Its ABUSE, Plain and Simple and Adrian Peterson Needs to Be Gone From the NFL

I think in my 6 year media career to this point, I have called for maybe 4 or 5 sports figures to be removed from their respective sport.

From Donald Sterling to Richie Incognito, I have taken a stance that these kinds of sick and twisted individuals needs to be removed from what many consider their escape from the evils and stress of reality.

Now Adrian Peterson has found his way to that list of mine.

Up until Friday at 3:35pmCT, I had always liked Adrian Peterson.  I had been what I thought was fortunate enough to see and be around Adrian on numerous occasions outside of football.

He always seemed to be enjoying life, but I did always notice that he was a bit "old school" in his beliefs and somewhat sensitive of those that may try and criticize his way of doing things.

Now things have changed.  We have proof that Adrian Peterson beat his 4 year old kid with a "switch" 15+ times as a form of what Peterson describes as a "whooping".

I personally am not one to believe that spanking and or using any sort of physical punishment is a good form of discipline, nor do I feel that a perceived "normal" spanking occurred here.

A lot of society unfortunately has experienced some form of spanking and I'm not here to debate parenting tactics.  What I am here to discuss and bring to light is a NFL Superstars abuse of a 4 year old boy.

If you can truly look at this picture and convince yourself that this isn't abuse, then god help you.

Many supporters of Adrian Peterson have asked the following questions via social media and email and I would like to address them as well.

1.  How can you tell me that I can't spank my kids?  Personally, I would advise against it, but I was spanked and I never looked like the above picture. NEVER.  And if you have, then its unfortunate your parent was pursued for Child Abuse charges as well.

2.  He was raised that way, its all he knows, why does the media keep piling on?  First of all, the media is piling on because a 260lb RB in the NFL took a "switch" to his kid 15+ times.  And secondly, because someone grew up in a alcoholic environment that they should be excused for DUI or that a kid with a rapist as a parent should be excused for the same crime when they are an adult.  YOUR LOGIC IS SO FLAWED!

3.  Why should he be banned from the NFL? Plain and simple, if you or I had those photographs released of our "partenting skills" accompanied with an indictment, first of all we would be fired, then we wouldn't be even coming close to regaining the same sort of job on the open market as well.  Unfortuneatly, the precident is set in professional sports to where some owners will take a chance and bring in a disturbed invidual like Peterson.  So, to avoid any such chance, the league needs to step in a hand down a lifetime ban.  If Pete Rose can be banned for gambling on games in MLB, then Adrian Peterson can be banned to beating a 4 year old kid.

Furthermore, can you imagine the reaction if Adrian Peterson were to have those types of injuries from his superiors for getting into an argument with his buddy over a video game or lets same for something like not picking up a block and blaming a offensive lineman.  Same sort of discipline encouraged there?

And before anyone says the two are different, you are right, one is the most physically fit RB in the NFL and the other is a 4 year old boy.

The Vikings did the right thing and deactivated him for the game against the Patriots.  The next correct move for them would be to cut him completely and have the NFL implement the ban effective immediately.

For all of you out there calling for the judicial system to play itself out, I would ask you again to look at the picture above.  What more context or explanation do you need.  Its black and white, that was abuse and Peterson needs to be held accountable to the highest regard.

** YOU CAN EMAIL JEFF THURN AT JT@ESPN991.COM AND FOLLOW HIM ON TWITTER @JTESPN991