If you needed any more proof what a bunch of shysters the sports leagues are like the NFL, look no further than this. The Dallas Cowboys wanted to wear decals on their helmets to honor the five police officers that were ambushed and killed by a black lives matter terrorist in July. You would think, no problem right? Wrong, the NFL wouldn’t allow the Cowboys to wear the decal on their helmets honoring the fallen police.
| NFL won’t allow Cowboys to wear decals honoring fallen police |
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Today the Dallas Cowboys take the field for the beginning of the 2016 pre-season, with questions still swirling around the participation of QB Tony Romo. Normally, as a Jets fan, I wouldn’t pay too much attention to America’s Team, but there are some off the field controversies as well. During their training camps, the Cowboys have been sporting decals on their helmets which pay tribute to the fallen Dallas Police Officers who were murdered during an ambush earlier this year. Their stated intention had been to wear them throughout the season, but now the NFL front office has weighed in and squashed the idea.
The Cowboys’ management is being rather sanguine about it, saying that the decals and the attention they brought to the issue already served the desired purpose, but not everyone is satisfied. The Dallas Fallen Officer Foundation responded by saying they were hurt by the decision and the knowledge that the league wasn’t fully supporting them.
It’s true that the league has some very strict rules regarding uniforms and they tightly guard their public appearance… most of the time. When the Chicago Bears’ Brandon Marshall wore orange shoes in a game against the Lions he was fined $10,500. (An amount he earned back on the first play of the game.) But when particular tributes and honors are suggested – or enforced – the league frequently takes a different route. In October they routinely plaster pink over uniforms and equipment in support of breast cancer awareness to the point where I get sick of seeing it. How is the cause of supporting our nation’s police officers less important?