Peter King on Rooney's "Hypocrisy"

[tony hipchest]

an e-mailer to kings column was concerned about rooneys legacy being tarnished and how the rest of the league would now look at him.

i havent seen that dude who demanded rooney take sensitivity courses, around lately. perhaps hes outside the hall in canton, with ropes around rooneys bust, trying to pull it down like the iraqis did the statues of saddam.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...mailbag/1.html

Rooney is getting raked over the coals, as you know, for different reactions to two seemingly similar incidents within days of each other last month. Pro Bowl linebacker James Harrison was charged with assaulting his girlfriend and was kept on the team. Marginal receiver Cedrick Wilson was charged with assaulting his girlfriend and released. The inference is clear -- the Steelers treated the better player with kid gloves, and the lesser player got whacked.

First, I want to apologize for not addressing this Monday. I forgot, which is not a good excuse, but the truth nonetheless. The Steelers have put a Steel Curtain around this story in the wake of Rooney's comments about the incidents being "completely different.'' My feeling is he should never have used those words, because abuse of women is abuse of women. But I think the key here is we don't know the whole story or the history of each man's behavior, so it's tempting, but probably not fair, to conclude that the team kept Harrison because he's a star and cut Wilson because is isn't.

My view is that there is much to interpret reading between the lines of Rooney's statement after the Steelers released Wilson. "We do have to look at the circumstances that are involved with other players and things like that, so they're not all the same,'' he said. Rooney, I believe, is saying there's more to this story than we're going to tell you.

Now I'm going to give you my opinion on Rooney's actions. I've covered the NFL for 24 years and have known him for most of those years. He's in the top handful -- three, four, five people -- of decent, honorable men I've covered. His statement should have clearly stated that he does not condone in any way the abuse of women. But I believe this story is not as simplistic as it's been made out to be. Another reader, John Lubic, of Ambridge, Pa., wrote to ask about Rooney's "obvious hypocrisy.'' If there were nothing more to the twin stories, I'd agree with him. But I think there is.

[fansince'76]

Is it draft day yet? I just love the offseason.

[Jeremy]

King is one of the best NFL guys out there. He gets off topic a little bit too much for my tastes, but he has the connections and the savy to produce consistently good product.

[OneForTheToe]

Originally Posted by Jeremy

King is one of the best NFL guys out there. He gets off topic a little bit too much for my tastes, but he has the connections and the savy to produce consistently good product.

I agree, he actually is pretty good. What I like about King is that he openly admits to not being an expert on the game itself - and his writing usually reflects that. Too many sports writers fall into the habit of being color commentators in their writing, when they should be doing a more play-by-play approach with some perspective and analysis by real experts thrown in. And then there are some of the ex-players of whom English seems to be a second language.

[Jeremy]

Originally Posted by OneForTheToe

I agree, he actually is pretty good. What I like about King is that he openly admits to not being an expert on the game itself - and his writing usually reflects that. Too many sports writers fall into the habit of being color commentators in their writing, when they should be doing a more play-by-play approach with some perspective and analysis by real experts thrown in. And then there are some of the ex-players of whom English seems to be a second language.

SI has a nice balance between King and Zimmerman. Z is the nuts and bolts guys and King is the big picture guy. It makes for good reading for us.

[DACEB]

Quote:
I think the key here is we don't know the whole story or the history of each man's behavior, so it's tempting, but probably not fair, to conclude that the team kept Harrison because he's a star and cut Wilson because is isn't.

[BettisFan]

Jeez guys what ever its a buisness come on Cedric sucked James is a beast.

[The_WARDen]

anyone find the second bullet?

[HometownGal]

Originally Posted by BettisFan

Jeez guys what ever its a buisness come on Cedric sucked James is a beast.

because abuse of women is abuse of women.

I like Peter King because he calls it as he sees it without coming across as another mindless media puddinhead.

[19ward86]

topic is getting very bitter.