# Adrian Peterson: What SHOULD the NFL and the Vikings do? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 15, 2014, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrian-peterson-what-should-the-nfl-and-the-vikings-do/698539 "2014-09-15T06:22:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrian-peterson-what-should-the-nfl-and-the-vikings-do/698539/21 "2014-09-16T02:12:18Z")
> [@Emiliana](#): > > [Another shoe dropped](http://www.khou.com/story/news/investigations/2014/09/15/new-accusations-peterson-injured-another-son-while-disciplining-4-year-old/15693941/). > > How many four year olds does the guy have? Seriously. Is that three different women with whom he’s had children out of wedlock? I don’t care about that per se, but the hypocrisy does bother me. He’s very outspoken about being a devout Christian, he’s against gay marriage, etc. Oddly, that irks me more than the beatings, though obviously the latter is a much bigger sin. ---
**Author:** ![Pixel\_Dent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Pixel\_Dent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixel_Dent)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrian-peterson-what-should-the-nfl-and-the-vikings-do/698539/22 "2014-09-16T15:04:40Z")
To answer the original question, in my very humble opinion the league should. 1. He should be suspended for the season 2. Before training camp next year he can be reinstated at the discretion of the commissioner if he is attending parenting classes. 3. If he ever strikes another unarmed human he’s out of the league. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrian-peterson-what-should-the-nfl-and-the-vikings-do/698539/23 "2014-09-16T15:33:03Z")
At this point does it matter what the NFL does? They lost me over the Michael Vick situation. They lost other fans over Rice. Still, their product remains viable. At this point do the remaining fans really care? ---
**Author:** ![Pixel\_Dent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Pixel\_Dent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixel_Dent)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrian-peterson-what-should-the-nfl-and-the-vikings-do/698539/24 "2014-09-16T16:28:14Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > At this point does it matter what the NFL does? They lost me over the Michael Vick situation. They lost other fans over Rice. Still, their product remains viable. At this point do the remaining fans really care? Every year, obviously, older fans die and newer fans are born. It may not make much of a difference today, but what they do today will affect the popularity of the league in 10 or 20 years. I’m not going to stop watching over this. I play in too many fantasy leagues and have 40 years of emotional attachment to my team. However, my son started playing football and watching the NFL just this year. He’s not much older than the child that Peterson beat. At some point he’ll learn about these issues and decide for himself if he’ll be a fan in the future. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrian-peterson-what-should-the-nfl-and-the-vikings-do/698539/25 "2014-09-16T16:42:14Z")
> [@Pixel\_Dent](#): > > He’s not much older than the child that Peterson beat. I agree with most of what you said, but I would replace “the child” with “the children” . ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrian-peterson-what-should-the-nfl-and-the-vikings-do/698539/26 "2014-09-16T18:50:13Z")
Indefinite suspension. Don’t even think about letting him back until at least 2016, and then only if he shows sincere intent to rehabilitate himself. I’m mindful of the need to not rush to judgment, but I don’t see any reason to “let the legal system run its course” in this case. We’ve seen the pictures of the child’s wounds and Peterson has publicly admitted to inflicting said wounds – what more do we need? If for some reason those pictures are deemed inadmissible in court and Peterson isn’t convicted of anything, would anyone argue that the NFL should let him off the hook? At least the Vikings as of now are only the second most despicable organization in the league, since as far as I know they haven’t announced that the child regrets the role he played in the incident. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrian-peterson-what-should-the-nfl-and-the-vikings-do/698539/27 "2014-09-16T19:58:10Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I agree with most of what you said, but I would replace “the child” with “the children” . Whenever someone says “I was beaten and I turned out ok”, I want to say - no you didn’t, you turned out as a person who thinks it’s good to beat children. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrian-peterson-what-should-the-nfl-and-the-vikings-do/698539/28 "2014-09-17T00:38:42Z")
Just for context, what are the latest data on general American view on corporal punishment? ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrian-peterson-what-should-the-nfl-and-the-vikings-do/698539/29 "2014-09-17T01:21:03Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Just for context, what are the latest data on general American view on corporal punishment? Looks like [~70% pro](http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/americans-opinions-on-spanking-vary-by-party-race-region-and-religion/), varying a bit depending on demography. Of course pro-spanking isn’t the same as pro-abuse - [this fellow](http://www.forbes.com/sites/gregorymcneal/2014/09/16/adrian-petersons-indefensible-abuse-of-a-4-year-old-likely-violates-texas-law/) argues that under Texas law ( which certainly allows spanking ) Peterson might be toast if the allegations prove out. ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrian-peterson-what-should-the-nfl-and-the-vikings-do/698539/30 "2014-09-17T01:49:24Z")
