If a prominent current member of a team wishes to honor the memory of a recently-deceased prominent member of the same team, the league should have some kind of “bereavement” rule that one current player can make a tasteful tribute to the departed. No NFL fan, player, coach, or executive would have had a problem with Peyton in those high-tops. Clearly, no one had a problem with Ray Lewis having “A M” on his eye-black. If, heaven forbid, Frank Gifford dies during the season and Ahmad Bradshaw wants to wear #16 for the following Giants game, the NFL shouldn’t even blink.

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The writer said what if Tebow made religious references and how would the league reconcile those messages with the Modell message.

Reading comprehension. Try it.

vasportsbrew
Sep 16, 2012, 11:23 AM EDT
Ray Lewis has EARNED the respect and the RIGHT to do something like this and not be fined. He was honoring a legendary NFL figure, not something outside the league. Smart move by NFL not to fine Ray, would have pissed off many players around the league.
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Earning the respect does not give anyone the RIGHT to do as they please no matter whatever good intentions were intended by Ray Lewis. Where was the honor and respect to follow the proper protocol to request permission to honor an individual on the field in a way which is not allowed to begin with? The league will be looked upon as a double standard league if anyone else repeats such action for a different cause and gets fined. Wait, what am i talking about? NFL already is a double standard league! Never mind.

Sometimes common sense wins out, even in the skewed world of the NFL. Everything does not have to be a quid pro quo.

vasportsbrew
Sep 16, 2012, 11:23 AM EDT
Ray Lewis has EARNED the respect and the RIGHT to do something like this and not be fined. He was honoring a legendary NFL figure, not something outside the league. Smart move by NFL not to fine Ray, would have pissed off many players around the league.
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Ray Lewis may have earned the respect, but that does not give him the RIGHT to do as he pleases. Anyways, wouldn’t it have been “respectful” of him to follow the protocol to request the league for permission to do that? i guess not. So where the “respect” that you so much talk about?
Regardless of Lewis’ good intentions, he should be fined or else the league will put itself as a double standard league. Wait! It already is. Never mind. LOL

But here, I actually have to credit Goodell and the League for NOT coming down on Ray Lewis.

Cleveland has the perpetual embittered jilted lover syndrome — and they lose sight of so much Modell did for the League and for the city of Cleveland. How many ever contemplate Modell’s philanthropic efforts over the years? It doesn’t seem like many people in Cleveland do.

Lewis made an impassioned and respectful tribute to a man who certainly deserved it. The League, in my opinion, wisely opted to not get pissy about it. Credit to Goodell, the League, Ray Lewis and Art Modell. Well done on all fronts.

So if 75% of the fans support your cause, you should be allowed to do it but if it’s more like 45% you shouldn’t? Where do you draw the line and how do you enforce that crap?

With all the subjectivity in many NFL game rules, this is one that should be fairly easy to define and enforce consistently.