NFL : THE DARREN SHARPER IMAGE

Peyton Manning

By Scary Barry Rodriguez          February 17,2013


For the NFL these days the bad karma harvest is the gift that keeps on giving. No matter how much money is spent on Public Relations , those heart warming Play 60 television spots and good old boy Peyton Manning on those Papa John pizza commercials , the hits to the league's image keep on coming.

Aaron Hernandez

Darren Sharper

The latest installment is the arrest on January 18 , 2013 , of NFL Network sports analyst Darren Sharper for two alleged cases of sexual assault in Los Angeles , California. Mr. Sharper is also being investigated in Tempe , Arizona , Las Vegas , Nevada and New Orleans , Louisiana , for sexual assaults. I have noted that the NFL Network , ESPN and FOX sports haven't given this much coverage. I guess this is fall out from the maximum coverage of the Aaron Hernandez murder case. If you have been living in a cave you might not remember his arrest on August 22, 2013. Lets try and put that in the rear view mirror boys !

Richie Incognito

Johnathan Martin

Unfortunately for the NFL and the Miami Dolphins , Theodore V. Wells Jr. , who was hired by the NFL to conduct an independent investigation into the Richie Incognito/ Johnathan Martin matter , released a 144 page report on February 14th that concluded that Mr. Martin had indeed suffered workplace harassment . That would have been bad enough but the investigation also uncovered harassment towards other players and an assistant trainer of Japanese ancestry .

Mike Pouncey

John Jerry

I read the report and the details are not fit for family entertainment. Two other players , John Jerry and Mike Pouncey , were found to be members of Incognito's posse. The evidence included their own text messages , notes , statements and the testimony of other players. It was just good old jock locker room fun of the bigoted , homophobic kind. The offensive line coach Jim Turner , who had knowledge about most of it is now seeking other employment 

Jim Turner

Michael Sam

This is the type of stone age ,bigoted , macho environment that Michael Sam , the openly gay defensive lineman from the University of Missouri , who is part of the 2014 NFL draft , can expect. It seems that many NFL coaches and players have been living apart from the rest of us for the last thirty or so years in terms of cultural awareness. 


Being a product of the sixties , witnessing all the vast social changes in our country , it is astounding to me that issues that have been dealt with in the mainstream are still not resolved in the locker rooms of the NFL. The players , who are supposed to be grown men , conducting themselves like ignorant children , while some of the coaches look the other way ! No amount of PR and expensive attorneys can make the bad taste go away.

There is almost too much to report on !  Lets not forget the lawsuits by NFL team cheerleaders. Maybe a few teams , such as the Oakland Raiders and the Cincinnati Bengals aren't aware of the concept of the minimum wage and overtime , when it comes to paying their cheerleaders. The cynical folks just say they shake around every Sunday just for the love of it ! In the United States of America , even cheerleaders have equal rights despite what some might say !

Roger Goodell

The problems that the NFL and specific teams are experiencing right now , aren't new ones for mainstream America. In the privileged world of highly paid millionaire jocks , billionaire owners and the 29 million dollar man , NFL commissioner Roger Goodell , accountability is finally arriving belatedly. Hopefully , the NFL football fans will all be wearing rose colored glasses and keep buying the product ! 

Senator Tom Coburn

Last but not least in any way, is the prospect of the NFL losing its " non profit " tax status. Say what ? You mean the NFL is like the United Way , Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity ! Senator Tom Coburn has introduced a bill , S. 1524 to address this situation. There other pieces of legislation on the table also addressing this same issue. Holy Batman and Robin ! What do we do ? The all American institution of the NFL is under attack ! Call out the National Guard !

For the NFL and everyone else there is always life after taxes. So sports fans , I bid you farewell for the time being. It has been depressing just writing about all the NFL's bad vibes. I'm taking a break to cheer up !



RIP. Ralph. 02/22/2014

BarryRodriguez (c) 2014. All Rights Reserved.

Layout by Magic Merlin Paul Malolot.