Just a few days after the major on-air racial slur uttered by Don Imus , GOP Presidential Candidates stated that they would -- I repeat -- would -- appear on The Don Imus Show, according to the Washington Post . This is right after Staples, Proctor & Gamble, and Bigelow Teas pulled their ads from the shock-jock's show. Rudy Giuliani, the current GOP front runner, has openly said he would appear on Don Imus' show again.
I guess through reasoning we can assume that Rudy Giuliani will not get donations from representatives of Staples, Proctor & Gamble, and Bigelow Teas.
Here's what was reported:
* Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.): "The comments of Don Imus were divisive, hurtful and offensive to Americans of all backgrounds. With a public platform, comes a trust. As far as I'm concerned, he violated that trust."
* Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.): "I certainly understand the outrage over his remarks. ... Those women did not deserve those hateful and hurtful comments."
* Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.): "He has apologized ... He said that he is deeply sorry. I'm a great believer in redemption. Whether he needs to do more in order to satisfy the concerns of people like the members of that team, that's something that's between him and them. But I have made many mistakes in my life ... and I have apologized, and most people have accepted that apology."
* Former Gov. Mike Huckabee(R-Ark.) spokeswoman Kirstin Fedewa: "The Governor said yesterday that what Imus said was both insensitive and wrong -- and that he certainly should apologize for his remarks. On top of everything else, what made this so inappropriate was that it was directed at young college women who are amateur athletes and not public figures."
"The Governor considers Imus a friend -- even though he doesn't agree with him on this. Imus did apologize, and he should -- and he's taking repeated steps to show genuine contrition, including offering to meet with the girls, to apologize in person."
* Former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-Mass.) spokesman Kevin Madden: "Governor Romney hasn't been invited to appear on the show again, but if he did go back on the show he would be sure to tell Mr. Imus how awful those remarks were. Governor Romney believes that those remarks were hurtful and obviously never should have even been uttered."
* Gov. Bill Richardson (D-N.M.): Spokesman Pahl Shipley said that Richardson has been in North Korea on a diplomatic mission and was not even sure whether the governor was aware of the controversy.
* Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.): "As the father of two young girls, I can imagine how hurtful these comments were to these young women and their parents. The comments were wrong and unacceptable. We know what the charges are, and we should see what actions he takes in the coming days. I'm glad that he has apologized, and I take him to be sincere in his apology. But his actions in the future will be the test of that sincerity and I'll let that guide my decision."
* Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani spokeswoman Maria Comella: "Mayor Giuliani spoke with Don Imus earlier today and it was clear that Mr. Imus recognizes he made a very big mistake. The Mayor believes Don Imus understands the damage he has done and he did the right thing by apologizing. Mayor Giuliani would appear on Don Imus' program again."
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Grambling Remembers Eddie Robinson
Grambling Remembers Eddie Robinson-read below the dotted line for my own personal Coach "ROB" story.
By BRETT MARTEL
AP Sports Writer
GRAMBLING, La. -- It was the kind of gathering of former NFL stars that might draw a crowd in any other small town. Here, they were part of the crowd, just a handful of men among thousands of people honoring the late coaching legend Eddie Robinson.
"He's as great a person, or mentor or coach as America has ever had," said James Harris, the former Grambling State University quarterback who became one of the first black quarterbacks in the NFL when he joined O.J. Simpson in the Buffalo Bills' backfield. "There are so many things to be thankful for and proud of that you just had an opportunity in life to be touched by such an outstanding person."
Robinson's burial on Wednesday was to mark the end of three days of events to honor the longtime Grambling coach, who died last week at age 88. On Monday, he joined only a handful of other figures in Louisiana history, including political titan Huey Long, who have lain in repose inside the state Capitol in Baton Rouge.
On Tuesday night, cars filled a church parking lot and more lined Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue as an overflow crowd crammed into a Baptist church for Robinson's wake.
Robinson's wife, Doris, who had attended a memorial service for her late husband in the Capitol a day earlier, was not at the wake. Friends and family said she was not feeling well but still planned to attend the funeral on Wednesday.
Still, the wake was so crowded that former NFL defensive back Everson Walls, who won a Super Bowl with the New York Giants, spent part of the service standing in the aisle of the church balcony.
Nearby sat Doug Williams, the former NFL quarterback who became the Super Bowl MVP with the Washington Redskins in 1988.
After the service, Harris chatted with Hall of Fame defensive back Willie Brown, who was famous for his 75-yard touchdown return of a Fran Tarkenton pass in the Oakland Raiders' Super Bowl victory over the Minnesota Vikings in 1977. Hall of Fame receiver Charlie Joiner was expected to attend the burial on Wednesday, Harris said. They all played at one time or another for the man so many here call "Coach Rob."
"He established a tradition. He put Grambling on the map. He touched football on every level. But even more important, he touched the lives of so many other Americans," Harris said after the service. "Everybody here at Grambling, when you travel around the country, there's such a strong camaraderie that was kind of built through the work of coach. He's a rare, rare person."
Grambling basketball coach and former NBA player Larry Wright, speaking at the wake, drew applause from the crowd when he called Robinson "larger than life" and "the greatest Gramblingite of all-time."
Robinson had no paid assistants when he took what would be his first and only college coaching job in 1941. He went on to coach for 57 seasons, winning 408 games and sending more than 200 players from the small school in rural north Louisiana to the NFL.
Former players have remembered Robinson as a man who not only taught them hard work and perseverance on the football field, but also stressed education, humility, generosity, and loyalty. Longtime residents of this town say Robinson never seemed too busy or self-important to chat with them. Athletes who played sports other than football at Grambling still cited Robinson as a major influence in their lives.
"I would go to football practice almost every day just to hear something legendary from coach Rob," Wright recalled. "You had to get some of his touch. He dealt with everybody. Every time he'd see you, it was: 'Hey, Cat, how you doing?' And you knew that it was genuine. They don't come no better than coach Robinson."
Addressing the crowd, Republican state Sen. Bob Kostelka wondered aloud what kind of salary Robinson might have had a chance to earn were he in his prime in this day of seven-figure salaries for top college coaches.
"He didn't move from university to university. He didn't live in a palace. He lived in the same sleepy little town and produced All-Americans and Hall-of-Famers," Kostelka said. "He gained something more than what you can buy with money. He gained immortality ... and there is only one coach Rob."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So it was 1989, and Coach ROB was still involved with day to day operations of the team. I was Coaching in Semi-pro at the time, but had begun publishing(along with others) our Annual Guide to the NFL draft. I needed some Information on some players, and was determined to get through the switchboard at the school. One of my fellow coaches, Jeff Barnes ,had gone to Grambling as a QB prospect, but coach ROB switched him to RB/KR/PR, and while my friend sulked a bit, at least he got to play as a backup/special teamer, instead of holding a clipboard for 4 years. So i had my friend call, and of course he got through and i got my information, after Coach talked off my friends' ear for 10 mins.
Two of my more recent co-workers played for Coach ROB as well, and they were roommates. I'm quite sure they are wearing their Grambling st. Pride this week.
By BRETT MARTEL
AP Sports Writer
GRAMBLING, La. -- It was the kind of gathering of former NFL stars that might draw a crowd in any other small town. Here, they were part of the crowd, just a handful of men among thousands of people honoring the late coaching legend Eddie Robinson.
