“A Real Colonoscopy at the NFL” -- Norah O’Donnell’s Brilliantly Evocative and Humorous Analogy for Emphasis

About two weeks ago, on “CBS This Morning,” Norah O’Donnell used a really evocative and humorous analogy to depict the disquiet in NFL’s executive suite ever since the Ray Rice domestic violence controversy suddenly intensified (after it became known that a videotape showing the Baltimore Ravens running back slugging his then-girlfriend--and now wife--Janay Palmer in the face had been sent to an NFL female exec several months ago).

During the show, when Charlie Rose commented “So, Mueller (former director of the FBI) will probably be seeking that person--the female executive--who received and watched it five months ago,” here is how Norah O’Donnell responded:

“The NFL promises the investigation will be independent. Mueller will have access to all NFL personnel and records; but I think they want to do a real colonoscopy at the NFL--I mean finally some real discovery about what everyone knew, i.e., who is it who got the tape and who all knew what’s on the tape.”

[Quick background for those who have not kept abreast with all the twists and turns in the Rice saga:  Reports of Rice’s domestic abuse had been making news for several weeks following wide circulation of a video clip that showed the NFL star dragging an unconscious Janary Palmer out of an elevator. Then, early this month, the controversy suddenly became red-hot when it became known that a videotape of Rice punching Palmer in the face while they were in that elevator, which is what rendered her unconscious, had been mailed to a top NFL female exec several months ago and that the latter had acknowledged receiving and viewing the tape.

News of the second video clip--the one showing Rice slugging Palmer-- set off a prairie fire, with an indignant public asking: If at least one NFL exec has known about it all along, how can NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell be telling the truth in claiming that, until this month, he had no knowledge of what happened in that elevator prior to Rice dragging out Palmer’s body. The public outcry led to the NFL hiring former FBI Director Robert Mueller to investigate and determine (i) the identity of that female exec who had received the tape, and (ii) who all had subsequently gotten to know of its contents.]

© Copyright 2014  V. J. Singal