Monday, March 30, 2015

NFL Executives are Disrespecting the Game

BY STEVEN SILBERMAN

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What the %@!# is going on right now?

Browns GM Ray Farmer has been suspended for the first four regular-season games of 2015 for violating the NFL’s electronic device policy. In what is now dubbed #TextGate, Farmer texted down to the sideline during games, which is cheating. The Browns were fined $250,000 as punishment.

Even more shocking was what the Falcons did—they pumped crowd noise into their stadium. Unsurprisingly, that is also cheating. The Falcons lost their fifth-round draft pick for 2016 and were fined $350,000.

Rich McKay


Falcons President Rich McKay is in trouble, and he should be. As the chairman of the NFL’s Competition Committee, he is one of the most influential executives in the entire league. This is really disappointing. It’s also hysterical because even though the team pumped crowd noise, it still isn’t one of the loudest places toplay in the NFL. If you’re going to cheat, at least win, right Mr. Kraft?

The one bright side in all of this is that the league is stepping up its penalties for these horrifying offenses. The progress in this area has been outstanding in the past few years.

Just recently in 2012, Mickey Loomis was suspended only eight games for his involvement in the Saints’ bounty scandal. He definitely got off too easy, but not as easy as Jim Irsay. The Colts’ owner was banned for only six games for his DUI in 2014. This wasn’t just any ordinary DUI, however; Irsay reportedly had multiple painkillers in his system and could barely keep his balance when he got out of his car after being pulled over. I think those suspensions would be much longer today, which is necessary because these people are supposedly some of the most important leaders in professional football.
 
 

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