The mystery of the vanishing Rolling Stone NFL column
Rolling Stone columnist Jeb Lund wrote a scathing piece on the National Football League yesterday, which was published by the magazine’s website, then promptly removed soon after.
The NFL is not without its detractors. These days, the league is battling a slew of controversies that would otherwise topple virtually any other corporation of a smaller scale.
In steps Jeb Lund, a columnist for Rolling Stone magazine. When given the freedom to express one’s opinions in print, many decide to take the ball and run with it, and that is exactly what Mr. Lund did. Rolling Stone backed him, albeit it momentarily. His article, a scathing review of the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell, was taken down shortly after publication.
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Why was such a piece removed after being reviewed and given the green light for publishing? By Lund’s own admission, the article was taken down “for a project.” What might that be? Apparently, we are not at liberty to know; information again stemming from the columnist himself. What can be surmised is that the tone and message of the original article were not fit for publication on a website as mainstream as Rolling Stone — but that’s all speculation and not based off any fact whatsoever.
Truthfully, with the way the league has handled things this year, it is hard not to be hard on everyone. On top of everything we already have heard about ad nauseam, the NFL has been dealing with fallout from domestic and child abuse cases, as well as issues regarding the safety of players upon retirement as a result of complications stemming from head trauma.
It is a PR nightmare, for any organization. The worst part is that the league has done a relatively ineffective job of addressing these matters.
That is where Lund’s argument is founded, and is likely the basis for his frustrations with the game. Give it a read through if you are truly curious. His opinions are not unfounded, and most will likely agree. Whether or not his sentiments align with your own; that is a call we cannot make.
H/T Deadspin
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