The NFL Breast Cancer Awareness is a JOKE

Let me start this by saying this: I do NOT have an issue with the NFL, Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer Awareness, Susan G. Komen, or any other foundation that raises money for the cure of a disease that has affected so many lives. All of those organizations by themselves serve their purpose to the fullest.  However, with that said, I have always had a problem with the NFL and their "October is breast cancer awareness so we will have our players parade around in highlighter pink cleats, gloves, towels, chin straps..." I could never pin point why I had such a disdain for this month of October in the NFL.  After all, the NFL is doing something good by selling pink items, gear the players wore, and offering items in pink that normally wouldn't be available.  The money raised would go to the American Cancer Society...the question is, what could possibly be wrong with this?  Well, as it turns out, plenty could be wrong with this.

In the past, when the NFL first started their "pink fest" campaign I looked at it logistically and saw that there was no way the NFL was truly concerned with breast cancer awareness other than just labeling the month and putting on a show.  A true publicity stunt.  Nothing less, and nothing more.  Did it hurt that they brought awareness to the cause even if not money?  Of course not, but when the NFL is a billion (yes, I said BILLION) dollar industry, shouldn't and couldn't they be doing more?  The answer to that is a resounding yes.  Then the other day I stumbled upon a report by Sports Illustrated.  The report solidified my stance on the NFL's monthly Breast Cancer Awareness nonsense.  Let me give you some of the details (per SI.com):

"...the breakdown of how the money from sales of the apparel gets distributed is as follows: 50 percent to the retailer; 37.5 percent to the manufacturer; 8.1 percent to the American Cancer Society for research; 3.24 percent to the administration at the Society; and 1.25 percent to the NFL."

Now let me say that the 1.25% that the NFL brings in is not chump change.  When the NFL makes around 8 billion dollars a calendar year, any percentage of profit will carry a heavy monetary note with it...even just 1%, but still the fact that the NFL parades themselves as the selfless organization that is "giving back" is off base.  The NFL is all about perception.  They are a brand, or "The Shield" as some call it, that does not dare tarnish the league name.  The league gets plenty of bad publicity from the rule changes, lawsuits, and players "acting a fool" off the field (just to name a few).  This is a publicity stunt to keep the NFL's name in a positive light.  A way for the league to say "Hey, look at us!  We are doing good!"  Nonetheless, I see it as nothing more than opening up Pandora's box in terms of assistance to organizations that could highly benefit from the same support that the Breast Cancer Awareness gets in the month of October from the National Football League.

Last week's Thursday night football game pitted the Chicago Bears against the New York Giants.  As I watched  a portion of the game I couldn't help but notice Bears' receiver Brandon Marshall sporting some funky lime green cleats.  Unknown to me why he was doing such a thing, I reached out to some Bears fans I know on Twitter and asked them what was going with the cleats.  They told me how the month of October is not just Breast Cancer Awareness month, but also Mental Health Awareness month.  It was reported long ago about Brandon Marshall's personal history with mental issues.  He has been diagnosed with "Borderline Personality Disorder" shortly after joining the Bears organization.  Turns out, lime green is the color of the metal health awareness just as pink is the color for breast cancer awareness.  The NFL does not endorse mental health awareness and therefore slapped Marshall with a $10,500 for his green cleats.  Marshall said that whatever fine he gets for wearing the cleats he will send to support mental health awareness. 

With that, the NFL is back at their crooked ways.  Simply because the NFL does not "endorse" (or should I say "profit") from anything other than the pink of breast cancer awareness, it fines players trying to support their own cause.  I understand a uniform and the reason for sticking to a uniform, but at the same time aren't there causes that the NFL could be supporting along with Breast Cancer?  This is what I was talking about when opening up Pandora's box of "supporting causes" the NFL started with the pink-parade in the month of October.  I'm a solution based man, and I have a solution to this issue.  The NFL makes enough money that they could paint the field, have commercials, have players endorse organizations and they would provide MONEY (not memorabilia) to individual organizations that will go a lot further than selling a "pink brand" like they do for  the month of October.  All in all, if you ask me, its just another crooked move by a crooked organization that is only concerned about one thing...public perception.