Oct 2, 2020 3 min read

Roger Goodell and the NFL, in its infinite wisdom, has struck again. The Washington Redksins are now known as the “Washington Football Team,” after feeling pressure from big-mouth Cris Collinsworth on his Sunday night soapbox, claiming the original nickname was disrespectful to Native Americans.

To start with, referring to descendants of the indigenous people of this country as “Native American” could be equally offensive. The late great curmudgeon, Mr. Robert D. Raiford, used to refer to our country as “The United States of the Offended.”

If people are offended by the term Redskins, then Major League Baseball needs to address the Cleveland Indians, who at one time were known as the Cleveland Naps. Next, get the government to address the state of Oklahoma, which translates basically to “Red People.”

The window dressing that the NFL puts on the Washington move is nothing to a race of people who have been the most neglected, discriminated against and abused in our nation.

Goodell and the NFL have ponied up and opened their checkbooks to Black Lives Matter but have done abosolutely zero for the true indigenous people. The multi-billion dollar industry that is the NFL has more than enough cash to help the people who truly need it.

Changing the name to the Washington Football Team does about as much good for these people as dropping the nickname “Bullets” from the NBA team did to curb violence in Baltimore.

“Monday Night Football” will no longer air the national anthem and the NFL continues to allow players kneel during the anthem’s playing. Hey, Roger, are you sensitive enough to realize that people are offended by this as well?

This nation is far from perfect but Goodell and the NFL are missing the boat. When five Dallas police officers were ambushed and killed, Dallas Cowboys team owner Jerry Jones wanted to honor them with a decal to be worn on their helmets. His request was denied and was told that it might offend somebody.

I’d like to see the NFL players honor true fallen heroes by wearing their names on their helmets, as did Tyler Eifert and Alejandro Villanueva. They should be honoring fallen soldiers and officers who put their life on the line daily.

The Steelers’ Maurkice Pouncey recently removed the name from his helmet after he did research on the case. Pouncey has been active with law enforcement officers and showed his respect in the removal. Bottom line is Eifert, Villanueva and Pouncey are doing the right thing, but I feel in the long run, their efforts will be frowned upon.

Four years ago in Chicago, Villanueva, who is a combat veteran, stood with his hand over his heart during the playing of the national anthem while the rest of the team stayed in the tunnel. That week, the Steelers held a press conference at which he made a formal apology to his teammates. I doubt that it was his choice.

This country is far from perfect but the actions of Goodell and the league is far from the shot in the arm that it needs.

Frank Trapuzzano

Washington