Brian Cushing Re-vote Sends the Wrong Message
May 17, 2010 by rabernethy · Leave a Comment
Congratulations to Brian Cushing for winning the rookie of the year award again. After receiving a four game suspension for the use of performance enhancing drugs, The Houston Texans Linebacker received the award for the second time after the league called a re-vote.
The most head scratching part of this story is not so much the suspension, but the re-vote on the rookie of the year award. In most sports, athletes are stripped of their medals, titles, or awards for using these substances.
By allowing him to keep the award, is the NFL sending the wrong message about the use of performance enhancing drugs? Is there a more appropriate way to handle this issue?
The NFL’s recent action is sending the wrong message and the main reason is they haven’t had anyone pushing them to do so. The NFL and other leagues have escaped scrutiny and investigation during the last decade because all eyes were on Major League Baseball and their problems with steroid use. Consequently, the NFL has not made a concerted effort to really address the issue. By the NFL allowing for a re-vote on the rookie of the year award, they are basically telling their fans and players that they really do not take this problem seriously. Read more
