Phil Mushnick rips Adrian Peterson’s character in possibly worst column ever 
 
 Phil Mushnick has a reputation for being a pot-stirring columnist, but he hit a new low on Sunday after ripping Adrian Peterson’s character and blaming the running back for allowing his 2-year-old son to be beaten to death. 
 
 In a column for the New York Post, Mushnick tried to draw a connection between Peterson and guys like Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong. Mushnick argued that we have allowed Peterson’s accomplishments on the field to color our perception of his character off the field, much like we did with Tiger and Lance. What evidence did he use? A reckless driving incident and incident at a nightclub where the charges against Peterson for resisting arrest were dropped. 
 
 But Peterson’s biggest offense, in Mushnick’s eyes, was playing in the Minnesota Vikings’ game on Sunday, two days after his 2-year-old son died after being beaten. 
 
 Here’s what Mushnick wrote: 
 
 Still, I’m stuck with what I’ve got. And it’s sickening the NFL’s latest MVP, hours after his son died — allegedly murdered — declared he was “ready to roll,” ready to play football. Me? I’d be fighting for breath, my knees weak with grief, demanding to know why, who, how. Then, I suspect, I’d seethe with rage, swearing retribution. I even think I’d take off a day or two from work. Maybe a week. 
 
 Let’s put aside how awful it is to judge someone for the way they react to such a tragedy. Let’s put aside it’s therapeutic for some athletes to play alongside their teammates following a tragedy. If you thought that argument was bad, Mushnick’s column got even worse. 
 
 [Related: Adrian Peterson explains decision to play against Panthers] 
 
 The worst part of Mushnick’s column was when he essentially blamed Peterson for the young boy’s death. According to Mushnick, Peterson didn’t provide the child with a suitable home environment. 
 
 With his resources, how could Peterson, the NFL’s MVP, have allowed his son to remain in such an environment? Did he not know, or not care? Or not care to know? Or not know to care? Peterson couldn’t have provided his son a better life, a longer life? Money can’t buy love, but having signed a $96 million deal, he could not have provided his child — apparently his second from a “baby mama” — a safe home? 
 
 Well, gee whiz, let me help you out there since you’re not exactly Mr. Current Affairs, Mushnick. If you actually followed the news, you might understand that Peterson didn’t provide a better home for the young boy because he only recently found out he was the boy’s father. The mother of the child thought her ex-boyfriend was the father, but when that paternity test came up negative, she went to Peterson. And Peterson reportedly reacted well, asked how he could help, and even made plans to see the child. 
 
 Maybe before you start accusing people of having terrible character and saying the young boy never had a shot in life, you might actually want to do some research to learn about the story so you don’t tear someone apart without knowing the circumstances. 
 
 It’s truly amazing that The Post published that garbage. 
 
 Also see: Adrian Peterson has 7 kids by multiple women 

 Last week, the young son of NFL star Adrian Peterson died after being beaten by the boyfriend of the child's mother. Today, a columnist from New York's most pungent gutter tabloid has figured out a way to insult Adrian Peterson. 
 
 Here is the headline of New York Post sports columnist Phil Mushnick's latest column: "Being a great player doesn't make Peterson a great guy." (It's teased on the paper's online front page as, "Son's death doesn't make Adrian Peterson a great person.") Interesting point, two days after Adrian Peterson's son died. Phil Mushnick is not willing to stand for this two-day post-child's-death period of people saying nice things about Adrian Peterson. Phil Mushnick is speaking out: 
 
 Thus it was unsurprising Peterson’s downside went ignored. In 2009, he was busted for driving 109 mph in a 55 mph zone. He dismissed that as no big deal, which was doubly disturbing — his older, full brother was killed by a reckless driver. 
 
 Only Phil Mushnick is brave enough to note that Adrian Peterson is improperly mourning his dead family members. 
 
 The suspect in the beating murder of Peterson’s 2-year-old is the boyfriend of Peterson’s “baby mama” — now the casual, flippant, detestable and common buzz-phrase for absentee, wham-bam fatherhood... Money can’t buy love, but having signed a $96 million deal, he could not have provided his child — apparently his second from a “baby mama” — a safe home? 
 
