How Intense Media Attention Is Ruining NFL's Image

It's the media's job to uncover the truth.

In the same breath, intense media coverage can ruin a sport's image, and that is what it's doing to the NFL right now.

The big story, of course, is the New Orleans Saints' bounty program for injuring opponents, which took place from 2009 to 2011. Head coach Sean Payton has consequently been suspended for a year, former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has been suspended indefinitely and general manager Mickey Loomis must sit out the first eight regular-season games.

The New Orleans Saints chose to appeal the NFL's smackdown, and commissioner Roger Goodell will now determine if the punishment will be reduced. But not only do the original reports make it unlikely that the suspensions will be overturned, a recent audio tape threatens to silence the Saints for good.

On Thursday, director Sean Pamphilon, who directed ESPN 30 for 30 film Run Ricky Run, released a tape of Williams' locker room speech before the Saints' playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers last season. It is, to say the least, unbelievable and horrific.

Williams told his players to target quarterback Alex Smith, running backs Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter, tight end Vernon Davis and receivers Michael Crabtree and Kyle Williams during that game.

On Smith: "Every single one of you, before you get off the pile, affect the head. Early, affect the head. Continue, touch and hit the head."

On Gore: "We've got to do everything in the world to make sure we kill Frank Gore's head. We want him running sideways. We want his head sideways."

On Crabtree: "We need to decide whether Crabtree wants to be a fake-ass prima donna, or he wants to be a tough guy. We need to find out. He becomes human when we f------ take out that outside ACL."

WARNING: Strong Language

All of this, of course, has been brought on by the Saints—you can't blame the media for doing its job. But you also can't deny that the media has had a hand in bringing down the NFL lately, because it has exposed what lies beneath, and what lies beneath is very, very ugly.

Beyond Bountygate, Twitter has also become an effective means of spreading the word, even with a simple retweet of a bone-headed athlete's musings. Athletes are people too, and sometimes people say stupid things.

Again, a lot of this is brought on by the individuals themselves, but there have also been some stories that required digging, that maybe wouldn't have seen the light of day if it wasn't for the media.

The fact of the matter is, nothing is secret anymore. Then again, the NFL already knew this, and shady dealings continue to go on as if no one will ever know about it.

The NFL's image is currently hurting. And the media will continue digging for anything suspicious. Of course, the smart thing for the NFL to do is not to do anything suspicious at all.

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