NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue suspended Cowboys WR Michael
Irvin for the first five games of the '96 season for violating
the league's substance abuse policy. The suspension comes eight
days after Irvin pleaded no contest to felony cocaine possession
charges for which he was fined $10,000, placed on probation for
four years and sentenced to 800 hours of community service. In a
letter informing him of the suspension, Tagliabue told Irvin,
"You serve as a highly visible symbol of the Dallas Cowboys and
the NFL. As such, you are an unusually prominent example for
good and for bad for young people." Tagliabue added Irvin's
involvement with drugs "had an extremely adverse impact on the
league." Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones was unsure if Irvin will
appeal the suspension. The suspension will cost Irvin around
$513,000 (Kevin Lyons, FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 7/25). First-
time offenders usually are subject to four-game suspensions, but
Tagliabue has "broad powers under the conduct detrimental clause"
(CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 7/25).
REACTION: Jones would not say whether he felt the fine was
fair: "There's total closure on both sides, his legal side as
well as the league's side." Cowboys Scouting Dir Larry Lacewell:
"We were surprised ... We'd heard it would be eight games" (FT.
WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 7/25). In DC, Richard Justice notes,
"Irvin's fall from grace continued" (WASHINGTON POST, 7/25). The
N.Y. TIMES' Dave Anderson calls for an eight-game suspension,
since Irvin's "defiant arrogance was almost a crime against
nature -- human nature" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/25). In Chicago, Don
Pierson notes Tagliabue "sent a clear message Wednesday to the
league's big-name players" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 7/25). Irvin's
agent, Steve Endicott, noted the personal embarrassment from the
incident may produce deeper consequences for Irvin. Endicott:
"There's going to be some backlash, and certainly, this whole
mess is going to take a while for Michael to get behind him" (Len
Pasquarelli, ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 7/25).
