Fox Sports Host Katie Nolan Blasts The NFL’s Protection Of Players Who Commit Domestic Violence

Content note: this article discusses domestic violence.

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One of the most disquieting realisations to come from our renewed focus on domestic violence is how quick we can be forgive men who abuse and assault women if they happen to be good at entertaining us. Whether it’s actors like Sean Penn, Matthew Newton and Michael Fassbender, comedians like Bill Cosby, musicians like John Lennon or athletes like Mike Tyson, their creative abilities have historically seen society and the media ignore, downplay or forgive the brutal, often criminal behaviour they engage in towards the women in their lives.

Another factor often reinforces that complicity when it comes to sporting stars: the attitudes of the organisations who allow them to play. Sporting bodies that make much of their “commitment” to opposing violence against women often go oddly quiet when doing so may infringe on the running of the game. Sydney Roosters player Shaun Kenny-Dowall is currently in court over ten domestic violence charges levelled against him by his ex-girlfriend, but the NRL — which frequently talks up its “commitment to the elimination of violence against women” — allowed Kenny-Dowall to play throughout the recent finals despite calls from domestic violence groups and NSW Premier Mike Baird for his suspension.

In the United States, the NFL has been repeatedly rocked by a staggering pattern of violence against women and criminal behaviour by NFL players that the organisation has responded to with pathetic inadequacy at best, and active protection at worst. The body infamously responded to footage of Baltimore Ravens player Ray Rice brutally knocking his fiancée unconscious in an elevator with a two-game suspension, only offering anything like a proper response after the footage went public and expending a great deal of energy before then in trying to make the case quietly go away.

In July, Dallas Cowboy Greg Hardy’s suspension for choking a woman and throwing her onto a couch piled with assault rifles was reduced from ten games to four. Hardy returned to the Cowboys earlier this week, and in a pre-game interview said that he was ready to “come out guns blazing” before making jokes about the wife and sister of another player. Seemingly oblivious to the objectionable nature of his comments, the NFL posted the interview online, where it remains as of the time of writing.

Enter Fox Sports 1 host Katie Nolan. Nolan is the creator and host of popular sports and comedy show Garbage Time, which frequently blends regular NFL commentary and analysis with discussions of wider issues around the sport. Nolan famously argued against boycotting the NFL over the Ray Rice controversy in 2014, instead pledging to call out institutional reluctance to tackle violence and disrespectful attitudes towards women whenever she sees it.

Now she’s done just that, weighing in on the Greg Hardy case in a forceful and furious video, calling Hardy “human garbage” and questioning the NFL’s priorities in letting him off so easily.

“Greg Hardy had to pretend to respect women for twelve minutes, just twelve minutes, and he couldn’t even do that,” Nolan said. “And what’s worse is no one stopped him. They let him go on about girlfriends and guns and posted video of it on DallasCowboys.com because who fucking cares? Women won’t see it.”

“What matters to you? Seriously, what matters to you? Because expecting a garbage human who has been punished for being garbage to come back from his suspension and not immediately resume being garbage is asking the bare minimum. And if me hoping that the League and the Cowboys and their PR people and the media could act with just a shred of human decency is ‘ruining football’ for you, then I’m disappointed, I guess, in how much we’re willing to accept in order to protect our precious Sundays.”

Response to the video has been overwhelmingly positive so far, but it wouldn’t be a woman expressing an opinion on the internet without some true mouthbreathers coming out of the woodwork to threaten and harass them.

wow being a woman on the internet seems great @katienolan pic.twitter.com/mrlQbStpO4

— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) October 8, 2015

Regardless of how the NFL higher-ups respond to Nolan’s video, if at all, she’s rapidly cementing her position as a voice of unapologetic ethics and common sense that the code desperately needs to heed. We could do with a few Katie Nolans closer to home.

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If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.

Men can access anonymous confidential telephone counselling to help to stop using violent and controlling behaviour through the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.