 Excuse me, Mr. Peterson. I know this is a hard time for you. But it's very important that you listen to this, right now. Phil Mushnick has something to say: he doesn't like these "baby mamas." Okay? We are going to put the important parts of Phil Mushnick's final paragraph in bold, to make sure that you take it all in. 
 
 Maybe Peterson’s son is just one more stands-to-reason murder victim, just another child born to just another “baby mama,” one more kid who never had a shot, anyway. Maybe, by now, even if we can’t accept it, we can expect it. 
 
 Wow. 
 
 [Photo: AP] 

 We in the media — especially those working event broadcasts — have a horrible habit of blindly or wishfully reporting great achievers are additionally blessed: They’re great humans. 
 
 Among many others, we did it with Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong. Last year, we began to do it with Adrian Peterson, before, and then after, he was selected the NFL’s MVP. With every big game — 2,037 running yards worth — the media bloated his profile: There runs Superman, a super guy, too. 
 
 “We talked with him after practice, and let me tell you this and that about Adrian Peterson.” “Adrian Peterson still finds time to do charity work in the Twin Cities area.” Blah, blah and blah. Good equals goodness. 
 
 Thus it was unsurprising Peterson’s downside went ignored. In 2009, he was busted for driving 109 mph in a 55 mph zone. He dismissed that as no big deal, which was doubly disturbing — his older, full brother was killed by a reckless driver. 
 
 Last summer, Peterson was in a club when he and friends were informed that it was closing time, past 2 a.m. Apparently, Peterson and pals felt they would decide when it was time to close. The police report noted three cops were needed to subdue Peterson. 
 
 He spent the rest of the night in jail, arrested for resisting arrest (a charge that was later dismissed). 
 
 Of course, we all have to operate from are our own set of values, our personal sense of right from wrong. Perhaps, given current standards among NFL players — mostly college men, no less — Peterson qualifies as a man of good character. 
 
 Still, I’m stuck with what I’ve got. And it’s sickening the NFL’s latest MVP, hours after his son died — allegedly murdered — declared he was “ready to roll,” ready to play football. 
 
 Me? I’d be fighting for breath, my knees weak with grief, demanding to know why, who, how. Then, I suspect, I’d seethe with rage, swearing retribution. I even think I’d take off a day or two from work. Maybe a week. 
 
 The suspect in the beating murder of Peterson’s 2-year-old is the boyfriend of Peterson’s “baby mama” — now the casual, flippant, detestable and common buzz-phrase for absentee, wham-bam fatherhood. 
 
 The accused, Joseph Patterson, previously was hit with domestic assault and abuse charges. 
 
 With his resources, how could Peterson, the NFL’s MVP, have allowed his son to remain in such an environment? Did he not know, or not care? Or not care to know? Or not know to care? 
 
 Peterson couldn’t have provided his son a better life, a longer life? 
 
 Money can’t buy love, but having signed a $96 million deal, he could not have provided his child — apparently his second from a “baby mama” — a safe home? 
 
 But given Peterson’s father did hard time for drug money laundering maybe we’re both stuck with the values in which we were born, raised. 
 
 On Friday, Peterson said he was “focused” on football. On Sunday, he played. But it’s not as if murder doesn’t now regularly afflict the NFL. 
 
 Maybe Peterson’s son is just one more stands-to-reason murder victim, just another child born to just another “baby mama,” one more kid who never had a shot, anyway. Maybe, by now, even if we can’t accept it, we can expect it. 
 
 Jets game shows CBS at worst 
 
 Steelers-Jets: A ridiculous world. As Jim Nantz spoke of how Pittsburgh running back Le’Veon Bell missed three games to injury, CBS showed a reel of Bell in needless, head-over-heels showboat leaps into the end zone. 
 
 Later, Steelers wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders celebrated his touchdown catch-and-run by somersaulting into the end zone, performing a one-point landing — on the tip of his spine. CBS quickly showed that twice more, once in slo-mo. 
 
