Thursday, July 18, 1996

Now, it's time for the NFL to levy a harsher penalty than the Texas courts did against Michael Irvin

By By Gary Peterson
Knight-Ridder Newspapers

CONTRA COSTA, Calif. (KRT) - We interrupt this rollicking session of the Court of Public Opinion for a question.

On what grounds are we preparing to tie tin cans to Michael Irvin's tail?

The Dallas Cowboys' arrogant, philandering, plea-copping, self-absorbed wide receiver is guilty of a great many things. Chiefly arrogance, philandering, copping a plea and self-absorption.

The tidal wave of outrage currently rolling Irvin's way was generated by honest and understandable emotion. People, mainly those who do not include group sex among their leisure activities, want his head mounted on a first down marker.

As far as vengeance, however, the criminal justice system is now out of the picture. Irvin's preposterously favorable plea bargain is the legal equivalent of one of his quick-footed moves off the line of scrimmage it has delivered him into the open field, where he can be neither touched nor caught.

He was given four years' probation, 800 hours of community service and ordered to undergo substance-abuse and psychiatric counseling. If he minds himself during his four-year probation, he will never serve a day in jail. Those sanctions amount to nothing more to a slap on the wristband.
In the wake of that unsatisfying denouement, all eyes are turning to the National Football League. The prevailing hope is that professional football can provide the kind of butt-kicking sanctions that jurisprudence could not.


Well, it can. And word is, it will.
According to news reports, a source inside the NFL indicated that Irvin would most likely be suspended for the first four weeks of the upcoming season. This is the same punishment recently meted out to former Steelers running back Bam Morris, who pleaded guilty to marijuana possession last month.

This revelation is not so much satisfying as it is troubling. Note the distinction. Morris admitted his guilt. Irvin pleaded no contest, which is not an admission of guilt. As incriminating as the evidence and damning as the testimony in his aborted trial was, Irvin has not legally been proven guilty of anything more substantive than being a supremely slimy human being.

Yet the NFL would lump Irvin with Morris, an admitted felon. And with Packers quarterback Brett Favre, who two months ago revealed a dependence upon painkillers and enrolled himself into a drug treatment program. And Bears defensive back Donnell Woolford, who was convicted July 2 of driving while intoxicated.

If such enforcement of the league substance-abuse policy seems a bit whimsical and arbitrary, that's because it is. The NFL is putting itself above the law, which is the one transgression of Irvin's that drew the most outrage.

Irvin's alleged threats against the topless dancer scheduled to testify at his trial (especially the boast that "I can score a touchdown and people will love me again") were perhaps the most sickening aspect of this story. It let you know, in no uncertain terms, that he considered himself above any legal or moral accountability.

Now here comes the NFL doing the same thing. Morris, the admitted pot possessor? Four weeks. Irvin, who has admitted to and been convicted of nothing? Most likely four weeks. Favre and Woolford? So far, free pass.

As much as you would like to see Irvin's chops busted, you have to wonder about the arbitrary nature of these punishments. On what basis is commissioner Paul Tagliabue making these judgments? Merit? Impulse? The size of the headlines in the morning paper?

"The commissioner has latitude. He is not bound by any specific guideline," said NFL spokesman Greg Aiello.

Sounds a little big brotherish, wouldn't you say?

This is in no way intended to be a defense of Irvin. He hired high-priced attorneys to perform that duty. Talk about supremely slimy human beings, check out their take on Tuesday's events:

Defense attorney Kevin Clancy: "You think 800 hours (of community service) is easy? No. It's going to be difficult. It's about as tough as playing in the NFL."

Lead attorney Don Godwin: "The outcome of this case is going to be very positive in the life of Michael Irvin."

We'll see. Irvin has lost weekly television and radio shows in Dallas, as well as endorsements for a local car dealer, Nike, Southwest Airlines and Dr Pepper.

And how would you like to be Irvin trying to explain all this to his wife, Sandi? Maybe he can call Hugh Grant for pointers.

If that doesn't strike you as suitable punishment, well, life's not fair.

Fortunately for gridiron vigilantes, neither is the NFL. We now return you to this rollicking session of the Court of Public Opinion.

(c) 1996, Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, Calif.). Distributed by Knight-Ridder/Tribune Information Services.

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