Adrian Peterson’s Major Mistep
As it turns out, the NFL is our modern day version of slavery. That’s what I said. Actually, that’s not what I said. I’m just repeating the words of the Minnesota Viking’s Adrian Peterson who in an interview with Doug Farrar of Yahoo’s Shutdown Corner said, “It’s (NFL) modern-day slavery”.1 Apparently the NFL, the most dominant organization in professional sports, is akin to a system that subjugated millions and millions of people to a life without choice, without education, without rights, and without respect. The NFL is the same as a system of injustice that forced people to toil away in fields and plantation houses subjugated to a whip, chains, violent overseers, malnutrition, sexual abuse and death. That is quite the comparison if you ask me. How could an individual who is due to make over 10 million dollars next year, an amount that is more than 400 times2 what the average American makes, possibly think that his position in life even closely resembles that of a slave?
If you were to even attempt to make the leap that the NFL is akin to slavery, how could you justify such a statement? Peterson’s lone comment backing up his assertion is that, “The owners are trying to get a different percentage, and bring in more money.”1 He thinks that because his bosses, whom he willingly decided to work for, are modern day slave holders because they want a larger portion of the leagues revenues. I will discuss the absurdity of that comment in a moment. First let’s try to see is there is any other way that the NFL could be equivalent to slavery.
One could argue that the NFL is an organization run largely by white men employing largely African-American workers. Looking at the demographic breakdown of the NFL, 100 percent3 of the owners are white while 67 percent4 of the players are African-American. Beyond that, only 25 percent5 of the coaches are African-American. The numbers show that the NFL is a league run mainly by white people getting rich off the labor of African-Americans. This is not the first industry in history run in such a manner.
One could argue that throughout the history of the league, a high percentage of the players are left mentally and physically beaten and broken after earning large sums of money for the white ownership group. No one should kid themselves, working in the NFL is extremely difficult. There are many stories of ex-players who are physically disabled after their time playing football for the NFL. Even the best of the best are not immune to the difficulties of playing such a violent game. Look at Earl Campbell, one of the best running backs of all time, and see the difficulty he has just walking around. Look at players such as Darryl Stingley and Mike Utley who were paralyzed as a result of playing in the NFL. It can start to seem as if these players are nothing more than pieces of meat valued only for the number of fans they can sell merchandise too and put into seats.
One could argue that players are bought and sold in a system that does not take into account the rights and wishes of the players. The NFL Draft is a prime example of this. Players devote their lives to football in an effort to prove that they can compete in the NFL. Then come draft day, they are auctioned off without a say in the matter. I can only imagine the excitement some players feel when they hear they are going to play football in Detroit or Cleveland. Even when a player makes a team, he can be discarded at will. If an owner does not want to pay a player a bonus or a General Manager (GM) needs to make room for a new player, they can turn to any member on the team and terminate their deal without worrying about repercussions. If a GM or owner wants to trade a player to another team in another city despite the life that player has created in their current city, then all they have to do is get on the phone with another team. Players cannot void their contract at will though. They cannot run to greener pastures whenever they want.
One could even argue that players are pushed through a system their entire lives, forsaking their education and personal privacy, just to continue to feed an industry that only values them for their physical contributions. Players are getting looked at as early as middle school nowadays. That is borderline insane. Even the best scouts cannot possibly know how a boy in middle school will develop. He could have already hit his major growth spurt for all they know. However, whether it be in middle school or high school, once a player comes to realize that a possible free ride to college on a football scholarship could be in his future, the glitz and the glamor of the NFL begin to cloud his mind. They begin to see dollar signs, big dollar signs, at the end of the rainbow. These future stars are often encouraged to put more and more of their focus on football as the competition becomes stiffer. Many times, this focus comes at the expense of academics and a normal childhood. It becomes even worse when high school and college coaches feed the system by asking teaches or professors for exemptions so their players can play. We are also all aware of the corruption that occurs at the college level as deals are negotiated under the table and favors are granted all in an effort to bring superstar athletes to various college football programs. Then, once they reach campus, the focus is football, football, football. It is no secret how important football is to most universities now days. College football is a cash cow. The university is rewarded with a sport that pays for many of its other programs, and the players see all their hard work paying off with the NFL Draft that is just around the corner. What kind of example is this setting for these athletes? By the time the “lucky ones” reach the NFL, is it any wonder they don’t know how to act as a responsible adult? Is it any wonder that they didn’t get their college degree so that they have something to fallback on if their NFL dreams fade to dust?
