Matthew in the Middle | Canceling Gruden is ‘the tip of the iceberg’ – Times-Standard

John Gruden, head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders was canceled this week. He resigned 3½ years into his 10-year/$100 million contract and now no NFL crew or sports activities media will contact him. Somebody focused Gruden and he’s persona non grata. Gruden is collateral injury, the patsy stooge from the NFL’s investigation into the Washington Redskins.

The NFL was doing background analysis on the poisonous work atmosphere of the Washington Redskins. Said Brittany Pareti, a former Redskins worker, “It was like recent meat to a pack of wolves each time a brand new pack of interns would come in. It was like a frat home, with males lined up in the foyer watching ladies stroll in and out. You continually felt there have been eyes on you.” A crew of legal professionals was doing a deep dive into the Redskins electronic mail server containing 650,000 emails.

They got here throughout a 2011 electronic mail that John Gruden, then an NFL announcer wrote to Bruce Allen, the former Washington Redskins common supervisor the place Gruden made racist remarks relating to DeMaurice Smith, who is Black and the govt director of the National Football League Players Association. That was unhealthy sufficient, then further Gruden emails have been later leaked to the press the place Gruden spoke badly of gays, ladies and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Gruden known as Goodell a “slang for cat” and a homosexual slur that rhymes with maggot. Goodell’s brother is homosexual.

When I first heard about Gruden’s emails, I assumed he would go all Trump and say it was nothing however “locker room discuss”. Unlike the former dude, at the very least Gruden’s been in a locker room. Besides, what Trump stated about grabbing ladies by the “privates” was 10 occasions worse than what Gruden stated and what did we do with Trump? Oh yeah, elected him President of the United States. 48% of our nation doesn’t have an issue with Gruden ideas. I can already hear Fox News speaking about free speech and cancel tradition hanging but once more.

I’m in no approach supporting the racist, misogynist and homophobic emails that Gruden was silly sufficient to place in writing, leaving a digit footprint over a seven-year interval. I’m merely asking if this was a 10-month lengthy investigation into the Washington Redskins, the place are the emails describing the sexual harassment attributable to the Redskins proprietor and executives? There have been over 650,000 emails on the Redskins electronic mail server and but the solely emails we’ve seen have been written by Gruden.

Just win, child! Mark Davis, the Las Vegas Raiders proprietor is no Al Davis. The late Al Davis was the first NFL proprietor to rent a Hispanic head coach (Tom Flores), the first to rent a Black head coach (Art Shell), the first to rent a feminine govt (CEO Amy Trask). Al Davis cared about profitable. He didn’t care about your colour, race, faith or gender.  Considering that the common NFL crew is 67% Black and that the Raiders have the solely overtly homosexual NFL participant, we anticipated sturdy phrases from the crew proprietor. So far, Mark Davis has remained quiet on the Gruden emails saying solely, “No remark. Ask the NFL. They have all the solutions.” This tells us somebody from the NFL leaked these emails.

Bruce Snyder, the Washington Redskins proprietor and 31 different ridiculous rich white males belong to the Billionaire’s Boys Club. Billions, alcohol and ego could make a nasty mixture, simply ask Dallas Cowboys proprietor Jerry Jones. There was quite a bit of strain final yr on Snyder to vary the identify of the Redskins and he vowed to by no means do it … till he did. He modified the crew’s identify to the Washington Football Team or WFT, which I name WTF. Yet not a single electronic mail has been launched on the Redskins when quite a few ladies have come ahead over the years complaining of sexual harassment from Snyder himself and lots of different Redskins entrance workplace personnel.

Gruden was focused to get canceled. Someone weaponized his emails in opposition to Gruden. Did he put ignorant phrases in writing — sure. Is he the first particular person in NFL historical past to say or do silly issues? Hello! Where do I begin? The NFL is a violent, macho male tradition that doesn’t offer you the proper to sexually harass somebody in the office. This week was the tip of the iceberg. There’s an entire lot extra under the floor that can come out quickly. In the meantime, the NFL homeowners are circling the wagons to guard their most dear asset — themselves.

Matthew Owen resides in Eureka, and believes the First Amendment permits without cost speech.