> [@VarlosZ](#): > > I have literally never seen anyone make this argument. Rosie O’Donnell just made essentially that [argument](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/15/the-view-return-rosie-ray-rice_n_5823824.html). People say that type of stuff fairly often. > [@kopek](#): > > With Vick already paving the way I’m basically saying we rename the Eagles the Leper Colony. Vick plays for the Jets. > [@VarlosZ](#): > > Seriously. Is that three different women with whom he’s had children out of wedlock? I don’t care about that per se, but the hypocrisy does bother me. He’s very outspoken about being a devout Christian, he’s against gay marriage, etc. Oddly, that irks me more than the beatings, though obviously the latter is a much bigger sin. Interestingly enough, he was asked how many kids he has and he [declined](http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/228979291.html) to answer. However, the [rumor](http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/961314-adrian-peterson-number-of-kids-how-many-sons-daughters-does-ap-have/) is he has/had at least 7 kids by a number of different women. As far as punishment, I am not sure the NFL can justify doing much given how conflicted people are on the issue of corporal punishment. It’s obvious AP went too far, and that the scientific evidence is pretty clear that physical punishment is a sub optimal corrective measure in almost all cases, but the law is still behind the evidence and so are many people’s attitudes. This [article](http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2014/09/adrian_peterson_and_corporal_punishment_in_america_it_s_largely_legal.2.html) outlines some of my concerns: > [@](#): > > Not a single legislature in the United States, however, has outlawed spanking in the home—and 19 states still permit corporal punishment in schools, a practice the Supreme Court condoned as constitutional in 1977. More troublingly, most states’ child abuse statutes are broad enough to allow an array of corporal punishment. The Texas statute under which Peterson was charged criminalizes “bodily injury” to a child “recklessly, or with criminal negligence.” But Texas courts have held that parents may still physically punish their children with a limited degree of force when such punishment is “necessary to discipline [the] child or to safeguard or promote his welfare.” > > Peterson’s case reveals a broader problem with America’s child-abuse laws: It’s surprisingly difficult to tell where legal corporal punishment ends and criminal child abuse begins—and so long as the former is allowed, the latter seems bound to occur. The fear of overlap between physical discipline and illegal abuse is part of what spurred Sweden to outlaw corporal punishment, including spanking, in 1977. Since then, nearly 40 countries have followed suit. But physical punishment remains legal in every single U.S. state. > > That doesn’t seem likely to change any time soon. In 2007, lawmakers in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, and California briefly considered anti-spanking bills, but the attempts quickly fizzled following widespread outrage. In 2012, Delaware did pass a law tightening restrictions on corporal punishment in the home by forbidding parents from inflicting “physical injury to a child through unjustified force.” Although the bill’s sponsors repeatedly explained that spanking would not qualify as “unjustified force” under the statute, some parents still complained, claiming that the law amounted to a spanking ban. By far the most vocal proponents of corporal punishment in America are conservative Christians, some of whom believe that the Bible verse about the rod should be taken literally. To these Christians, physical discipline is a necessary component of raising children. > > So extreme is conservatives’ support of corporal punishment, in fact, that Senate Republicans have repeatedly blocked America’s ratification of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child. The treaty is designed to stop child trafficking, prostitution, and pornography, as well as the use of children in military conflicts. But conservatives believe that it would also outlaw spanking. This is unlikely, given that scores of countries that practice corporal punishment have signed without a conflict. But American conservatives seem to have successfully made their case against the treaty to the two-thirds of Americans who spank their children. (Only two countries in the world have not ratified the treaty: The United States and Somalia.) Given these basics disagreements, how can the NFL logically justify punishing him? I suppose they can argue he is hurting their brand and because of bad publicity, but I would bet a majority of their audience doesn’t think he did anything particularly wrong. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrian-peterson-what-should-the-nfl-and-the-vikings-do/698539/31 "2014-09-17T01:52:19Z")
I want Roger Goodell to cane him. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrian-peterson-what-should-the-nfl-and-the-vikings-do/698539/32 "2014-09-17T02:13:55Z")
> [@brickbacon](#): > > Given these basics disagreements, how can the NFL logically justify punishing him? I suppose they can argue he is hurting their brand and because of bad publicity, but I would bet a majority of their audience doesn’t think he did anything particularly wrong. I’ll take that bet. How much do you wanna put on your position? I happened to be in the States the last couple of days and this came up a lot, and I had occasion to talk about it with some conservative-looking men, white and black, all sorts of people, and every single person thought Peterson committed a crime. Spanking is one thing, whipping a child like a slave is another. ---
**Author:** ![JesterX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/439d5e/32.png) [@JesterX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JesterX)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrian-peterson-what-should-the-nfl-and-the-vikings-do/698539/33 "2014-09-17T02:14:25Z")
I find it awfully hard to believe a grown man can lash a 4 year old that many times and not derive some sort of gratification/enjoyment from it. Having said that, I thought the Vikings first reaction was fine. Suspend him pending the criminal case. Figure that would go on for at least a season. I would tack on maybe two more games if convicted (since he’d already missed at least 16), and time served if acquitted. Next offense would warrant cancel of contract. ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrian-peterson-what-should-the-nfl-and-the-vikings-do/698539/34 "2014-09-17T02:26:37Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I’ll take that bet. How much do you wanna put on your position? > > I happened to be in the States the last couple of days and this came up a lot, and I had occasion to talk about it with some conservative-looking men, white and black, all sorts of people, and every single person thought Peterson committed a crime. Spanking is one thing, whipping a child like a slave is another. Do they disagree with corporal punishment like most evolved people, or do they think he “went too far”. Because the latter point seems to be more common in my experience, and is not enough of a distinction (IMO) to make a convincing moral case to those people that he should get really harsh punishment. It’s also hard for the NFL to drop the hammer on AP not _because_ he beat his kids, but because he left marks and evidence. It don’t think the distinction is a basis of outrage and moral indignation with a huge chunk of the NFL audience. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrian-peterson-what-should-the-nfl-and-the-vikings-do/698539/35 "2014-09-17T06:58:15Z")
