Last year, when the NFL determined that the Dolphins had tampered with coach Sean Payton and quarterback Tom Brady, the NFL imposed staggering penalties on owner Stephen Ross: $1.5 million fine, loss of a first-round pick, and a suspension that went from early August until the middle of October.
This year, when the NFL (and everyone else) determined that Panthers owner David Tepper threw a drink onto customers in Jacksonville, the NFL fined Tepper a mere $300,000.
Apart from the double standard that applies to player and owner punishment, why did the NFL impose such dramatically different penalties on Ross and Tepper?
The message could be a simple one. If you mess with one of us, we’ll get you. If you mess with one of them, no big deal.
Really, which infraction is worse? Getting caught engaging in the kind of all’s-fair business stuff that happens on a regular basis without scrutiny or punishment or blowing a gasket and acting like a spoiled child who is unable to control his most basic emotions?
Hell, Tepper didn’t even apologize for what he did. Look at his statement: “I am deeply passionate about this team and regret my behavior on Sunday. I should have let NFL stadium security handle any issues that arose. I respect the NFL’s code of conduct and accept the league’s discipline for my behavior.”
It was a not-so-subtle way of claiming that he had been provoked by a rowdy fan who had crossed the line, before Tepper jumped over it. Instead of using that as a front-line defense, Tepper implied that the fan did or said something that merited the response.
That’s not the way any owner should ever respond. Again, what’s worse? The common infraction of tampering or the uncommon act of throwing a drink on someone else?
The respective punishments imposed on Ross and Tepper show the difference in how they view themselves, and in how they view everyone else.