Though Adrian Peterson only gave one answer to justify his assertion, let us be kind to him and assume he also meant to justify his statement with all of these other arguments. When all is said and done and the cards are on the table, Adrian Peterson still could not be more off base. To claim that the NFL is akin to modern day slavery is one of the most ridiculous statements a person could make. It shows ignorance of both the NFL and slavery as well as a lack of respect and empathy for the plight of of millions and millions of men, women, and children that were victims of one of the most deplorable acts the world has ever known. This is why.
Honestly, there isn’t even a need to refute all of the arguments I just put forth if you really consider what slavery involved. However, for the sake of humoring Mr. Peterson, let’s give it a shot:
- The owners want a larger portion of the revenue – Of course they do. They are businessmen. That is what businessmen do; they seek the highest possible profit. Our society is built upon the profit motive. The profit motive might verge on being unethical at times, but it isn’t slavery. He is part of a union, The NFLPA, that is negotiating for its share of a huge sum of money. At least you and your brethren have that right. Did slaves? No, absolutely not. What would Mr. Peterson think of he were a public employee in Wisconsin right now? It would have to be worse than slavery. Point – Normal Job // Slavery – 0 : Normal Job – 1
- The NFL is an organization run largely by white men employing largely African-Americans – Forget that many industries are still run this way. Forget that everyday minorities are fighting for equal work and equal pay. Forget that women are still fighting for equal work and equal pay. Forget that the NFL is not the only professional sports organization with an imbalance between the ethnic makeup of its leadership and players. The key word was employed. Mr. Peterson and his brethren are employed. They have a choice in the matter. Slavery was forced labor. Slaves had no choice in what they did. Point – Normal Job // Slavery – 0 : Normal Job – 2
- One could argue that throughout the history of the league, a high percentage of the players are left mentally and physically beaten and broken after earning large sums of money for the white ownership group – Former NFL players may have physical and mental problems after their careers are finished. At least they have access to healthcare while they play in the NFL though, some of the best possible healthcare by the way. Also, if an NFL player is wise and saves and invests his money, he can ensure that he will be provided for long after his playing days are over. This can help offset long-term physical ailments arising from playing in the NFL. The NFL is also extremely active in protecting the safety of its players. In the last year alone, the focus on concussions and late hits shows how much the league cares about its players. Did slaves have healthcare? Did slaves have an opportunity to be taken care of after their days of work were done? Were their days of work ever done? Did the overseers and owners of slaves look out for the safety of their slaves? No, slave had none of this. The closest they got were when their masters had to decide if it was cheaper to cure an ailment or let a slave die in terms of the work they would be able to perform after care was provided. Point – Normal Job // Slavery – 0 : Normal Job – 3
- One could argue that players are bought and sold in a system that does not take into account the rights and wishes of the players – To say the players are bought and sold is perhaps a little aggressive. After all they are giving their consent. The NFL does have a free agency system that allows players to sign with the team of their choice after having proven their ability to compete in the NFL or if they are not drafted. They can negotiate clauses in their contracts that guarantee them money upfront even if they are cut later on, or clauses that give them some sort of voice in trades. Granted, only the best of the best get that say, but the rest could always holdout if they were truly opposed to a trade. Yes, the players in the draft are picked without a say. However, there are a lot of negotiations that go on behind the scenes prior to the draft, and getting drafted guarantees you a larger payday than going un-drafted. Slaves on the other hand were actually bought and sold. They had zero say in the matter. They were never compensated for their troubles. They could be bought and sold and not even have the opportunity to see their family ever again. That seems worse then worrying about moving. Point – Normal Job // Slavery – 0 : Normal Job – 4
