First of all, I had no idea Charles Woodson was still playing in the National Football League. Not only is he still suiting up for the Packers, but he’s also branching out into wine-making. And the “no fun league” is not amused.
After [Woodson] did an interview about his passion for wine recently, and as news of Friday’s event spread, the NFL contacted his representatives this week to remind him of the league’s alcohol policy, specifically that any interviews supporting alcohol would be seen as an endorsement and “may have a detrimental effect on the great number of young fans who follow our game.”
First of all, it’s not like Woodson is coming out with his own line of street-thug malt liquor (cue the “NewsRadio” YouTube). This is a limited edition Cabernet Sauvignon with “intense wild berry aromas, dark ruby in color. Seductive entry, bright fruit with dense middle, supple tannin increasing in intensity for long, persistent finish. Broad, velvety texture, dark fruit, cassis, dry crushed stone flavors with long return.”
I get the feeling only other pro football players will be able to afford it.
But here’s my point. It’s not like the NFL itself doesn’t make a gazillion dollars by partnering with companies that market alcohol. It has an “official beer sponsor.” Coors celebrated winning the big NFL contract two years ago by releasing a “Commemorative 5-Liter NFL Kickoff Keg Can.” And the most recent Super Bowl broadcast included eight — count ‘em — eight Bud and Bud Light commercials.
So let me get this straight: When the league promotes beer that costs $10 for a 12-pack, that’s okay. But when a player puts his signature on a bottle of wine that will probably cost $100, it “may have a detrimental effect on the great number of young fans who follow our game.”
Riiiiiiight. And by the way, can we lower the U.S. drinking age back to 18 again so the NFL can just stop being so sanctimonious? Old enough to come back from Iraq in a body bag, but not old enough to buy a vodka shot. There’s something wrong with that…
Bonus points: The “King of Bud” collectors’ website has a slide show of commemorative NFL-Budweiser beer cans from just about every Super Bowl and NFL Championship game ever played.
Hat tip: Deadspin
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I’ll drink to that!! What am I drinking to? It doesn’t matter. Maybe there’s a Brewers game on.
You guys just reminded me how much I miss NewsRadio.
Anyone remember the Bud Bowl? God, how many years did that go on?
I get the feeling what they really mean is ‘having our players support an alcoholic beverage might piss off our sponsors.’ Something tells me if he’d mentioned how much he enjoys an ‘ice cold Coors’ after practice, they wouldn’t have minded so much.
And players comitting rape and other crimes or using drugs has what kind of effect on their young fans?
They need an income for after retirement, and we already have too many ex-NFL-player-owned steakhouses. Why not a winery? The NFL doesn’t OWN him, for cryin’ out loud.
Scott F. makes a point.
League reps probably had a conference call seeing if they had a wine sponsorship before they became the proverbial pot.
This might be the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Scott F. is right on this one.
I can’t even add anything to it other than, gee, if people weren’t so bent on protecting their little hot house flowers from demon alcohol, and instead taught to drink responsibly, binge drinking and all the other nightmare stories about drunk youth would probably be cut in half.
So true Chronic. I think it was TIME that did an article about drinking as a family can help kids get better drinking habits, and I’m sure if that happened, those nightmare stories would go down.
I don’t see the big deal with a NFL player promoting his post-NFL career. I mean, it’s what you do so you can get more business. It’s not like it’s promoting underage drinking or anything. Besides, i doubt any kid under 18 could afford it.
There is no hypocrisy in this. The NFL really has children’s best interests in mind. I mean, can we let NFL players just go around endorsing all sorts of destructive behavior? Next, it will be vodka, then cigarettes, then heroin.
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