For a long time, your National Taoism Examiner enjoyed watching and even playing sports. As a child it was a frequent pastime; gathering together with friends for a pickup game of: basketball, football, soccer, tennis, baseball etc…

All across America and most of the world the story is the same, children and young adults love to play sports. Some could argue that there are valuable life lessons being learned: teamwork, discipline, thinking of others more than self, perseverance, value of exercise etc… Recently, the NFL created a program (NFL Play 60) attempting to entice kids to take a break from the computer/video games and go outside to play and exercise. The program even has the full support of the White House.

Every February in the United States, and apparently many countries around the world, millions of people will sit around the TV and partake in the annual Super Bowl tradition, including feast and festivities. Advertisers will spend millions of dollars per 30 second commercial, all hoping to gain our attention as the most memorable product placement of the day.

Children will root for their heroes, and adults will cheer, fight and argue over each play, as if they are in the game themselves. Bookies and gamblers will delight in the odds of winning or losing.

Contradiction?

Is the NFL in particular and professional sports in general (even collegiate) a huge contradiction? How can the NFL create programs to benefit children, while at the same time covering up for some of the most heinous crimes man can commit? The focus is really no longer on the NFL alone, look at the amount of problems facing college athletes, as they are beginning to mirror their professional peers.

What type of society will we create when children grow up following a sport or athletic hero, that encourages the most brutal and animalistic tendencies to not only surface but also flourish? What happens to a game when the object is no longer to win, but to win at all costs, when the organizing body covers up crimes because it will hurt their bottom line, when players and coaches will blatantly cheat even being caught on national TV, with no consequence but a slap on the wrist?

Violent Crime

Lets review some facts of what the NFL has really become. Note, these are only a few to highlight a much larger problem.

“NFL Stars Who’ve Been Charged With Horrible Crimes”:

1. Leonard Little: DUI/Vehicular Manslaughter
2. Rae Carruth: Conspiracy to Commit Murder
3. Chris Terry: Domestic Battery
4. Ray Lewis: Murder
5. Alonzo Spellman: Terrorizing Passengers on Plane / Simple Assault
6. Jim Dunaway: Murder
7. Darell Russell: Drugs/ Videotaping a Rape
8. Michael Vick: Dog Fighting
9. Gene Atkins: Domestic Battery/ Assault on Law Enforcement
10. OJ Simpson: Murder/ Robbery/ Kidnapping
11. Aaron Hernandez: Murder

According to Reuben Fischer-Baum of deadspin.com:

“By my count, the three most common charges in the NFL database were DUI, assault/battery (including domestic violence), and drug possession, with 72 percent of all incidents including at least one of these charges.”

His research shows that the NFL is far above the national average for crime especially with regards to: weapons, DUI and assault/battery.

The following stats are from research published on besttickets.com and reflects the number of arrests from 2000-2013:

• DUI 185
• Assault 90
• Drugs 84
• Domestic Violence 76
• Alcohol Related 52
• Driving Violations 37
• Weapons Violations 37
• Other 26
• Disorderly Conduct 13
• Sexual Assault 12
• Theft 11
• Traffic Warrants 6
• Animal Abuse 5
• Manslaughter 5
• Hot Checks 4
• Obstruction of Justice 4
• False Info on License 3
• Probation Violation 3
• Burglary 2
• Failure to Appear 2
• Murder 2
• Soliciting a Prostitute 2
• Stalking 2
• Window Tint Violation 2

For a total of 665 arrests over a 13 year period. The research goes on to show that 66% of the crime is “victimless”, and 30% involved violent crime.

507 Arrests in one year

Uscollegeresearch.org has research that shows that the NFL leads all professional sports with violent crime arrests and weapons violations and is second in drug arrests. The NFL had 507 arrests in 2010 alone and Adam “Pacman” Jones led the way with six arrests.

Many of you have probably seen the video of the Baltimore Ravens player Ray Rice almost killing his wife, when he punched her in the face knocking her unconscious and then dragging her limp body out of the elevator. His punishment: no prison, no lifetime ban, the NFL decided to reinstate his ability to play and as many victims do, his fiancée has since become his wife, and came to his defense.

The question of whether art mirrors life or life mirrors art, is of no importance, if the outcome is the same decline in morals and values. At some point people need to have the courage to say enough is enough, and in a system where money talks, sometimes the best answer is to disengage and turn the channel.

So what are the morals that the new NFL is teaching your children and society in general: It does not matter who you are or what crimes you commit, if you can hit real hard, throw the ball real far, and run fast then we have a place for you. Killers, Rapists, Thieves, Stalkers, Drunks, Drug Addicts, Cheaters and Animal Abusers all are welcome, and contrary to their recent advertising campaigns, men who like to beat up women are definitely welcome in the NFL. Oh and if you want to make it to the NFL kids, just follow the above character traits.

Lao Tzu said it best in the Tao Teh Ching:

“The five colors blind the eye.

The five tones deafen the ear.

The five flavors dull the taste.

Racing and hunting madden the mind.

Precious things lead one astray.

Therefore the sage is guided by what he feels and not by what he sees.

He lets go of that and chooses this.”

And with that your National Taoism Examiner has let go of football and invites you to do the same. Turn off the game and pick up a book, spend time with your family or children in an environment conducive to becoming a better person.

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