"He's as great a person, or mentor or coach as America has ever had," said James Harris, the former Grambling State University quarterback who became one of the first black quarterbacks in the NFL when he joined O.J. Simpson in the Buffalo Bills' backfield. "There are so many things to be thankful for and proud of that you just had an opportunity in life to be touched by such an outstanding person."
Robinson's burial on Wednesday was to mark the end of three days of events to honor the longtime Grambling coach, who died last week at age 88. On Monday, he joined only a handful of other figures in Louisiana history, including political titan Huey Long, who have lain in repose inside the state Capitol in Baton Rouge.
On Tuesday night, cars filled a church parking lot and more lined Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue as an overflow crowd crammed into a Baptist church for Robinson's wake.
Robinson's wife, Doris, who had attended a memorial service for her late husband in the Capitol a day earlier, was not at the wake. Friends and family said she was not feeling well but still planned to attend the funeral on Wednesday.
Still, the wake was so crowded that former NFL defensive back Everson Walls, who won a Super Bowl with the New York Giants, spent part of the service standing in the aisle of the church balcony.
Nearby sat Doug Williams, the former NFL quarterback who became the Super Bowl MVP with the Washington Redskins in 1988.
After the service, Harris chatted with Hall of Fame defensive back Willie Brown, who was famous for his 75-yard touchdown return of a Fran Tarkenton pass in the Oakland Raiders' Super Bowl victory over the Minnesota Vikings in 1977. Hall of Fame receiver Charlie Joiner was expected to attend the burial on Wednesday, Harris said. They all played at one time or another for the man so many here call "Coach Rob."
"He established a tradition. He put Grambling on the map. He touched football on every level. But even more important, he touched the lives of so many other Americans," Harris said after the service. "Everybody here at Grambling, when you travel around the country, there's such a strong camaraderie that was kind of built through the work of coach. He's a rare, rare person."
Grambling basketball coach and former NBA player Larry Wright, speaking at the wake, drew applause from the crowd when he called Robinson "larger than life" and "the greatest Gramblingite of all-time."
Robinson had no paid assistants when he took what would be his first and only college coaching job in 1941. He went on to coach for 57 seasons, winning 408 games and sending more than 200 players from the small school in rural north Louisiana to the NFL.
Former players have remembered Robinson as a man who not only taught them hard work and perseverance on the football field, but also stressed education, humility, generosity, and loyalty. Longtime residents of this town say Robinson never seemed too busy or self-important to chat with them. Athletes who played sports other than football at Grambling still cited Robinson as a major influence in their lives.
"I would go to football practice almost every day just to hear something legendary from coach Rob," Wright recalled. "You had to get some of his touch. He dealt with everybody. Every time he'd see you, it was: 'Hey, Cat, how you doing?' And you knew that it was genuine. They don't come no better than coach Robinson."
Addressing the crowd, Republican state Sen. Bob Kostelka wondered aloud what kind of salary Robinson might have had a chance to earn were he in his prime in this day of seven-figure salaries for top college coaches.
"He didn't move from university to university. He didn't live in a palace. He lived in the same sleepy little town and produced All-Americans and Hall-of-Famers," Kostelka said. "He gained something more than what you can buy with money. He gained immortality ... and there is only one coach Rob."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So it was 1989, and Coach ROB was still involved with day to day operations of the team. I was Coaching in Semi-pro at the time, but had begun publishing(along with others) our Annual Guide to the NFL draft. I needed some Information on some players, and was determined to get through the switchboard at the school. One of my fellow coaches, Jeff Barnes ,had gone to Grambling as a QB prospect, but coach ROB switched him to RB/KR/PR, and while my friend sulked a bit, at least he got to play as a backup/special teamer, instead of holding a clipboard for 4 years. So i had my friend call, and of course he got through and i got my information, after Coach talked off my friends' ear for 10 mins.
Two of my more recent co-workers played for Coach ROB as well, and they were roommates. I'm quite sure they are wearing their Grambling st. Pride this week.
NFL Network - NFL Replay Schedule For 2007
NFL Replay Telecast Schedule For Airing of 2006 NFL Games
Week 1: Sunday, March 11
1:00 PM ET: Dallas at Jacksonville
2:30 PM ET: New Orleans at Cleveland
4:00 PM ET: Buffalo at New England
5:30 PM ET: Indianapolis at New York Giants
Week 2: Sunday, March 18
1:00 PM ET: Giants at Philadelphia
2:30 PM ET: New England at New York Jets
4:00 PM ET: New Orleans at Green Bay
5:30 PM ET: Carolina at Minnesota
Week 3: Sunday, March 25
1:00 PM ET: Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
2:30 PM ET: Carolina at Tamp Bay
4:00 PM ET: Chicago at Minnesota
5:30 PM ET: Jacksonville at Indianapolis
Week 4: Sunday, April 1
1:00 PM ET: Indianapolis at New York Jets
2:30 PM ET: Detroit at St. Louis
4:00 PM ET: Jacksonville at Washington
5:30 PM ET: Baltimore at San Diego
Week 5: Sunday, April 8
1:00 PM ET: Dallas at Philadelphia
2:30 PM ET: St. Louis at Green Bay
4:00 PM ET: Tampa Bay at New Orleans
5:30 PM ET: Kansas City at Arizona
Week 6: Sunday, April 15
1:00 PM ET: Tennessee at Washington
2:30 PM ET: Seattle at St. Louis
4:00 PM ET: Philadelphia at New Orleans
5:30 PM ET: Chicago at Arizona
Week 7: Sunday, April 22
1:00 PM ET: Philadelphia at Tampa Bay
2:30 PM ET: San Diego at Kansas City
4:00 PM ET: Pittsburgh at Atlanta
5:30 PM ET: Carolina at Cincinnati
Week 8: Sunday, May 6
1:00 PM ET: Indianapolis at Denver
2:30 PM ET: Seattle at Kansas City
4:00 PM ET: Atlanta at Cincinnati
5:30 PM ET: St. Louis at San Diego
Week 9: Sunday, May 13
1:00 PM ET: Miami at Chicago
2:30 PM ET: Cincinnati at Baltimore
4:00 PM ET: Dallas at Washington
5:30 PM ET: Indianapolis at New England
Week 10: Sunday, May 20
1:00 PM ET: St. Louis at Seattle
2:30 PM ET: Baltimore at Tennessee
4:00 PM ET: San Diego at Cincinnati
5:30 PM ET: New Orleans at Pittsburgh
Week 11: Sunday, May 27
1:00 PM ET: Indianapolis at Dallas
2:30 PM ET: Oakland at Kansas City
4:00 PM ET: AFC North Battles; Cincinnati Bengals vs. New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons vs.
Baltimore Ravens, and Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns
5:30 PM ET: Charger Comebacks; San Diego vs. Broncos ( Week 10) & San Diego vs. Cincinnati
(Week 11)
Week 12: Sunday, June 3
1:00 PM ET: Chicago at New Orleans
2:30 PM ET: AFC West Replays; Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City and Oakland Raiders vs. San
Diego Chargers
4:00 PM ET: New York Giants at Tennessee
5:30 PM ET: Last Gasps; Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers vs. St.
