Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
The NFL may have to keep their eyes open, when it comes to the conduct of their owners.
The world of sports was set ablaze recently, when racist comments were exposed from Donald Sterling, longtime owner of the L.A. Clippers. The conduct and comments of Sterling are shocking, but shouldn’t be so surprising. Just because a person in a position of power got caught, doesn’t expose how many unexposed skeletons may remain in their closet. As far as the NFL goes, it would be ridiculous to turn a blind eye to the fact that similar issues dwell within the ranks of their own owners.
Last month, it was the lifestyle of Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay which was called into question. Since Irsay’s OWI arrest last March, the details of the story have slowly unraveled. As Irsay went into rehab, more events occurred. Death, drugs, misappropriated money, and lots of cash in a trash bag all came into the picture. The NFL will deal with Irsay in time, but hopefully recent events will keep the league ready for a zero tolerance policy, similar to what the NBA has done.
Sterling’s offenses were cultural, while Irsay’s were personal. Still, all of sports could be affected by these matters coming to light. Power and prosperity do not necessarily make people responsible. Everyone has skeletons in their closet, and those issues glow like neon, when thrust into the spotlight. The NFL should beware, because evil lurks in the hearts of men.