Rich Lowry

During the past few weeks, two sets of initials have dominated the news — ISIL and NFL — and the casual listener would be hard-pressed to decide which is more odious.

It’s a wonder that President Barack Obama hasn’t pledged to bring NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to justice.

Such is the weight the press has put on the NFL’s punishment of Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice for punching his then-fiancee that Denis McDonough, the president’s chief of staff, had to weigh in on “Meet the Press”: “We all know Ray Rice being suspended indefinitely seems to be exactly the right thing.”

On the NFL,...