The NFL this week told three Dolphins players that they "could not participate in a poker tournament" near Ft. Lauderdale, according to Nick Sortal of the South Florida SUN-SENTINEL. DT A.J. Francis, OT Jason Fox and TE Jordan Cameron were "to be celebrity 'bounties' Tuesday night at the monthly Andy Slater 'See You Later' poker tournament at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek." Slater hosts a daily sports talk show on Miami-based WINZ-AM, and on Monday, the NFL "told the players and e-mailed Slater that Francis, Fox and Cameron could not take part in the tournament or promote any event in a casino" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 6/11). ESPN N.Y.'s Rich Cimini wrote fantasy football is "big business and some believe the league is being hypocritical because individual teams have deals with fantasy-football websites." Jets WR Brandon Marshall: "I have some strong opinions when it comes to that, but I'm going to keep those to myself." Marshall was slated to be at Cowboys QB Tony Romo's fantasy event in Las Vegas next month, but yesterday "confirmed that he won't attend ... probably costing him a nice payday." Marshall: "It's a bummer. The team I was a part of, it was a great setup. It sucks for the fans" (ESPNNY.com, 6/10). In Ft. Worth, Mac Engel wrote Romo is "justifiably irate with the NFL for the purely reasonable reason that it blocked him and many friends from making a lot of money." The NFL’s "primary concern for stomping on Romo’s fantasy football weekend in Las Vegas is not gambling but getting its cut, which will never change." If the NFL "wants a cut, then it has to officially be OK with gambling." If this is "really about gambling, then cut any perceived ties with it" (STAR-TELEGRAM.com, 6/10).