 Worse, Nantz, Phil Simms and Bill Cowher (the former Steelers coach, pulled from the studio for the day, often was indecipherable as his gruff voice was muffled by crowd noise) did not offer a word of discouragement or caution. Immodesty, at all risk, is good? 
 
 And could the three have more softly or briefly spoken Kellen Winslow’s performance-enhancing drugs suspension? He had been the Jets’ leading receiver, yet not a word of condemnation! 
 
 In a TV rarity, a stat was debunked using context! After a graphic noted the Steelers were last in the league in offensive starting position, Nantz said that in large part was because its defense had no takeaways. 
 
 Line of the Game: After Nantz said Simms’ quarterback son, Matt Simms, made the Jets, but hasn’t yet played, Simms said, “And I will say: He warmed up great, today.” 
 
 Broadcast booth “chemistry”? Some chemistry blows up the lab. Other experiments can discover the cure for common boredom. On Islanders’ MSG-telecasts, the Howie Rose/Butch Goring blend is becoming smoother. 
 
 On Friday, the Isles’ super-fast Michael Grabner crossed Chicago’s blue line in a bust-out. But suddenly, oddly, he left a drop pass — to Blackhawk Marian Hossa. 
 
 “I wonder,” said Rose, “if he [Hossa] wasn’t calling for that.” Goring: “It looked like Hossa was tapping his stick on the ice, and that fooled Grabner.” 
 
 Sure did. 
 
 ESPN: Making the absurd commonplace 
 
 ESPN continues to post the preposterous as well worth our attention. 
 
 Saturday, its “Bottom Line repeatedly reported: “Missouri QB James Franklin (separated shoulder) out for regular season after leaving in 4th quarter, according to ESPN and media reports. Injury earlier reported by CBSports.com.” 
 
 In other words, in its haste to credit itself, ESPN finished tied for last. 
 
 Late in Oklahoma-Texas, the Sooners were going for it, fourth-and-8 and desperate, when ABC/ESPN posted, “OU 4th down conversions, season: 2/3.” 
 
 After decades of such absurdities — as if this fourth down had anything to do with others — ESPN is still eager to distract national audiences with stupid info. 
 
 Oklahoma was then flagged for delay of game, thus it became fourth-and-13. So what? Oklahoma still was two-for-three on fourth down. Hey, that’s 67 percent! 
 
 On Saturday, TBS did a nice job showing dugout reactions throughout the tense Dodgers-Cardinals NLCS Game 2. But the moment the 1-0 game ended — strike-three, swinging! — it cut to a series of crowd shots, including one from a blimp! 
 
 What could we see from a blimp?! Thousands and thousands of itty, bitty dots doing “The Shimmy.” Even the guys watching from the blimp expected to see better. 

 Here’s the title of the article Phil Mushnick wrote for the New York Post: Being a great player doesn’t make Peterson a great guy. I’m supposed to write something witty here, I know it. But seriously, f*ck Phil Muschnick. As a writer I encourage people to read more than just the headline to get the full story, but in this case, the title says it all. 
 
 Thus it was unsurprising Peterson’s downside went ignored. In 2009, he was busted for driving 109 mph in a 55 mph zone. He dismissed that as no big deal, which was doubly disturbing — his older, full brother was killed by a reckless driver. Last summer, Peterson was in a club when he and friends were informed that it was closing time, past 2 a.m. Apparently, Peterson and pals felt they would decide when it was time to close. The police report noted three cops were needed to subdue Peterson. 
 
 The club case Mushnick is referring to, is a nightclub incident that merited no charges after a grand jury listened to his side of the story for 25 minutes. Mushnick thinks it validates his anti-Peterson point to suggest he was ready to play too soon after the boy’s death: 
 
 Me? I’d be fighting for breath, my knees weak with grief, demanding to know why, who, how. Then, I suspect, I’d seethe with rage, swearing retribution. I even think I’d take off a day or two from work. Maybe a week. 
 
