The video made it to YouTube quicker than Cooper can run a slant pattern. He was immediately vilified by fans, players and media alike. The Eagles consulted the NFL and Cooper was fined and ordered to undergo sensitivity training. Now, this is not the forum to debate issues of race in America. In the context of this blog, what needs to be explored is how Cooper's behavior off the field will affect his teammates on the field.
Football is often described as the ultimate team sport. While the sport has its stars, quarterbacks don't catch their own passes. Someone has to make the hole that the stud running back goes through. Defensive tackles clog up the middle of the line so defensive ends can get to the quarterback. Every football player needs the guy next to him to do his job.
This need his heightened in the NFL because the athletes play for millions of dollars. Poor offensive line play can mean a smaller paycheck for the quarterback. It's hard to throw touchdowns from a prone position. Quarterbacks often have "go-to" receivers - guys they can always count on to make a catch. Those receivers catch a lot of balls and rack up tons of yardage. At contract time, the "go-to" receiver is rewarded handsomely.
What if you're Riley Cooper and your quarterback is African-American? What if 80% of your teammates are African-American? What if 3 out of every 4 players in the league is African-American? Well, all of this is true for Riley Cooper. The very people he depends on for his livelihood are the ones he has offended the most.
His statement may make him someone that no one else wants to play with. On a team, no one wants to be that guy. Like it or not, the world is at the point where what you do off the field when you think no one's watching is just as important as what you do on the field when you know everyone is watching. Riley Cooper may have irreparably damaged his relationship with his teammates - which is worse than almost any injury or dropping any pass.
If Cooper were hurt and came back stronger, everything would be good. If he dropped a pass, but caught the next one, all would be forgiven. Cooper won't get the fight he was looking for at the concert. He's in for an even bigger one. How does he prove to his teammates that he doesn't hate them?
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