At a time when the NFL and the NFL Players Association spend too much time squabbling, it was nice to see the two sides set aside their differences on Saturday night.
Even if it was temporary.
The NFLPA honored Patriots owner Robert Kraft as the first-ever recipient of the Georgetown Lombardi Award. The award was given to Kraft last night in Washington, D.C., at the 26th annual Lombardi Gala.
The award was created by the NFLPA and the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center “to honor a leader in the sports industry whose life and family have been touched by cancer, and who encourages cancer research, prevention and treatment through awareness and philanthropy.”
“Like many of us in the NFL community, Mr. Kraft has been personally affected by cancer,” NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said in the statement announcing the selection of Kraft for the honor. His wife, Myra, died in 2011 after a battle with ovarian cancer. “Despite his loss, Mr. Kraft has continued to be a leader on cancer awareness, research and treatment. We are thrilled to honor his achievements and dedication to fighting cancer on this special night.”
Further bringing two parties that spend plenty of time disagreeing is the fact that former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue is the chairman of the board at Georgetown University. Tagliabue has recently emerged as a controversial figure, given his appointment to preside over the bounty scandal arbitration and the NFLPA’s resistance to it.