God, there is just nothing to write about. Look at the headlines on ESPN’s NFL page:
- Fans line up to pay their respects to McNair
- Ex-Cowboys LB Ellis: Ware hid so I could play
- Judge blocks two Vikings’ doping suspensions
- Police: McNair deaths ruled murder-suicide
- McNair had taped suicide prevention message
- NFL group makes it to Mount Rainier summit
- Deadline to sign franchise players draws near
- Stallworth tape details events before DUI crash
- Ex-NFL lineman Baldinger charged in fatal crash
Nine total articles listed. Four about a murder. Two about fatal car crashes. One about taking illegal dope. One about a couple football guys climbing a mountain. Two (peripherally) about football. And this from a company that I’d imagine employs about a dozen human beings whose only job is to break football news.
What About Those Williams Sisters?
ProFootballTalk reports that the Williams Wall is going to play the first four games of the 2009 season while their case is being litigated. According to Florio:
Bottom line? The Williams Wall will stand tall to start the 2009
campaign, and there’s a good chance that their status won’t be finally
resolved until after the coming season ends.
(1) I don’t understand how this case has continued to linger for as long as it has. (2) If there is any possibility of these guys being suspended in 2009, why wouldn’t the Vikings just take the hit in September? The Vikes open with the Browns, Lions, Niners and Packers. They end with a brutal stretch: Bears, Cardinals, Bengals, Panthers, Bears, Giants.
Addendum. The NFL responds:
“Today’s decision, which effectively exempts two players from the
NFL-NFLPA collectively bargained program, further illustrates the
critical importance of a uniform policy for all teams in the league and
why this matter should be governed exclusively by federal law,” the
statement reads. “The Court’s interim decision regarding the
suspensions has no immediate practical impact since the suspensions
will not take effect until the beginning of the regular season in
September. In the meantime, our appeal to the United States Court of
Appeals, which argues that the players’ state claims are barred by the
Collective Bargaining Agreement, should be resolved before the start of
the season.”
