Ross Tucker > INSIDE THE NFL
In NFL, bad behavior might be good for business after all
Story Highlights
The NFL's an image-conscious league, but player misbehavior keeps it in the news
As long as incidents don't drive away fans or sponsors, notoriety boosts interest
Plus reader mail on rookie position changes, linemen fitness and Steve McNair.
Plaxico Burress broke the law, but his actions
kept the New York Giants and the NFL in the
news throughout the slow offseason.
Maybe bad behavior's good for business after all.
Fat Man says . . . . .
YEAH! Off on the wrong foot already! Very good! Can't do better than that!
Hear me out. As a former player, I'm typically highly critical of the few NFL players who fail to abide by the standard of conduct the league and legal system set forth, thereby casting a cloud of negativity over the league. When guys like Michael Vick, Plaxico Burress and Donte' Stallworth act out, the public's focus shifts to their wrongdoings,
despite the vast majority of NFL players conducting themselves appropriately and providing positive services to their communities. For that reason and more, I believe the harsher the punishment commissioner Roger Goodell hands down to the league's delinquents, the better.
Fat Man says . . . . .
YEAH RIGHT!!! A prime example is how the UTEP Miners here in my own beloved community of El Piss-hole Texass-hole is providing a "positive service" by having the bus stop benches removed from in front of the Don Haskins SPORTS CENTER/NAZI HEADQUARTERS, because it looks bad to have elderly people and disabled people sitting on benches in front of their precious sports center. Yeah! it makes them look bad! They got to keep up a positive image as we all know!
So, it's the vast majority of NFL players who conduct themselves appropriately??? Oh please! Please don't say that it's99% percent like some other moronthat we all know on these forums!Pleeeeeeease!!!
But writing this column and hosting a show for Sirius NFL Radio has given me new perspective. The NFL is a machine that hums 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. The league likes it that way, and it should, because that non-stop humming is good for business. The more people read, listen and watch NFL-related items, the better.
Fat Man says . . . . .
Yes, and any kind of publicity, good or bad, keeps them humming, because any kind of publicity, good or bad, is good for business. God forbid if the NFL ever stops humming! Why, the whole country may grind to a halt! It already has, with the declining quality of education in our high schools, and the declining moral standards in the USA thanks to sports. Yeah! Keep on humming! And all of you monkey-boys can just keep on parking your $100,000 dollar Hummers all day long in 15 minute parking zones, and never have to worry about getting a ticket or your vehicles towed away! So, just keep on humming!
The reality, however, is the
transgressions and drama of a select few, fuel that machine in the offseason. I can't stand most of the "me first" personalities like Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens, but their antics keep the NFL in the news. When Ochocinco announces his intention to tweet during games, or to fight Solomon Wilcots and Mike Golic, we eat it up. When T.O. joins a reality TV cast, we watch just because he's involved. (He should star in a remake of Being John Malkovic.
I'd love to know what's going on his brain.)
Fat Man says . . .
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Here we go again! Yes, bad publicity is the fuel the keeps the sports machine humming. The sports machine runs on nothing but pure unadulterated BULLSHIT!!! But since I'm not a sports fan, I don't eat it up! I prefer a sirloin or a T-bone stake, medium rare please! In fact, I like to eat up a lot of good foods which is why I'm so fat, but I don't eat bullshit. I'm on a bullshit-free diet! Oh! . . . . . T.O. has a brain???
Same goes for the annual Brett Favreapalooza. Some (myself included) have come to view Favre as disingenuous and selfish. Others say he just wants to play football and wonder what's so wrong about that. Everyone has an opinion, thus the debate rages on. That keeps the NFL in the news, and that's the general idea.
And the fact is, the same goes for criminal behavior.
Fat Man says . . . . .
Oh yes indeed! We must encourage even more criminal behavior! That's what applies the grease to the wheels of the sports machine! The squeaky wheels get the grease! That's why monkey-boys get paid millions of dollars year after year just for chasing balls, and their free cars! Then, when they go out and rape somebody's sister of daughter, they only get a slap on the wrist. Not even that! They get a pat on the back from the coach, a pay raise, and a new car! FOR FREE! Gotta keep that sports machine humming ya know!!!
Lately, Burress, Stallworth and, most notably, Vick have been in the headlines. All three made poor choices. All three faced the legal and league music. But all three also kept the NFL in the news during what are otherwise the slowest months of the year.
Fat Man says . . . . .
Ho hum! I'm having a rather slow and boring day today. Maybe I'll go out and commit a few crimes! Nah! I'll just kick back and listen to some of my favorite classical music CDs or read one of my books on Astronomy. Oh wait! That's a crime! Reading Astronomy books is sissy stuff and unmanly! That's why I got kick out of school, because I hate sports and prefer to do sissy stuff! Yeah! I'm a criminal!!!
The NFL's concerned about its image, and it should be. But people aren't paying less attention to the NFL because of questionable player behavior. They certainly won't refrain from watching their teams once the season rolls around because of a few objectionable incidents. Even the corporate sponsors haven't shied away. If anything, the boon in coverage has had a positive financial impact.
Fat Man says . . . . .
Yeah! Crime certainly dose create a great boost to one's financial assets! Just ask the MAFIA!!!
This isn't what the image-conscious league wants. This isn't what responsible, respectful players want. But it's what those like Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who subscribe to the "any publicity is good publicity" school of thought, want, because when it comes to keeping the league on people's minds, even bad news is good news.
Fat Nan says . . . . .
WWWWWHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOPEEEEEEEEE!!! Yeah! I'm so happy that criminal activity keeps The Great Sports Machine humming right along!!!
