League Scandals

[RiverDog]

Well, let's see. We started out with a scandal that took down one of the highest paid coaches in the league as a result of some emails using racial epithets discovered as the team was being investigated for their alleged culture of mistreatment of women, and it's not over yet as that coach is suing the league. Then we had the league MVP revealing that he had lied to the public about his vaccination status and his team's refusal to ask him to comply with league and union approved protocols for unvaccinated players. In late December as the axe began falling on black head coaches, Brian Flores filed a job discrimination lawsuit, part of which claimed that his owner paid him money to intentionally lose games while another black former head coach claimed that his owner made a similar offer to throw games.

Very recently, there's been a scandal that has broken out with America's Team, an accusation involving alleged voyeurism in Big D, with the Cowboys settling the embarrassing incident for $2.4M. Without conducting an investigation, the league has concluded that the team has handled it properly. Now we have two situations involving teams with very high-profile owners in circumstances very similar to the one which cost Jerry Richardson his team in which the league seems to be giving them a pass.

There's one incident that I thought might get some traction and that was the Super Bowl halftime performance. I didn't pay any attention to it as I seldom watch halftime shows, but one of my friends was outraged by the lewd behavior exhibited by various performers, claiming that if a player engaged in that behavior on a TD celebration, that they'd be penalized and fined. I see this morning that the sponsor of the halftime show, Pepsi, is not going to renew their contract for the halftime show for next season. It's uncertain whether or not the performance has anything to do with their walking away from it.

Not exactly the type of PR that the league wants associated with their brand.

[Hawktawk]

Well, let's see. We started out with a scandal that took down one of the highest paid coaches in the league as a result of some emails using racial epithets discovered as the team was being investigated for their alleged culture of mistreatment of women, and it's not over yet as that coach is suing the league. Then we had the league MVP revealing that he had lied to the public about his vaccination status and his team's refusal to ask him to comply with league and union approved protocols for unvaccinated players. In late December as the axe began falling on black head coaches, Brian Flores filed a job discrimination lawsuit, part of which claimed that his owner paid him money to intentionally lose games while another black former head coach claimed that his owner made a similar offer to throw games.

Very recently, there's been a scandal that has broken out with America's Team, an accusation involving alleged voyeurism in Big D, with the Cowboys settling the embarrassing incident for $2.4M. Without conducting an investigation, the league has concluded that the team has handled it properly. Now we have two situations involving teams with very high-profile owners in circumstances very similar to the one which cost Jerry Richardson his team in which the league seems to be giving them a pass.

There's one incident that I thought might get some traction and that was the Super Bowl halftime performance. I didn't pay any attention to it as I seldom watch halftime shows, but one of my friends was outraged by the lewd behavior exhibited by various performers, claiming that if a player engaged in that behavior on a TD celebration, that they'd be penalized and fined. I see this morning that the sponsor of the halftime show, Pepsi, is not going to renew their contract for the halftime show for next season. It's uncertain whether or not the performance has anything to do with their walking away from it.

Not exactly the type of PR that the league wants associated with their brand.

let’s add in Ruggs and the other 2 raiders involved in traffic crashes and DUIs including the horrific fatality . Also Kamura causing the wisdom of sending incredibly wealthy men in their early 20s to live in sin city . I really don’t like this Cowboys thing any more than the commanders issue with the owner . Gruden is looking like small potato’s compared to the scandals since him . It was not how Goody wanted to end the season . Owners gone wild .

[Hawktawk]

It’s my understanding Pepsi had planned to end the halftime sponsorship and was completely on board with the show as it’s finale . I thought it was overdone and of course some rap and hip hop is vulgar . I didn’t pay attention to anything but the cars . If I want to see a great halftime show I pull up our championship year . But the best ever was Prince in 2006 . Plugged into thousands of watts in a rain and thunder storm making noises with that guitar I never heard Eddie Van Halen make . Incredible . His guitar work on the Harrison guitar gently weeps at the HOF in 2004 was even sicker

[c_hawkbob]

I don't think "of course some rap and hip hop is vulgar" excuses it any more than if the Chili Peppers had performed naked except for a sock on their Junk as they were known to have done live. My 40 odd year old son in law was embarrassed to be watching it with me even though he's a monster Dre fan. Still not as bad as Janet's fake nip slip though ... (I thought the league was trying to go more wholesome after that bit ...).

