Three million {dollars} (whole) in fines. Two atrocious homeowners. One franchise. The Carolina Panthers are a multitude.
In lower than a decade, an NFL franchise that serves because the “home team” for 2 states has turn into the mannequin of mediocrity relating to displaying us simply how inept sports activities homeowners are — significantly in soccer.
“I am deeply passionate about this team and regret my behavior on Sunday,” Tepper said in a statement after he was caught on video tossing drinks at opposing followers and fined $300,000. “I should have let NFL stadium security handle any issues that arose. I respect the NFL’s code of conduct and accept the League’s discipline for my behavior.”
Followers have started a petition to take away Tepper from his place. The Panthers have one of many worst records in the NFL over the previous couple of seasons. And the team has been nothing but a disaster since Tepper bought them, with money, in 2018. Earlier than Tepper, Carolina was coming off a run wherein they’d gained the NFC South in 2013, made it to the Divisional Spherical in 2014, went to the Tremendous Bowl and had an MVP in Cam Newton in 2015, stumbled in 2016, and bounced again by going 11-5 and making the playoffs in 2017. Since Tepper, the Panthers haven’t had a successful season and 6 males have served as their full-time or interim head coach.
Terribleness inside the proprietor’s suite in Charlotte isn’t a brand new factor, it existed earlier than Tepper even confirmed up.
“I believe that it is time to turn the franchise over to new ownership,’’ the late Jerry Richardson wrote in a statement in 2017. He was fined $2.75M after an investigation uncovered a team that was run by a racist who sexually harassed women. “Therefore, I will put the team up for sale at the conclusion of this NFL season. We will not begin the sale process, nor will we entertain any inquiries, until the very last game is played.’’
A Sports Illustrated story from that year reported that Richardson had made confidential payouts for workplace misconduct that included sexual harassment, as well as using the N-word.
“Show me how you wiggle to get those jeans up. I bet you had to lay down on your bed to fit into those jeans. Did you step into those jeans or did you have to jump into them?” are a number of the issues Richardson reportedly mentioned to ladies on Fridays which had been “Jeans Day.” It was additionally reported that Richarson used the “seatbelt maneuver,” wherein he would insist on fastening ladies’s seatbelts for them in order that he might brush his hand throughout their breasts.
That is the league wherein ladies are hardly ever in energy to run franchises, which is predicated on misogyny. That is the league that has by no means had a majority Black proprietor, which is predicated on racism. That is the league that may hold round white males like Richardson and Tepper for so long as they’ll, or ones that get caught up in prostitution rings, which is predicated on capitalism.
The Carolina Panthers have back-to-back failed possession tenures as a result of actions of males who ought to have by no means been allowed to manage franchises in America’s prime skilled league. So the following time possession modifications palms within the NFL and ladies and Black individuals are excluded, know that it’s as a result of the NFL isn’t involved with the unhealthy PR that males like Jerry Richardson and Dave Tepper convey to the league. Why? As a result of they understand it won’t stop you from watching.
