The NFL season is weeks away, yet the brain-dead idiocy has already started. No sooner had football fans in the US allowed the dust to settle on a tumultuous campaign littered with domestic violence, drug abuse and child abuse, another fool has joined the party.
Step forward Jason Pierre-Paul, Super Bowl-winning defensive end for the New York Giants. A 26 year-old with a $14.8 million season-long contract waiting to be signed.
A man who gave common sense the finger – quite literally – and put his whole future at risk after mishandling a firework which resulted in one of his digits – the right index – being amputated.
The burns to his arms and his dislocated thumb have added extra problems to a situation which is both sad and incomprehensible, in equal measure. Yes, this is even worse than former Giant Plaxico Burress (right) shooting himself in the leg at a nightclub in 2009.
All walks of life have their miscreants and wrong-doers. Yet, those who play in the NFL really do excel themselves. A toxic combination of money, hubris and not knowing what to do with it all usually breeds disaster.
Celebrating Independence Day on July 4 in Miami, Pierre-Paul, clearly not a bright spark, thought it would be a great idea to have a transit van full of fireworks be delivered for everyone to enjoy.
Now, no one is stopping anyone from having fun (and it still remains unclear as details continue to emerge), yet considering these multi-millionaire sports stars want for nothing and seemingly have members of staff to clean their shoes and tie their laces, heaven only knows why he was even touching the fireworks in the first place.
It displays a breathtaking lack of common sense, which depressingly categorises athletic heroes of this generation.
On the same day, Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback CJ Wilson had two fingers amputated following a similar incident.
While Pierre-Paul has been offered that lucrative deal in the hope of breathing fire back into the Giants after a miserable year, Wilson’s future appears permanently burned.
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His $585,000 base salary for the forthcoming season is not guaranteed – he can be cut at any time.
However, don’t expect franchise owners to show any sympathy.
This is top-level sport, a hard-nosed business where the titans of today become the nobodies of tomorrow, tossed on the scrap heap in favour of the new breed. Ones with, presumably, all 10 fingers.
The Giants’ defensive plans revolve around JPP. They withdrew their long-term $60 million offer in wake of the incident (ironically, it was likely going to be rejected), yet he remains a big hitter, while Wilson is just another player.
Ask most children whether it’s dangerous to play with fireworks and you will get a standard response. It doesn’t matter who you are, the answer remains the same.
Both players in question know how important their hands are. Careers depend on catching and throwing balls, making tackles, yanking and pulling opponents.
How will Jason Pierre-Paul’s injury impact his performance on the field? @WillieMcGinest discusses: http://t.co/3ZMeYerMsy
— NFL Total Access (@NFLTotalAccess) July 9, 2015
Already, medical experts are painting a bleak picture of recovery. If, as reported, the entire bone of JPP’s right index finger, which stretched all the way to his palm, was amputated, the strength in his hand will never be the same.
“There’s no guarantee he can be the defensive end he was. It changes your hand forever and narrows the palm,” said New Jersey hand surgeon Kevin Roenbeck who also stressed some people lose up to 35 percent of their strength when losing an index finger, others as little as five to 10 percent.
Factor in the third-degree burns sustained to his arm and the prospect of Pierre-Paul rocking up to the Giants’ pre-season training at the end of July is up in smoke.
Pierre-Paul is determined to pass a physical first because if he signs now and then is unable to play, he would be placed on the non-football injury list and potentially miss at least the first six games, which would enable the franchise to avoid paying up.
By playing the waiting game, Pierre-Paul controls the time of his return and keeps destiny in his own battered hands.
Golf
Not for the first time, Donald Trump’s mouth has cost him dearly.
The controversial business magnate, who also is running for President of the United States, has seen the golf course he owns in Los Angeles denied the chance to host the Grand Slam of Golf by the PGA of America following his outrageously racist comments about Mexican immigrants.
Trump, who on the Golf Channel insisted that he receive support from people inside the sport because ‘they know I am right’ was said to have mutually agreed to the PGA’s stance.
The tournament, which is held from October 19-21, is a 36-hole exhibition for the four major champions of the year, and was to be staged at Trump’s course, along with the PGA Junior League Championship.
“I have great respect for the PGA of America and everything they stand for,” said Trump through gritted teeth.
Next time, Donald, perhaps you should engage your brain before speaking.
MLS
The insistence to schedule a season which doesn’t fall into sync with the rest of the soccer world conjures up strange scenarios in MLS, the likes of which would never be allowed in Europe.
Frank Lampard’s suspect calf may have kept him out of last night’s match against Toronto, yet, because of the Gold Cup tournament happening now, the visitors were already deprived of star names Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore who are both on US national team duty.
NYCFC and Toronto should be one of the fixtures of the season, but it was instead a game whose main protagonists – City’s Mix Diskerud was also with the national team – were elsewhere.
In Steven Gerrard’s case, a free weekend for LA Galaxy saw them take on Mexican side Club America in a friendly, ensuring the Liverpool legend must wait another week for his full debut.
Meanwhile, the NY Red Bulls’ US Open Cup match against Philadelphia Union is for July 21, the same day PSG and Fiorentina meet at Red Bull Arena and 24 hours before Chelsea are in town for a friendly.
MLS will always struggle in the summer months with the likes of the Premier League champions and Manchester United touring, but surely a break in the season or a change to mirror the European league needs to be looked at.
