More NFL support for NYPD expected today
NFL players will continue to show support for NYPD
For New York Jets defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson the issue was clear, slain NYPD police officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu deserved the support of every American. So he joined other NFL players who recently demonstrated their own support for the officers.
“Some innocent blood was spilled,” Richardson said after the Jets game with the New England Patriots last week according to according to Fox.com.”I’m not with that at all. That’s the message that I’m trying to get across. It’s sad, real sad that two officers lost their lives and can’t go home to their families. It’s just tough, man.”
But Richardson´s declaration was not alone. Teammate Nick Mangold wore a NYPD cap during the singing of the National Anthem at Metlife Stadium. The Jets also held a moment of silence for the officers before the game.
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“Every one of those guys that’s out there, they risk their lives every day,” Mangold said, also according to Fox.com.”They go out there to keep the community safe and for that to happen to those two guys, their families, that’s a raw deal. If wearing that cap gives them a little bit of comfort or shows support for those folks, I’m happy to do it.”
And support for the officers was not limited to the Jets. Giants´ coach Tom Coughlin wore a band and a peace symbol as the Giants played the St. Louis Rams. “Let’s hope that the voice of reason can prevail,” Coughlin said according to Fox.com. “Violence never solves anything.¨
But support for the officers was not limited to New York teams. Players across the league showed their support by writing ¨NYPD¨ on their cleats. Speculation had grown as to whether players would show the same anti-violence stance in all cases.
It is ironic that America´s most violent sport now has center stage in diminishing violence during this critical period of American history. Men who crash into each other for a living now face the monumental task of being role models for peace.
Richardson´s support was particularly noteworthy, since he had been critical of Ferguson Missouri police in the death of Michael Brown. “I just heard that two officers lost their lives sitting in their car, Richardson said. I’m with the peaceful protests and stuff like that, defending your rights. … That’s not the way to go, murdering innocent cops he said according to Fox.com.”
You hear so much these days about living the blessed life. Be blessed, the saying goes. Have yourself a blessed day. That is at the core of what makes us civilized. And it is something the players and coaches who plead for peace are asking everyone to remember.
It would be wonderful if we lived in a fairy tale society where police officers were not necessary. If life was a football game, that would be the case. Everyone would follow the rules, and they would listen to the referees when they didn´t. We would all cheer until the final whistle. Then we would go home, happy if we won, and disappointed if we didn´t. We would forget about it all until next week, when we would return to the stadium and do it all over again.
But life is not a football game. We all know that. Still, the NFL is in a unique position to bring us together. After a touchdown is scored, take a look around the stadium. Look at the people who are cheering for the same touchdown as you. Some of them are white, some are black, some are yellow. Some are in police uniforms, some are not. But none of that tells you which of them are good people and which of them are bad, does it?
The stance the NFL has taken in this is to allow for free expression. That is why Richardson has the right to show his support for both Michael Brown and for the slain police officers. The league is not standing in his way in either instance, and that is how it should be.
So now that players and coaches have had the opportunity to express their feelings, it is time for them to return their focus to the playoffs and the upcoming Super Bowl. Sure, the NFL can be a convenient platform for expression. But in the end, it is you and I that must work it out. Sports figures can bring attention to societal issues. But it is up to society to solve them.