The NFL Is What??

I feel so ignorant and embarrassed, but at the ripe age of 54, I just learned that one of the most profitable sports leagues is not-for-profit!!!  What?  How can that be? What kind of crazy world are we living in that the most watched, most money-making, most talked about league is tax-exempt?  How did this happen?  No, really, how did this happen?  The list of ridiculousness in Washington, D.C. just continues to get longer.  The commissioner of the NFL reportedly received over $44million dollars for the 2012 year.  What???  How can that be?  It's so disgraceful and obscene.  The IRS has made the tax exempt system a mockery.  The elected officials have been paid off and glad-handed for decades by the NFL.  It needs to be re-defined.  It needs to be taken back.  The NFL is clearly a profit business.  There's no doubt.  

The fight about the name of the Washington Redskins in D.C. didn't make sense to me until now.  Of course, it's one of the few "gimmes" the NFL should give to D.C.  Look at what the government has given to them!  Oh, my goodness.  I am sure there must be some logical reason 50 or 60 or 70 years ago to encourage the creation of the NFL, but they need to be weaned from the tax-exempt bosom of the USA.  I am so shocked and don't understand it, but it's got to stop.  We should be making money hand over fist from all their profits and maybe Roger Goodell would only make 5 million, which in my humble estimation is still too much.  

I am consistent.  I think not-for-profit needs to be completely re-evaluated.  The "religious" tax-exemptions get away with murder.  They are supposed to not get political, but they do.  So there should be consequences, but I digress.

Let's see how the NFL deals with Michael Sam during the draft.  I am guessing that the owners will prove to be homophobic and the best defensive player in the toughest NCAA conference, won't go as high in the draft as his talent would deserve.  Roger Goodell didn't sound the bells and lead by example.  Too much discussion has been made about Michael Sam's sexual orientation.  Nobody cared on his college team.  Did you hear me??  College boys/men didn't care.  They only cared about his results on the field.  So, a huge, gargantuan, profit making, corporation is not only laughably tax-exempt, they have the chance to lead by example, but they miss it every time.  The NFL is making money hand over fist at the expense of others, on the field and off the field.

My outrage may be late, but come on, IRS, it's time for big changes.  We, the people, need the money!!

Sidebars:  Sunday sadness.  Downton Abbey is over for the 4th season. So good and will be sorely missed. The Olympics are finally over and am grateful to get the programming back on schedule. Episodes on Showtime is one of the funniest shows on air and if you are not on board, get there.  Great cast.  Amazing Race All-Stars began. Yay, but began very sad and moving from the get go.  Don't want to spoil if you haven't watched, but then it got off to racing.  The Bachelor is so incredibly skanky and dramatic that it's on two nights this week.  The Voice returns tonight. Here's to Jason Collins joining the Brooklyn Nets.  Glad he found a place and just sorry that he is introduced as the first openly gay NBA player. Wish we were passed that.  NYC had some mild weather over the weekend which gave us all a taste of what Spring may bring, but until then, the Polar Vortex is returning.  

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@DianaPodolsky