Buyer's Beware: NFL Gets Tough

Think the actions of players off the field is getting out of control?  Think these players are getting way too many free rides and second chances?  Well, in this new NFL, it’s buyer beware as the Commissioner announces that the NFL will not let it slide anymore.

As PacMan Jones awaits his re-reinstatement so he can join the Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones has to be thinking about his wallet in his back pocket, or the checkbook in his desk drawer.  The NFL is not playing games anymore.

To put it point blank, Commissioner Roger Goodell has informed the team owners that he and the NFL will now fine the teams for player infractions that result in suspensions related to personal conduct.  This is huge as more teams may be less willing to risk roster spots and their own purses to give what is often 2nd, 3rd, and even 4th chances.  While it is not know the amounts that could be leveed, it is clear that personal conduct is still one of the issues for Roger Goodell.

In other NFL owners meeting news, Goodell said he is working with the teams on a policy to curb rowdy fan behavior, although he acknowledged that the ways to do that varied from stadium to stadium. The commissioner, who attended a game in Foxborough last year as a fan along with his 13-year-old niece, said he wanted to find ways to make games a pleasant experience for all fans.  I have an idea, why not raise ticket prices more thus getting rid of the middle income families who can barely make it to one game a year.  Believe me Roger, the fans are hardly to blame for the mess at the stadium, I would say the frustration over 25 dollar parking, 7 dollar beers, and 5 dollar hot dogs is more the problem, but what do I know, I can’t afford to go to games anymore.

Speaking of money, the NFL will be using more of what it has to entertain NFL rookie class members.  Following a suggestion by Michael Irvin of all people, the NFL will play host at the Hall of Fame for members of each teams rookie class ending in August with rookies from the two teams in the HOF game.  Each team will send it’s rookies to the HOF at different times.  Great way to spend money.  With the contracts they get, maybe they could pay their own way.  I suppose to compensate for the ticket window loss, we fans can see an increase at the HOF ticket office as well.  BRILLIANT

While the owners continue talking about this that and the other ways of making more money…which is fine to me…there is some speculation that they will begin preliminary discussions on adding a 17th regular season game.  The hopes of the NFL is to make that 17th game for all teams a game played either in a foreign country or a neutral site in an attempt to broaden the NFL popularity.  May I just say that I am all for the Miami Dolphins playing a game in Fayetteville, NC in the near future…Oh wait, it’s not like I could afford the tickets anyways.