New York Post columnist Phil Mushnick strikes again.
This time, he is focusing on Adrian Peterson.
His latest column rips Minnesota Vikings running back and reigning NFL MVP for his decision to play with his teammates in Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers.
Peterson’s Vikings lost 35-10.
Mushnick writes that it’s “sickening” Peterson would make such a decision given the news of his dying son, who was allegedly murdered by a grown man.
But Mushnick doesn’t stop there – he piles on:
With his resources, how could Peterson, the NFL’s MVP, have allowed his son to remain in such an environment? Did he not know, or not care? Or not care to know? Or not know to care?
Money can’t buy love, but having signed a $96 million deal, he could not have provided his child — apparently his second from a “baby mama” — a safe home?
So not only does Mushnick write that Peterson’s decision him to play sickens him, he suggests that Peterson should have essentially bought this baby boy ‘another life.’
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You got all that? According to Mushnick, it’s Peterson who should share some of the blame for at least not putting his son in a better environment.
Nevermind the fact that Peterson had reportedly just learned the son was biologically his.
If you want to write a column which says that Peterson’s incredible talent as a football player doesn’t guarantee he’s a great person off the field, that’s one thing.
I’m not sure now is the time to write that column, but perhaps down the road.
Perhaps a column solely criticizing certain media for not making a distinction between Peterson the man and Peterson the football player is in order.
Great players don’t always equal great men or great women.
But Mushnick seems more concerned with bringing Peterson down in a time of personal tragedy under the guise of nuanced media criticism.
After all, this is the same columnist who suggested the Brooklyn Nets might as well be called the New York N****** because Jay-Z has used the word in past songs.
Offensive writing is Mushnick’s gimmick. It’s his game plan – one that has been rightfully panned by top sports blogs.
His column intended to question Peterson’s character. But all it did was raise the very same question – more legitimately in this case – about him.
Follow theGrio.com’s Sports Editor Todd Johnson on Twitter @rantoddj