 As if players haven’t declared millions of times that playing can help them cope from loss. How the camaraderie of teammates allows them to feel normal again. 
 
 With his resources, how could Peterson, the NFL’s MVP, have allowed his son to remain in such an environment? Did he not know, or not care? Or not care to know? Or not know to care? Peterson couldn’t have provided his son a better life, a longer life? 
 
 Either Mushnick doesn’t understand how custody works or he doesn’t give a sh*t and is using whatever he can to run a man who just lost his son through the mud. The child’s mother has custody and she determines where the child goes. 
 
 But given Peterson’s father did hard time for drug money laundering, and his half-brother was murdered, maybe we’re both stuck with the values in which we were born, raised. 
 
 What in the ever f*ck does this have to do with anything? 
 
 Here’s the conclusion: 
 
 Maybe Peterson’s son is just one more stands-to-reason murder victim, just another child born to just another “baby mama,” one more kid who never had a shot, anyway. Maybe, by now, even if we can’t accept it, we can expect it. 
 
 By now you may have guessed it, but I’ll spell it out: Phil Mushnick is a racist. 
 
 He once said this about Stephen A. Smith: “Could it be that Smith’s urban street-hip brotha yak—which he seems able to turn on and off with the drop of a Kangol—is supposed to appeal / pander to young, urban, street-talkin’ sports fans?” and this about Jay Z as a Nets owner: “Why the Brooklyn Nets when they can be the New York N——s? The cheerleaders could be the Brooklyn B—-hes or Hoes. Team logo? A 9 mm with hollow-tip shell casings strewn beneath. Wanna be Jay-Z hip? Then go all the way!” 
 
 Two days after Adrian Peterson laid eyes on his son for the first time – in Intensive Care as the boy was fighting for his last breaths – Mushnick saw fit to write about how Peterson somehow contributed to his son’s death. How we shouldn’t feel bad for him because his dad went to jail and his half-brother died and he couldn’t control where the boy’s mother took him. Phil Mushnick is classless, racist and despicable. 
 
 I know it’s America so I’m supposed to support free speech and not call for his job. So I won’t. 
 
 I’ll just say, f*ck Phil Mushnick. 
 
 Photo: Getty 

 Sometimes, I wonder how certain columns get published. Sometimes, they are just so offensive or off topic or misinformed that we have to wonder who allows these affronts to humanity to be available to the general public. The NY Post's Phil Mushnick has written something that trancends all stupidity and reaches a new low, even by his standards. Mushnick is, for reasons beyond comprehension, using the death of Adrian Peterson's son to prove some sort of character flaw. Mind boggling. 
 
 Mushnick writes: 
 
 Of course, we all have to operate from are our own set of values, our personal sense of right from wrong. Perhaps, given current standards among NFL players — mostly college men, no less — Peterson qualifies as a man of good character. 
 
 Still, I’m stuck with what I’ve got. And it’s sickening the NFL’s latest MVP, hours after his son died — allegedly murdered — declared he was “ready to roll,” ready to play football. 
 
 Me? I’d be fighting for breath, my knees weak with grief, demanding to know why, who, how. Then, I suspect, I’d seethe with rage, swearing retribution. I even think I’d take off a day or two from work. Maybe a week. 
 
 The suspect in the beating murder of Peterson’s 2-year-old is the boyfriend of Peterson’s “baby mama” — now the casual, flippant, detestable and common buzz-phrase for absentee, wham-bam fatherhood. 
 
 Okay. I don't even know where to start. First of all, I seem to recall Brett Favre playing in a game right after his father died, throwing four touchdown passes, and being heralded as brave and heroic and all that. So that can't apply to Peterson? Second of all, the whole idea that just because Peterson was not with his son's mother or living with them somehow means he doesn't care is a gross generalization backed up by NOTHING. Not one single thing. 
 
 You would think it couldn't get worse, but it does: 
 
 With his resources, how could Peterson, the NFL’s MVP, have allowed his son to remain in such an environment? Did he not know, or not care? Or not care to know? Or not know to care? 
 
 Peterson couldn’t have provided his son a better life, a longer life? 
 
