Players represent such a large problem that, according to a Wall Street Journal report one year ago, the league had to hire former police officers and FBI agents as security chiefs, order extensive background checks, install video-surveillance systems in locker rooms, chase down rumors and sometimes forbid players from talking to the press. Why? To protect $7 billion of revenue generated by the league.
Apparently, cases involving league players and murder charges, cocaine use and drunk driving resulting in death were not deemed serious enough by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to permanently suspend three players I featured in an NFL-related post (see Allegations Against Vick Pale in Comparison) two years ago. Descriptions of their crimes appear below:
In January 2000, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis was charged with double murder and, after pleading guilty to obstruction charges, never missed a down on the gridiron;
That same year, Jamal Lewis, also on the Ravens at the time (now with the Tennessee Titans), served four months in federal prison and two months in a halfway house on charges related to a cocaine deal; and
Finally, nearly a decade ago, St. Louis Rams defensive end Leonard Little spent 90 days in jail with four years probation and was suspended for eight games after being convicted of driving drunk and broadsiding a car driven by Sue Gutweiler, a 47-year-old mother of two. Oh, did I mention Gutweiler died as a result of Littles actions? Its true and did I mention he was arrested on drunk-driving charges again in 2004? Its true, and hes still playing for the Rams!
No one in his right mind could deem anything done by Limbaugh, historys most popular radio talk show host, more objectionable and/or more harmful than the actions of these players and others since. Those who do must have the wrong halves of their brains tied behind their backs.
EDITORS NOTE: Incredibly, Ray Lewis (Baltimore Ravens), Jamal Lewis (Cleveland Browns) and Leonard Little (St. Louis Rams) are STILL IN THE LEAGUE.
There is no room in the NFL for divisiveness. Plenty of room for murderers, wife beaters, felons, ex-cons, dog killers, drug users, thugs, gang members.......
You can take the Hoodlums out of the ‘Hood but,......
Good points. And I agree, Michael Vick’s convictions pale in comparison to these other thugs. And you animal lovers, save your breath.
Awesome point. Remember when Landry was coach of the cowboys? He knew how to control his thugs. Also about a year ago there was a funny poster going around the net about the university of texas’ most wanted. Something like 8 of their star players were out on bond for multiple crimes. This garbage starts in high school where athletes are not punished like the general population and it snowballs from there.
I quit watching the National Felon League long ago. I only watch college football.
The owners tend to be pretty trashy, too, as when they blackmail politicians to steal for them from the taxpayers. Professional sports is one big criminal enterprise that has been given antitrust exemptions by the government, which is, itself, one big criminal enterprise.
Rush is better off out of it, but that should be HIS choice, not that of slanderers.
I don’t watch professional sports all that much. Now, I’m abstaining completely.
I hope the players do go on strike.
I’m just wondering where all those team owners are who Rush numbers among his friends, and have invited him to their boxes to watch big games.
For almost a year now we have done nothing but talk, talk, talk about racism. A Nobel prize winning, magic negro resides in the WH due to the white vote, black athletes control the professional sports franchises to the extent that a white man with an opinion can not own a team. All this while black teachers are making children sing chants and praises to the POTUS. The black population in this country is 13.5% and they are dominating every aspect of our society with this racist crap.
I find it interesting that the fact Rush has a black producer and he was married by a black justice is discounted by his detractors with the charge the are Uncle Toms. This tells me they are not concerned with race, but rather beliefs. So it’s no wonder they have a problem understanding, or admitting, someone could be opposed to a black president and it have nothing to do with his race.
Strangely, we’ve reached a point where actually, objectively proving that someone is not racist automatically makes that person racist in the minds of many blacks.
What it comes down to is that those who cry racism are angry that someone won’t let race excuse bad behavior.
If Alice in Wonderland were written and published today it would never be the success it was in its time. Then it was fantasy, today it’s reality!
I love football, but you are right: I think it was last season at one point three or four STARTERS on the Cincy Bengals were either in jail, awaiting trial, or on probation for a serious crime. And Rush is the threat????