It all starts with a tweet, and on Tuesday night, NFL EVP Troy Vincent tweeted that the league would be developing an “educational training video” teaching players how to properly celebrate.
We're developing an educational training video for players to show clear examples of appropriate and inappropriate celebrations. pic.twitter.com/3yzBxAaQuk
— Troy Vincent, Sr. (@TroyVincentSr) March 21, 2017
I have a couple of immediate thoughts.
- This is stupid.
- This is a waste of time.
Fortunately for me, I wasn’t alone in my thoughts.
Newly-signed Green Bay Packers tight end Martellus Bennett, one of the league’s most outspoken (and for that matter, thoughtful) players, spoke up in response to Vincent’s tweet and how inane the NFL’s thought process is.
https://twitter.com/MartysaurusRex/status/844689203824939008
https://twitter.com/MartysaurusRex/status/844689614338228226
https://twitter.com/MartysaurusRex/status/844690642559270912
Bennett also expanded upon his initial thoughts in a series of tweets, comparing the way the NFL and NBA promote themselves and their players. His main point was that the NFL promotes the teams rather than the players because of how much churn there is at most positions in the league.
https://twitter.com/MartysaurusRex/status/844693496841879553
https://twitter.com/MartysaurusRex/status/844693630690439168
https://twitter.com/MartysaurusRex/status/844693819576733696
https://twitter.com/MartysaurusRex/status/844694151388114945
Bennett isn’t wrong, though the sheer amount of players in the NFL (32 rosters of 53 players each, not counting players on IR or free agents) compared to the NBA (30 rosters of 15 players) makes it easier for fans to focus on singular players in the Association.
Just for the hell of it, Bennett went after the dumb celebration video once again.
https://twitter.com/MartysaurusRex/status/844695595986104321
https://twitter.com/MartysaurusRex/status/844695880854913024
So much for the death of the “no fun league,” I guess. Who really gives a shit about how players celebrate, anyway? The NFL has more important things to worry about, like those players not dying at shockingly young ages from concussion-related injuries.