Pro Football HOFer and ESPN analyst Cris Carter said of former NFLers suing the NFL for allegedly pushing painkillers on its players, "I get concerned about the money grab. That’s what I get concerned about. I get concerned about the lack of responsibility that these men won’t take in their lives. ... Why are they suing the NFL? The NFL wasn’t responsible for the doctor that put the pills out there or the doctor that’s taking care of the team. He doesn’t have a contract with the NFL. I think they’re going after the wrong people. I think that their anger is displaced" (“Mike & Mike,” ESPN Radio, 5/22). In Baltimore, Mike Preston writes the lawsuit "appears to be a bunch of former players who keep wanting to tap into the seemingly endless amount of money the NFL is making these days." The suit is "absurd, almost to the point of laughter." NFLers involved in the suit "understood the risks and they had choices," as no one "forced them to take these drugs" (Baltimore SUN, 5/22).
ON THE OTHER HAND: Former NFLer Kyle Turley said, "People can say the players are hypocrites, but it’s the players who are standing behind these lawsuits that are going to create the changes necessary for football to survive" (“The Herd,” ESPN Radio, 5/21). ESPN’s Marcellus Wiley said the NFL has "done their homework on performance enhancing drugs, ask [Colts DE Robert Mathis]. Now it wants no culpability when it comes to protecting its players' welfare in regards to prescription drugs and internal medicine practices. I say to the NFL, ‘You can’t have it both ways. You can’t use a heavy hand to discipline players if you can’t use that same heavy hand to discipline yourself'” (“Mike & Mike,” ESPN Radio, 5/22). Former NFLers Ron Pritchard and J.D. Hill, along with their attorneys, appeared live in-studio on NBC's "Today" this morning. Co-host Matt Lauer said the lawsuit has some "explosive allegations." Pritchard said, "We're dealing with mismanagement of controlled substances (and) that they should have paid attention closer." Pritchard added in "that culture and that competition and that level of football and athletics, it's going to happen. They knew you were going to take that pill." Pritchard: "I want to see the culture change" ("Today," NBC, 5/22). ESPN’s Mike Greenberg said, "Certainly in the past, not enough was done to make sure that former NFL players transitioned into life in a way that was more favorable for them and I think that is the underlying story here" (“Mike & Mike,” ESPN Radio, 5/22).
THE EXPANDING UNIVERSE: The AP's Barry Wilner writes if the NFL adds two playoffs teams, there is "no reason to believe" the league will not receive the same $100M for each additional playoff game that ESPN is "paying to get in on the party next January." NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said, "This is something I've had numerous conversations with [NFLPA Exec Dir DeMaurice Smith] about. I think there are a lot of benefits to the players" (AP, 5/22). Bengals G and union rep Andrew Whitworth said, "We keep looking on the backend because that generates more money and we understand that. But you also have four games that mean absolutely nothing that are just a risk for every guy that gets on the football field" (CINCINNATI.com, 5/21).
DOUBLE STANDARD? Redskins S Ryan Clark yesterday said, "Right now, if Jim Irsay is going to represent this league, represent the Indianapolis Colts, going to be on TV at the owners meetings, trying to bring a Super Bowl to Indianapolis after what he's done? It shows the hypocrisy of the NFL and also Roger Goodell in the way that he deals with players and the way he deals for the people he works for" (ESPN.com, 5/21). But PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Mike Florio wrote, "The NFL hasn’t applied a double standard when it comes to Irsay. Yet" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 5/21).
