Racial Slurs Are Expected To Be A Penalty In The NFL
It is expected that the NFL will approve a rule in which players would be penalized 15 yards for using the N-word on the field. John Wooten, who is the head of the Fritz Pollard Alliance which monitors diversity in the NFL, believes this rule will be enacted and put into implementation at next month’s owners meeting. There is also hope that this new rule will include other slurs including anything homophobic. First time offenders would be penalized 15 yards and second time offenders would be ejected from the game.
Wooten went on to say, “We want this word to be policed from the parking lot to the equipment room to the locker room” as well as noting ”Secretaries, PR people, whoever, we want it eliminated completely and want it policed everywhere.”
Now I am sure some of you are thinking, well could this present a he said he said situation in which someone could claim someone said a racial slur to them in order to gain an advantage in a game? John Wooten addresses this issue by saying, ”with any rule that we put into play we have to look at it from A to Z and find out any unintended consequences as much as the consequences. So, as it was stated in our meeting, there are mics everywhere, so if something has been said it’s probably going to be captured somewhere. So there will be an opportunity to get it verified if we have to.’”
I don’t think anyone can disagree there is a severe issue with language used in the NFL towards each other and a complete lack of respect. In light of of the Martin/Incognito scandal and with the brave coming out of Michael Sam, who will soon be entering the league into what will already be a tough and grueling rookie year, the timing couldn’t be better or more essential.
For those of you who think this rule isn’t necessary….go throw one of these slurs out in your office and see what ramifications come your way. There is no other work place in which using such language is tolerated. I think you would be begging for a mere 15 yard penalty at your office versus the HR nightmare you would be in and the most likely firing that is about to be bestowed upon you.
Let’s stick to the rule that if you wouldn’t say it in public, if you wouldn’t say it in front of of your grandma or mother, if you wouldn’t say it to a stranger or if you wouldn’t say it in front of 1,000 people……just don’t say it.
If you do, it makes you an a$$hole.
That’s not a slur…that’s a fact.
NFL expected to adopt penalty for racial slurThe head of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, which monitors diversity in the NFL, expects the league to institute a rule where players would be penalized 15 yards for using the N-word on the field.
