Friday is normally a news dump day. People don’t talk about these stories on the weekend. So, they have to wait until Monday and by the time Monday arrives, most people are talking about the stories that took place over the weekend. Why talk about anything when we can talk about Will Smith punching Chris Rock?

That was the Browns way of protecting Deshaun Watson. They will be doing that a lot over the next few years. We could start with the garden variety lying that happens at all of these. Deshaun said it was not about the money and that he didn’t know about the additional money until after he had picked the Browns. Sure. Then, he talked about how honest the Houston front office was and how both sides acknowledged they had different priorities and that they were going in different directions. Sure. If anyone was buying that they should have turned in their press badge right then and there.

Lying to the press core and to fan base is one thing. That’s par for the course. Lying to yourself is something else. As a school counselor, I know when someone is lying to themselves. I know when someone is in trouble in terms of their mental health. I can’t diagnose anyone. I couldn’t tell you if Deshaun has a sex addiction, if it is diagnosable, or if his behavior goes beyond that. After all, we don’t know all of the facts about his 22+ cases.

He was asked directly if he felt like he needed counseling. He declined. He said he doesn’t have a problem. He didn’t assault anyone, disrespect anyone, or demean anyone. This is all comforting until we realize two very important things. First, he had just finished lying about his contract and how it impacted his decision and the decision to leave Houston. Secondly, more than 22 women would not characterize his behavior the same way that he did.

On a personal and human level, this is really quite disturbing. When 22+ women accuse you of something it either means you did it and are in complete denial or all of them are making it up which means you were dumb enough to put yourself in a position to have 22+ women all tell the same lie and have it be believed.

Deshaun was asked why he had so many different massage therapists. He only talked about the fact that this was over a multi-year period. Great. That doesn’t answer the question. It defies logic. It isn’t so much that he needed that many massages. Being a professional athlete has to be tough. It is the fact that he went to that many different massage therapists and as far as we know, they were all women. What are the odds that this is a coincidence?

The fact that so many of those instances turned sexual is extremely worrisome. Obviously, it is a pattern with him. That pattern obviously will get him in trouble with the people he loves, but also puts him into positions like this. He sees no problem with it. The fact that he sees no problem with is the proof that he needs some help. Most of us are perceptive enough to see when people are lying to themselves.

So here is hoping Deshaun does get some help. Most of us are adult enough to realize that people have many sides to them. We are adult enough to realize that people have different hobbies, appetites, and habits which may or may not be deemed healthy by the majority. The line between deviant, liable, and criminal behavior is not necessarily visible to the naked eye. Even though he is gone, here is hoping he gets some help.