NFL = 'No Fun League'

The NFL sure knows how to put a damper on things. While most of the Atlanta Falcons organization has been trying to wash its hands of Michael Vick, a few of his fellow teammates decided to show their support:

Roddy White and four other Atlanta Falcons were fined by the NFL for
violating uniform regulations with tributes to Michael Vick during last week's
Monday night game.
. . .

After scoring a touchdown, White displayed a "Free Mike Vick" T-shirt
under his jersey.

He, along with tight end Alge Crumpler and cornerbacks
DeAngelo Hall and Chris Houston, were fined US$10,000 each. Crumpler, Hall and
Houston all wore black eye strips with written tributes to Vick, which the
league called "displaying an unauthorized personal message."

Wide receiver Joe Horn was fined $7,500 for pullig up White's jersey to show the black T-shirt with handwritten white lettering. . . .

Hall (pictured above), was also fined for the poster he's holding in the picture.

Roger Goodell will do anything to suck the fun out of football. A regular 'ol Debbie (or should that be Dougie) Downer. What's the point other than to keep people from expressing themselves in an already over-regulated business? If they can't express themselves on the field, when can they express themselves? These guys aren't seen much off of the field. You didn't see Goodell fining any Washington Redskins or Baltimore Ravens players when they wore a similar display following the death of Sean Taylor.

Of course not. That would have been horrible for PR. Well, just because it's popular to hate on Michael Vick doesn't mean that the rules should be applied differently on a case by case basis. That's what makes the rule of law legitimate - applying it the same way to everyone. When you start picking and choosing who gets punished and how, you lose credibility.

BUT we know the bottom line in the NFL is dollars and (not common) cents so the league will only care about losing credibility when it results in a similar decrease in the wallet. . . which, judging by how terrible teams can still sell out every home game, will not be anytime soon.