NFL Hiring Experts To Monitor Gang Signs

[RamboLiberal]

Source: WTAE-TV

Concerned that some players might be flashing the hand signals of street gangs, the NFL has hired experts to examine game tapes to look for gestures, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Mike Ahlerich, the NFL's vice president of security, told the Times "there have been some suspected things we've seen."

Ahlerich told the newspaper that the NFL has warned its players about the influence of gangs and organized crime. He added that the league has stepped up its reminders since Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was gunned down in 2007.

Athletes flashing signs was brought to the forefront in April when the Celtics' Paul Pierce was fined for making "menacing gestures" to the Atlanta Hawks.

Mike Pereira, the NFL's vice president of officiating, told the Times that the league was always suspicious of gang-related hand signals happening during games, but that the Pierce incident "brought it to light."



Read more: http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/sports/16902148/detail.html

[ORDagnabbit]

1. bunch of over paid useless dregs of society..... get rid of pro sports. spend the billions on

education, healthcare and peaceful initiatives...

never happen cause the media crams this crap down the throats of the youth and very few recognize it as controlled training to raise kids who see sports as a form of war and war as a form of sports.

[WriteDown]

2. This type of display...

(sports, olympics, gladiators) has been popular since the beginning of civilization. Don't need the media to promote it.

[Indenturedebtor]

4. True that, but I don't think that cities should spend money promoting it

The idea is that it brings entertainment money into an area... but in reality people would spend that money on other things right?

[raebrek]

8. They would spend it

But they might spend it at home instead of going to the stadium and spending it. Visiting the downtown shops or bars before and after the game.

Raebrek!!!

[DWilliamsamh]

3. Um... Professional sports isn't a tax... people spend their money freely to be entertained.

Just because it isn't YOUR preference doesn't make it worthless. I WILL say I find public financing of stadiums for teams worth millions and billions to be odious. But assholes can be found in all segments of society.

[Missy Vixen]

5. That's your opinion

I enjoy professional sports. Nobody's making you watch, or anyone else for that matter.

"Sports as a form of war"? It's been statistically proven that young women who play sports in high school, for instance, have an almost nonexistent rate of illicit drug use and a significantly lowered pregnancy rate. There is nothing wrong with competition.

The vast majority of professional athletes are not thugs, either.

Julie

[frylock]

6. while you're at it eliminate opera, the symphony, theater, etc.

controlled training to raise kids who see sports as a form of war and war as a form of sports?! i'm sorry you sucked at sports, but try to keep your generalizations to your self.

[ORDagnabbit]

7. sorry you sucked at recognizing social conditioning. baa baa

[frylock]

9. somebody must have got their ass kicked one too many times by the jocks..

i'm so sorry you never learned to defend yourself. i'm sure you'll get over the painful memories some day.

[ORDagnabbit]

11. LOL...the best part is you dont even know me but you keep insulting me...why is that?.

[WyldRogue]

12. Well... from what I've read...

.... it was YOU ORDagnabbit that cast the insult at frylock but nice try on playing the 'insult' victim.

[ORDagnabbit]

24. maybe you could show me the play by play where I insulted him first?

[DWilliamsamh]

14. Probably because you started throwing around incendiary and insulting remarks?

[ORDagnabbit]

23. to whom did I throw remarks at?

[DWilliamsamh]

27. To no one specifically ...but that doesn't make

"bunch of over paid dregs of society....ect" and your assertion that sports is somehow teaching war is a game etc... is any less incendiary or insulting.

[frylock]

31. you called me a sheep..

clearly indicating you don't know fuckall about me. my friends would all get a kick to learn that i'm just following the crowd. too funny.

[HiddenCSLib]

10. Hmm I pay to got to games

which is my choice. Are you saying that I should have to pay all of the monies I spend on enjoying myself with my friends watching Pro Sports (Broncos/Avs), that I am now going to be forced to pay for shit I don't want to pay for. As fas I am I concerned the NAE should be done away with, what have they done except suck up school dollars that should be going to the states.

[Zavulon]

22. Athletes aren't even close to being as overpaid as a lot of Hollywood types.

Would you have us get rid of movies and telelvision, too? I'll keep my pro sports, thanks, even if I no longer have a baseball team to root for.

