The NFL "said it ordered" Reggie White to "remove his
picture" from a national advertising campaign which features
White in his Packers uniform and promotes "the viewpoint
that homosexuality is sinful," according to Thomas Heath of
the WASHINGTON POST. The ad, which ran in Tuesday's
Washington Times, one week after first appearing in USA
Today, features the headline, "In Defense Of Free Speech,"
and was paid for by "a coalition of Christian and family
organizations." The NFL took action because the use of
logos and insignia is prohibited without the permission of
NFLP. NFL VP/Communications Greg Aiello: "It might imply a
Packers or NFL endorsement of the message, which was not
intended." The league told Heath that Tuesday's re-running
of the ad "probably was an honest mistake because White and
the ad's sponsors hadn't yet been warned to stop using the
unauthorized photo of the star player." White's
spokesperson Bill Horn: "It's not a problem to use Reggie in
the ad without his uniform on. Everybody knows who Reggie
White is" (WASHINGTON POST, 7/22).
HARLAN APOLOGIZES: Packers President & CEO Bob Harlan
responded to a letter from Human Rights Campaign Exec Dir
Elizabeth Birch and apologized for White's "inappropriate"
use of the Packers uniform. Harlan: "As an organization, we
regret the misuse of our uniform in the advertisement.
Please accept our apology" (THE DAILY). In a related item,
White and his wife Sara will appear in TV ads in HI in
support of a "proposed state constitutional amendment that
would give legislators the authority to ban same-sex
marriages" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 7/22).
DON'T EAS HIM IN: In Denver, Lynn DeBruin writes that
Broncos LB Bill Romanowski is "prepared to stand his ground
in the locker room when it comes to wearing" EAS apparel.
Earlier this year, the league told Broncos players they are
no longer allowed to wear gear backing the CO-based
nutrition-supplement company on game days since "it violates
NFL's licensing rules." Romanowski: "I feel strongly about
helping EAS out. They've been really good to me."
Romanowski feels that he should be allowed to wear EAS gear
after games in the locker room, and he said the NFLPA has
told him he "can wear whatever he wants in the locker room."
But NFLP Dir of Corporate Communications Chris Widmaier said
the NFL considers game day to include warmups, the game and
postgame locker room interviews (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 7/22).
