Getty ImagesThe Chargers are mostly out of a sticky situation.
While they’ve been cleared for their alleged use of a stickum, they will have to pay a $20,000 fine for not immediately following directions of game officials, according to Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego.
The NFL cleared them of any wrongdoing from the incident during their Oct. 15 game with the Broncos, when officials questioned a towel which a member of their equipment staff carried onto the field during a timeout.
The towels were provided by Gorilla Gold, and includes a wax-based substance similar to the tacky surface of gloves players wear. The league conducted a three-week investigation, and found the towels were widely used and gave no competitive advantage. However, they won’t be allowed on game days the rest of the season, and the league’s competition committee may review their use later.
The fine stems from the fact that the equipment man didn’t immediately come clean, as it were, when asked what he was packing. The Chargers are appealing.
“As a result of the failure of club staff to follow the directive of a game official to immediately surrender the towels when directed to do so,” the league said in a statement, “and to attempt to conceal the towels, the Chargers have been fined $20,000.”
Frankly, it’s kind of a boring end to a story that seemed interesting at one time. It’ll get even worse when the league announces a partnership with an official sticky towel manufacturer, a transaction which will likely involve more than $20,000 changing hands.
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obama is still the president and norv is still the coach… lord have mercy
What?? No season long suspensions of players, coaches, or the GM?? Goddell must be getting soft
This franchise loses at every turn, even when they win, they lose.
Chargers used Stick Em!
Oh wait, they didn’t? Ok, let’s sweep this under the rug for two weeks, and when everyone’s forgotten, we’ll come out and admit we were wrong.
BUT! We can’t just completely admit that we’re idiots. We have to fine them for something. How about 20k because the equipment manager told the official that he’s not doing anything wrong?
Brian Basher says:Nov 7, 2012 4:12 PM
What?? No season long suspensions of players, coaches, or the GM?? Goddell must be getting soft
Goddell isn’t getting soft, he is punishing the Chargers by leaving Norv as the coach for the season!
“widely used and gave no competitive advantage”
So is pay-for-performance. Didn’t stop Goodell making a big deal of that.
Perhaps the league office should issue a list of the things for which teams and players will NOT be fined. It’s probably a shorter list than that of things for which they will be fined.
yaryers says: Nov 7, 2012 5:02 PM
Chargers used Stick Em!
Oh wait, they didn’t? Ok, let’s sweep this under the rug for two weeks, and when everyone’s forgotten, we’ll come out and admit we were wrong.
BUT! We can’t just completely admit that we’re idiots. We have to fine them for something. How about 20k because the equipment manager told the official that he’s not doing anything wrong?
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Very similar to the so-called “bounty” system huh?
@kattykathy
Well, no. The way I understand it is the NFL has multiple affidavits/testimonies from those who were inside the organization (Gregg Williams included) that indicate that there was a pay-to-injure program. Sure some of the “evidence” might be sketchy, but the Saints had lied about a pay-for-performance program in the past, and the NFL caught them in their lie.
The Saints lied about it for 2 years. The Chargers’ Equipment Manager lied about it for 2 seconds…if he even lied at all.
@yaryers
Well no, The way you misunderstood it more likely. People like you seem content to rewrite information as you see fit. The coach (Williams, who was being terminated at the end of the season )merely admitted to a pay for performance program and he was the only coach to do so. The only other person to say there was a pay for performance program was a convicted felon, serving a prison sentence at the time who also happened to be a disgruntled and fired ex-employee of the Saints.
Get your facts straight.
“The league conducted a three-week investigation, and found the towels were widely used and gave no competitive advantage.”
Sounds exactly like what reports said about spygate. Goodell owes the Pats/BB about a million bucks or so and a 1st round draft pick.