When a bird in the hand is worth 50 grand
I'll tell you, you can't get anything past the NFL honchos these days. Lose your cool as a league employee and flip off the fans these days and you can get in big trouble.
Well, sort of big trouble.
Depending on, you know, who you are.
I say this because Rex Ryan, that nutty, lovable (well, to some) New York Jets coach was just fined $50,000 for flipping off rowdy Dolphins fans at a mixed martial arts event in Florida last weekend.
According to the New York Daily News, that's roughly the equivalent of one week's pay for Ryan, who signed with the Jets for $11.5 million spread over four years.
But Bud Adams, the nutty, lovable (well, to some) owner of the Tennessee Titans, was fined $250,000 by the league for flipping off Bills fans at a home game last season.
Why the kid-glove treatment for Ryan? Who knows? Because he didn't flip someone off at a game? Because what he was really saying with that raised middle finger was "You're no. 1!" to those Dolphin fans?
Because it was just Rex being Rex again?
The NFL isn't saying. But I'll bet Bud Adams' lawyer is on the horn to the league offices right now asking what gives.
Heck, do the math. That 50 grand fine means Ryan can flip off fans four more times before he has to shell out what Adams shelled out.
That has to be of some comfort to the big guy.
Comments
maybe it's 50k per finger! If you remember, Bud Adams gave the bird approximately 5 times using both hands-Rex only used 1 ! just speculating.
Posted by: j waggoner | February 3, 2010 12:32 PM
Rex was fined by the Jet's not the league unlike Adam's
Posted by: DaveS | February 3, 2010 12:42 PM
Adams has alot more money than Rex so it will take a little more to make him even notice it.
Posted by: Brett | February 3, 2010 1:09 PM
I know this is just a humorous, tongue-in-cheek blog post (at least I think it is), but there are significant differences in the two situations. Adams is an owner, and his conduct happened at a league game. Ryan is only a head coach and his conduct happened at a non-NFL event. Had he done so at a game the penalty may have been more severe, but it's still worse for the owner to be doing it than a player or coach. At least that's my line of thinking.
Posted by: CSB Jack | February 4, 2010 9:41 AM