In the interest of full disclosure, I have been a rabid Pittsburgh Steeler fan ever since 1955, when I was 10 years old. Up until today, I had decided to write a very favorable post on the team. With a little further checking, I have decided to award only half a kudo.
The kudo was based on their recent handling of the controversy regarding one of their players, wideout Cedric Wilson. In January, Wilson's girlfriend was involved in a situation in which, after a fight with the player, she fired a couple of shots and barricaded herself in Wilson's Pittsburgh-area house for several hours.
Then in March, Wilson walked into a Pittsburgh restaurant and punched his erstwhile girlfriend in the face, subsequent to which, he was arrested. Within 24 hours, the Steelers announced that they had released Wilson.
Good for them.
Unfortunately, recently, another Steeler, linebacker James Harrison, was also arrested for assaulting his girlfriend-an incident that I had been unaware of until today. Unlike Wilson, Harrison had blossomed as a player this past year, making the Pro Bowl. Wilson has been a journeyman receiver during his career with no notable achievements. This has raised the question of whether performance has been a factor in the treatment of these two players. So for that, only half a kudo to the Steelers.
Though no sports franchise can avoid the embarrassment of having some of their players getting into trouble, the Steelers' record has up till now, been pretty good in dealing with these issues. Indeed, the Steelers have traditionally been an integral part of the Pittsburgh community, a family-owned franchise that has suffered very few black marks.
The most notable example of a Steeler getting into trouble was during the 1970s, when Ernie Holmes, a member of the Steel Curtain defensive line, suffering from mental problems, starting shooting at cars on a turnpike. He was subsequently sent to a mental hospital.
Another embarrassment for the franchise was when Hall of Fame center, Mike Webster died. Webster, who was retired and suffering from mental illness, spent much of his last years homeless in Pittsburgh. Many asked why the Steelers did not do more to help Webster (who apparently never asked for help).
Yet overall, the Steelers franchise has had a better record than most other teams in the NFL (often referred to as the National Felon League). When star linebacker Ray Lewis was charged with murder, the only thing the Baltimore Ravens cared about was getting him back on the field. Though charges were dropped in a deal for Lewis' testimony, the cloud still hangs over his head.
Similarly, when Kobe Bryant was charged with rape a few years back, the only issue in LA seemed to be whether the Lakers would lose their franchise player. The charges went away when the girl refused to testify, but the cloud still hangs over Bryant's head. People will always wonder whether he is a rapist.
The Wilson case in Pittsburgh brings up a point that I think is often overlooked in sports, both collegiate and professional. When a university recruits a player or when a professional team signs a player, they are, in effect, importing that person into their community. If said player behaves poorly or commits a crime in that community, don't the schools or pro teams have a responsibility to their community for the actions of the players? I think they do.
That is why I applaud the Steelers for their response in releasing Wilson. It was their duty to the city of Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, it does appear that the quality of the player involved will always be a factor.
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