The Dolphins Make Me Cry.com - Forums

$1 joke bribe = $20K fine. Ouch!  :o

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4651092

This is crap if you ask me because this was clearly a joke. The league had to set an example, but could have done so differently. Their fine should have been $1 let's continue laughing about this one and set the record straight that no one should do it again.

I think this is excessive.  I guess the league is just protecting themselves, but like Phish says, it's totally clear that there were no intentions other than comedy.

They're saying because he used the word "bribe" in his post game comments. That's the main reason for the high amount (according to SportsCenter)

Gotta hand it to #85...he's certainly invested quite a bit in our entertainment over the years.

Waving a buck at an official as a tongue-in-cheek bribe would be something I might do in a city league game...that's just good comedy there.

I understand the league's decision -- I really do.  But, they're also selling entertainment.  Ochocinco is one of the "divas" that I actually like, because I think above all things, he's harmless.  The jokes aren't mean spirited or excessive taunting.  He's funny and he's not some thug getting in trouble off the field.

The NFL gets to sell his personality as part of their product, and I think that his personality if worthy of it.  With all of the bad stuff players get caught doing, when a superstar wants to have a little fun outside the boundaries of the game, where it doesn't hurt anyone, I say let him.

They're sending a message that NFL referees can't be bribed, and the hint of such is so reprehensible that you will get fined.

Thanks NBA! ::)

Not saying this has any relevance whatsoever... but I have to wonder how much of the severity/overkill of this fine was influenced by the fact that another professional sports league (NBA) had a very public "corrupt referee" scandal recently.



Noting that Brian made the same connection above...

I agree with all your points here Dave.  I think Ochocinco is a riot, and he's not one of those "locker room cancer's" we always hear about. And just like you said- The NFL should be glad to have players like him to counter balance all the "criminals/hoodlums/ thugs" or whatever you want to call them.

Aren't most league-issued fines appealed? I read something a few years ago about the vast majority of fines being reduced on appeal. That part happens behind closed doors, though, so doesn't get the publicity of the initial fine.

I completely agree with Dave & Philly. This guy (I still only call him Chad Johnson) is great for the NFL and they should realize it.

it was hysterical but he had to figure the league would give him a "Child Please."  I'm sure if he'd known this would happen he'd have just given the ref a check for $20001.

He should have just punched the ref in the face.  ;)

^^^ It would be cheaper....Cutler got $20,000 for abusing an official,hittting another player...is only$7500
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AkEqCsP4uF7VCtqHVglX.bw5nYcB?slug=ap-bears-nflfines&prov=ap&type=lgns (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AkEqCsP4uF7VCtqHVglX.bw5nYcB?slug=ap-bears-nflfines&prov=ap&type=lgns)

Good. Cant stand chad johnson. Although i do agree it is excessive.

Why?  What's not to like?

^^^

He's an awesome receiver, I'm not taking anything away from his abilities. I'm just not a fan of anyone who talks trash, or acts as if they were God's gift to something. I'm a fan of the Reggie Wayne/Andre Johnson type personalities. Actions speak louder...    That's just me though.

I think it was a game against the Browns, when Johnson sent their corners Pepto, and the Bengals ended up getting whooped. THAT was sweet. He's acting like a jackass only 'cause Cincy's doing well, because I don't remember hearing much of him last year.

That's what I mean, though --  How's he acting like a jackass?  Everything he does is friendly and fun.  He calls attention to himself, but it's all goofy and playful.

I don't understand this.

The NFL embraced characters like Johnson in through the 50's to the 70's. Characters like Johnson made the league what it is today. Light hearted guys that talked s***. All of a sudden, the NFL became corporate, outlawed the end zone celebrations and became the No Fun League.

Characters like Alex Karras, Don Meridith and a host of others wouldn't be able to play in today's NFL. They were characters ON AND OFF the field. Mercury Morris of the Dolphins is still the number one character in franchise history and he did some crazy stuff.

Lyle Alzado, John Matusak, Deacon Jones, jerry Glanville, I could go down the line.

