It's Beyond Football

Len Pasquarelli is one of my favorite writers on ESPN.com. He's been around, he's from Olde Penn's Woods, and he seems to know a TON about football... almost as much as his colleauge, John Clayton (also from PA). Tell me something, why is it that the most knowledgable football writers come from Pennsylvania and not Ohio, Texas, Florida or California?... Could it be because Pennsylvania is simply a better football state? This is really another issue though, because I'm a little pissed at Pasquarelli right now.

The National Football League is in a unique position, because (along with the other major sports leagues in the country) they have an Anti-Trust exemption. At least in their case, it only involves outdoor, professional football. They get it all. They answer to noone else. If I wanted to start a pro-football league, the NFL could muscle me out and the US Government couldn't say anything except "shame on you."

Apparently (at least according to Pasquarelli) if someone in the NFL cheats, we shouldn't concern ourselves with it, or in simpler terms - the BILLIONS OF DOLLARS YOU, AS FANS, HAVE SPENT ON THIS LEAGUE are of no consequence when it comes to one of our own.

I'm sorry, Len, but if the Patriots cheated and just so happened to be the best team of an era, well, they should be held to the fire for it. You can't do something which is explicitely against league rules, have it swept under the rug, and then expect to be exonorated along with those who did the sweeping. It's ruinous behaviour and should be exposed in a democracy.

Arlen Spector isn't my favorite senator either but at least he isn't scared of an anti-trust exemption. Pasquarelli writes that he thinks that Congress uses the "anti-trust exemption" as a buzzword in order to ruin the NFL when it is convenient... Could it be that maybe they're just trying to keep the NFL honest? As a (relative) Libertarian, I can't think of a better use for government.

Oh, and bring on Roger Clemens!