Louis Rams
Week 13: Sunday, June 10
1:00 PM ET: Dallas at New York Giants
2:30 PM ET: Kansas City at Cleveland
4:00 PM ET: Indianapolis at Tennessee
5:30 PM ET: Carolina at Philadelphia
Week 14: Sunday, June 17
1:00 PM ET: Indianapolis at Jacksonville
2:30 PM ET: Seattle at Arizona
4:00 PM ET: New Orleans at Dallas
5:30 PM ET: Denver at San Diego
Week 15: Sunday, June 24
1:00 PM ET: Dallas at Atlanta
2:30 PM ET: Tampa at Chicago
4:00 PM ET: Philadelphia at New York Giants
5:30 PM ET: Jacksonville at Tennessee
Week 16: Sunday, July 1
1:00 PM ET: Cincinnati at Denver
2:30 PM ET: New England at Jacksonville
4:00 PM ET: Tennessee at Buffalo
5:30 PM ET: San Diego at Seattle
Week 17: Sunday, July 8
1:00 PM ET: Detroit at Dallas
2:30 PM ET: New York Giants at Washington
4:00 PM ET: San Francisco at Denver
5:30 PM ET: Jacksonville at Kansas City
Week 1: Sunday, March 11
1:00 PM ET: Dallas at Jacksonville
2:30 PM ET: New Orleans at Cleveland
4:00 PM ET: Buffalo at New England
5:30 PM ET: Indianapolis at New York Giants
Week 2: Sunday, March 18
1:00 PM ET: Giants at Philadelphia
2:30 PM ET: New England at New York Jets
4:00 PM ET: New Orleans at Green Bay
5:30 PM ET: Carolina at Minnesota
Week 3: Sunday, March 25
1:00 PM ET: Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
2:30 PM ET: Carolina at Tamp Bay
4:00 PM ET: Chicago at Minnesota
5:30 PM ET: Jacksonville at Indianapolis
Week 4: Sunday, April 1
1:00 PM ET: Indianapolis at New York Jets
2:30 PM ET: Detroit at St. Louis
4:00 PM ET: Jacksonville at Washington
5:30 PM ET: Baltimore at San Diego
Week 5: Sunday, April 8
1:00 PM ET: Dallas at Philadelphia
2:30 PM ET: St. Louis at Green Bay
4:00 PM ET: Tampa Bay at New Orleans
5:30 PM ET: Kansas City at Arizona
Week 6: Sunday, April 15
1:00 PM ET: Tennessee at Washington
2:30 PM ET: Seattle at St. Louis
4:00 PM ET: Philadelphia at New Orleans
5:30 PM ET: Chicago at Arizona
Week 7: Sunday, April 22
1:00 PM ET: Philadelphia at Tampa Bay
2:30 PM ET: San Diego at Kansas City
4:00 PM ET: Pittsburgh at Atlanta
5:30 PM ET: Carolina at Cincinnati
Week 8: Sunday, May 6
1:00 PM ET: Indianapolis at Denver
2:30 PM ET: Seattle at Kansas City
4:00 PM ET: Atlanta at Cincinnati
5:30 PM ET: St. Louis at San Diego
Week 9: Sunday, May 13
1:00 PM ET: Miami at Chicago
2:30 PM ET: Cincinnati at Baltimore
4:00 PM ET: Dallas at Washington
5:30 PM ET: Indianapolis at New England
Week 10: Sunday, May 20
1:00 PM ET: St. Louis at Seattle
2:30 PM ET: Baltimore at Tennessee
4:00 PM ET: San Diego at Cincinnati
5:30 PM ET: New Orleans at Pittsburgh
Week 11: Sunday, May 27
1:00 PM ET: Indianapolis at Dallas
2:30 PM ET: Oakland at Kansas City
4:00 PM ET: AFC North Battles; Cincinnati Bengals vs. New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons vs.
Baltimore Ravens, and Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns
5:30 PM ET: Charger Comebacks; San Diego vs. Broncos ( Week 10) & San Diego vs. Cincinnati
(Week 11)
Week 12: Sunday, June 3
1:00 PM ET: Chicago at New Orleans
2:30 PM ET: AFC West Replays; Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City and Oakland Raiders vs. San
Diego Chargers
4:00 PM ET: New York Giants at Tennessee
5:30 PM ET: Last Gasps; Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers vs. St.
Louis Rams
Week 13: Sunday, June 10
1:00 PM ET: Dallas at New York Giants
2:30 PM ET: Kansas City at Cleveland
4:00 PM ET: Indianapolis at Tennessee
5:30 PM ET: Carolina at Philadelphia
Week 14: Sunday, June 17
1:00 PM ET: Indianapolis at Jacksonville
2:30 PM ET: Seattle at Arizona
4:00 PM ET: New Orleans at Dallas
5:30 PM ET: Denver at San Diego
Week 15: Sunday, June 24
1:00 PM ET: Dallas at Atlanta
2:30 PM ET: Tampa at Chicago
4:00 PM ET: Philadelphia at New York Giants
5:30 PM ET: Jacksonville at Tennessee
Week 16: Sunday, July 1
1:00 PM ET: Cincinnati at Denver
2:30 PM ET: New England at Jacksonville
4:00 PM ET: Tennessee at Buffalo
5:30 PM ET: San Diego at Seattle
Week 17: Sunday, July 8
1:00 PM ET: Detroit at Dallas
2:30 PM ET: New York Giants at Washington
4:00 PM ET: San Francisco at Denver
5:30 PM ET: Jacksonville at Kansas City
NFL STRENGTHENS PERSONAL CONDUCT POLICY AND PROGRAM
This is the companion press release on the discipline matter in the NFL.
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
280 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
(212) 450-2000 * FAX (212) 681-7573
WWW.NFLMedia.com
Joe Browne, Executive Vice President-Communications
Greg Aiello, Vice President-Public Relations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 10, 2007
NFL STRENGTHENS PERSONAL CONDUCT POLICY AND PROGRAM
The NFL announced today changes to its long-standing personal conduct policy and programs for players,
coaches, and other team and league employees.
The modifications focus on expanded educational and support programs in addition to increased levels of
discipline for violations of the policy, Commissioner ROGER GOODELL said. (The revised policy is attached
and also can be found on nflmedia.com.)
“It is important that the NFL be represented consistently by outstanding people as well as great football
players, coaches, and staff,” Commissioner Goodell said. “We hold ourselves to higher standards of
responsible conduct because of what it means to be part of the National Football League. We have long had
policies and programs designed to encourage responsible behavior, and this policy is a further step in ensuring
that everyone who is part of the NFL meets that standard. We will continue to review the policy and modify it as
warranted.”
Added NFL Players Association Executive Director GENE UPSHAW: “The NFL Players Association and the
Player Advisory Council have been discussing this issue for several months. We believe that these are steps
that the commissioner needs to take and we support the policy. It is important that players in violation of the
policy will have the opportunity and the support to change their conduct and earn their way back.”
Education
• The annual rookie symposium of all drafted players will be expanded to include mandatory year-
round rookie orientation by all clubs that will reinforce the information presented at the June
symposium.
• An expanded annual life-skills program for all players and clubs will be mandatory.
• There will be mandatory briefings each year for all players and clubs given by local law
enforcement representatives. These briefings will cover laws pertaining to possession of guns,
drinking and driving, domestic disputes and other matters, including gang-related activities in
the community that could be of significance to players, coaches, and other club-related
personnel.
