Roger Goodell Gets Tough on Donte' Stallworth -- Someone Had To

I am heartened to know, as an American and a human being, that Roger Goodell has a strong sense of responsibility and pride when a courtroom in Miami has neither. Donte' Stallworth may have the money to buy himself out of a lengthy jail sentence, a despicable escape from a drunk-driving debacle in which he imbibed into the wee hours, had a .126 blood-alcohol level, foolishly drove his car and killed a pedestrian.

But Goodell, the NFL boss who has no tolerance for ill social behavior, was quick to declare Thursday that he is among the outraged. Only two days after Stallworth plea-bargained a jail term that now will involve -- excuse me while I vomit -- a mere 24 days in the clink, Goodell informed the Cleveland Browns receiver that he has been suspended indefinitely without pay. I'm not sure what it says about criminal justice in dirty Dade County, Florida when a football commissioner cracks a tougher whip than a state attorney. But here's yet another example of why Goodell steadily is becoming the best administrator in professional sports.

To hell with local corruption. This judge makes his own rules.

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"The conduct reflected in your guilty plea resulted in the tragic loss of life and was inexcusable," Goodell wrote in a letter to Stallworth. "While the criminal justice system has determined the legal consequences of this incident, it is my responsibility as commissioner to determine appropriate league discipline for your actions, which have caused irreparable harm to the victim and his family, your club, your fellow players and the NFL.

"There is no reasonable dispute that your continued eligibility for participation at this time would undermine the integrity of and public confidence in our league.''

Yes, Stallworth has to serve two years of house arrest and remain on probation for eight years after his 3 1/2 weeks of jail time. But if this were you or me or the guy walking down the street, we'd be in the slammer for months, if not years, regardless of any financial settlement with a family. Why Stallworth's generosity factored into a dramatically reduced jail term, I can't explain -- other than to suggest that an investigation of all parties be launched. But part of Stallworth's stunning deal with the court included an immediate continuation of his football career.

That won't be happening anytime soon. The thinking in league circles is that Stallworth's ban could extend through the entire 2009 season, which means the Browns are expected to release him. This after a $4.5 million roster bonus kicked in for Stallworth the night before the crash that killed 59-year-old Mario Reyes, a construction worker and family man who was finishing a shift and rushing to catch a bus when hit by Stallworth's black Bentley on MacArthur Causeway. Only the Browns, one of the NFL's most luckless and hapless franchises, could lose $4.5 million while a player is pleading guilty to DUI manslaughter -- a salary-cap mess that surely will be addressed with Goodell now that Stallworth is unavailable.

Sadly, there is a precedent for a drunk-driving fatality involving an NFL player. In 1999, Leonard Little was suspended eight games after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter for killing a woman while driving drunk. But the Goodell Era has been dominated by the commissioner's swift and relentless crackdowns on player conduct, meaning we can expect a longer suspension for Stallworth. He reportedly was in the league's substance-abuse program in 2007, and with the new drunk-driving case counting as a second violation, he'll receive a mandatory four-game suspension for that offense alone. This is what we love about Goodell, his will to protect the league from problem children. Whether it's Michael Vick murdering dogs, Pacman Jones wreaking havoc or Stallworth killing a pedestrian, the NFL's image always comes first.

"DUI is a serious matter which poses great risks to both those who drive under the influence, and innocent third parties. This truth was tragically underscored in Mr. Stallworth's case,'' Goodell wrote Thursday in a memo to the league's 32 teams, obtained by ESPN. "In the past few years, I have not hesitated to impose discipline, including suspensions, on club and league employees who have violated the law relating to alcohol use. Every club should advise its employees of their obligations and our commitment to hold people accountable for alcohol-related violations of law.

"Let's make sure that the 2009 season does not bring more tragedy or embarrassment to ourselves and our employees."

Supporters of Stallworth -- the few who are out there -- say he deserves credit based on his cooperation with authorities and the way he reached out to the Reyes family. They say he flashed his lights at Reyes when he saw the man dashing toward the bus. They say he stayed at the crime scene and reported the accident. They point out that his driver's license has been suspended for life and that he'll be performing 1,000 hours of community service. "I accept full responsibility for this horrible tragedy," Stallworth said. "I will bear this burden for the rest of my life."

He also should have carried the burden of significant jail time. Vick spent two years in jail for his mauling, drowning and shooting of dogs -- so when Stallworth serves only 24 days, does that mean we value dogs as a society more than a fellow human being who is killed? Sure seems that way. When Little received a 90-day sentence for killing Susan Gutweiler, many in St. Louis protested the punishment was too light. Now, compared to the Stallworth sentence, it's Little who has the rightful complaint.

Just as NFL teams will have to consider the wicked public-relations fallout when contemplating Vick, Stallworth becomes a marked man in the league. I'm just amazed the Browns keep having to deal with such trauma. If it isn't staph infections at their training facility, it's a major shakeup in the coaching and general managing ranks. If it isn't Braylon Edwards dropping balls, it's Kellen Winslow ripping management and being traded. In 2007, they were the new darlings of the league. In 2008, they were frauds. Now, without Edwards, who had been on the trading block, they will hope rookies such as Brian Robiskie and Mohamed Massaquoi and veterans David Patten and Mike Furrey can help Brady Quinn grow as a young quarterback.

The lesson, of course, is to not sit behind the wheel of an automobile after you've been drinking. It's one of life's cardinal sins, as most courts acknowledge. Because a court in Miami somehow equated personal wealth with contrition, Stallworth will have a brief jail experience when he deserves months upon months of hell. Fortunately, Goodell swooped in with the more appropriate hammer.

In his next life, he can be a state attorney in Florida.