Is it just me or are NFL uniform rules being WAY under-enforced?

[BlueSky]

I took this pic in the Browns locker room before last season.

Its not the best pic (bad angle) but I think it applies somewhat to the topic at hand.

Perhaps I can help.

Took this in the Falcons locker room a few years ago:

Interesting how it says the socks/stockings must be a one-piece. They sure don't look that way sometimes.

[hormone]

I liken the $1000 fine to a millionaire as to paying $5 for blue jean Friday.

[nybatt]

with all the individual fashion statements that are currently made by NFL players just imagine what uniforms would look like if there were no guidelines!!

I see it from time-t0-time in college games. some players have low-cut socks, some high... some show more calf than others, etc.

it could quickly turn into a mess in the NFL... imagine 20-30 players trying to look unique in their own way.. it would be a disaster! there is something professional about having a "uniform uniform"!

[LuvTheNats]

imagine 20-30 players trying to look unique in their own way.. it would be a disaster! there is something professional about having a "uniform uniform"!

The NFL would turn into this....

[OnWis97]

Honestly, probably 99.9% of the fanbase doesn't really give a crap. People watch for wins and losses, not who looks good on a fashion runway. I don't think any coach is going to save his job, going 2-14, simply because they were the best dressed team on the field.

This entire forum is the ".1" that actually gives a crap.

i care about the actual uniforms and logos and colors that are being worn by the players... how they wear them, however, doesn't matter to me.

i don't care what color shoes they wear, or if there's a correct white/color ratio on the socks...

however, i do care enough to think the titans navy blue pants look awful with navy blue socks, and be annoyed by an NFL team having 2 different sets of white pants.

i think there's a middle ground that i fit into... and i'm glad the nfl appears to be at least less public about all the stupid fines they put out there.

fine people for cheapshots. fine people for saying idiotic things. don't fine them for wearing their socks the "wrong" way.

I agree with you 100%. I don't even know what color shoes NFL teams wear. I never notice. But this is a uniform board, so I understand what there's a reaction.

[powersurge]

imagine 20-30 players trying to look unique in their own way.. it would be a disaster! there is something professional about having a "uniform uniform"!

The NFL would turn into this....

"Looks like someone's got a case of the mondays"

[capn89]

I liken the $1000 fine to a millionaire as to paying $5 for blue jean Friday.

That's not telling enough, so now it's time for an episode of;

FUN WITH MATH

If you figure that 1000 goes into 1,000,000 a thousand times (1,000 x 1,000 = 1,000,000) then we'll say that a decent pair of blue jeans are $40. You'd then divide that by 1,000 and you'd come up with...

$0.04

So, if you want to REALLY see how meaningless these NFL fines are you'd want to change your statement from;

"I liken the $1000 fine to a millionaire as to paying $5 for blue jean Friday."

to

"I liken the $1000 fine to a millionaire as to paying 4 cents for blue jean Friday."

Now THAT is telling.

[cranium]

Exactly. They should raise the fines so that they hurt some more. That picture of Portis is ridiculous. It seems that baseball's sloppiness (really, what else can you call the PJs most of the players wear now) is infecting the NFL. Differences in wearing a uniform become more apparent in football where the players are bunched together quite often.

[Michigan Dave]

I liken the $1000 fine to a millionaire as to paying $5 for blue jean Friday.

That's not telling enough, so now it's time for an episode of;

FUN WITH MATH

If you figure that 1000 goes into 1,000,000 a thousand times (1,000 x 1,000 = 1,000,000) then we'll say that a decent pair of blue jeans are $40. You'd then divide that by 1,000 and you'd come up with...

$0.04

So, if you want to REALLY see how meaningless these NFL fines are you'd want to change your statement from;

"I liken the $1000 fine to a millionaire as to paying $5 for blue jean Friday."

to

"I liken the $1000 fine to a millionaire as to paying 4 cents for blue jean Friday."

Now THAT is telling.

Except that's an incorrect analogy. You're comparing the cost of a fine to a players salary and then factoring in the price of jeans. It's not an even comparison. What the original poster said was that it's like paying $5 for jeans Friday. As in, workplaces which charge employees $5 to wear jeans on Friday. If we say $50K is an annual average salary for a normal person (and for the sake of math) then $50,000/$5 is 10,000. So it's a 1/10,000 portion of salary. In the NFL, fines for first-time offenses like that are $5,000 and Portis was fines $20,000 for his incident (http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/9996509/from/RL.2/). So, at the same 10,000-1 rate, we'd be looking at $50,000,000 as an annual salary for a first-time offender to have a completely equal value. The median salary for an NFL player is roughly $770,000 (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/mediansalaries.aspx?year=2007) so, a $5,000 fine would represent 1/154th of that salary and would translate into a "jeans day" donation of $325 for Average Joe $50K.