• Every club will be required to implement a program for employees to enhance compliance with
laws relating to drinking and driving.
• Counseling and treatment programs for all club and league employees that violate the policy will
be expanded.
Discipline
• The standard of socially responsible conduct for NFL employees will be higher. Club and league
employees will be held to a higher standard than players. Conduct that undermines or puts at
risk the integrity and reputation of the NFL will be subject to discipline, even if not criminal in
nature.
• Discipline for individuals that violate the policy will include larger fines and longer suspensions.
• Repeat violations of the personal conduct policy will be dealt with aggressively, including
discipline for repeat offenders even when the conduct itself has not yet resulted in a conviction
of a crime.
• Individuals suspended under the policy must earn their way back to active status by fully
complying with professional counseling and treatment that will include evaluation on a regular
basis.
• Clubs will be subject to discipline in cases involving violations of the Personal Conduct Policy by
club employees. In determining potential club discipline going forward, the commissioner will
consider all relevant factors, including the history of conduct-related violations by that club’s
employees and the extent to which the club’s support programs are consistent with best
practices as identified and shared with the clubs. Recommended best practices include having a
full-time club player development director and a full-time club security director.
# # #
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
280 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
(212) 450-2000 * FAX (212) 681-7573
WWW.NFLMedia.com
Joe Browne, Executive Vice President-Communications
Greg Aiello, Vice President-Public Relations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 10, 2007
NFL STRENGTHENS PERSONAL CONDUCT POLICY AND PROGRAM
The NFL announced today changes to its long-standing personal conduct policy and programs for players,
coaches, and other team and league employees.
The modifications focus on expanded educational and support programs in addition to increased levels of
discipline for violations of the policy, Commissioner ROGER GOODELL said. (The revised policy is attached
and also can be found on nflmedia.com.)
“It is important that the NFL be represented consistently by outstanding people as well as great football
players, coaches, and staff,” Commissioner Goodell said. “We hold ourselves to higher standards of
responsible conduct because of what it means to be part of the National Football League. We have long had
policies and programs designed to encourage responsible behavior, and this policy is a further step in ensuring
that everyone who is part of the NFL meets that standard. We will continue to review the policy and modify it as
warranted.”
Added NFL Players Association Executive Director GENE UPSHAW: “The NFL Players Association and the
Player Advisory Council have been discussing this issue for several months. We believe that these are steps
that the commissioner needs to take and we support the policy. It is important that players in violation of the
policy will have the opportunity and the support to change their conduct and earn their way back.”
Education
• The annual rookie symposium of all drafted players will be expanded to include mandatory year-
round rookie orientation by all clubs that will reinforce the information presented at the June
symposium.
• An expanded annual life-skills program for all players and clubs will be mandatory.
• There will be mandatory briefings each year for all players and clubs given by local law
enforcement representatives. These briefings will cover laws pertaining to possession of guns,
drinking and driving, domestic disputes and other matters, including gang-related activities in
the community that could be of significance to players, coaches, and other club-related
personnel.
• Every club will be required to implement a program for employees to enhance compliance with
laws relating to drinking and driving.
• Counseling and treatment programs for all club and league employees that violate the policy will
be expanded.
Discipline
• The standard of socially responsible conduct for NFL employees will be higher. Club and league
employees will be held to a higher standard than players. Conduct that undermines or puts at
risk the integrity and reputation of the NFL will be subject to discipline, even if not criminal in
nature.
• Discipline for individuals that violate the policy will include larger fines and longer suspensions.
• Repeat violations of the personal conduct policy will be dealt with aggressively, including
discipline for repeat offenders even when the conduct itself has not yet resulted in a conviction
of a crime.
• Individuals suspended under the policy must earn their way back to active status by fully
complying with professional counseling and treatment that will include evaluation on a regular
basis.
• Clubs will be subject to discipline in cases involving violations of the Personal Conduct Policy by
club employees. In determining potential club discipline going forward, the commissioner will
consider all relevant factors, including the history of conduct-related violations by that club’s
employees and the extent to which the club’s support programs are consistent with best
practices as identified and shared with the clubs. Recommended best practices include having a
full-time club player development director and a full-time club security director.
# # #
NFL SUSPENDS ADAM JONES FOR 2007 SEASON AND CHRIS HENRY FOR FIRST EIGHT REGULAR-SEASON GAMES
The official NFL press release.
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
280 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
(212) 450-2000 * FAX (212) 681-7573
WWW.NFLMedia.com
Joe Browne, Executive Vice President-Communications
Greg Aiello, Vice President-Public Relations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 10, 2007
NFL SUSPENDS ADAM JONES FOR 2007 SEASON
AND CHRIS HENRY FOR FIRST EIGHT REGULAR-SEASON GAMES
NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL has informed ADAM JONES of the Tennessee Titans and CHRIS
HENRY of the Cincinnati Bengals that they have been suspended without pay for violating the NFL’s personal
conduct policy and engaging in conduct detrimental to the league on numerous occasions, the NFL announced
today.
Jones was suspended for the 2007 season, while Henry was suspended for the first eight games of the 2007
regular season. Each player must earn the right to be reinstated.
“We must protect the integrity of the NFL,” Commissioner Goodell said. “The highest standards of conduct
must be met by everyone in the NFL because it is a privilege to represent the NFL, not a right. These players,
and all members of our league, have to make the right choices and decisions in their conduct on a consistent
basis.”
In a letter to each player, Commissioner Goodell wrote: “Your conduct has brought embarrassment and ridicule
upon yourself, your club, and the NFL, and has damaged the reputation of players throughout the league. You
have put in jeopardy an otherwise promising NFL career, and have risked both your own safety and the safety
of others through your off-field actions. In each of these respects, you have engaged in conduct detrimental to
the NFL and failed to live up to the standards expected of NFL players. Taken as a whole, this conduct
warrants significant sanction.”
Jones will be strictly monitored by the Titans and the NFL during the suspension as part of his opportunity to
earn reinstatement through adherence to a set of conditions. His status will be reviewed after the Titans’ 10th
regular-season game to determine the extent to which he has complied with the conditions and whether the
suspension should be affected by the disposition of any pending or prospective charges.
The specific conditions that apply to Jones’ suspension include the following:
He must have no further adverse involvement with law enforcement.
He must fully cooperate with all required counseling, education, and treatment assigned under
league or court-ordered programs.
He must adhere to the restrictions on his activities that have been agreed to by he and the Titans.
He may not be at the Titans’ facility through May 31 and may not participate in any practices or
organized workouts during the term of the suspension. Beginning June 1, he must visit the team
facility once each week to meet with the team’s player development director. Also, beginning June
1, he is permitted to spend one day a week at the team facility for conditioning, film study, and other
similar activities.
In conjunction with the team’s player development director and other professionals working with
him, Jones must develop with the Titans a structured program of community service or other
activity. This program must be submitted to the league office for review and approval.
Henry will be reinstated after the Bengals’ eighth regular-season game if he meets certain conditions during his
suspension that will be monitored closely by the Bengals and the NFL. Those conditions include the following:
He must have no further adverse involvement with law enforcement.
He must fully cooperate with all required counseling, education, and treatment assigned to him
under league programs.
He is eligible to be at the Bengals’ facilities during the rest of the offseason for customary activities
and he must meet weekly with the team’s player development director.
