Argumentative Essay: Should Football Players Be Banned?

In a perfect world the athletes we look up to would be law abiding great citizens. They'll give back to the community, do countless hours of community service, fix our schools, parks, and anything else that's asked of them. However, this is no utopia and some of our athletes are not law abiding citizens; with a few of them having multiple run-ins with the law. Being a media crazed era, we are seeing more athletes have run-ins with the law, particularly the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, and the National Football League. When someone does do something, instantly people form their own opinion about what a proper punishment is and it seems to point too banning players. With that being said, should the National Football
League ban players who commit crimes? This is not a yes or no answer because there are several factors that must be discussed; depending on the type of crime that was committed and is this player a multiple offender.
A question was presented to me by a friend, she asked; why do we as people idolize our athletes more than God? My immediate answer was “we can physically touch and see them.” Does this mean we are putting people above the almighty? Well that is debate for the religious scholar, but by no means are people perfect, we often make bad decisions several times in our lives.
Some of our most iconic players have had mind blunders which caused run-ins with the law: Michael Vick, Ben Roethlisberger, Ray Lewis, Randy Moss, and more. We often hear the courts say no crime is greater than another, but I beg to differ. Is murder the same as petty theft? Is arson the same as open container law? Is killing an animal the same as killing another human being? No! Some crimes are petty and some are more serious than others which requires a stiffer punishment. So, should an NFL player be banned for killing an animal?
In 2007, according to USA Today Sports, Michael Vick, Quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons was convicted in Surry County, Virginia on animal cruelty charges and served a 23 month prison sentence, plus 3 years’ probation, as well as indefinite suspension by the NFL for owning a dog fighting operation which housed and trained over 50 pit bull, staged for dog fights and housed high stake gambling with bets and purchases up to $26,000. Can this constitute as a major crime and require banning forever? Some may argue yes, he is inhumane for doing that to innocent animals and others argue no, human lives are worth more than animal lives and he didn’t commit a crime that harmed another human.
Vick’s suspension was overturned 3 months after his release from prison. However, superstar Ben Roethlisberger, Quarterback of the Pittsburg Steelers was accused of sexual assault multiple times in his career. According to Maxx Sports, the first occurrence happened in 2008 at Harrah's Lake Tahoe casino. Casino hostess, Andrea McNulty, accused Roethlisberger of raping her while he was there for a golf tournament. She filed the suit in Lake Tahoe’s District Court House in 2009, claiming Roethlisberger tricked her into his room and forced her to have sex. This case had plenty of twists and turns with cover ups and more. McNulty said she reported the rape to the hotel security chief, but was told that hotel President John Koster and Roethlisberger where friends and she should feel lucky to have had sex with someone like him. In 2010 Roethlisberger faced the same allegations by a Georgia college student. He was never charged with the crime, only accused and handled the matter in civil court for an undisclosed amount. Often our athletes are targets for these types of accusations that are conjured up by the accuser to receive some form of payment. Sexual assault cases are often hard to judge, because it is one persons word vs another. In America, we are innocent until proven guilty and being accused does not prove guilt; but guilty is exactly what Aaron Hernandez was, being convicted of the worse crime there is, murder! Less than a year after signing a $40 million contract with the New England Patriots, Aaron was charged with first-degree murder. The Patriots stood behind him until he was actually arrested; two hours after that, he was released from the team. There is absolutely no way you can come back from a murder conviction for two reasons. One, you will be behind bars and two, the NFL would surly ban you. You cannot have a murderer disgracing your league. That is why this question poses a yes and no answer. Some crimes don’t hold the weight of others however, repeat offenders who don’t learn their lesson the first time or even the second deserve harsher penalties.
From time to time we all have our commonsense neglected and make bad or ill-advised decisions; but most of us learn our lesson. There are a select few who do not learn the first, second, or even the third time and deserve harsher punishments. The NFL has addressed some unruly individuals recently; and there is a laundry list of them. Adam “Pacman” Jones drafted in 2005 has been arrested multiple times with the most recent coming in 2013. His multiple offensive include assault, use of drugs, and gambling. Yes, all of these are crimes and yes he is a multiple offender; but none of these are major enough for the NFL to ban him for life. Ex-49er Ray McDonald was accused multiple times of domestic violence and once with child endangerment. These crimes caused him to be released by the 49ers. He later signed with the Bears to be cut following another violence charge against a pregnant woman, however, prosecutors dropped this case. McDonald has still yet to be convicted of either assault, but these crimes were major enough to where no team wants to deal with the headache. The NFL maintains their stance and has yet to pass judgement because they are awaiting court matters to unfold first. The NFL has always maintained a stance to let court proceedings handle things first, and then base their decisions off of that. To date the NFL has only banned two players, not from crimes, but for drug abuse and gambling on games. Once called the secretary of defense Dexter Manley could never get over his drugged habits. After his fourth failed test in 4 years due to cocaine use, he was permanently banned from the National Football League in 1991. Ohio State quarterback Art Schlichter was drafted 4th in 1982 and filled his career with raged gambling. In 1983 he became the first player in 20 years to be suspended for betting on games in which he played in. Following a 1987 arrest in New York for his involvement in a sports betting operation, then Commissioner Pete Rozelle refused to let him sign with another club; he was never reinstated from his suspension. The world is full of people who’ve gotten second chances, so why should our sports leagues be any different. Sometimes all we need is a second chance, a different outlook on life after we have been through a detrimental situation. Superstar linebacker Ray Lewis was a part of a murder investigation in 2000. Though he was never charged with the actual crime, cops believed that he knew who committed the malicious crime. After months of going to court and testifying he was cleared of chargers. However, he did serve a 1 year suspension and was fined $250,000. If the NFL had been quick to ban him we would not know him for the player he became. Lewis became a perennial pro bowler, multiple super bowl winner, and hall of famer. So, do I think the NFL should ban players who commit crimes? I am on both side of the answer; if a crime is serious enough to be banned then yes, if it is minor and can be handled with a suspension or a slap on the wrist then let it be so. I think everyone is deserving of a second chance. Second chances is what the world is built around, we all need our heads readjusted once or twice in our lives. Im sure you and I have had one, so who are we to say another individual doesn’t deserve one as well. Let’s not be so quick to pass judgement on one another before the whole story is told.