MY NEW HERO
Mike Carey
Mike Carey sat quietly by himself in the CBS NFL game-day studio in Manhattan on Monday. As he had for 19 integrity-driven seasons as one of the league’s most highly respected officials, the network’s recently hired rules analyst blended seamlessly into the background, doing what every good official does: Be unobtrusive and let the stars shine…. Unbeknownst to that studio full of cameras, media, analysts, play-by-play men and network executives, Carey’s feelings on the name issue in Washington were established long before CBS sports chairman Sean McManus admirably this year gave his on-air talent the choice during NFL broadcasts of whether to use the [Washington NFL] team’s name…. “The league respectfully honored my request not to officiate Washington,” Carey said. “It happened sometime after I refereed their playoff game in 2006, I think.”
Slowly but resolutely, the pressure is mounting on Washington owner Daniel Snyder and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. It seems that each day, another player, official, or reporter comes out and says they can no longer in good conscience use the nickname of Washington’s NFL team. Some have been quite vocal about it; others, like former NFL referee Mike Carey staged their own quiet protest against the racial slur that is the team’s nickname. Brick by brick, the case is being built, and it seems clear that it’s not a question of IF, but WHEN Goodell will concede to public opinion and forces Snyder to back down.
I normally don’t pay a lot of attention to NFL officials (anonymity is the point of being an official), but over the years I’ve admired Mike Carey’s integrity, calm, and quiet dignity. I never saw him get emotional or lose control of a game. Neither his impartiality nor his competence were ever questioned. The man was, to put it mildly, on top of his game and the air of gravitas he brought to the field left no question about who was in charge.
Even now, when he could fairly and openly discuss his objection to officiating games involving Washington, Carey’s chosen to remain circumspect and avoid the glare of the spotlight.
Former NFL referee says he deliberately avoided Redskins games to protest name http://t.co/BgWXqDKYwN pic.twitter.com/Njho8s2vrl
— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) August 20, 2014
“It just became clear to me that to be in the middle of the field, where something disrespectful is happening, was probably not the best thing for me,” Carey said….
“Human beings take social stances,” he said. “And if you’re respectful of all human beings, you have to decide what you’re going to do and why you’re going to do it.”
Carey said he never went to Commissioner Roger Goodell with the request, instead preferring to communicate with the person who makes up the officiating assignments. He refused to reveal who he asked in the league office, adding: “Let’s not put anybody on the spot.”
There aren’t many people in public life who are more respectful, dignified, and self-effacing than Mike Carey. He could have come out and made a statement making his feelings clear. As the first African-American to referee a Super Bowl, Carey hardly lacks for credibility when it comes to advocating for respectfulness and humanity. While most of the rest of CBS’ broadcast crew has made it clear they will no longer be using Washington’s nickname, Carey kept his own counsel and declined to attract attention to himself. To call that a rare quality in today’s “LOOKITME!!! LOOKITME!!” world would be nothing if not an understatement.
When Washington is forced to change its nickname (which I will endeavor to avoid using), it won’t because of the screamers or attention seekers. It’ll be because of people like Carey, who did what he felt to be the right thing without ensuring the world knew about it and recognized him for it. The day when change is forced upon Daniel Snyder, and there will be no lack of people stepping forward to claim credit. I suspect that when that day arrives, it will be because of the quiet dignity and resolve of people like Carey than those bent on using the issue as a way to draw yet more attention to themselves. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said “The moral arc of the universe is long, and it bends toward justice.” In the end, it will be people like Mike Carey who ensure that justice is achieved. It may not happen as quickly as some would like, but dignity and moral authority can and very often will assist the moral arc of the universe to reach justice.
The sad thing is that Carey’s newsworthy because of his unwillingness to engage in self-promotion and attention-seeking behavior. He’s proof that class and dignity are quantities often in short supply in our society these days. Though I suspect he’d likely resist this characterization, he’s a hero precisely because he did the right thing for the right reasons without seeking to call attention to himself. Would that more of us could see our way to taking a clear and unequivocal stand without considering what benefits might accrue to us for it.
