As oft articulated here, this is not a sports story. You need not possess any zeal for any athletic entity and have interest in today\u2019s conversation. Today we\u2019re talking about when sports becomes too important\u2026 or rather\u2026 when sports \u2014 or profitability \u2014 trumps ethics and integrity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At approximately 1:00 PM EST today, kickoff will commence at NRG Stadium. It\u2019s the Cleveland Browns vs. the Houston Texans. And for the first time since the 2020 season, the very talented Derrick Deshaun Watson will step onto the gridiron to quarterback his team. Granted, he\u2019ll be quarterbacking his new team against his old team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Deshaun Watson sat out the entire 2021 season not due to Covid but on the contrary, because the Texans chose to pay him but not play him. Watson was accused by over two dozen female massage therapists of sexual harassment and\/or assault. Those privy to the testimonies of the accusers claim significant similarity of details when comparing the individual accounts. Watson, however, has denied any wrongdoing, despite financially settling over 20 of the disputes. My point, no less, is not to disparage Watson. I will only add from an admittedly distant perspective, when there\u2019s that much smoke, there\u2019s typically some sort of fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But as aforementioned, the point is not the player. It\u2019s what happened next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After sitting out the season due to the accusations of unquestionable iniquitous behavior, there was a bidding war for Watson\u2019s professional football services. It would be unfair to target solely the Browns. Atlanta, Carolina and New Orleans were each also active solicitors. Minnesota, Seattle and Tampa Bay likewise inquired about a trade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The contract then subsequently agreed to between the Cleveland Browns and Deshaun Watson was this: a fully guaranteed, 5-year, $230,000,000 contract with a $44,965,000 signing bonus. <\/em>Negotiated prior to the league\u2019s discipline decision, contractual language was included \u2014 and to better make my point \u2014 and<\/em> agreed to by the Browns \u2014<\/em> that Watson would not have to forfeit the signing bonus nor future guarantees should the NFL suspend him. \u201cFully guaranteed\u201d means that the \u201cplayer will receive every single dollar<\/em> from that portion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are indeed multiple perspectives intriguing to pursue in this story. One could easily examine the glaring inconsistency of the NFL\u2019s player conduct policy and punishment system. Watson was eventually handed down an 11 game suspension. Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley, on the other hand, made the disastrous mistake of betting a total of $1500 on his own<\/em> team to win. He was suspended for 17 games.<\/em> Alas, we\u2019ll attempt to not be lured by the tangent perspectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those familiar with NFL contracts and salary caps would share that Watson had to play 6 games this year, as otherwise, his number counting against the cap would have given the Browns a $20 million competitive advantage in the succeeding year. But understand, that\u2019s because of how the Browns structured the contract. It didn\u2019t have to be this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I suppose that\u2019s what perplexes me\u2026 and why I felt propelled to make this an actual post. I just think in our society, we sometimes value the wrong things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Clearly, the Browns\u2019 motive is winning. And again, no need to throw any stones; they are by no means alone in that. It\u2019s as if Coach Vince Lombardi\u2019s infamous statement that \u201cwinning isn\u2019t everything \u2014 it\u2019s the only thing\u201d has morphed from a clever sports mantra to an acceptable social ethic. Sometimes, clearly, winning is too important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When winning becomes too important, we excuse character and behavior that we know to be otherwise illicit. We turn a blind eye to things we would otherwise not accept. We act as if things aren\u2019t that bad when they really are. We do it in our sports. We do it in our politics. Sometimes we do it in our personal lives as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n USA Today<\/em> sports columnist Nancy Armour wrote, \u201cIf Watson were anything but an athlete, prospective employers and co-workers would be trying to get as much distance from him as possible. But because he\u2019s a special talent, in a league where quarterbacks are king, and at 26 has another decade or so left to play, there is almost nothing he can do that won\u2019t be forgiven.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n If I\u2019m honest, I deeply believe that for some, forgiveness can be a vital, unprecedented prompt to finally get it, so-to-speak, and turn your life around. No, I don\u2019t have a problem with what we forgive. I have a problem with what we reward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Respectfully\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n AR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As oft articulated here, this is not a sports story. You need not possess any zeal for any athletic entity and have interest in today\u2019s conversation. Today we\u2019re talking about when sports becomes too important\u2026 or rather\u2026 when sports \u2014 or profitability \u2014 trumps ethics and integrity. At approximately 1:00 PM EST today, kickoff will … <\/p>\n