 Money can’t buy love, but having signed a $96 million deal, he could not have provided his child — apparently his second from a “baby mama” — a safe home? 
 
 But given Peterson’s father did hard time for drug money laundering, and his half-brother was murdered, maybe we’re both stuck with the values in which we were born, raised. 
 
 On Friday, Peterson said he was “focused” on football. On Sunday, he played. But it’s not as if murder doesn’t now regularly afflict the NFL. 
 
 Maybe Peterson’s son is just one more stands-to-reason murder victim, just another child born to just another “baby mama,” one more kid who never had a shot, anyway. Maybe, by now, even if we can’t accept it, we can expect it. 
 
 How can Mushnick say ANY of this? He has no idea what the situation was, what Peterson did or didn't know, and furthermore, erasing everything else, using the death of a child to provide commentary on Peterson's character is sickening. Tying past arrest to a child's death is irrelevant. Using mistakes to say, "hey this guy's kid died and he's a bad person," is not a valid argument. 
 
 Sure, we all have the tendency to glorify athletes, but this is not about Peterson the athlete, or his character. This is about a parent losing a child, and to try and make it about anything else, especially advancing some kind of sick, twisted, demented agenda for pageviews, is disgusting. For the Post to publish it and endorse it is arguably even worse. 
 
 [NY Post] 

 Adrian Peterson Met Son for 1st Time In Hospital 
 
 EXCLUSIVE 
 
 only recently learned he was the father of a 2-year-old boy in South Dakota ... and met him for the first time Thursday ... while the boy was on life support , TMZ has learned.Multiple sources connected to the situation tell us ... roughly 2-3 months ago, the mother of the child had a paternity test done with an ex she suspected to be the father, in an effort to collect child support from him.But the test turned up negative, so the woman went to Adrian ... with whom she had a sexual encounter several years ago.We're told ... when Adrian was first informed about the matter, he didn't question the possibility he was the dad -- but rather asked how he could help the situation.Sources tell us ... a few weeks ago, A.P. started to plan a trip to South Dakota to meet the child for the first time and he was supposed to fly out later this month.But when he heard the news about the attack on the 2-year-old, Peterson dropped everything and jetted over to Sioux Falls as soon as he could.We're told Adrian met the child for the first time while the boy was on life support.Multiple sources tell us ... Adrian has been very involved since the tragedy and was the one pushing to have the child's organs donated to other people in need of a transplant.As for the suspect, Joey Patterson, we're told Adrian has never met the guy.We reached out to Adrian and the mother of the child for comment -- so far, no word back from either side.
– Days after the death of Adrian Peterson's toddler son, a New York Post columnist is taking Peterson to task. Phil Mushnick is upset, first of all, that Peterson said he was ready to play football hours after the boy's death, rather than being incapacitated by grief. Secondly, Mushnick wonders: How could Peterson have allowed his son to remain in a dangerous situation (the boy's mother's boyfriend, who has a history of violence, is suspected of beating him to death)? As an NFL MVP, couldn't he "have provided his son a better life, a longer life?" And, finally, Mushnick takes issue with Peterson in general, noting his arrests for reckless driving and resisting arrest when he and his friends refused to leave a nightclub. (The Post's online homepage is teasing the column with the headline, "Son's death doesn't make Adrian Peterson a great person.") Needless to say, Mushnick's column was met with a bit of outrage: On Gawker, Hamilton Nolan posted his response in the "Monsters" category and calls the Post "New York's most pungent gutter tabloid." Likewise, David D.'s headline on Uproxx: "Phil Mushnick Is a Horrible Person for His Adrian Peterson Article." He concludes by declaring Mushnick "classless, racist, and despicable." And Larry Brown declares the entire thing "possibly [the] worst column ever" and a new low for Mushnick, a notorious pot-stirrer. On Awful Announcing, Reva Friedel calls it "the most offensive sports column in the history of earth." As several of Mushnick's critics point out, Peterson only recently learned he was the toddler's father, and met the boy for the first time when he was on life support.