As I'm sure you have heard by now, a very Jets thing happened at their training camp Tuesday morning, when reserve linebacker Ikemefuna Enemkpali socked Geno Smith in the jaw, sending the presumptive starting quarterback to the sidelines for the next six to 10 weeks.
Jets coach Todd Bowles characterized the beef as something that would typically be more maturely handled by sixth-graders, and so it was, if anonymous reports are to be believed: Enemkpali hosted a charity event in the offseason in his native Texas and shelled out $600 in travel expenses for Smith to make an appearance. But Smith was a no-show, and apparently was slow to pay back Enemkpali for the sunk cost.
The next time Enemkpali puts on a football uniform again — if he ever does — it will likely be with a team like the Los Angeles KISS or flag football for Rudy's Tavern. This sucker punch reveals a deep dumbness that no NFL team will take a chance on, or needs to for a guy who made three tackles last season in six games.
I wonder what exactly Enemkpali hoped to accomplish with his punch. If Smith has been derelict in his debts, would a punch suddenly make him straighten up and fly right?
It's hard not to make fun of the whole situation, and a number of people have. Anyone dissatisfied with their team's starting quarterback will inevitably plead for their GM to take Enemkpali on, and the New York Daily News has deigned to put a couple of random, jokey tweets right on the back page cover.
As for Smith, I'm not too worried about him. He was having a strong training camp, and backup Ryan Fitzpatrick is 32 and sports a 33-55-1 career record as a starter. I don't see him turning into Joe Montana overnight, or even 2013 Josh McCown.
But one thing that doesn't seem to be getting discussed much is the proliferation of training camp fights, and the endorsement of them from players, current and former (such as blowhard Mark Sclereth) who seem more indignant over this fight taking place in the locker room rather than on the field. They see the fights as a healthy and necessary way to channel aggression and energy. Earlier in the week, Cam Newton got into a brawl on the field, and I think his face tells you all you need to know about how much some players get off on fighting.
The problem is, fights on the field are no less likely to result in serious injury as they are in the locker room, and ... it's 2015. This is really stupid. There are no professions outside of sports where fisticuffs are a happy part and parcel of the job, with good reason. I can't cold-cock Brian from sales in a board meeting because he owes me $10 bucks for lunch, but it would be even more ridiculous if I did it as a cheerful expenditure of testosterone.
So football players need to channel their aggression more than the average Joe? Fine. Hit, block, and tackle as hard as you can. If you don't play a position that allows you do those things regularly, then join a boxing gym or, if your contract doesn't allow that, buy a heavy bag. Or take a page out of Uncle Rico's book and throw a football over them damn mountains.
Let's stop accepting this. If I'm an NFL head coach, players who brawl with teammates get suspended, period, even if you are my starting quarterback. Enough with the numbskull old school. Unsanctioned violence has no place in the rest of society, and it shouldn't have a place in NFL training camps.
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