Ed. note — Our weekly feature, On the WARRpath takes on the issues that cross our collective paths here at weareregalradio.com and allows all of our well-established sports voices to sound off on the things that are buzzing in the sports world.
After four days of not calling a black security guard “nigger” at a Kenny Chesney concert, Riley Cooper was allowed back into the Philadelphia Eagles training camp today, where I’m sure he’s still very much respected by the majority of his teammates … NOT (c) Borat.
It’s gonna be a tough road to hoe for good ol’ Riley as this season progresses, but he made his bed during that faithful moment when he realized that the guy doing his job at the Chesney concert by not allowing a drunk, belligerent, pony-tailed individual backstage was black and when being drunk and belligerent and white there’s apparently only one effective weapon against minor inconvenience — racist rants.
You have to wonder what has come out ol’ Riley’s mouth in the past when those inconsiderate black guys on the field across from him would do their job and give him the seemingly more-than-minor inconvenience of a good pop with their pads in the middle of the field. Judging by the overall reaction to this controversy, ol’ Riley’s gonna have to expand his vocabulary real soon, starting in his own locker room.
The Eagles, as typical of them, had extenuating circumstances that put them in a tough position to just let ol’ Riley go, Riley being the expected replacement for No. 2 wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, who was lost to the team for the season just before all this went down.
Many say in spite of Cooper’s increased value that he still should be given a pink slip but such decisions are never easy in the NFL, even when everything is sweet. That brings us to this week’s question — given all that we now know about Riley Cooper, would you have him on your team today?
Let’s see what the guys think:
Brian Mazique, WARR contributor: As a self-disgraced employee for a very public organization (Philadelphia Eagles) that operates within another major organization (NFL) that has prided itself on disciplining those that misbehave, it is almost impossible for me to understand how Riley Cooper could maintain his job—at least for now. A release from the Eagles and suspension with pay for four to six games — if he re-signs with another club — seems appropriate based on what we’ve seen handed down to other players who have exhibited poor judgement and bad behavior. At the end of the day, the NFL is a business that seeks to be represented by players who can reasonably symbolize some measure of ethics and morals. Without absorbing some tangible punishment and rehabilitation, Cooper can’t pretend to embody those principles. Demonze Spruiel-Rose, co-host, The D and Davis Show: That’s My Riley Cooper! Yes, I would have the n-word shouting Riley Cooper on my team. What I don’t like about our American society is when someone makes a mistake or is just a plain a-hole the court of public opinion feels they should lose their job or career because of something they said. I know many of us have done or said something we wish we could take back even if we meant it. If I was the owner or a part of the upper management of the Eagles, I would let the locker room take care of this situation. If you didn’t know, African American men make up about 70% of the players in the NFL (ed. note — 67 percent according to the most recent Racial and Gender Report Card). You don’t think the brothas in the Eagles locker room would care to take care of Riley? You don’t think opposing cornerbacks will be drooling at the thought of JACKING UP Mr. Cooper? Now I do believe Riley Cooper should have been fined by both the Eagles (which he was) and the NFL front office (which he was not). Oh yeah, on a side note, Roger Goodell has me looking at him even more side eyed than usual for not punishing Riley Cooper. Goodell is so quick to smack down players who have done something embarrassing to the league yet has not been arrested or done anything illegal but Riley gets a pass? How do you think African Americans in this country will look at you now? The man said he would fight ever n*&%ger on the video, not just the security guard he had a problem with, but every one of them. Really? And people wonder why black folks don’t see the “justice system” in a positive light. But as for Riley, yeah, I would want him on my team, so the family that is the Eagles can take care of its issue like only a family can.
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