Filed under: American Football | Tags: American Football, Donte Stallworth, Football, Marshawn Lynch, Michael Vick, NFL, Plaxico Burress, Steve McNair
Burress: not helping the image of the NFL
Yesterday’s news that former New York Giants’ Wide Receiver Plaxico Burress has been indicted on two counts of criminal possession of a weapon and one count of reckless endangerment was another reminder of a summer to forget for the National Football league. While the case was originally rumored to be heard in September, the new indictments have brought on new rumors that the case will be pushed back possibly until March. The longer the case drags on, the worse for all involved. Although this is not a case where Burress will be made an example of necessarily (a la Michael Vick), the impending jail sentence and delaying of that jail sentence continues to provide bad publicity for the NFL.
In continuing with the theme of court cases that keep on giving (albeit negatively for public relations), former Atlanta Falcons’ Quarterback Michael Vick was released from prison this off-season after twenty three months in jail (dodging three more years due to good behavior). His conditional reinstatement and bankruptcy filings have reopened some PR wounds for the NFL and continue to keep them open. If anyone signs him, which I hope SOMEONE does, (after all the man has just turned 29 and has been keeping sharp in prison yard football games being the Quarterback for both teams), then maybe, just maybe, his performance on the field will help to ease his dog fighting out of the headlines. Until then, the Vick cases, will continue to cast a shadow over the Not Friendly (to animals) League and provide shows like Family Guy material like this.
Re-visiting stupid gun charges, this past March saw Buffalo Bills’ Running Back Marshawn Lynch found guilty of a misdemeanor gun charge and also found with marijuana (but no drug charges were brought against him). He has been suspended by the NFL for three games and received three years of probation and eighty hours of community service. His previous criminal record also includes an admitted to hit and run.
If you thought there could possibly be any more negative press, also in March, former Cleveland Browns’ Wide Receiver Donte Stallworth pleaded guilty to a DUI manslaughter. Although his driver’s license is permanently suspended and he is suspended permanently by the NFL (as of June), he only had to serve 24 days in jail. 24 of the unheard of low of 30 he was originally sentenced to! And now he has two years of house arrest in his mansion as well as eight years probation and one thousand hours of community service. Money and fame sure does buy good lawyers and sympathy from juries.
The main other bad headline this summer for the NFL was the murder of retired Quarterback Steve McNair. While this had nothing to do with off-season stupidity that the aforementioned headlines and players can be associated with, it still brings with it a lesson in what people athletes associate themselves with and leaves the NFL without one of its few truly upstanding citizens. In addition to losing a great man and teammate, it also re-opens the unfortunate murder of Washington Redskins Safety Sean Taylor. Not only do NFL players have legal troubles but they also have to worry about their lives. The NFL’s nightmarish off-season has let even baseball have somewhat of a breather with their steroid scandals. Even loud mouth Terrell Owens getting traded to the Buffalo Bills can’t muster enough headlines to deal with this PR nightmare. Luckily for the NFL and its annual revenues rumored to exceed $6 billion, it is nowhere near folding and its fan base will remain loyal and continue going to games. But don’t let that fool you into thinking all is well with the NFL. With the shortest season of the major four leagues in America, players with too much money and time on their hands get in trouble; continuing to grab the negative headlines which doesn’t help league promotion, especially internationally. For the NFL’s PR department, the season truly cannot start soon enough.
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i cannot wait for this to end and the football to start….
now that burress won’t face trial until well after the superbowl, maybe we’ll see a team sign him? the wrs available at the moment aren’t anywhere near plax’s level (amani toomer just signed with the chiefs)
i also hope someone signs vick. he could be a great utility player – imagine him in the wildcat or special teams.
Comment by chrisutd07 August 5, 2009 @ 10:54 amThis week MV7 spoke at a high school football practice in VB. Ironically, it was the same school fellow 757 idiot Percy Harvin went to. It was also rumored that on his first night out of jail Vick was spotted at a VB strip club. I almost don’t want to go home…haha
Comment by bcapps August 5, 2009 @ 7:24 pmPhlaccido?
Comment by JFOWL August 8, 2009 @ 11:14 pm