When is there no way back?

A lot of people have been idiots lately. Actually, a lot of people have been idiots always. People have done stupid things, made dumb statements, and exercised poor judgment for as far back as human history goes. One could say that making bad choices is part of the human condition.

Recently, lots of people in the sports world have made really bad choices or done sub-par jobs. Danny Ferry got in trouble for statements he made. Roger Goodell sure didn’t handle the Ray Rice situation well. Three times. 

That these people acted in a wrong way is indisputable. My question is, where is the line that will cost people their job?

Let me put it this way.

The NBA that has shown some level of institutionally horrific judgment. Donald Sterling continued to own a franchise despite a history of racist abuses. Everybody knew what Sterling did and nobody called for anything to change until the “public” got mad and demanded change. Sure, the NBA has “banned” Sterling for life, but I’m note sure anything really changed inside the NBA’s culture beyond owners understanding they need to be more careful about who they talk to and who is taping them.

Atlanta Hawks’ General Manager Danny Ferry’s comments seemed like they came in the context of an acceptable level of discourse at high levels of the league. Owners recently sent a letter to commissioner Adam Silver to urge Ferry’s dismissal. While Ferry went out on an indefinite leave of absence today, Silver seems to have drawn a line, separating Sterling’s actions and Ferry’s. Ferry’s comments (whether or not he was just reading something someone else wrote) are a reflection of a culture the league at-best turns a blind eye to and at worst actively perpetuates. On the other hand, Sterling, ousted Hawks owner Bruce Levenson, and owners at large have been responsible for building that corrosive culture.

In the NFL, Roger Goodell is on the hottest of seats. Goodell has lost fan confidence at this point — his enforcement of rules neurotic at best. As commissioner, he has simultaneously infuriated players by coming down with an iron fist and incensed fans and the public with his leniency on other issues — like the Ray Rice situation.

The longer Goodell’s incompetence is tried in the court of 2014 social media public opinion, the closer he will become to being ousted from the head of the most powerful sports league in the nation.

In situations like this, I do believe in some subtlety, details, and context. It’s easy in this case to say Goodell was a buffoon who didn’t know what was going on in his organization. A week later, the Ravens and NFL are super easy to write about. The standard bashing of the idiots in the NBA is an easy thing too.

Here’s what isn’t easy — a real discussion about how to change the underlying culture that, on some level, accepted Ferry’s comments. What isn’t easy is a conversation about how the NBA’s culture, under decades of David Stern’s rule, turned a blind eye to Sterling’s craziness without finding a way to put a different ownership group in place.

What won’t be easy is a true discourse and dialogue about the violent culture in the NFL and how that relates to the behavior of its players off the field. What isn’t easy is a true exploration about how the culture and customs of the NFL as an organization need to really be changed, because simply changing commissioners is not the only part of the equation. Simply-put, a commissioner change in itself would do nothing to assure me that any of the systemic issues at the NFL are being addressed.

Even a more difficult question is where the line of no return is. Where do we think that a person can no longer be in a position of leadership in an organization or league? Where do we draw that line for the league’s rank and file? Is it in a different place than for the leaders?

At what point do we still, as fans, lose our belief in second chances or a person’s ability to change a culture? Do we think that people in leadership positions have much capacity for real, change — systemic and cultural? When is enough enough?

I’m not sure about the answers to all these questions. I’m not embedded in the nuanced specifics of the NFL’s investigations. I don’t have access to the back-rooms at NBA ownership meetings.

For me, the measuring tool for whether things have changed will be when I hear sincere public discourse and dialogue about the realities that have occurred and are taking place. Realities of crimes being swept under the rug. The reality that the organizational value of controlling the public relations message is more important than doing the right thing.

I’ll know we’re on the right track when I hear better plans and more real transparency in that context. Like I said before, I believe in context.