Thursday, April 30, 2015

The NFL: a Mixed-Up Bag

When I heard, read, learned that the NFL snuck into the non-profit status and made billions, I was horrified.  How could that happen?  The NFL had non-profit status??????  Made zero sense. They make billions year in and year out.  It's origin was trying to help the AFL and the NFL merge together, but that status shouldn't have taken more than 40 years to change.  BUT, the good news, Roger Goodell has admitted and taken the hit.  The NFL has lost its non-profit status.  Will the American people see or feel the difference?  Probably not, but regardless, there is some comfort that taxes will be paid. 

Will this effect the new billion dollar plus stadium that they are planning to build in Los Angeles for the San Diego Chargers and the Oakland Raiders?  Funny that the Raiders are wanting to go back to Los Angeles. It didn't work the first time.  What's changed?  I get why the Raiders have to leave the Oakland Coliseum.  It must be one of the oldest stadiums in America.  No perks.  Basic, basic, basic.  I feel bad for the die hard Raiders fans.  They've stuck by them through the first move to L.A., will they still?  

Okay, so the NFL draft is starting.  I have a huge problem with the teams salivating over Jameis Winston.  He is not a good guy.  He has given new explanations for his walking out of the market with crab legs that is totally preposterous, but the GM's are choosing to accept the new story.  They are not even addressing that he allegedly (though I completely believe from my core, he did) raped a young co-ed at FSU.  I know in this country  you are innocent until proven guilty, but....The NFL can't be surprised that players that have checkered/questionable pasts continue their evil ways while they are a part of a team.  Does the name Aaron Hernandez mean anything to you?  The New England Patriot was just found guilty of murder in Boston and going to jail for life.  There were so many stories of criminality and delinquency from his youth, rumors of gang related crimes, and all around bad things, that only came out in the public after Hernandez's murder charge.  Don't you think Robert Kraft and the Patriots GM heard about his past?  You get what you pay for, as they say.  

I know that the teams can't collude against a player, but teams and the NFL do have morals clauses.  If you see that a college player has some controversial behavior in their youth, you can't be surprised if the behavior continues.  It can only escalate once you reward bad acts with millions.  You know that these men aren't spending it on therapy.  These men are in a super violent sport.  Maybe it's why they are attracted to the game, but the grown ups in the room become part of the problem.  

When Jameis Winston is picked in the first round tonight and picked first or second, please don't be surprised if he is involved in some "questionable" situations down the road.  That's what happens when you get away with rape and theft and then get rewarded with a multi-million dollar, multi-year contract.  I'm sick of it.

Sidebars:  The Voice is down to the final 6.  It may be said every year, but seriously, you could argue for any of these singers to win.  It's unbelievable how many great singers there are in America.  If that was my chosen profession or dream, it would probably depress me. If you are a singer, you can learn a lot from the comments. What I know, as much as I fancied myself a singer, I'm not the musician that these singers are.  The great ones have an innate sense of styling, vision.  Without that, you go home for sure.  Survivor, which I've come to late in its life, has the most unlikeable group of players, this season.  Last night's episode was very satisfying, so keeps me coming back for more.  The Tony nominations came out Tuesday and the nominating committee shut out Harvey Weinstein and his show, Finding Neverland.  Let's see how he markets that.  Went to see the Woman in Gold starring Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds.  I highly recommend.  True story and well worth the time.  It's Thursday. The sun is shining the grass is green.  Enjoy!

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@DianaPodolsky

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