Do read T.D. Williams article

T.D. Williams is amazing insightful with his article: "The Perils of Selective Decency."

A snippet:

...ESPN long ago decided complex, sensitive social issues were grist for the ratings mill. It wouldn’t have taken more than minimal coordinating to get someone on air to articulate a comprehensive, informed viewpoint on Ray Rice’s suspension as it related to larger societal discourse on domestic abuse and misogyny. The network, though, rarely demonstrates interest in comprehensive, informed viewpoints, instead attempting to reduce even complex and sensitive social issues to an easily digestible highlight clip. Ergo, Smith was given his long, dangerous leash, and it was impossible to then set aside skepticism when network higher-ups expressed surprise and disappointment that he inevitably got tangled in it and started to choke...

One theme of his continues the long-deserved calling out of ESPN for its not so benign neglect of anything beyond highlights of home runs, winning goals, slam dunks and sprints to touchdowns. Sports doesn't take place in a vacuum, nothing does. But who on the vast ESPN staff has the standing, let alone the background, to present complexity. Maybe Bob Ley if he is even still there. That's quite the indictment.