Whilst we rarely comment on sport – across the pond this week – the Los Vegas Raiders coach resigned due to the publication of decade old e-mails that he had sent which contained derogatory remarks about individuals within the NFL hierarchy and the union leader that represents the players.
Naturally the Globalist media have solely focused on the e-mail content – and “who cares” about the career and public standing of this individual which is now completely destroyed. As always, they selectively remember Article 10 of the Human Rights Act – freedom of expression – “that this right shall include freedom to hold opinions (not just the liberals) and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference”
But the question we ask – is who leaked these private e-mails (very likely a person or persons within the NFL – and why)
The e-mails were uncovered during an NFL investigation into the Washington Redskins football team – during sexual harassment charges against the organisation (an organisation that Jon Gruden the Raider coach was not part of) – an investigation that was closed with no charges and no report issued.
And yet months later – out of the 650,000 e-mails that were read as part of the above investigation – a couple of e-mails were selectively and maliciously leaked to the globalist media covering solely Gruden. No e-mail was released to show the context or the replies in which these e-mails fall.
So why the leak?
Was it to increase the chances of the NFL players union leader being re-elected – as Mike Florio a NFL journalist and commentator wrote “Others wonder whether the NFL was trying to help NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith secure enough votes to remain on the job, in lieu of having a new executive director who may feel compelled to show up and start potential trouble for the league”?
And if the NFL is innocent of this leak – why are they not launching an investigation into the leak? We can fully understand now, why Tom Brady – the most famous NFL player, destroyed his mobile phone rather than hand it over to NFL investigators – and we expect all personnel will now follow this new “Brady playbook”
Or does the NFL want to hold this trove of personal e-mails and launch vendettas against anyone it deems “an enemy of the NFL hierarchy”
Attorneys for 40 former Washington Football Team employees (and the sexual misconduct charges against the former Redskins) released this statement
“It is truly outrageous that after the NFL’s 10-month long investigation involving hundreds of witnesses and 650,000 documents related to the long-time culture of harassment and abuse at the Washington Football Team, the only person to be held accountable and lose their job is the coach of the Las Vegas Raiders,” the statement read.
“Our clients and the public at large deserve transparency and accountability. If not, the NFL and Roger Goodell must explain why they appear intent on protecting the Washington Football Team and owner Dan Snyder at all costs.”
We hope that investigative reporters look into this aspect of the case – who leaked, under whose authority and why.
And this side of the pond we can only wish that British NFL journalists / commentators – whilst having every right to criticize the e-mail content also asks this side question – “who is holding the smoking gun”…but our fear is – at least in Britain this will not be the case – as here our NFL journalists seem to prize an interview with the NFL hierarchy as similar to an “audience with the Pope” – where their job is “just to kiss the ring”