would this be right now if there was video of Peterson doing this to his son -- and as described in the report, with leaves in the kid's mouth, etc. Would he be playing on Sunday? Would people be defending his parenting/disciplining style?

The Ray Rice video and the public's reaction to it changed everything. I can't imagine how horrified people would be if they witnessed Peterson doing what he did.

For me, the descriptions and photographs are more than enough, but obviously, not for everyone, including the team and many of his peers and fans, as well as people who believe in complete autonomy for a parent to whatever he wishes to a child in the name of discipline.

 

https://twitter.com/darrenrovell/status/511958929971363842/photo/1

 

Boy that's a great point.

That would be the kind of thing that would be tough to watch even in a movie.

 

It's a good thing Budweiser has never contributed to someone getting beaten. :

 

Right or wrong in the main, this author has forfeited any right to speak with any authority on ... well, pretty much anything. From her column:

From the research article's abstract:

I don't have free access to the article, but there is no damn way that: 1) the average 4-year-old is spanked at that rate; and 2) the authors of that study came even close to making such a claim.

 

When a gigantic beer company, whose product is often the fuel for incidents like domestic violence, says the NFL isn't doing enough, that is Cronkite calling the war unwinnable.

Curious when the NFL will step in and keep Peterson out of the game.

This is also an issue to watch in that Minnesota had the hardest time passing the new stadium. The Vikings were last on the list, after the Wild, Twins and Gophers. About $500 million, I believe, in taxpayer money is being spent on a new Vikings stadium in a metro area where there is a distinct voting block on "no public money for sports stadiums". I wonder how THIS will play out in public opinion.

 

It won't happen, but it would be fun to see this become a pissing match between Anheuser Busch and the NFL. They need each other. I can't imagine them pulling anything, but it would be fun to see it happen.

Peterson will be suspended by the league or Vikings by 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

 

That's one part of this you need to be careful about.

Before I jump into it, i will say that I think the NFL should act now. We have seen pictures of the injuries (though not all of them). We have Peterson admitting he beat his 4-year-old son and caused those injuries. That is enough.

My only reservation is that more damaging information might come out after the NFL punishes him, but they can't punish him again for it. It seems like Rice has a good case regarding the indefinite ban for this reason. Of course, the NFL blew it by suspending Rice for only two games, but the agreement with the players does not allow him to be punished again for the same offense.

That said, you have to be very careful about listening to what a small child says in these situations. I don't mean you dismiss it. Just be careful, especially in a case like this with parents who are not together. I've seen instances of little kids coached into making accusations about a parent that were not real. Thankfully, the one I know best, the truth came out. A small boy was coached by has grandparents to make an accusation about his stepfather even though the stepfather had done nothing wrong. That said, things got very ugly for a while.

Again, not at all a defense of Peterson against anything. Just speaking from experience about how easily a small child can be manipulated.

 

It happens all the time. But, Peterson has admitted it, so it's not the issue here, at least not with this incident.

 

The league doesn't have to suspend him for the Vikings to deactivate him.