07.16.08
Are gang signs really a problem in the NFL?
Can’t say I remember a time when somebody flashed the Crips signs or threw up them Blood fingers in an NFL game, but that’s the worry these days: Some ghetto boy who can’t leave the ‘hood behind him is going to be dumb enough to flash a “gang” symbol. Now, the NFL is making it a priority to look into it, hiring investigators.
How dumb. Not on the part of the NFL that is, but on the players for provoking this. Apparently Paul Pierce (pictured above) was the inspiration after being fined $25,000 for making threatening gestures at an opposing bench. It was an eye-opener said Mike Pereira, the NFL’s vice president of officiating.
“We were always suspicious that [gang-related hand signals] might be happening,” Pereira said. “But the Paul Pierce thing is what brought it to light. When he was fined … that’s when we said we need to take a look at it and see if we need to be aware of it.”
All I can think of is a cheesy soap line: These are the days of our lives…
