Here, he is not a savior.
Here, he is not the next big thing. Here, he is not a glittering ball of potential on his way to town. Here, he is not the quarterback the Bucs have always desired.
Here, Jameis Winston is simply a mistake who is waiting to happen.
Just that.
The conversation happens in a second-story office building, where four interested bystanders sit around a round table and talk of the upcoming draft. Perhaps, your office looks like this, sounds like this.
In this instance, the four speakers are women who work for CASA, an organization that, among other things, helps the women of sexual abuse.
And between you and them, they would just as soon the Bucs passed on Winston.
Yes, Winston has been accused before, and yes, the state did not charge him. The college did not punish him. Yet, Winston’s accuser has never stopped, which should at least open the question of his desirability to the public. Between those charges, and other ones, there are reasons for concern when it comes to Winston.
“First of all, the Bucs are taking an enormous risk if they draft him,’’ said Shanda Riffey, the assistant executive director. “That’s above our pay grade. We don’t make that decision. But if that’s how it comes to fruition, there is an enormous risk the Bucs are assuming. They need to bring domestic violence experts into the locker room, into the coaches and educate them on what we know. This man has a history of inappropriate behavior.
“The second thing I would say is that our sports figures are our children’s heroes. That sends an enormously negative message to our young men that if they throw a ball far enough, run fast enough or catch it quick enough that they don’t have a moral responsibility to our fellow human beings.’’
The women are all familiar with the case. They have heard the voices of fans who seem ready to forget about the charge as if it is an old ankle injury. But even without charges, they are not willing to forget about the cries of the alleged victim.
“None of us was there that night,” said Michele Pliner. “We don’t know what happened. But very few victims make false allegations. It’s hard to come forward. It’s hard in a campus environment. It’s hard when you’re accusing someone who is put on a pedestal up there.’’
In Tallahassee, and increasingly in Tampa, the defense of Winston has tended to shout out any questions. There are those who defend him as if they were in the room, as if any doubt must mean the person is against FSU in general and Winston in particular.
“Everyone wants to blame the victim,’’ said Linda Osmundson, the executive director.
Yes, the Bucs need a quarterback as badly as any team in the league. All of theirs, from Steve Spurrier to Jack Thompson to Vinny Testaverde to Trent Dilfer to Josh Freeman, have been flawed. Still, it is not a pick without risk.
Of the women in the room, Lisa Brown is probably the biggest fan. She listens to sports talk. She can work her way around a debate very nicely. If it was up to her, the Bucs would just draft Marcus Mariota.
“I would prefer him,’’ Brown said. “You don’t have to worry when you lay your head down at night.’’
Oh, they know. They know the world is ready to forget, that the incident happened long ago and far away, that the NFL is a business. They know that if Winston is successful and wins Super Bowls, the locals will want to build statues to him.
Still, is he worth the risk? They wonder.
In a far-reaching conversation that touched on Michael Vick and Mike Tyson, on Ben Roethlisberger and Ray Rice, on Michael Pittman and Elijah Dukes, the women talked about responsibilities and entitlement, about education and growth.
And, they talked about a team that has an opportunity to make a difference.
Winston’s is a case that continues to be fought on the Internet, with some fans attacking the accuser, with some fans shielding themselves behind the fact he was not charged. But when a man has been accused of sexual impropriety, as was Winston, this becomes a huge cause for whatever team drafts him. Simply moving to another city in the pros doesn’t change that.
Say the Bucs do draft Winston. How should they proceed? Should they just forget about the incident? Or should they take the lead role in the fight against domestic abuse? Riffey would prefer to see the latter.
“If they are going to do this, they have to marry it with an incredible amount of education,’’ Riffey said. ”They have an incredible responsibility.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for them to turn it around and have a zero tolerance for violence. This is their chance.’’
Too often, however, the Bucs have let opportunities to take the lead in such a stance pass by. Instead of hiring experts and sending them into the field, or having players work against domestic violence, it would be an easier thing to imagine it never happened.
So imagine that the Bucs draft Winston. Would time and success change the minds of the women?
“Not for me,’’ Osmundson said. “I’m sorry.’’
“That’s such a great question,’’ said Brown. “I’m a huge fan. I don’t think I would come around on Winston, but I’m cheering for the Bucs. But maybe not for this person I didn’t think they should have drafted to begin. It would be very hard for me. If they draft him, it would hurt my feelings.’’
“It depends on how the team approached it,’’ Pliner said. “I would be honored to root for a team that did not draft him and made a statement as to why. I might be honored to root for a team that drafted him and turned it into an educational thing for the country. If they draft it and sweep it under the rug, I’m probably not going to root for him.’’
Hey, everyone wants the local team to do well. It’s fun for everyone when there is a buzz as the team is on its way to a parade.
So what are the chances that Winston never has a problem?
“I wouldn’t bet money on it,’’ Riffey said.
“I can’t imagine it,’’ Pliner said.
“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,’’ Brown said.
And Osmundson?
She just slowly shakes her head.