If he fully complies with all other conditions, he may participate in the Bengals’ training camp and
preseason games.
During the regular season, he is permitted to be at the Bengals’ facility for team meetings and must
meet weekly with the team’s player development director, but he may not attend or participate in
practice.
He must fully comply with all conditions imposed on him by any court, including requirements of
community service.
Jones and Henry were told that any failure to comply with these conditions will result in additional discipline,
including possible banishment from the league.
“I must emphasize to you that this is your last opportunity to salvage your NFL career,” Commissioner Goodell
wrote to Jones and Henry. “I urge you to take full advantage of the resources available to support you in that
effort.”
# # #
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
280 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
(212) 450-2000 * FAX (212) 681-7573
WWW.NFLMedia.com
Joe Browne, Executive Vice President-Communications
Greg Aiello, Vice President-Public Relations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 10, 2007
NFL SUSPENDS ADAM JONES FOR 2007 SEASON
AND CHRIS HENRY FOR FIRST EIGHT REGULAR-SEASON GAMES
NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL has informed ADAM JONES of the Tennessee Titans and CHRIS
HENRY of the Cincinnati Bengals that they have been suspended without pay for violating the NFL’s personal
conduct policy and engaging in conduct detrimental to the league on numerous occasions, the NFL announced
today.
Jones was suspended for the 2007 season, while Henry was suspended for the first eight games of the 2007
regular season. Each player must earn the right to be reinstated.
“We must protect the integrity of the NFL,” Commissioner Goodell said. “The highest standards of conduct
must be met by everyone in the NFL because it is a privilege to represent the NFL, not a right. These players,
and all members of our league, have to make the right choices and decisions in their conduct on a consistent
basis.”
In a letter to each player, Commissioner Goodell wrote: “Your conduct has brought embarrassment and ridicule
upon yourself, your club, and the NFL, and has damaged the reputation of players throughout the league. You
have put in jeopardy an otherwise promising NFL career, and have risked both your own safety and the safety
of others through your off-field actions. In each of these respects, you have engaged in conduct detrimental to
the NFL and failed to live up to the standards expected of NFL players. Taken as a whole, this conduct
warrants significant sanction.”
Jones will be strictly monitored by the Titans and the NFL during the suspension as part of his opportunity to
earn reinstatement through adherence to a set of conditions. His status will be reviewed after the Titans’ 10th
regular-season game to determine the extent to which he has complied with the conditions and whether the
suspension should be affected by the disposition of any pending or prospective charges.
The specific conditions that apply to Jones’ suspension include the following:
He must have no further adverse involvement with law enforcement.
He must fully cooperate with all required counseling, education, and treatment assigned under
league or court-ordered programs.
He must adhere to the restrictions on his activities that have been agreed to by he and the Titans.
He may not be at the Titans’ facility through May 31 and may not participate in any practices or
organized workouts during the term of the suspension. Beginning June 1, he must visit the team
facility once each week to meet with the team’s player development director. Also, beginning June
1, he is permitted to spend one day a week at the team facility for conditioning, film study, and other
similar activities.
In conjunction with the team’s player development director and other professionals working with
him, Jones must develop with the Titans a structured program of community service or other
activity. This program must be submitted to the league office for review and approval.
Henry will be reinstated after the Bengals’ eighth regular-season game if he meets certain conditions during his
suspension that will be monitored closely by the Bengals and the NFL. Those conditions include the following:
He must have no further adverse involvement with law enforcement.
He must fully cooperate with all required counseling, education, and treatment assigned to him
under league programs.
He is eligible to be at the Bengals’ facilities during the rest of the offseason for customary activities
and he must meet weekly with the team’s player development director.
If he fully complies with all other conditions, he may participate in the Bengals’ training camp and
preseason games.
During the regular season, he is permitted to be at the Bengals’ facility for team meetings and must
meet weekly with the team’s player development director, but he may not attend or participate in
practice.
He must fully comply with all conditions imposed on him by any court, including requirements of
community service.
Jones and Henry were told that any failure to comply with these conditions will result in additional discipline,
including possible banishment from the league.
“I must emphasize to you that this is your last opportunity to salvage your NFL career,” Commissioner Goodell
wrote to Jones and Henry. “I urge you to take full advantage of the resources available to support you in that
effort.”
# # #
NFL SUSPENDS ADAM JONES FOR 2007 SEASON AND CHRIS HENRY FOR FIRST EIGHT REGULAR-SEASON GAMES
The official NFL press release.
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
280 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
(212) 450-2000 * FAX (212) 681-7573
WWW.NFLMedia.com
Joe Browne, Executive Vice President-Communications
Greg Aiello, Vice President-Public Relations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 10, 2007
NFL SUSPENDS ADAM JONES FOR 2007 SEASON
AND CHRIS HENRY FOR FIRST EIGHT REGULAR-SEASON GAMES
NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL has informed ADAM JONES of the Tennessee Titans and CHRIS
HENRY of the Cincinnati Bengals that they have been suspended without pay for violating the NFL’s personal
conduct policy and engaging in conduct detrimental to the league on numerous occasions, the NFL announced
today.
Jones was suspended for the 2007 season, while Henry was suspended for the first eight games of the 2007
regular season. Each player must earn the right to be reinstated.
“We must protect the integrity of the NFL,” Commissioner Goodell said. “The highest standards of conduct
must be met by everyone in the NFL because it is a privilege to represent the NFL, not a right. These players,
and all members of our league, have to make the right choices and decisions in their conduct on a consistent
basis.”
In a letter to each player, Commissioner Goodell wrote: “Your conduct has brought embarrassment and ridicule
upon yourself, your club, and the NFL, and has damaged the reputation of players throughout the league. You
have put in jeopardy an otherwise promising NFL career, and have risked both your own safety and the safety
of others through your off-field actions. In each of these respects, you have engaged in conduct detrimental to
the NFL and failed to live up to the standards expected of NFL players. Taken as a whole, this conduct
warrants significant sanction.”
Jones will be strictly monitored by the Titans and the NFL during the suspension as part of his opportunity to
earn reinstatement through adherence to a set of conditions. His status will be reviewed after the Titans’ 10th
regular-season game to determine the extent to which he has complied with the conditions and whether the
suspension should be affected by the disposition of any pending or prospective charges.
The specific conditions that apply to Jones’ suspension include the following:
He must have no further adverse involvement with law enforcement.
He must fully cooperate with all required counseling, education, and treatment assigned under
league or court-ordered programs.
He must adhere to the restrictions on his activities that have been agreed to by he and the Titans.
He may not be at the Titans’ facility through May 31 and may not participate in any practices or
organized workouts during the term of the suspension. Beginning June 1, he must visit the team
facility once each week to meet with the team’s player development director. Also, beginning June
1, he is permitted to spend one day a week at the team facility for conditioning, film study, and other
similar activities.
In conjunction with the team’s player development director and other professionals working with
him, Jones must develop with the Titans a structured program of community service or other
activity. This program must be submitted to the league office for review and approval.
Henry will be reinstated after the Bengals’ eighth regular-season game if he meets certain conditions during his
suspension that will be monitored closely by the Bengals and the NFL. Those conditions include the following:
He must have no further adverse involvement with law enforcement.
