NFL: Pretty in Pink

[guest23]

Just to pose a question, in this day and age, are there any women who actually aren't "aware" of breast cancer? I really don't like the way the term "awareness" is used in relation to breast cancer, as I think we all know what it is and that women should get an annual mammogram (and should know to check their breasts for lumps, etc...). Honestly though, how many women are actually becoming more "aware" of breast cancer by watching the NFL games?

The inner conspiracy theorist in me says the NFL only does this stuff for the money they get outta merch sales. I really like the way baseball does it though, pink bats and accessories on Mother's Day. That's it, one day (and it looks great too).

I coined the term pinkwashing...real philanthropists don't create a month long marketing campaign and a product line that and donate a "percentage of the proceeds" they volunteer time and donate cash directly to the charity...if the nfl really cares they'd keep it understated and let the players wear one pink wristband and be done with it...that fact that they even put the shield over the ribbon decals is truly tasteless.

same thing goes for oakley and the miners too

[Blue Falcon]

Well, sounds like some other people are getting a little annoyed by the obvious female bias and want equal time...you can sign a petition at the bottom to urge the NFL to give equal time to prostate cancer:

http://dailycaller.com/2010/10/15/prostate-cancer-awareness-advocates-calling-on-nfl-to-give-them-equal-time/

In the wake of the NFL?s October pink-washing in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, prostate cancer awareness advocates are calling on the NFL to give their disease equal time.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation and its ally groups in the fight against prostate cancer are asking supporters to sign onto petitions requesting that the NFL highlight prostate cancer during the month of September, as they do breast cancer in October.

?We applaud the NFL for raising breast cancer awareness during the month of October by allowing players to wear pink accessories,? the petitions reads. ?As prostate cancer is to men what breast cancer is to women (and some men), we ask the NFL to allow light blue items in September for Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. With your help we can raises awareness of prostate cancer, a disease that claims more than 32,000 men?s lives each year and impacts millions of families.?

According to Dan Zenka, vice president of communications for the Prostate Cancer Foundation, the online petitions have gathered nearly 1,800 signatures since last Thursday. The petitions will remain online until November 1, at which point the organization will present it to the NFL.

?Many of the stadiums are flooding their stadiums with pink lights, lets get some blue lights in there,? Zenka told The Daily Caller. ?We deserve healthy fathers and sons, every bit as much as we need healthy mothers and daughters. It is a family issue.?

This year, it is estimated that there will be 217,730 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed and that 32,050 men will die from the disease.

Pam Barrett, director of development for Us TOO International, a non-profit prostate cancer education and support network, told TheDC that the goal is to raise public awareness for the disease.

?I?m a breast cancer survivor myself. And I reaped all the benefits from all the awareness, fund-raising and research generated by pink ribbon efforts,? she said. ?Those things are not there for prostate cancer and frankly, it?s been hard to figure out how to reach out and engage others to support the men. Few realize that more men are diagnosed with prostate cancer than women are with breast cancer. So, for the NFL to wear blue for prostate cancer would be excellent. It would greatly help direct public consciousness and consumer products and organizations who support breast cancer to also focus on the needs of men with prostate cancer.?

The online petitions can be found HERE

[Buster]

Dallas is fitting...Tony Romo looks like he's overly comfortable

Really? You probably think Cowgirls is clever too.

[laray3]

my high school did this we wore pink last night it was great

[The_Admiral]

And that was just after the game!

[Legend]

Well, sounds like some other people are getting a little annoyed by the obvious female bias and want equal time...you can sign a petition at the bottom to urge the NFL to give equal time to prostate cancer:

http://dailycaller.com/2010/10/15/prostate-cancer-awareness-advocates-calling-on-nfl-to-give-them-equal-time/

In the wake of the NFLs October pink-washing in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, prostate cancer awareness advocates are calling on the NFL to give their disease equal time.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation and its ally groups in the fight against prostate cancer are asking supporters to sign onto petitions requesting that the NFL highlight prostate cancer during the month of September, as they do breast cancer in October.

We applaud the NFL for raising breast cancer awareness during the month of October by allowing players to wear pink accessories, the petitions reads. As prostate cancer is to men what breast cancer is to women (and some men), we ask the NFL to allow light blue items in September for Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. With your help we can raises awareness of prostate cancer, a disease that claims more than 32,000 mens lives each year and impacts millions of families.

According to Dan Zenka, vice president of communications for the Prostate Cancer Foundation, the online petitions have gathered nearly 1,800 signatures since last Thursday. The petitions will remain online until November 1, at which point the organization will present it to the NFL.

Many of the stadiums are flooding their stadiums with pink lights, lets get some blue lights in there, Zenka told The Daily Caller. We deserve healthy fathers and sons, every bit as much as we need healthy mothers and daughters. It is a family issue.

This year, it is estimated that there will be 217,730 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed and that 32,050 men will die from the disease.

Pam Barrett, director of development for Us TOO International, a non-profit prostate cancer education and support network, told TheDC that the goal is to raise public awareness for the disease.