Prince was great, in my top 5 even though I'm not a fan of most of his music. Wings did it best.

[RiverDog]

It’s my understanding Pepsi had planned to end the halftime sponsorship and was completely on board with the show as it’s finale . I thought it was overdone and of course some rap and hip hop is vulgar . I didn’t pay attention to anything but the cars . If I want to see a great halftime show I pull up our championship year . But the best ever was Prince in 2006 . Plugged into thousands of watts in a rain and thunder storm making noises with that guitar I never heard Eddie Van Halen make . Incredible . His guitar work on the Harrison guitar gently weeps at the HOF in 2004 was even sicker

I couldn't give two hoots in hell about any halftime show, a good example being that I never saw Janet Jackson's wardrobe failure and didn't find out about Justin Timberlake's behavior until the next day. They could send out two dog in heat and watch them hump for 15 minutes and I wouldn't give a rip. And as far this year's performance being vulgar or inappropriate for the audience, our kids are exposed to so much vulgarity and indecency in our society nowadays with the unregulated and anything goes internet that it makes for a pretty weak argument. My friend, since he's 83 years old and never stepped through the time portal into the 21st century, understandably has a different opinion.

But I was a bit surprised that the goody two shoes NFL would sanction such an event, especially in light of the blowback they got with previous performances, and if it was as bad as my friend claims it was, that we haven't heard very much criticism.

[RiverDog]

[let’s add in Ruggs and the other 2 raiders involved in traffic crashes and DUIs including the horrific fatality . Also Kamura causing the wisdom of sending incredibly wealthy men in their early 20s to live in sin city . I really don’t like this Cowboys thing any more than the commanders issue with the owner . Gruden is looking like small potato’s compared to the scandals since him . It was not how Goody wanted to end the season . Owners gone wild .

The Ruggs and other Raiders' events are in a little different category than the owners/coaches gone wild as they don't involve league/team management or a league MVP, but obviously it's not a good look.

[Aseahawkfan]

I watched the halftime performance on Youtube. It didn't seem bad to me. Just old school hip hop mixed with some new school. Dre did some of his old songs. What parts were vulgar?

I'm like RD. I don't really care that much about the halftime show. And I don't care if a woman's breast is flashed on TV. Babies see those practically from day 1. It's not going to hurt anyone. I don't get it.

The rest of the league scandals don't much matter. We've had plenty worse happen in the past like guys offing themselves, plenty of car homicides, and probably worse sex scandals back when they could hide them. I think Leon Lett back in the 90s was caught for selling cocaine or something, it was all swept under the rug. It was pretty obvious Lawrence Taylor had issues during his playing days and no one knew for years.

Professional sports is a crazy business.

[Hawktawk]

You do crack me up Asea. We may scuffle but you are also right a lot including now . How about Nate Newton former Dallas Guard getting popped twice in 2 weeks for transporting over 100 lbs of weed in a van how about Hollywood Henderson snorting coke on the sidelines . The Cincy fullback that snorted himself into oblivion the night before the Super Bowl in 88. The raider center same time same place different year . It’s not a league of choirboys either players coaches or owners . I think controversy actually helps the brand and the league acts more concerned than it actually is . If it cared there would be an investigation of Dallas , not a whitewash . Oh well I will still tune in . Better than watching the evening news

[Aseahawkfan]

You do crack me up Asea. We may scuffle but you are also right a lot including now . How about Nate Newton former Dallas Guard getting popped twice in 2 weeks for transporting over 100 lbs of weed in a van how about Hollywood Henderson snorting coke on the sidelines . The Cincy fullback that snorted himself into oblivion the night before the Super Bowl in 88. The raider center same time same place different year . It’s not a league of choirboys either players coaches or owners . I think controversy actually helps the brand and the league acts more concerned than it actually is . If it cared there would be an investigation of Dallas , not a whitewash . Oh well I will still tune in . Better than watching the evening news

Maybe Leon Lett had the car accident. And Nate Newton was the guy selling drugs. That 90s Cowboys team had some crazy stuff going on. I think Michael Irvin was snorting up during that time too.

Probably why Jerry is used to being able to sweep scandals under the rug. Some guy peeping on girls is probably one of the smaller scandals he's dealt with.