Gangs in the NFL?

Listening to the Dan Patrick radio show yesterday I learned that the NFL will be instituting a new committee who's sole job will be to watch all of the games and see if NFL players are using gang signs as part of their celebrations. This comes months after Paul Pierce of the Boston Celtics was fined $25,000 for this gesture to the Altanta Hawks bench:

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This to me is one of the dumbest ideas that I have ever heard in my entire life. It was reported by the LA Times that the NFL has hired experts to study game footage to determine whether players are displaying street-gang hand signals as part of their on-field celebrations. Who are these experts that the NFL has hired? Do they have current gang members coming in to let the NFL know whats going on? Or will it be a bunch of old white guys sitting in a booth saying I saw that on TV one time its a gang sign?

I have watched countless games of NFL football and have yet to ever see anything I would call a gang sign, although my knowledge of gang signs is limited to say the least, but the NFL feels that it is a prominent issue within the league. "There have been some suspected things we've seen," said Milt Ahlerich, the league's vice president of security, according to the Times' report. "When we see it, we quietly jump on it immediately, directly with the team and the player or employee involved to cease and desist. Period."

While they may feel that the whole gang-sign thing is a big deal I personally feel that they have bigger problems to deal with. Not a day has gone by this offseason that I have not seen a NFL players name and face on Sports Illustrated with an article written about a new criminal charge they are facing. Guy are doing drugs, drinking and driving, getting caught with weapons, and committing violent offenses and the NFL is worried about hand signals. Commissioner Roger Goodell needs to really take a look at his problems and prioritize them better because sorry to say Roger gang signs shouldn't be too high up on that list.

This all comes back to Paul Pierce again who is being made an example of by the NFL. "We were always suspicious that [gang-related hand signals] might be happening," said Mike Pereira, the NFL's vice president of officiating, according to the report. "But the Paul Pierce thing is what brought it to light." So one player was accused of using a gang sign and now a whole committee needs to be established? Why not give the players the benefit of the doubt that they aren't all gang affiliated.? The NFL should be ashamed of itself because it is now assuming that its players are gang affiliated and not just looking at the Pierce situation as an isolated incident.

Lets for a minute say that they are using gang signs in celebration, so what? Maybe some of the players used to be in a gang and want to give a shout out to their friends on television. Is that really so bad? Its not as if the player is committing a crime or is endorsing gang violence. It's not like players in the NFL are in a gang or are out participating in gang activities. They are professional athletes and are simply trying to let people know that they remember where they came from. It parts of their roots as a person and maybe helps them stay grounded with all of the money they now have. It is a simple hand gesture and should not be a major concern of the NFL.

The whole thing is just ridiculous but may provide one positive. The day John Madden and Al Michaels are in the booth saying, "Look at that he throwing up gang signs for his homies" will be a great day for sports.