Ndamukong Suh's Faux Pas Earns Him One Game Suspension

In the fourth quarter of the last game in the regular season between the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers at Lambau Field, Lions Defensive Tackle Ndamukong Suh seems to add injury to insult to the opposing quaterback.  As Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers lay on the turf after being tackled by Suh, Suh seems to take two steps backwards to step on the quarterback's ankle and calf.

Although Fox Sports Commentator Mike Pereira (who previously was an NFL VP of Officiating) was skeptical if  Suh's bad steps were intentional, that is not the view of the powers that be in the NFL.  Suh was suspended for one game, which happens to be the NFC wild card matchup between the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys.

It may not have helped Suh's initial cause that his aggressive playing style has caused him $216,875 from four incidents (including one stomping) over his five season pro career.  Suh has the right to appeal but they can go to the videotape.

The Lions have not won a playoff game since 1991, when they defeated the Dallas Cowboys. While the Lions have a vaulted defense this season, they may have to make due without Suh.

Suh is a free agent after this season. Will teams be willing to pay be bucks only to have their star tackle unavailable due to league discipline issues?

Gov. Chris Christie on Being a Cowboys Fan

Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ) attended the Dallas Cowboys-Philadelphia Eagles game on Sunday night and even sat in the Visitor Owner's box at Lincoln Field.   This appearance did not go over well with some grumpy Garden State area gridiron fans. 

While at the game, fans directed some choice words towards Governor Christie for sitting with "the enemy".  Philadelphia Councilman Jim Kenney (D- At Large) used his official Twitter account to share some ad hominem attacks against Governor Christie. 

So much for Kenney's aspiration to "Let's be decent to each other." However, Councilman Kenney is presumptuous that Christie was ingratiating himself with "Texas ass" for 2016.    Governor Christie has been a Cowboys fan since age nine.  This was something which came up during his first run for high office in Trenton.

Governor Christie refused to engage with Councilman Kenney asking: "First of all--who?"  Then Christie opined:  “I don’t even know who this guy is. But listen, there’s lots of people who attempt to use me to increase their own fame.  He’s got to get somebody else beside his parents to know who he is, so that’s good.”  This reinforced Christie's rough and tumble reputation of not suffering fools gladly but doing so without drawing proverbial blood.

But to be fair, there may have been a counter-intuitive political calculation with Chris Christie's unabashed Cowboy fan-dom.  It was not necessarily to win friends deep in the heart of Texas.  It is more likely that it was a Sister Souljah moment.

During the 1992 Presidential campaign, then candidate Governor Bill Clinton (D-AR) was questioned about whether he agreed with Sister Souljah, a hip hop artist and political activist, on black on white violence in the wake of the 1992 Los Angeles riots.  Mr. Clinton publically repudiated Sister Souljah and cultivated a centrist political reputation going into the 1992 General Election.

In this vein, Governor Christie used his lifelong support of the Dallas Cowboys as a means to reinforce his brand.  Rather than take a mealy mouthed political position to root for the "home team", Christie rejected this "namby-pamby crap” of hiding his love for his team.   By standing firm to his internal compass and offering straight talk, it also reinforced Christie's brand.

UPDATE 01/05/2014  Gov. Christie joined Jerry Jones in the owners box at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas and celebrated the Cowboy's wild card playoff victory against the Detroit Lions.

The Daily Mail (UK)  speculated that Gov. Christie was alienating supporters in the Tri-State New York area.  Cynical politicos questioned  if another high profile Cowboys appearance might soften anti-Yankee sentiments in the Lone Star State's presidential primary. Fashionistas wondered if that was Christie's lucky sweater or the extent of his dressy casual wardrobe. 

NY Giants Co-owner Steve Tisch's Sick Sense of Humor

TMZ Sports caught New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch exiting a West Hollywood restaurant if he was concerned about playing in Dallas due to first confirmed case of Ebola being diagnosed in the Big D.

Tisch claimed that the Giants had nothing to worry about for their game on October 19th at Jerryworld (a.k.a. AT and T Stadium).  But Tisch jocularly jibed that the Cowboys would be infected first.  

DC-Jockularity revels in colorful quotes about sports.  Moreover, it does not obsess over political correctness. That being said, Tisch's quips were "too soon"and not the right forum.  The joke might have worked as bar banter among the boys.  But where you stand is where you sit.  Tisch was in public representing the New York Giants as an owner.  His joke seemed like sick humor.  It does not befit a media experienced individual like Tisch.

In 2007, Tufts University awarded Steve Tisch with the P.T. Barnum Award for exceptional work in the media and entertainment.  This award was not an invitation to turn things into a media circus. 

h/t: TMZ Sports