Tag Archive for NFL

When Congress Plays (Foot)Ball

January 7, 2020 Comments Off on When Congress Plays (Foot)Ball

All the members of Congress should be part of the NFL.  I’ve watched two warring factions–management and/or referees and/or players–hold onto their stubborn stands for awhile.  Finally, both sides come to realize that they’ve been causing hardship, turmoil, financial woes, and potential harm to the game and all people involved with it, plus unpopularity toward themselves.  They see that the people are upset, believing that both sides are being pig-headed and unreasonable.

Sort of like what goes on and on and on in our nation’s legislature.

But unlike our warring lawmakers, the NFL and referees have shown that can come to a settlement.  They can meet in the middle.  It isn’t a compromise of values (listen up, Dems and Reps) but a realization that reasonable people will disagree, and all views must be taken under consideration if the greater good for the people is to be achieved.

If our lawmakers were part of the NFL, then, I’d hope they’d be dragged into a state of reason–or be benched if they didn’t cooperate.

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NFL to Uphold the Law?

September 15, 2014 Comments Off on NFL to Uphold the Law?

I see it coming.  As the NFL formulates a policy on domestic abuse they’re holding back on punishment on one player (soon, I bet, to be many) under the guise of due process.  If a player hasn’t been convicted of a crime yet, how can we punish him, they argue.  No matter if he’s admitted it or if the incident is caught on tape so he can’t deny it.

Sounds to me like a nifty way to keep income-producing team members on the field.  What’s so cleaver about this stance is that abused women often drop the charges or never file them to begin with, believing that their abuser is contrite and will never do it again. Also, these guys are making a ton of money when they play.  How hard would it be to convince a vulnerable woman not to file a complaint, pointing out that there would be far less money for her and the children if he were banned from the game?  Would she be willing to chance her children’s future, or would she figure that she could tough it out and have some security for them and herself in a divorce settlement if it happened again?

If a complaint is never filed, or if the victim is a witness for the defense, how many convictions will there be?  And, without a conviction, the NFL could slap the player on the wrist and send him out to play as if nothing ever happened.

I’ll be watching the policy-formation process closely, hoping that the NFL will learn that abuse of another human being really is at least as important as the game-affecting drug offenses that they do punish.

 

 

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“That’s Terrible” (Wink, Wink)

August 1, 2014 Comments Off on “That’s Terrible” (Wink, Wink)

I’m not surprised that Ray Rice assaulted his fiancé (now wife) or that the NFL is letting him off with a slap on the back, er, I mean, on the wrist.  A look at the history of NFL game suspensions (rather than kicking them off the team) shows that these Good Old Boys think that violence is a healthy part of the sport—or is it a sport in itself?  Consider these suspensions:

Felony aggravated assault on your fiancé/wife = 1 -2 games

Assault on a former roommate = 3 games

Alleged sexual assault in a nightclub = 4 games

Altercation with a bodyguard = 4 games

Attacking a stripper and threatening a security guard, or DUI that killed someone = 16 games

Participating in a “bounty” = 3 – 16 games

Illegal hits on opposing players during a game = 1 – 2 games

Shooting self in the leg = 4 games [my personal favorite]

Participating in dog fighting = 2 games

DUI = 2 – 3 games

Multiple DUIs and other incidents = 32 games

Involvement with steroids or tattoos = 6 games

For a more offenses and penalties, see the chart at CBS.com.

By the way, Commissioner’s Roger Goodell and the league’s excuse for Rice’s mild penalty is that they have to go by precedent.  I guess reason and justice don’t count, especially if the offender wins games for you.

 

 

 

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Steroids & Fistfights—Wholesome NFL Activities

November 5, 2013 Comments Off on Steroids & Fistfights—Wholesome NFL Activities

A news broadcast taught me something I didn’t know: steroid use, fistfights, illegal tackles, semi-nude cheerleaders and dancing girls gyrating provocatively are all considered “wholesome” by the NFL.  So is teammates giving the finger to each other on the sidelines.  How did I come to this conclusion?  Easy.  The NFL never complains or does anything to curtail most of these activities (well, maybe a half-hearted attempt with steroids…when some player gets caught).  But they’re suing rapper MIA for $1.5 million for giving the finger in 2012 during her half-time show, saying that it was an “offensive gesture … in flagrant disregard for the values that form the cornerstone of the NFL brand and the Super Bowl” and  not in keeping with their “reputation for wholesomeness.”  It seems to bother them only with her, telling me that all the other stuff is okay and within the values of the “wholesome” NFL.

 

 

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Steroids & Fistfights—Wholesome NFL Activities

September 25, 2013 Comments Off on Steroids & Fistfights—Wholesome NFL Activities

This morning’s news taught me something I didn’t know: steroid use, fistfights, illegal tackles, semi-nude cheerleaders and dancing girls gyrating provocatively are all considered “wholesome” by the NFL. So is teammates giving the finger to each other on the sidelines. How did I come to this conclusion? Easy. The NFL never complains or does anything to curtail most of these activities (well, maybe a half-hearted attempt with steroids…when some player gets caught). But they’re suing rapper MIA for $1.5 million for giving the finger in 2012 during her half-time show, saying that it was an “offensive gesture … in flagrant disregard for the values that form the cornerstone of the NFL brand and the Super Bowl” and not in keeping with their “reputation for wholesomeness.” It seems to bother them only with her, telling me that all the other stuff is okay and within the values of the “wholesome” NFL.

 

 

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