there are these dustups like the ray wright situation in baltimore is the end them controversy. they don't know how to think of these things. they don't know what is coming or how to handle it. it is very short-term precarious for the league. >> host: a matter of growing pains, the national football league was not the most popular sport in america. they get very big, very quickly over the last 15 years. >> yes and no. they've been the most popular sport in america measured by tv ratings for 55 years. it goes back to the late 50s. the nfl has been king in this country is measured by these indicators like tv ratings and dollar signs for a long time. what the league doesn't have its head around is how fast this can change. there biggest nightmare, i did a lot of reporting on this, is becoming like the tobacco industry. smoking was such a part of this culture. it was the air we breathe. tobacco companies thought they could get away with it forever and all of a sudden people came around saying what are we doing here? should we regulate this? can we sue this? there are all kinds of le