Far reaching and lasting impact of bounty scandal – NFL Feature
Cleveland Browns linebacker Scott Fujita found himself cuddling his little baby daughter who rested besides him in a hospital bed while he recovered from a minor knee procedure a couple of months ago.
The player held his daughter closer to him tight, but his mind was set on something else, something he finds very disturbing, very bothering. It is the bounty scandal that the National Football League (NFL) unearthed through an investigation a few months
back.
It has rocked the entire league since being surfaced. Scott is one of alleged financial contributors to the bounty fund – a reward-for-hit programme that was in covert operation at the New Orleans Saints while Scott was their player.
The player has denied his involvement categorically despite being handed down a ban by the league office. In spite of the denial, Scott finds it difficult to come to the terms as far as implications of the scandal are concerned. It is not just his reputation
that is on line at present, he thinks far ahead. He thinks of his family, future of his kids.
While holding his daughter in the hospital bed he asked himself an honest question: What she will think of him when she browses through history of his dad in the future and finds his name in the alleged perpetrators of the bounty programme?
He becomes speechless. It is not known what future bears for her, but Fujita does not want to take chances as far his credibility is concerned.
He is furious inside about the entire saga, its impact on his stature as a player and his record. His worry is eased to an extent that a court of law, which was moved by other players who have become alleged subjects of the fund, has overruled league’s decision
of players’ suspension. This pleases Fujita to an extent, but does not settle him down. Next step he took was to meet the NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
Irrespective of the outcome of the meeting, Fujita seems to have been doing what he thinks is right, and what he thinks can help to clear his name from the scandal. It is not rare to Fujita only to be so sensitive about his kids’ future, almost all parents
share the same sentiments towards their children. It is a fight for the honour for him, and in the fight he sees himself as much on the stake as future of his family.
This is something that must go in the history books. It might please his daughter or any other member of the family. Let’s say his daughter finds his name in the list of perpetrators of the programme, she should be pleased to an extent if finds that her
daddy fought hard to get his name cleared, for her sake.
It might also preserve credibility of the player and make him a genuine figure in eyes of his children that he took the matter so seriously. So they can be proud of him, and can mention his name without being ashamed.
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