He must fully cooperate with all required counseling, education, and treatment assigned to him
under league programs.
He is eligible to be at the Bengals’ facilities during the rest of the offseason for customary activities
and he must meet weekly with the team’s player development director.
If he fully complies with all other conditions, he may participate in the Bengals’ training camp and
preseason games.
During the regular season, he is permitted to be at the Bengals’ facility for team meetings and must
meet weekly with the team’s player development director, but he may not attend or participate in
practice.
He must fully comply with all conditions imposed on him by any court, including requirements of
community service.
Jones and Henry were told that any failure to comply with these conditions will result in additional discipline,
including possible banishment from the league.
“I must emphasize to you that this is your last opportunity to salvage your NFL career,” Commissioner Goodell
wrote to Jones and Henry. “I urge you to take full advantage of the resources available to support you in that
effort.”
# # #
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
280 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
(212) 450-2000 * FAX (212) 681-7573
WWW.NFLMedia.com
Joe Browne, Executive Vice President-Communications
Greg Aiello, Vice President-Public Relations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 10, 2007
NFL SUSPENDS ADAM JONES FOR 2007 SEASON
AND CHRIS HENRY FOR FIRST EIGHT REGULAR-SEASON GAMES
NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL has informed ADAM JONES of the Tennessee Titans and CHRIS
HENRY of the Cincinnati Bengals that they have been suspended without pay for violating the NFL’s personal
conduct policy and engaging in conduct detrimental to the league on numerous occasions, the NFL announced
today.
Jones was suspended for the 2007 season, while Henry was suspended for the first eight games of the 2007
regular season. Each player must earn the right to be reinstated.
“We must protect the integrity of the NFL,” Commissioner Goodell said. “The highest standards of conduct
must be met by everyone in the NFL because it is a privilege to represent the NFL, not a right. These players,
and all members of our league, have to make the right choices and decisions in their conduct on a consistent
basis.”
In a letter to each player, Commissioner Goodell wrote: “Your conduct has brought embarrassment and ridicule
upon yourself, your club, and the NFL, and has damaged the reputation of players throughout the league. You
have put in jeopardy an otherwise promising NFL career, and have risked both your own safety and the safety
of others through your off-field actions. In each of these respects, you have engaged in conduct detrimental to
the NFL and failed to live up to the standards expected of NFL players. Taken as a whole, this conduct
warrants significant sanction.”
Jones will be strictly monitored by the Titans and the NFL during the suspension as part of his opportunity to
earn reinstatement through adherence to a set of conditions. His status will be reviewed after the Titans’ 10th
regular-season game to determine the extent to which he has complied with the conditions and whether the
suspension should be affected by the disposition of any pending or prospective charges.
The specific conditions that apply to Jones’ suspension include the following:
He must have no further adverse involvement with law enforcement.
He must fully cooperate with all required counseling, education, and treatment assigned under
league or court-ordered programs.
He must adhere to the restrictions on his activities that have been agreed to by he and the Titans.
He may not be at the Titans’ facility through May 31 and may not participate in any practices or
organized workouts during the term of the suspension. Beginning June 1, he must visit the team
facility once each week to meet with the team’s player development director. Also, beginning June
1, he is permitted to spend one day a week at the team facility for conditioning, film study, and other
similar activities.
In conjunction with the team’s player development director and other professionals working with
him, Jones must develop with the Titans a structured program of community service or other
activity. This program must be submitted to the league office for review and approval.
Henry will be reinstated after the Bengals’ eighth regular-season game if he meets certain conditions during his
suspension that will be monitored closely by the Bengals and the NFL. Those conditions include the following:
He must have no further adverse involvement with law enforcement.
He must fully cooperate with all required counseling, education, and treatment assigned to him
under league programs.
He is eligible to be at the Bengals’ facilities during the rest of the offseason for customary activities
and he must meet weekly with the team’s player development director.
If he fully complies with all other conditions, he may participate in the Bengals’ training camp and
preseason games.
During the regular season, he is permitted to be at the Bengals’ facility for team meetings and must
meet weekly with the team’s player development director, but he may not attend or participate in
practice.
He must fully comply with all conditions imposed on him by any court, including requirements of
community service.
Jones and Henry were told that any failure to comply with these conditions will result in additional discipline,
including possible banishment from the league.
“I must emphasize to you that this is your last opportunity to salvage your NFL career,” Commissioner Goodell
wrote to Jones and Henry. “I urge you to take full advantage of the resources available to support you in that
effort.”
# # #
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Joe Francis - "Girls On Wild" Founder Arrested In Florida - Not With Paris Hilton
Sam Zell's Nuts - Google's Not Using His Content
Here's an example of how some people just don't get the Internet -- Sam Zell . According to CNBC and The Washington Post, Sam comes to Stanford University and makes this comment:
"If all of the newspapers in America did not allow Google to steal their content, how profitable would Google be?" Zell said during the question period after his speech. "Not very."
This proves he doens't understand what the heck's going on. Google DRIVES traffic to the newspapers -- all Google has to do is drop Sam's newspapers, advance other news sources -- which are plentiful -- and leave him in the dust!
Google has links to the newspapers -- Sam Zell can buy more links to them. But Google's not the only search engine -- there are hundreds of them! There's Yahoo! Mamma. Lycos. This list goes on. In fact, here it is, and this one doesn't include blog search engines!
Complete SE list
7Search -Pay for position SE.
Acclaim Search -by ValueCom.
AOL -Lousy web search.
AllCrawl -"Why Choose, When You Can Have It All?"
All The Web -Claims alot of pages, but disappointing.
AltaVista -Also offers translation.
Amnesi -Search internet server names (DNS names).
Ampleo -Human interactive search engine. Free.
Ask Jeeves -Uses natual language input. Mediocre.
Deja.Com -Search UseNet newsgroups.
Deoji -Includes tools for WebTV.
Dewa -
DevSearch -The web developer's SE.
DirectHit -One of the biggies. Pretty good.
DMOZ -Open directory project
Excite -Rated as one of the best SEs.
Findit2000 -
FindWhat -Pay for position.
Frequent Finders -Search for words in the actual URLs.
Funkycat -International search engine with a broad index.
GenieKnows -
Google -Huge *and* accurate, a favorite. Weighs popularity.
Go -Mis-managed by Mickey Mouse & Co.
Go2Net -
GoshDarn! -Hot new search engine
HotBot -Scalable. Search a domain, eg. [.edu].
iBound -
Info Hiway -
Infomak -
InfoSeek -Owned by Disney. Average.
Intelliseek -Their Profusion site allows searching 1000 sites, including many on the 'invisible web'
IXQuick -Highly rated.
Jump City -
Kanoodle -Pay for position SE.
Link Centre -
Link Master -
Links2Go -Most-referenced pages by topics; it's also personalizable.
Look Up -
Lost Link/ Web Links -Great site, adds links instantly... with banners!
Lycos -"Wolf spider" (Latin). Another SE biggie.
MSN -
NBCi -New respect for this search engine
TheNet1 -
Nexor Aliweb -
NorthernLight -Recommended, plus a special pay collection.
Overture -Top pay for position SE, high commercial relevance.
Pathfinder/ Time-Warner -Time, People, Money, Fortune, etc...
Reference.Com -UseNet resources
Rocket Links -Pay for position SE.