[Peterson required to remain away from all team activities until legal issues resolved](http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/17/us/adrian-peterson-child-abuse-charges/index.html). So they flipped. Then they flopped. Now they’re flipping again. ---
**Author:** ![Boogly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Boogly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boogly)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrian-peterson-what-should-the-nfl-and-the-vikings-do/698539/36 "2014-09-17T08:43:31Z")
I’m of two minds. Emotions say that he should receive stiff punishment yesterday. But how can you punish someone who isn’t found guilty? With the caveat that I expect that the NFL will do what it can to produce exciting games and people with a lot of money can lawyer up and get favorable decisions. What does the Dope think of a Players Council? Take punishment out of the Leagues domain. Scenario: When Rice is initially implicated in the domestic violence a the Players Council convenes. Testimony to be secret and legally (somehow) protected against use in criminal/civil court (so they give their whole story, maybe). The Players Council says if you are found innocent nothing happens. If you plea out to a lesser charge you receive ‘x’ punishment. If you are found guilty of what you are charged with you receive ‘y’ punishment. If it is later found that you really fucked up you receive ‘z’ punishment. Player A is charged with a misdemeanor that can give up to a year punishment. Player A found innocent and nothing happens. Player A pleas out to a lesser charge to receives half of the punishment; 6 months out of the game to be served after fulfilling criminal penalties. Player A is found guilty and he gets 1 year suspension after serving his sentence. Player A is found innocent/pleas/found guilty of said crime and more information is brought up and his punishment is twice the criminal court and he is suspended 2 years. I doubt that this would work. Another layers of political BS; another way for players to dodge blame. But maybe players would be concerned with how players are viewed in the league. Misdemeanor crimes would be wildly over punished vs felonies. What would a timeline for additional info be? I lack the knowledge that would put something in place and my idealism of self policing may not even be feasible. ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrian-peterson-what-should-the-nfl-and-the-vikings-do/698539/37 "2014-09-17T12:25:00Z")
[Reggie Bush folks.](http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/detroit-lions-reggie-bush-will-harshly-discipline-daughter-if-situation-arises-091614) Please. For all that is holy, PLEASE stop letting athletes speak. Just put in their contracts that they can’t speak or else. Not even at the grocery store or 7-11. Maybe not even in their own houses. It never goes well. EVER. What an ass… ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrian-peterson-what-should-the-nfl-and-the-vikings-do/698539/38 "2014-09-17T12:33:44Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#): > > [Reggie Bush folks.](http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/detroit-lions-reggie-bush-will-harshly-discipline-daughter-if-situation-arises-091614) > > Please. For all that is holy, PLEASE stop letting athletes speak. Just put in their contracts that they can’t speak or else. Not even at the grocery store or 7-11. Maybe not even in their own houses. It never goes well. EVER. What an ass… I believe we should amend the constitution to avoid endless legal problems with your excellent suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrian-peterson-what-should-the-nfl-and-the-vikings-do/698539/39 "2014-09-17T14:48:37Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Whenever someone says “I was beaten and I turned out ok”, I want to say - no you didn’t, you turned out as a person who thinks it’s good to beat children. You would be wrong. I was spanked, sometimes with a belt. While I do think that, on **rare** occasions a **single** , stinging slap on a fleshy part (buttocks or behind) simply to get attention to the parent **might** be called for, I did not turn out as a person who thinks it’s good to beat children. B does not have to follow A. Two now-grown children - each one needed it exactly once, and both were given plenty of opportunity to avoid it. The rarity said that “this meant business”; they probably both thought “he’s not going to do it”. Nothing is ever black and white across the whole population. ---
**Author:** ![Zyanthia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Zyanthia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyanthia)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrian-peterson-what-should-the-nfl-and-the-vikings-do/698539/40 "2014-09-17T14:57:35Z")
The NFL should do nothing. I don’t understand why people want the NFL to be a dictatorship that runs roughshod over people. The justice system should deal with him, and while he’s serving his penalty in the justice system, he should be ineligible to play. Once he’s served his punishment, he should be allowed back in. I don’t see people jumping on the band wagon to prevent Actors, Actuaries, Artists, Engineers, Politicians etc who perform illegal activities from ever working in their field again, and I don’t feel professional athletes should be treated in any differently. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrian-peterson-what-should-the-nfl-and-the-vikings-do/698539.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrian-peterson-what-should-the-nfl-and-the-vikings-do/698539.md?page=3)