On Monday morning, the Vikings sent out a release that Adrian Peterson had rejoined the team, that he would resume practice Monday and was likely to play on Sunday at New Orleans. The Vikings mentioned "due process.'' Good. I'm a believer in due process.
I don't buy that it's some kind of sacred "privilege'' to play in the NFL, and that players should be held to a higher standard of behavior than other workers. It's a job, like any other job, only a heck of a lot more grueling than nearly all of them.
I also see a difference between the Peterson situation and the Ray Rice situation (or the Chris Cook situation). When you beat up a woman (wife, fiancée, girlfriend or stranger), your motive is to beat up a woman.
As stated previously, I believe Adrian Peterson is a knothead. And maybe his motive in giving a "whopping'' to that lad was because he enjoys beating up kids. But I don't believe you can flat out say that, without a full look at the facts — from the prosecution but also from Peterson's attorney Rusty Hardin.
Meantime, Peterson should be allowed to go to work.
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