Thursday, September 20, 2012

Just When you Think the NFL Can't Get Any More Petty...

by Kevin Zeni

Much has been said about the NFL and their ongoing feud with their regular officials and the New Orleans Saints players involved in the "Bounty-Gate" scandal, but now their rules and regulations are just getting petty.

Over the past couple of days, it has been reported that NFL officials have told San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith that he is no longer allowed to wear his lucky San Francisco Giants cap during press conferences.



Smith has been wearing the cap after each of his team's wins sine the middle of last season, but is now being told that he will face a fine of $15,000 every time he wears any non-NFL sponsored apparel during the 90-minute window before and after games.

Commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL have already taken enough flack over the offseason over much more serious situations, so is it really necessary to make a big deal out of what hat a quarterback wears at a news conference? Hell, in the NBA playoffs we had guys wearing glasses with no lenses and shirts two sizes too small, but nobody tried to fine them for such ridiculousness.



These players are grown men (though they may not always act that way) and should be able to dress however they feel is appropriate for a news conference, especially if the team has no problems with it.

Click here for NBC Sports Hardball Talk's full detailed story.