Chad Ochocinco busted out more of his trademarked "almost annoying creativity" Sunday when he attempted to "bribe" an official with a dollar bill -- it was an obvious joke that everyone who was watching football that day loved.
Except for Roger Goodell, who, according to Mort's Twitter, reminded Ochocinco today -- vis a vis a $20,000 fine -- that the NFL is SERIOUS BUSINESS and that trifling with the rules and integrity of his league will result in money out of pocket.
Reported to ESPN: OchoCinco fined $20,000 for "bribe" action. Not just $1 prop but post-game comment using word "bribe."Now, a lot is made of Goodell's penchant for slamming his iron fist down, and understandably so -- fans are the ones paying for the football and the DirecTV and the foam No. 1 fingers and the overpriced beer, so who is he to take the fun out of the league -- and I think this is probably a bit over the top ... but I also think it's kind of a good statement to make.
Tim Donaghy, as you may recall, didn't do wonders to the NBA's reputation; Goodell is probably smart (however it may hurt me to say so) to nip this puppy in the bud -- the last thing the NFL needs is people wandering around with money on the field or people even mentioning the word "bribe" near the game. Lord knows officiating is bad enough by accident anyway.
Comments (Page 1 of 7)
Roger, you are the head of a corrupt organization that uses officiating to determine the outcomes of games, all for the gambling money involved. Ochocinco carries more credibility than you do.
I heard Roger Goodell had a rifle while he was on grassy knoll in Texas when bigfoot chased him right onto an alien spacecraft when he said that he had proof that Elvis was still alive.
Conspiracy theorize much?
Idiot.
Ben you are correct. Why does Goodell have the 'injury report' published every week? It's so bookies and Vegas can set their point spreads for the games. Those injury reports serve no other purpose.
If anyone doesn't think Goodell is getting illegal kickbacks, think again.
Everyone watching football that day did NOT love it. We are sick of this guy making the game all about his little jokes. Let's get the camera off of him and back on the game.
Aw, get a life. It's a game. It's meant to entertain you. He's trying to do so. The dude's not a "thug"—he's never done anything to you or society except to try to get a laugh from fans of BOTH teams in every game.
GROW UP
Good, I want to hear from Jack Lambert, Norm Bulashe, Bob Lilly and a few others I call true football players.
Ditto on get the camera away but take him off the field completely.
I loved it! It was an obvious joke and very entertaining!! I like the celebrations and wonder why it's ok for a defender to jump up and make moves when they slam someone to the ground but the offense gets fined for celebrations. Let them celebrate it's all in good fun!! Oh and yes I know this wasn't a td celebration I just wanted to make that point.
I was watching and I didn't smile! I think he needs to change his nme to nada nada! He is at best a pink who thinks he is bigger than the game and his team! I would have fined him $100,000.
So according to Goodell, abusing and killing dogs is fine, welcome back to the league! But if one of the superstars does something entertaining for everyone watching it costs them $20,000? The NFL is becoming a joke. Goodell is a piece of s#%@
What he said!
20K for a good joke.
Coke Jones gets off with a smack on the wrist and probation for buying coke.
Tom Cable kicks the crap out of not only his ex-women, but his assistant coach with only a slap.
Ocho fakes a dollar bribe and gets robbed of 20k?!!
Goodell's racist.
The NFL is starting to become a joke . The money around is obscene . Totally ridiculous .
$20.000 or more fine against overpaid athletes is not a punishment rather a profit as a tax deduction.
The NFL, like the NBA, is filled with prima donnas who only concern is being in the spot light. Many
players are more focused on the limelight then on wins. As the great tight end Russ Francis said.
"after you score give the ball to the official then jog back to the bench. Act like you have done this before, act like a professional"
Why, so people like you watching can feel better about not being able to play a game whose players have tons of fun and get paid millions of dollars to do so? If not that, then what? What does it matter if they have fun and show it?
It must be hard to be a fan like you. I think Chad's funny—he's a clown. Nothing he does is truly mean-spirited. I don't want the players I'm watching to be robots. I want to see them in the pre-game huddle pumping up their teammates. I want to see them jumping into each other's arms when they score critical touchdowns or make a big interception. And yeah, I want to see them perform silly little dances in the end zone after touchdowns. I want to see them love and enjoy every minute of every game they play, because—goddammit—that doesn't last forever. Even though he doesn't have a financial worry in the world, I feel sympathy for a guy like Brett Favre who finds it so difficult to leave behind, FOREVER, a game he has played and loved for his entire life.
I'm a fan of the game and the players. I don't want the field to be full of lifeless "professionals", as if a football game is some dire battle between grim-faced, soulless warriors. Sometimes I don't even care if my team loses—I love it when everyone has a time to shine and puts on a great show.
But I know I'm in the minority and probably always will be. There's really nothing I can do about Goodell—he'll do what he'll do, and he'll enjoy support from people like you who only seem to want to watch a game of electric football with life-sized plastic players.
Agree, but it was actually Vince Lombardi who said
"When you get in the end zone act like you've been there before".
a non-athlete i presume.
The NFL is starting to act like Nascar always
wanting to fine someone over nothing.
Roger Goodell needs to look like he is making a difference, He is is is the biggest idiot