When the Cincinnati Bengals player formerly known as Chad Johnson flashed a dollar bill at a referee during a replay challenge, he was fined $20,000 by the NFL — and properly so — for the display of disrespect.
When Tennessee owner Bud Adams gave Buffalo fans the middle-finger salute after the Titans’ victory over the Bills, he was fined $250,000 by the NFL — and properly so — for the display of disrespect.
Sunday, three weeks after Philadelphia’s Brian Westbrook suffered a concussion against Washington — he was out cold — he was allowed to play against San Diego.
With all we’ve learned recently about the link between football head trauma and cognitive damage, allowing a player to return that quickly, whether he’s asymptomatic or not — that is disrespectful, to the league, to the player’s life, to the player’s family.
Against the Chargers, unsurprisingly, Westbrook suffered another concussion. Eagles head coach Andy Reid insists his running back’s health is his No. 1 concern. If he respects his own word, he will not allow Westbrook back in pads this season.
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Speaking of respect, what kind are the Bengals showing the league and their community with their signing of Larry Johnson?
Johnson last week was released by the Kansas City Chiefs after twice using anti-gay slurs and publicly ripping his own coach. But that’s just the tip of the Johnson iceberg.
In his time with KC, Johnson was accused four different times of assaulting women, was benched three games last year for violating team rules, and was sentenced to two years probation for disturbing the peace at a nightclub.
The Bengals, who have a history picking up bad actors, keep pledging to mend their ways. But this latest move says Cincinnati’s credo remains talent — even fading talent — over character.
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Staying with a theme, as it appears we are, LeBron James wants to show respect to Michael Jordan. Which is fine.
But James wants to do it by convincing the league’s teams to retire Jordan’s number.
“I just think what Michael Jordan has done for the game has to be recognized some way soon. There would be no LeBron James, no Kobe Bryant, no Dwyane Wade if there wasn’t Michael Jordan first.”
Say what?
If there had never been a Michael Jordan, there most certainly still would have been James, Bryant and Wade.
To show the way, James says he’s going to give up his No. 23, Jordan’s old number, and switch to No. 6.
News flash for James: The greatest winner in NBA history is not Michael Jordan, but one William Felton Russell. Went by Bill. You must have heard of him — he won not six titles like Jordan, but 11.
Oh, and by the way, he wore No. 6.
Contact Jim Gordon at gjames43@msn.com.
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