Just when a story couldn’t possibly get more disturbing, something like this happens. According to the British gossip rag the Daily Mail, Adrian Peterson’s high school coach has admitted to beating the embattled Minnesota Vikings running back with a wooden paddle.
Booker Bowie, who was Palestine High School’s defensive coordinator and track coach when Peterson attended, had this to say about the situation.
Adrian understands corporal punishment…it’s not intended to hurt anybody, it’s to get them going in the right direction. I have never had a problem with parents calling anyone complaining. The way Adrian came up, his parents, his mother was disciplining him. He understands it, it helped his team mates, his classmates. I think that’s what he was doing (to his son).
He then went on to indicate why he would take a paddle to his players and their reactions to the ‘discipline.’
It wasn’t my intention to abuse the kids, the kids loved me for it. I wanted them to do right. They said: “Coach, thank you”
The argument that Peterson is just utilizing the same corporal punishment that he received from his parents and other adults around him is taken to an entirely new level with this report. Imagine a football coach taking a 18-inch long wooden paddle to a top high school football player today. That most definitely wouldn’t fly.
Whether justified or not, it could speak to Peterson’s train of thought when it comes to raising his own children.
Peterson was placed on the Exempt/Commissioner’s List on early Wednesday afternoon and will have to remain away from the team until his child abuse case concludes.
Photo: USA Today