- One could even argue that players are pushed through a system their entire lives, forsaking their education and personal privacy, just to continue to feed an industry that only values them for their physical contribution – Yes, life as a great football player can be tough. You are constantly scrutinized, overworked, and put on display for the public. At times you are “encouraged” to make football your sole focus at the expense of personal relationships and possibly your education. On the other hand, you are adored by your fans, provided with a free education (those who earn full scholarships), and given the opportunity to make far more money than any average American will ever see in their lifetime. Is it really that bad? What you choose to take advantage of or bypass on your rise to the NFL is your choice. That choice is what slaves were lacking. Those opportunities are what slaves were lacking. There is not a single person who would choose a life of forced labor and deplorable working conditions over the life of an NFL star, not one. Point – Normal Job // Slavery – 0 : Normal Job – 5
It seems that when we examine the possible arguments comparing the NFL to slavery, the NFL turns out to be the better job choice.
Let us be serious for a moment though. Slavery is one of the worst things to ever exist. Slavery involved transporting millions and millions of people from Africa across the Atlantic Ocean in abhorrent conditions in which countless people lost their lives. If they were “lucky” enough to survive the trip, slaves were auctioned off to the highest bidder often resulting in the fragmentation of whatever family units were left. The slaves were often taken to plantations where they were forced to work in fields or plantation houses day after day with the whip of an overseer as motivation. Sometimes they were chained, sometimes they were sexually abused, sometimes they were killed. Almost always there were underfed, deprived of an education, deprived of healthcare, and forced to live in conditions that most of us wouldn’t want our pets to live in. In the end, most slaves died as slaves. Whether they were brought into slavery at the age of twenty or were born into slavery, they died as slaves. They never had a chance to choose another path in life or seek out greener pastures. Even today, we still feel the repercussions of slavery. It is and forever will be a permanent stain on America’s history.
I am not saying that Adrian Peterson is a bad person. He could be a very upstanding human being. I do not know him, and I will probably never meet him. However, he made a comparison that should not be taken lightly. We know how awful slavery was. The only thing that should ever be compared to slavery is slavery itself. There is not a job today that should ever be compared to slavery. If your job is that bad, then it probably does not fit the definition of what we consider a job in modern-day America. It is probably something that you have been forced into, and it is likely illegal. Neither of those qualifications fit working for the NFL. I realize that Mr. Peterson is upset with the labor situation that currently exists between the owners and the players in the NFL. I realize that Mr. Peterson thinks the owners are essentially greedy profit mongers. I realize that Mr. Peterson thinks the players are being treated unfairly, himself included. He has a right to be upset, the owners might be profit mongers, and the players might be getting treated unfairly right now. However, understand the history of your country, understand your current position in the world, and choose to make a more appropriate comparison. All Mr. Peterson has to do is look at his neighboring state of Wisconsin to find a much more appropriate comparison of laborers being treated unfairly. He doesn’t have to make a statement that shows both ignorance and disrespect, that causes us to ignore his point completely, and that causes people to question his grasp of the world we live in. For that, Mr. Peterson, You Played Yourself.
Notes :
1http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Adrian-Peterson-gives-readers-a-8220-Double-Ta?urn=nfl-wp206
2 http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html
3 http://www.allbusiness.com/population-demographics/demographic-groups/15141674-1.html
4 http://prezi.com/samcuxdkewcl/player-demographic-analysis-afl-nba-nfl-epl/
5 http://www.georgecurry.com/columns/nfls-coaching-diversity-means-everybody-wins
