Enough is enough

I hate how the NBA and the NFL have moved from organizations that entertain and display some of the best talent on earth to multi-million dollar babysitting services. First it was the NBA not only cracking down on dress codes on the court but also off the court. Personally I have no problem if an NBA player is wearing Jordans, a New York Yankees hat and a throw back jersey during game they aren't playing as opposed to a more professionally looking shirt and tie. For many people their parents stopped dressing them when they were two years old, however David Stern is convinced he has to legislate how his players dress at all times.

The NFL is guilty of babysitting players as well, off field activity should not detriment from a team or a players life on field. For example Adam formerly known as 'Pacman' Jones may play this year if he is reinstated. Does the NFL think they will be doing the role of Mr. Jone's parents by teaching him the lesson that firing guns in strip clubs is bad? Maybe the NFL shouldn't let Brett Farve come back, he lied and said he was done with football. Last time I checked lying is frowned upon by many parents across the United States.

Returning to the source of my rant the NFL is now going to review game tape not for highlights or how an injury happened but to look for flashing gang signals. This fall it will be an somebody's job to watch every NFL game tape and slap players on the wrist if they make menacing or other gang symbols. The worse part is this started with an incident in the NBA. Paul Pierce was fined 25,000 during the Celtics title run for flashing a 'Menacing Gesture' towards the Atlanta Hawks bench.

Both the NFL and the NBA have to stop babysitting players and allow them to grow up like the paid athletes they are. What happens off the field should not be the business or their employer. What both leagues are doing is the equivalent of McDonalds fining employees for not dressing the right way if they eat when they are not on the clock, it's not right. Allow your players to grow up by themselves and stop keeping them under you thumb at all times.

Story about the NFL looking for gang signs:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-nflgangs&prov=ap&type=lgns