Roger Goodell didn’t wait for the Las Vegas Police Department’s press conference about the Michael Bennett incident, before releasing his own statement in support of Bennett. Had he done so, he would have found some serious holes in Bennett’s claim that he was cuffed and threatened by the police because of his race.
Nonetheless, the commissioner released this statement in support of Bennett:
“Michael Bennett represents the best of the NFL — a leader on his team and in his community. Our foremost concern is the welfare of Michael and his family. While we understand the Las Vegas police department will address this later this evening, the issues Michael has been raising deserve serious attention from all of our leaders in every community. We will support Michael and all NFL players in promoting mutual respect between law enforcement and the communities they loyally serve and fair and equal treatment under the law.”
If Michael Bennett represent the best of the NFL, then the NFL should delete itself immediately. The statements and video released by the Las Vegas Metro Police Department poke, at least three, very serious holes in the version of events that Michael Bennett gave in his Twitter post.
First, Bennett claims that the LVMPD singled him out and pointed their guns at him, “for nothing more than simply being a black man in the wrong place at the wrong time.” The video released by the police clearly shows, that Bennett was one of hundreds of black people in and around the casino. Many of whom ran toward the police while fleeing the scene, not away. Making the idea that Bennett was detained due to his race, completely ridiculous.
Then there’s the issue of Bennett’s detainment itself. Bennett claims that he had no idea why he was being detained and held for “what felt like an eternity.” We now know, after the press conference, that Bennett was told exactly why he was detained. Moreover, he was only held for ten minutes before being released, not for “an eternity.”
Another interesting fact that emerged from the press conference was the comment from Undersheriff Kevin McMahill, that Bennett left the scene in a very conciliatory tone. That he wasn’t upset, and seemed at least somewhat understanding of the situation. If that’s the case, then why did Bennett wait ten days, and then write an inflammatory Twitter post full of, at least three, major lies?
Ten days might just be long enough for Michael Bennett’s anthem-protesting buddies to convince him to manipulate the incident, and help him write a statement about it. Also, ten days after the fight, Bennett ensures that his story doesn’t get caught up in the Mayweather-McGregor hysteria. By waiting for the soft news cycle after the fight and after the start of college football, but before the start of the NFL season, Bennett strategically places his story at a time when the sports media has time to give it some run.
In a normal world, a football player lying about brave police officers who were risking their lives to save people, would draw scorn and criticism from the NFL commissioner. Las Vegas will soon be getting an NFL franchise of their own. At least the Las Vegas Police Department now knows what kind of treatment they can expect from the NFL and its commissioner.