And as for celebrations. Can one person on this board who ever played sandlot football as a child not revel in making a touchdown when they scored in elementary school? Why not just ban the spiking of the ball in the end zone if its going to be corporate?

Now there is a difference between Terrell Owens as a 49er embarrassing the Cowboys logo after scoring a touchdown and Chad Ochocinco proposing to a cheerleader after a TD.

The reason why most people don't like Ochocinco is not because of his antics but it's because of his tiff with Marvin Lewis and his trade demands of the last two years.

Does anyone remember when Sam Wyche was Bengals coach? He dressed up in a ladies wig during an open media session protesting the presence of females in a male locker room after games? Him and Ochocinco would have made a great comedy team.

Take a look at the Oakland Raider teams of the 1970's coached by John Madden. Those guys were characters. Wearing Halloween masks on the sidelines and having nicknames. This was during an NFL game.

Its simple as this. The NFL wants to cater to the fan that can plunk down money each year for luxury boxes (mostly the stiff upper class) and your average high class fan thinks that behavior like this should not be in a game. C'mon, the game is violent and at least, there should be a little fun. These rich people don't think emotion and antics should not be a part of the game.

If you polled the average fan, they have no problem with Johnson and his antics. I think they are funny. He's not killing anyone at all.

I guess it's how I define it then, certain things he does; sending "things" to other players (making it personal and calling them out), making it seem like he's the shit of all shits, that sort of stuff. A level of disrespect maybe? The "Look at me, I'm better than you", act. This isn't about his celebrations or on the field antics, it's about the personal things he does to other players outside of the game.


Sure. But I just never planned the night before, props or no props, a mini show for everyone to see. There's a difference in celebrating a TD, and putting on a show for the world to see. Hell, if it kept going we'd see scenes like the opening sequence in the movie Baseketball when a player scores a TD and the whole team joins in for a riverdance.

I have nothing against endzone celebrations when they're a signature of a certain player: Ernest Givens' "electric slide", Ickey Woods' "Ickey shuffle", Mark Jacksons' backflip, Ray lewis' dance... 

It's what Owens started that got annoying, and everyone started to copy. What Owens did on the Cowboys' logo is no different than Johnson basically calling out or disrespecting other players.

But TG

This has been going on for years. The difference is that through the Internet, we have more access to it which is a good and bad thing. Its the equal of playing your hated high school rival and throwing toilet paper all over their trees or something.

Some of these players don't mind a person talking s*** just as long as it doesn't get personal. Hell, some of these players fish together and have the same agents. As long as everyone getting paid, no one is broke up about it.

I remember when the Dolphins played the Raiders and John Matusak said earlier that week that he was going to rip Dan Marinos' lips off. The day of the game, NBC showed a caption of Marino with no lips. Everyone got a big laugh off of it including Marino.

What I don't like is when a player throws someone for a two yard loss and starts celebrating like he scored a TD. That same player should be summoned to dance when he misses an assignment and the RB runs for 30 yards. I do think that kind of stuff should be toned down.

I come from the same neighborhood that Johnson does in Liberty City where football is the rage and we did plan our celebrations based on what we saw a player do but it never got disrespectful and no fights got started over it. It was one of those "I'll get you back things".

Part of the problem that I have with it is that the players that you see grabbing cell phones and sharpies (i.e. "just having fun") when they are winning are the same players that are throwing their teammates under the bus and generally behaving like punks when they are losing.

If you're asking me to relax the rules so that Terrell Owens, Chad Ochocinco, Randy Moss, and Brandon Marshall can "have a good time," sorry, you aren't exactly inspiring sympathy.  The players that are most likely to be performing these kinds of celebrations are, almost to the man, the most classless players in the league, and it shows whenever they are losing.  The rules are deserved.

Matuszak retired before Marino came into the league.

I'm a big fan of DT Artie Donovan, ethurst, to go with some of the old timers you were talking about.  The man wrote a book titled Fatso.  What's not to love?

I like Chad Johnson because he's basically harmless except for that Pepto bit which definitely motivated the Clowns.  The reason he gets fined so heavily is he's a repeat offender...I don't know how he'll feed his kids.