Carnal Reason

I’m not a football fan, a lot of my friends are. Some of them like to play fantasy football. Plenty of men fantasize about being an NFL coach or better, an owner. Wouldn’t it be cool if you could just deal yourself into the game without athletic talent or real money?

Sen. Arlen Specter, ardent Eagles fan and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, yesterday accused the NFL and its Philadelphia franchise of potentially violating antitrust laws in their treatment of Terrell Owens.

Speaking at a news conference in Harrisburg, Specter (R., Pa.) said he was investigating the matter and might refer it to the Senate panel’s antitrust subcommittee.

The senator said the league and the Eagles had effectively blacklisted the all-pro wide receiver by forbidding him from playing and by banning other teams from talking to him. He called such treatment “vindictive and inappropriate.”

“It’s a restraint of trade for them to do that, and the thought crosses my mind, it might be a violation of antitrust laws,” Specter said. “The NFL can have whatever rules it wants on authorizing suspension or keeping you on the team for the balance of the year, but they can’t violate the law.”
The Philadelphia Enquirer

It must be a perverse pleasure to think you can and should meddle in whatever business your heart fancies.

Posted on November 30th, 2005 by pwyll
Filed under: law