[Heywood J]

13. Easy way to fix this.

Get caught flashing anything gang-related (colors, signs, messages, etc) - your contract is torn up on the spot and you're banned for life from ever playing, in addition to any fines or liabilities that may result. Quick solution to the problem.

[Renew Deal]

25. I agree completely.

Practicing gangsters do not belong in sports.

[KansDem]

15. Add this title to your summer reading list...

Pros and Cons: The Criminals Who Play in the NFL
by Jeff Benedict (Author), Don Yaeger (Author)

Product Description
Startling in its breadth, Benedict and Yaeger's investigation into the off-the-field violence and criminal behavior that pervades the culture of professional football is as eye opening as it is disturbing. That these guys get into trouble is nothing new, but when their offenses are collected in one place--with mug shots, court records, police reports, and interviews with arresting officers--the effect is as surreal as the statistics: 21 percent of the NFL's players have been charged with a serious crime. How serious? The docket begins with assault, rape, and domestic violence and keeps spiraling out of control. These are not just blind allegations; the authors name names and match felonies to players. Some of the better-known examples: Cornelius Bennett--rape and sexual assault; Cortez Kennedy--domestic violence; Michael Irvin--cocaine and marijuana possession; Nate Newton--sexual assault; Warren Moon--domestic violence; Jake Plummer--sexual abuse; Andre Rison--aggravated assault; Bruce Smith--driving under the influence; and Deion Sanders--aggravated assault, disorderly convict, trespassing, and battery.Yet, as disturbing as the names and numbers are, Benedict and Yaeger's contention, backed by exhaustive research, is even worse: the league pretty much looks away, tacitly condoning the havoc caused by these overpaid, coddled men-children, whose very propensity for unchecked mayhem fills stadiums on Sunday. But, then, in the NFL's view of things, football is the law. Make no mistake about Pros and Cons though; as sensational as much of it is, this is a serious work with serious footnotes compiled by serious journalists, who, in the end, do something the game's establishment has avoided: they offer a detailed "Game Plan" for addressing the issues they raise. It begins with respecting law and imposing order. --Jeff Silverman

About the Author
Jeff Benedict is the author of Public Heroes, Private Felons: Athletes and Crimes Against Women. The former director of research at the Center for the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern University, he has been published in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Chronicle of Higher Education. He has made many national media appearances on ESPN and such programs as CBS's 48 Hours and NBC Nightly News.

Don Yaeger is a Sports Illustrated writer and associate editor. He is the author of seven books, including the New York Times bestselling Under the Tarnished Dome.

Amazon.com

...I've added it to mine.

[DWilliamsamh]

17. And criminals should be removed from Pro-Sports.

But that doesn't mean Pro Sports are a "drain on society."

[KansDem]

18. I didn't say it was...

But I think we should all be aware of what price we're paying for entertainment.

[DWilliamsamh]

19. I don't think WE are paying a price for entertainment.

That construction makes it seem like these guys (the examples you cited) wouldn't be criminals and felons if it wasn't for being professional athlete's. The leagues should NOT allow criminals the privilege of playing a game for millions. But whether or not they are in that position, those particular people would be criminals anyway. that was all I was saying.

[JonLP24]

16. gangs have no place in professional business

It doesn't promote anything possible. I like it because organized sports especially with star athletes as influences strive to keep young kids out of trouble. Any athlete will tell you dedication, hard work, and keeping your body clean will get you where you need to go. Environments suck so we can't save everyone, someone will grow up around violence, influencing individuals and a typical way of life alot of people adapt to, but we all have the knowledge that gangs, drugs, and violence are bad just some of us don't have the wisdom to apply that knowledge. Sports is only one positive thing, community out reach and redevelopment are key.

[BadgerKid]

20. Did someone say "menacing gestures" ?

[spooked]

21. Did someone say GANG GESTURE?

[BadgerKid]

28. .

:headbang:

[underpants]

26. How about the Pentagon?

or was I not supposed to mention that?

[LeftyMom]

30. I thought of that too. Apparently tags from US street gangs are showing up in Iraq

now that the military's being more lax about convictions, hot piss tests, etc to get enough warm bodies.

[Blue_Tires]

29. i'm surprised the NFL is just getting interested in this

it has been going on for a long while -- there was an expose on 'outside the lines' 7 or 8 years ago