What’s Poppin’ November 2009

Dan Popper
Sports Editor

With the recent fine of Chad Ochocinco, the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell have taken the recently implemented and stricter player conduct policy to a new level. Ochocinco, who legally changed his last name from Johnson last year, made an acrobatic catch on the sideline in the Bengals 17-7 win over the Ravens, the ruling on the field stating that he got both feet down. Following a Ravens challenge, Ochocinco walked onto the field with a one-dollar bill grasped in his hand trying to “bribe” the refs to give him the call. He was slammed with a $20,000 fine the next day.

Moving into the role as commissioner prior to the 2006-07 season, Goodell has been keen on altering the thuggish image the NFL had been labeled with. In April 2007, he implemented a harsh player conduct policy, punishing players with fines and suspensions. While this new policy has done a great job of cleaning up unwanted of-the-field activity by suspending troubled players like Adam “Pacman” Jones, Terry “Tank” Johnson, Chris Henry, Michael Vick, and Plaxico Burress, the finings dished out by the NFL for touchdown dances and eccentric sideline activity are pushing the limits and taking away from some of the league’s great personalities of the NFL, like Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens, that can make the games even more entertaining.

While I do not condone “making it rain” or shooting yourself in the leg with an unlicensed gun, fining players for every touchdown dance or other attempt at entertainment is taking away from the integrity of the NFL and Roger Goodell.

Chad Ochocinco has been fined more than $100,000 by the NFL in ten seasons, primarily for actions that were not malicious or illegal. For example, last season he was fined $5,000 for putting a Velcro nametag on the back of his jersey with “Ochocinco” on it following his legal name change. In years passed, he has been fined between $5,000 and $20,000 for wearing a Santa hat on the sideline, holding up a sign following a touchdown catch reading, “Dear NFL, Please don’t fine me again.” and wearing a coat on the sideline with “Future H.O.F” pasted on the back.

Goodell has done a great job of tightening up the NFL players and giving the league a more businesslike appearance, but, at some point, he has to let the big time personalities of his league express themselves. But, unfortunately, there is none of this in the “No Fun League.”