Bob Kravitz

bob.kravitz@indystar.com

Whatever Roger Goodell does to Jim Irsay — a fine and suspension seem like the minimum punitive actions at this point — the NFL commissioner must also protect the franchise and its fans.

That means requiring Irsay to undergo random drug testing as a prerequisite to maintaining control of the Indianapolis Colts.

The bottom line is this: If Irsay remains in the throes of drug addiction, it's not fair to the franchise or its fans to have him in charge of the club, which is, after all, a billion dollar asset.

While it's understood that a football team is a private business first and foremost (as Baltimore fans found out in 1983), it's also a quasi-public enterprise. Every dollar Irsay has made over the years has come directly or indirectly from the fans who support his team or who helped him build Lucas Oil Stadium.

As taxpayers, as fans, we have the right to know that the person who is running the show is in his right mind — not some of the time, as has been the case during Irsay's tenure, but all the time.

I am not a fan of drug testing for street drugs unless it involves people in safety-sensitive positions. But Irsay is in complete charge of a public trust, and those whose dollars have helped enrich him have the right to know that he's handling their team, and their dollars, with a clear mind.

When a player such as Pat McAfee has an alcohol-related indiscretion, he is forced to go through an entire after-care program, which includes a year or two of drug and alcohol testing. Irsay should be forced to submit to drug testing not for a period of time, but for perpetuity, for as long as he wants to run the Indianapolis Colts.

This wouldn't be done for punitive reasons. It would be done to protect the franchise and the fans of the franchise.

A fine? Absolutely. If the late Bud Adams got $250,000 for flipping the bird at fans, what's Irsay's mistake worth? Half a million? A million? More? Executives should be held to a higher standard than the players. The bottom line is, he endangered his own life and the lives of others by allegedly getting behind the wheel while impaired. That is inexcusable.

A suspension? Absolutely. He should not be allowed to attend a couple of Colts games next year. Again, he put others at risk. A suspension would hurt a lot more than a fine; the Colts are Irsay's second love, right after his family, and being away from his franchise will be one of the toughest things he's ever done. But it must be done. (And yes, the players union will be watching Goodell very closely here, to make sure he comes down as hard on one of his employers as he does on his players.)

But the best thing Goodell can do — and he can do this — is require random drug testing.

If Irsay doesn't want to comply, or can't comply, he can give the team over to his daughter Carlie Irsay-Gordon, who is handling his business while he's at a rehab facility.

We saw how poorly the Colts were run when Irsay's father, Bob, was dealing with his alcoholic demons. While Jim has been a terrific owner by most accounts, what's to say that his addled condition wouldn't put the franchise in some kind of peril? What if he's not in his right mind and suddenly, foolishly decides to fire his front office or his coaching staff after an egregious loss?

Irsay isn't a do-nothing owner who sits in his office and listens to Eagles CDs all day. He's very active in every conversation regarding the team. True, he's been very good at hiring top football people and letting them take care of the football business, but he's much more than a simple rubber stamp.

He's the one who hired Bill Polian.

He's the one who hired Tony Dungy.

He's the one who jettisoned Peyton Manning and chose to draft Andrew Luck.

He is not Jerry Jones and has no aspirations of becoming like the Dallas Cowboys owner, but he's the final decision-maker.

It's remarkable how well Irsay has run this franchise even while in and out of his addictive phases. I mentioned Polian, Dungy, Luck for Manning. The record under Irsay speaks for itself. Even in his worst times, like in the early 2000s and the past few years, he's still had the right instincts. Which tells me he's a very good football owner, regardless of his demons.

Just imagine him clean and sober.

Irsay has a responsibility to himself, his friends, his loved ones and Colts fans to get it right this time. He should know by now how lucky he is, gaining ownership of a football team and enjoying riches beyond most of our comprehension as a winner of the genetic lottery.

He's also fortunate he has the resources and access to the best rehab treatment in the world. There are scores of troubled souls out there who have the same problems but lack the wherewithal to get the help they need.

He is blessed, even if I'm quite sure it doesn't feel that way at this particular moment.

Goodell, though, has to do more than pummel him with a fine and a suspension. He has to think of the franchise and the franchise's fans. He has to hold Irsay accountable to the scores of people who have a right to know he's operating in a sober manner.

Bob Kravitz is a columnist for The Indianapolis Star. Call him at (317) 444-6643 or email bob.kravitz@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter: @BKravitz