Im a breast cancer survivor myself. And I reaped all the benefits from all the awareness, fund-raising and research generated by pink ribbon efforts, she said. Those things are not there for prostate cancer and frankly, its been hard to figure out how to reach out and engage others to support the men. Few realize that more men are diagnosed with prostate cancer than women are with breast cancer. So, for the NFL to wear blue for prostate cancer would be excellent. It would greatly help direct public consciousness and consumer products and organizations who support breast cancer to also focus on the needs of men with prostate cancer.

The online petitions can be found HERE

I signed. This is awesome!

I just figured the NFL could care less if prostate cancer killed off their players, coaches, and most fans. As long as everyone in the world knows breast cancer is the only cancer that matters, we are ok.

The breast cancer people are like swarms of bees. They are everywhere on everything, shoving it down our throats like we are unaware of breast cancer.

I know more people that have died of colon cancer than breast cancer. Where's the general cancer research and support? I could go on and on.

Edit: no pink in tonights Skins/Colts game. Looks fantastic too.

[TruColor]

This has been stated before, but it need to be stated again:

Heart disease is the number one killer of women; not breast cancer.

This whole "awareness" thing smacks of corporate advertising to me.

[Mac the Knife]

On another, completely unpolitical note, ColorWerx, what Pantone shade is the pink being used for this campaign?

[TruColor]

On another, completely unpolitical note, ColorWerx, what Pantone shade is the pink being used for this campaign?

I don't think the NFL would mind me doing this...but here goes:

[AnythingChicago]

On another, completely unpolitical note, ColorWerx, what Pantone shade is the pink being used for this campaign?

I don't think the NFL would mind me doing this...but here goes:

That's weird, it looks lighter than that.

[TruColor]

That's weird, it looks lighter than that.

Here's the fabric/textile color:

[AnythingChicago]

That's weird, it looks lighter than that.

Here's the fabric/textile color:

That's more like it.

[The Fixer]

I'm actually a fan of the pink. I think it's great. I don't think that it's great that they are only promoting women breast cancer awareness and only that disease but I love the design aspect of it. I got to wear practically that shade of pink for homecoming and that alone made my day. Pink is manly

[Chawls]

Is it just me or are players actually wearing LESS pink as the month wanes on?

[CubsFanBudMan]

Is it just me or are players actually wearing LESS pink as the month wanes on?

I'm sure they're sensing the overkill like anything else. This process was doomed to end poorly by putting it on this escalated cycle. I was surprised to see it a second week but I figured it was because of bye weeks. When it hit a third week and this thread got pinned I finally opened it (sorry) and realized it was month-long overkill. I apologize to the supporters, but this just isn't the right way to do this sort of thing.

It's inevitable that everyone involved will either get sick of it as it becomes more gimmick-like, other groups will demand equal time (see above), locking up more weekends of non-uniform uniforms; or perhaps since one weekend wasn't enough, one month won't be enough, and something permanent will need to be added to each uni year round. Or will it be a team that adopts pink full time?

It's the same issue as when the GU and 21 memorial tributes got ramped up: You can only ramp up so far, and what happens when you pull back the next time? Do we really think the NFL will wear pink-trimmed merchandise in October for the rest of its existence? And how will the breast cancer advocates feel when the NFL stops doing it?

So it could go a couple of ways, both bad. Or the NFL can write a check. Or better yet, hand some cash to a cancer patient. This screams trendy and hollow to me.

[jeremyb]

hands down the raiders look the best

[ltjets21]

I don't see the big deal but I guess it's because im young. I wear pink in my high school games and everyone says it's sweet.

[Blue Falcon]

I don't mind it now that the players and coaches have toned down the amount of pink, which is how it should be.

If the NFL wants to take part in a condition that effects their livelihood, then someone needs to start Concussion Awareness Month. But instead of wearing pink, all NFL players would have to attach rotating mobiles to their helmets with little stars birds on them that keep rotating around their head and tweeting the entire time:

[CubsFanBudMan]

And because I'm witnessing it right now in Philly, I'll add that "God Bless America" in MLB is a similar situation.

Started in 2001 in response to 9/11, MLB made a mistake in forcing everyone to adopt that song in the 7th inning stretch when every game has a perfectly good patriotic song that could have used more reverence (see Roseanne). I think that was a byproduct as well, but forcing "GBA" into the stretch caused problems because many teams already had traditions then. So what to do w/o being disrespectful? The Cubs have moved it to before games on Sundays only, right before the real "National Anthem." How long before they ditch it, and what real reason is there for them or any MLB team to keep using it? Do the fans even remember why it was started in the first place?

[Legend]

The NFL needs to take notice of the NHL.

The purple color isn't all that great or better. But at least they have several different cancer foundations they donate to. It's much more appealing to do general cancer research than only one specific kind.

The NHL doesn't shove breast cancer down our throats like the NFL, and alot of other companies do right now.

SmartWater, Boards Head products, are just a couple of the breast cancer labled products.

They must make so much money. Yet no cure?