What's good for the gander....

Whether or not the  Carolina Panther TopCats cheerleaders should have been fired isn't the real issue. The issue is that they were fired when they work in an industry not only turns the other way but celebrates the shenanigans of the sports heroes.

As an aside , could TopCats be a more unfortunate name for the situation?

It is the ultimate double standard. Some are explaining it away by saying that North Carolina is a right to work state and that the members of the team are part of a union.

This is how WCNC.com reported it
No matter what did or did not happen in that bathroom in Tampa the women involved have already lost their good name and their jobs with the TopCats. It makes some people wonder why the women were kicked off the team so quickly. After all, people from the organization have been accused of much worse.

Don't ask.

“I don't know much about that,” Panthers defensive end Mike Rucker.

Seriously, don't ask. The Panthers really don't want to talk about what happened at a Tampa night club. Two cheerleaders Angela Keathley and Renee Thomas were arrested for fighting and accused of other less savory acts. Both were kicked off the team for violating the code of conduct, before they were ever found guilty in court.

But it’s different for the players. Todd Sauerbraun plead guilty to DUI. Chris Terry was charged with domestic violence and police said they found a bag of marijuana and a gun in Muhsin Muhammed's car. All three of the players managed to stay on the team, at least for a little while. A Panthers spokesman wouldn't explain the difference.

Here's the thing. We do need to ask. We do need to know why the double standard exists.

Some argue its all about their "contract".  Give me a break. It's about winning and revenues.

For me its an issue of equal treatment within an organization. If the boys can keep their jobs when they are in trouble, then so should the girls. Regardless if one is union and one is not. Regardless if I think they should be fired. It all has to do with consistency of treatment. Hey, from a marketing perspective, I would think that the TV stations carrying the Panther games would be delighted to have the girls still on the team. It would definitely increase their ratings.

But then even increased revenue can't top a double standard. Imagine that. In this case, what's good for the gander, should be good for the goose.