Zo On NFL's "Slurring" Rule Proposal: League Trying To Police Rabid Dogs
BOSTON (CBS) - In the National Football League Competition Committee's latest act, it's been proposed that using a racial slur on the field would warrant a 15-yard penalty.
Scott Zolak and Andy Gresh both agree that this is just latest in the league's misguided attempts to legislate locker room culture.
Zo took issue with the notion right off the bat, citing the league's already inconsistent officiating problems. He chastised, "Have you seen the ability of referees and their squads to even get on the right page in terms of calling pass interference properly? Not only are you not going to address the current problem in the league, but you're giving them something else to put the human element, human judgement into it?"
He then added that slurring is prevalent in locker rooms across league, and doesn't think it's the league's responsibility to police it.
Zo then posed a hypothetical question, suggesting that two players on the same team use the N-word after making an impressive tackle. Is it then the umpire's responsibility to determine whether or not the word was used with malice? He insinuated that the NFL workplace isn't a normal 9-5 workplace.
"It's pretty much a culture of neanderthals," said Zolak. "It is what it is. It's a pack of rabid dogs trying to track down a football. It's a gladiator sport."
Gresh went on to point out that the league is out of line to try to police something like a conversation between the McCourty twins, who although suiting up for opposing teams, were brought up with the same dialogue. Zo then added the problem of tinted visors, and the question as to whether you'd have to see the player's mouth move to enforce it.
One thing is for certain, it'll be interesting how the league handles this delicate situation over the next few weeks.
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