Scrub The Web -Robot SE claims to have indexed 80 MM pages. Search.Com -CNET. Infoseek SE, own db for subjects.
Search4Info -
Search Hound -Pay for position. Slow?
Search King -Indexes instantly. Surfers votes determine ranking.
Snap -Advanced setting allows excluding words, eg. xxx, porn, etc..
Splat Search -
Subjex -
Super Cyber Search -Pay for position.
ToggleBot -10MM URLs. MetaSearch, Directory, Auction Search, etc..
TopClick -The Private SE. Claims to protect privacy. No cookies.
WebCrawler -Very user friendly interface. Owned by Excite.
Web Direct -
WebSearch2K -New SE, pay for position, no adult.
WebVentureHotlist -
What-U-Seek-
Where2Go -TOP 20 search engine, directory of URLs.
WWWHunter -
Yahoo! -Leading net directory.
Zen Search -
Z Search -"The last name in searching"
Anna Nicole Smith's Former Boyfriend Larry Birkhead Is The Father
Wow. What an interesting turn of events. I wonder what's going through Howard Stern's mind now?
DNA shows Birkhead is the father of Anna Nicole Smith's daughter
By JESSICA ROBERTSON
Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 04/10/2007 03:51:10 PM PDT
NASSAU, Bahamas - DNA tests show Anna Nicole Smith's former boyfriend Larry Birkhead is the father of her baby, and he emerged from a court hearing today to proclaim that his daughter would soon be home.
Birkhead jubilantly announced the DNA results after the closed hearing, and then hugged his rival, Howard K. Stern. The reality TV star's lawyer-turned-companion has been caring for baby Dannielynn since Smith's sudden death in February.
Stern said he would not fight for custody.
"I'm obviously very disappointed but my feelings toward Dannielynn have not changed," Stern said, adding Birkhead can come to his Bahamas home to visit Dannielynn at any time.
A joyous Birkhead said, "My baby's going to be coming home pretty soon."
Even Smith's mother, Virgie Arthur, who had also sought custody, seemed appeased by the DNA results. "I'm happy that Dannielynn will know who her real father is," she said outside court.
An expert in genetic evidence said DNA analysis proved Birkhead is Dannielynn's father. Dr. Michael Baird, who analyzed the results of a March 21 DNA test, announced the results outside court. "Essentially, he's the biological father," Baird said.
Birkhead, a Los Angeles photographer, began seeking custody before Smith collapsed and died in a Florida hotel Feb. 8.
The baby, whose full name is Dannielynn Hope Marshall Stern, could inherit millions from the estate of Smith's late husband, J. Howard Marshall II. The former model had been fighting the Texas oil tycoon's family over his estimated $500 million fortune since his death in 1995.
DNA shows Birkhead is the father of Anna Nicole Smith's daughter
By JESSICA ROBERTSON
Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 04/10/2007 03:51:10 PM PDT
NASSAU, Bahamas - DNA tests show Anna Nicole Smith's former boyfriend Larry Birkhead is the father of her baby, and he emerged from a court hearing today to proclaim that his daughter would soon be home.
Birkhead jubilantly announced the DNA results after the closed hearing, and then hugged his rival, Howard K. Stern. The reality TV star's lawyer-turned-companion has been caring for baby Dannielynn since Smith's sudden death in February.
Stern said he would not fight for custody.
"I'm obviously very disappointed but my feelings toward Dannielynn have not changed," Stern said, adding Birkhead can come to his Bahamas home to visit Dannielynn at any time.
A joyous Birkhead said, "My baby's going to be coming home pretty soon."
Even Smith's mother, Virgie Arthur, who had also sought custody, seemed appeased by the DNA results. "I'm happy that Dannielynn will know who her real father is," she said outside court.
An expert in genetic evidence said DNA analysis proved Birkhead is Dannielynn's father. Dr. Michael Baird, who analyzed the results of a March 21 DNA test, announced the results outside court. "Essentially, he's the biological father," Baird said.
Birkhead, a Los Angeles photographer, began seeking custody before Smith collapsed and died in a Florida hotel Feb. 8.
The baby, whose full name is Dannielynn Hope Marshall Stern, could inherit millions from the estate of Smith's late husband, J. Howard Marshall II. The former model had been fighting the Texas oil tycoon's family over his estimated $500 million fortune since his death in 1995.
Don Imus Loses Sponsors - Staples, Proctor & Gamble, Bigelow Tea Pull Adds From Don Imus On MNBC
This is a sure signal of positive social change. According to Bloomberg and CNBC, Staples, Proctor & Gamble, and Bigelow Tea have pulled their ads from radio host Don Imus's morning show to protest his racially charged remarks about the Rutgers University women's basketball team.
Proctor and Gamble's one of the largest advertisers in the World, and they've pulled their ads from all of MSNBC Daytime.
I love it. It's a great change and it is a path toward a better World, and certainly an improved America. It's also a sign to the shock-jocks who think it's OK to insult people based on ethnicity. It's not. It also sends a warning to those who would think it's open season on someone because they're Black.
No way.
Proctor and Gamble's one of the largest advertisers in the World, and they've pulled their ads from all of MSNBC Daytime.
I love it. It's a great change and it is a path toward a better World, and certainly an improved America. It's also a sign to the shock-jocks who think it's OK to insult people based on ethnicity. It's not. It also sends a warning to those who would think it's open season on someone because they're Black.
No way.
Goodell Strengthens NFL Conduct Policy
Goodell Strengthens NFL Conduct Policy
By BARRY WILNER
AP Football Writer
NEW YORK -- NFL teams will be disciplined when their employees, including players, violate the league's personal conduct policy.
Moments after announcing the one-year suspension of Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones, and an eight-game ban for Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell released his strengthened conduct policy Tuesday. Along with longer suspensions and larger fines for individuals who violate the policy, Goodell will hold teams responsible, as well.
He did not say how he would punish those teams, although stripping them of draft choices is considered one of the most effective ways to do so.
"It is important that the NFL be represented consistently by outstanding people as well as great football players, coaches, and staff," Goodell said. "We hold ourselves to higher standards of responsible conduct because of what it means to be part of the National Football League. We have long had policies and programs designed to encourage responsible behavior, and this policy is a further step in ensuring that everyone who is part of the NFL meets that standard. We will continue to review the policy and modify it as warranted."
The strengthened standards apply to all NFL employees: players, coaches, officials, owners, front-office and league personnel. And Goodell emphasized in the new policy that those standards will be considerably tighter than outside the league.
"It is not enough to simply avoid being found guilty of a crime," the new policy says. "Instead, as an employee of the NFL or a member club, you are held to a higher standard and expected to conduct yourself in a way that is responsible, promotes the values upon which the league is based, and is lawful.
"Persons who fail to live up to this standard of conduct are guilty of conduct detrimental and subject to discipline, even where the conduct itself does not result in conviction of a crime."
The new policy comes in the wake of a series of off-field issues involving several players, notably Jones, Henry and Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson.
There were 10 occasions in which Jones was interviewed by police, the most recent during the NBA All-Star weekend in Las Vegas. Police there recommended felony and misdemeanor charges against Jones after a fight and shooting at a strip club left one man paralyzed.
Henry was arrested four times in a 14-month span, and received a two-game league suspension last year. He was one of nine Bengals arrested in nine months. Johnson currently is in jail, serving four months for violating probation in a 2005 gun case.