Obviously, for the mega-stars who have more generous contracts, it has less impact, but the direct adjustment into real-person money is a little more significant than we like to think.

[powersurge]

The bell just rung....time to go to Biology class kids.

[hormone]

How about if you're not in uniform, you don't enter the playing field??!!?? They did that for having an Ocho Cinco nameplate, why not do it for other things?

[capn89]

I liken the $1000 fine to a millionaire as to paying $5 for blue jean Friday.

That's not telling enough, so now it's time for an episode of;

FUN WITH MATH

If you figure that 1000 goes into 1,000,000 a thousand times (1,000 x 1,000 = 1,000,000) then we'll say that a decent pair of blue jeans are $40. You'd then divide that by 1,000 and you'd come up with...

$0.04

So, if you want to REALLY see how meaningless these NFL fines are you'd want to change your statement from;

"I liken the $1000 fine to a millionaire as to paying $5 for blue jean Friday."

to

"I liken the $1000 fine to a millionaire as to paying 4 cents for blue jean Friday."

Now THAT is telling.

Except that's an incorrect analogy. You're comparing the cost of a fine to a players salary and then factoring in the price of jeans. It's not an even comparison. What the original poster said was that it's like paying $5 for jeans Friday. As in, workplaces which charge employees $5 to wear jeans on Friday. If we say $50K is an annual average salary for a normal person (and for the sake of math) then $50,000/$5 is 10,000. So it's a 1/10,000 portion of salary. In the NFL, fines for first-time offenses like that are $5,000 and Portis was fines $20,000 for his incident (http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/9996509/from/RL.2/). So, at the same 10,000-1 rate, we'd be looking at $50,000,000 as an annual salary for a first-time offender to have a completely equal value. The median salary for an NFL player is roughly $770,000 (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/mediansalaries.aspx?year=2007) so, a $5,000 fine would represent 1/154th of that salary and would translate into a "jeans day" donation of $325 for Average Joe $50K.

Obviously, for the mega-stars who have more generous contracts, it has less impact, but the direct adjustment into real-person money is a little more significant than we like to think.

My bad, I completely took that the wrong way. But nevertheless, we're all of the same opinon that the "fines" are insignificant and do nothing to stop players from violating uniform rules and small farm animals.

[LogoFan]

Tucked or untucked shirts don't bother me. The sock thing does for some reason.

But the thing that urks me most is some of these linemen that have basically sleveless jerseys, so that their pads are hanging out. They're supposed to be jerseys, not tank tops.

The NFL would turn into this....

Ummm, yeah. Uhhh, that reminds me...did you do your TPS reports?

[Gothamite]

Obviously, for the mega-stars who have more generous contracts, it has less impact, but the direct adjustment into real-person money is a little more significant than we like to think.

My bad, I completely took that the wrong way. But nevertheless, we're all of the same opinon that the "fines" are insignificant and do nothing to stop players from violating uniform rules and small farm animals.

I agree that the most of the fines, as constituted, are insignificant.

A fraction of a paycheck, whatever the fraction is, means far more to the person who needs 100% of that paycheck to survive until the next payday.

The fines need to be of much higher proportion to hurt and, consequently, change behavior.

[powersurge]

I'd go a step further and add missed playing time for repeated infractions (if its not already in the policy)

I know it sounds crazy, but think about it...millions upon millions of dollars are made in the marketing of official NFL gear.

Hey, if they can send you home at a regular job for not adhering to a uniform policy then wouldn't it be even more important in a league that makes so much money as a result of their worker's on the job apparel?

I'm just saying.

If Goodell lays down the hammer and suspends enough guys then maybe it'll work.

[floydnimrod]

Did anyone else notice Brandon Jacobs jersey from yesterday?

It looked like he rolled it up and part of his back and stomach was showing. He looked like a college player from the 70s.

[FiddySicks]

imagine 20-30 players trying to look unique in their own way.. it would be a disaster! there is something professional about having a "uniform uniform"!

The NFL would turn into this....

"Looks like someone's got a case of the mondays"

I don't think anyone can argue against the fact that Clinton Portis has got "flair"

[RickV]

Took this in the Falcons locker room a few years ago:

Interesting how it says the socks/stockings must be a one-piece. They sure don't look that way sometimes.

Top right column of violations: Sleeves must not be torn or cut. Rant now off.