National Football League (NFL) Commissioner, Roger Goodell's seemingly uncontrollable and non- uniform fining of players for infractions has gotten out of hand. His latest mind numbingly stupifying act as the commish: Fining the Green Bay Packers' A.J. Hawk $10,000 for flipping the bird on national television to a viewership of millions and then fining 2010 Defensive Player of the Year Troy Polamalu the same amount for calling his wife with a cell phone from the bench to let her know that he hadn't suffered a serious injury.
Fining Hawk for his obscene gesture makes perfect sense, but when he is only fined $10,000 com- pared to the $25,000 plus other players are fined for making clean hits that Goodell thinks are too hard, is ridiculous. Making helmet to helmet contact or laying out an opposing player is not offensive to viewers, and if it is, they're watching the wrong sport. It's inexplicable how one is so much less than another, especially when three players were fined $15,000 in the same week for what the league has deemed "roughing the quarter- back." And if that is inexplicable, then it's absolutely unconscionable how Polamalu can be fined $10,000 for using a team doctor's cell phone to call his wife.
In a statement made on last Tuesday, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said "It wasn't a personal call. He wasn't checking on his bank account. He was talking to his wife to let her know that he was fine."
it is against the rules to possess a cell phone in the bench area starting 90 minutes before kickoff, but if not by using a cell phone, how is a player to let his loved ones know that he hasn't suffered a severe injury? Or does Goodell not deem it necessary? Sorry Roger, it is necessary, and it's about time you start re- viewing each fine on a case by case basis. And after you do that, make sure you're fining the players an amount appropriate to their infractions.
The league makes more than $1 million in fines each year, and this week racked up $120,000 alone with infractions ranging from the aforementioned, all the way to shoes not matching a throwback uniform and everything in between. It's not getting ridiculous, it's already gotten there. Players are being fined for things that referees aren't even calling in games, which means that the NFL's henchmen are actively reviewing game tape in order to slap players with more fines.
Fining players for infractions isn't anything new, but last year commissioner Goodell stated that he would start to suspend players for certain egregious in- fractions or for repeat offenses. Why hasn't he started suspending players yet? The answer is simple: you can't fine a player thousands of dollars if he isn't in the game. The league can fine players just about whatever they want and keep fining them. It's a gold mine, and there isn't any end in sight unless players, fans and coaches stand up to the league.
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