Two of Henry's teammates, along with NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw, recognized the need for stronger league guidelines for player conduct.
"You would think it's necessary just because of the negative publicity the NFL is beginning to receive because of what's happening," said Bengals receiver T. J. Houshmandzadeh. "It was going on for an extended period of time. Each day, each week, something was happening."
Added Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer: "I think it will (help). With all of the things that have been happening recently, I think it will be good and hopefully give the league a little better image. I hope that it works and that guys abide by the rules and do what's right."
So does Upshaw, of course. He consulted with Goodell before the commissioner, now in his seventh month on the job, revised the conduct policy. Goodell also established a panel of players to offer advice on such matters.
"The NFL Players Association and the Player Advisory Council have been discussing this issue for several months," Upshaw said. "We believe that these are steps that the commissioner needs to take and we support the policy. It is important that players in violation of the policy will have the opportunity and the support to change their conduct and earn their way back."
Tony Dungy said placing responsibility on the teams for their players and employees makes sense, even if it results in penalties that affect more than the wallet.
"That seems to be the thing that gets everyone's attention," the coach of the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts said of potentially lost draft picks and player availability. "We talked about fines at the league meetings, and that may not do the trick. But when you start talking about playing time and draft picks, that seems to get your attention."
___
AP Sports Writers Joe Kay in Cincinnati and Michael Marot in Indianapolis contributed to this story.
By BARRY WILNER
AP Football Writer
NEW YORK -- NFL teams will be disciplined when their employees, including players, violate the league's personal conduct policy.
Moments after announcing the one-year suspension of Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones, and an eight-game ban for Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell released his strengthened conduct policy Tuesday. Along with longer suspensions and larger fines for individuals who violate the policy, Goodell will hold teams responsible, as well.
He did not say how he would punish those teams, although stripping them of draft choices is considered one of the most effective ways to do so.
"It is important that the NFL be represented consistently by outstanding people as well as great football players, coaches, and staff," Goodell said. "We hold ourselves to higher standards of responsible conduct because of what it means to be part of the National Football League. We have long had policies and programs designed to encourage responsible behavior, and this policy is a further step in ensuring that everyone who is part of the NFL meets that standard. We will continue to review the policy and modify it as warranted."
The strengthened standards apply to all NFL employees: players, coaches, officials, owners, front-office and league personnel. And Goodell emphasized in the new policy that those standards will be considerably tighter than outside the league.
"It is not enough to simply avoid being found guilty of a crime," the new policy says. "Instead, as an employee of the NFL or a member club, you are held to a higher standard and expected to conduct yourself in a way that is responsible, promotes the values upon which the league is based, and is lawful.
"Persons who fail to live up to this standard of conduct are guilty of conduct detrimental and subject to discipline, even where the conduct itself does not result in conviction of a crime."
The new policy comes in the wake of a series of off-field issues involving several players, notably Jones, Henry and Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson.
There were 10 occasions in which Jones was interviewed by police, the most recent during the NBA All-Star weekend in Las Vegas. Police there recommended felony and misdemeanor charges against Jones after a fight and shooting at a strip club left one man paralyzed.
Henry was arrested four times in a 14-month span, and received a two-game league suspension last year. He was one of nine Bengals arrested in nine months. Johnson currently is in jail, serving four months for violating probation in a 2005 gun case.
Two of Henry's teammates, along with NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw, recognized the need for stronger league guidelines for player conduct.
"You would think it's necessary just because of the negative publicity the NFL is beginning to receive because of what's happening," said Bengals receiver T. J. Houshmandzadeh. "It was going on for an extended period of time. Each day, each week, something was happening."
Added Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer: "I think it will (help). With all of the things that have been happening recently, I think it will be good and hopefully give the league a little better image. I hope that it works and that guys abide by the rules and do what's right."
So does Upshaw, of course. He consulted with Goodell before the commissioner, now in his seventh month on the job, revised the conduct policy. Goodell also established a panel of players to offer advice on such matters.
"The NFL Players Association and the Player Advisory Council have been discussing this issue for several months," Upshaw said. "We believe that these are steps that the commissioner needs to take and we support the policy. It is important that players in violation of the policy will have the opportunity and the support to change their conduct and earn their way back."
Tony Dungy said placing responsibility on the teams for their players and employees makes sense, even if it results in penalties that affect more than the wallet.
"That seems to be the thing that gets everyone's attention," the coach of the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts said of potentially lost draft picks and player availability. "We talked about fines at the league meetings, and that may not do the trick. But when you start talking about playing time and draft picks, that seems to get your attention."
___
AP Sports Writers Joe Kay in Cincinnati and Michael Marot in Indianapolis contributed to this story.
Don Imus Racism Does Not Compare To Rappers - Integrationists v. Segregationists
What's interesting about this time in the maturation of our society is the conflict between what I will call integrationists and segregationists. Integrationists have friends of different skin colors and backgrounds and prize diversity. Segregationists don't have friends of different colors and are at best luke warm about diversity. (And when I mean friends, I'm referring to people you invite over to your house, not people who you run into who are acquaintences.)
The Integrationists to a person denounce what Don Imus said and call for his outright ouster. The Segregationists -- here's another example -- don't think this is a big deal what he said and that he's using free speech. It's also distubing that the vast majority of Segregationists bloggers -- at least according to their Imus reactions -- are white and male according to my Technorati tour. Not surprisingly, the Integrationists are White, Black, Latino, Asian, male, female, etc...
I'm an Integrationist.
What Don Imus said are the words of a Segregationist. A person who sees people as apart due to skin color and doens't want to get to know anyone who looks different from them. What Don Imus said in referring to Black Women as "Nappy Headed Ho's" are the comments of someone who is not in the company of Black Women, and doens't want to be. That's the sickness of it all. He's -- in one fell swoop -- denounced an entire group of people. What's more, anyone tunes in to CNBC is forced to here Imus' crap when he's on. His show's supported by corporations who purchase ads, which is a way of saying "We love your content."
Wow.
Now how that compares with -- as one Blogger put it "Black Rappers" -- is a question only a Segregationist would come up with because only they would stereotype rappers as being first Black and then racist. Of course Integrationists know that there are rappers like LL Cool J who don't use hate speech.
But on top of that, every Integrationist knows that one can simply chose not to buy a certain rap record. Look at the whole matter of "Prussian Blue" - Lamb and Lynx Gaede, those 13-year old white girls who made racist records, yet gain fan mail from nutos as far away as Germany and who are concerned about "The White Race." (No kidding about that.) Did any of the Segregationist bloggers call for their "firing" or for that matter, their parents?
Nope.
But they didn't hit the top ten lists either, and several of their planned concerts were cancelled. Why? Because they advance the same kind of race hate tha Imus' comment would seem to imply. You could take his statement, install it in a Prussian Blue song, and their sick Segregationist fans would love it.
Why not include them and compare them to Don Imus? Why focus on Rappers who are Black? I'll tell ya why. Because Segregationists are looking for every reason not to -- integrate. They don't want diversity and loved it when things were divided and Whites were on top.
Am I saying that Segregationists are all White? No. Some are not, and yet can't see a society where there's true balance and real equal opportunity as well as constant integration. It's a new concept to thos who are -- well, mentally enslaved.
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