Never during a pro football season has there been such little talk about pro football which I guess is a good thing for the Giants. 

Greg Hardy of the Carolina Panthers
Greg Hardy of the Carolina Panthers (Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
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As we approach the third weekend of the season the talk has all been about what has taken place off the field as the transgressions of several players continue to make headlines. The NFL has largely been immune to negative news. Sure there has been plenty of it but it seems like it’s had little impact. However with recent developments involving the likes of Adrian Peterson, Ray Rice, Greg Hardy and Ray McDonald things just may be starting to change and the reason is simple: money. 

For the first time Commissioner Roger Goodell and the league’s 32 owners are facing a negative backlash not just from fans and groups but most importantly sponsors and their advertising dollars. The only way to hurt a monster like the NFL is in the wallet and watch how quickly opinions change when millionaire owners are threatened with the loss of revenue. 

By the way despite what’s happened recently the NFL is on pace to have fewer players arrested this year than any since USA Today began keeping unofficial records in 2000.   22 players have been arrested during this calendar year with 3 ½ months left.  The low mark of 36 arrests took place in 2004 while more than 60 players were arrested in each of the three years between 2006-08. 

The most common are for drunk driving but clearly domestic violence is a big problem with 85 charges since 2000. Fans of the local teams can take some solace in knowing that the Giants, Jets and Eagles are at the bottom of the list when it comes to number of players arrested while the Vikings, Bengals and Broncos are at the top, not something you want to brag about.

I have mentioned in the past that one of the things that has always impressed me about high school wrestling is the people who work passionately and tirelessly to advance the sport for no other reason than they love it. 

One of those is Brick’s Denny D’Andrea who has spent decades coaching wrestling while also offering guidance and support to other coaches and the sport itself.  On Sunday the New Jersey Chapter of The National Wrestling Hall of Fame will hold their annual banquet at Jumping Brook Country Club in Neptune and D’Andrea will be among seven honorees to be inducted into the Hall of Fame & Museum in Stillwater, Oklahoma.   

A retired Brick Memorial High School teacher, Denny is one of four to receive the Lifetime Service High School Award.  A well-deserved honor for one of the good guys!

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