The NFL isn't exactly a supporter of poker. When Barney Frank and Jim McDermott first began forming legislation that would regulate and tax online gambling, they included poker and sports betting.
The NFL pulled out all the stops to get sports betting removed from those plans and through a concerted effort by their lobbyists they did just that.
To the NFL poker represents a time and money-consuming activity that has a serious demographic conflict with football fans. The NFL would prefer that instead of playing poker, males age 21-40 spend their time, and money, on something football related.
But this isn't the reason the NFL stepped in and stopped their players from taking part in the charity poker tournament this weekend.
It's well known that NFL players are subject to extreme restrictions as far as what they're allowed to do with themselves, especially when it can be construed that they're representing the NFL brand.
Gambling definitely falls into that category and when the promotional material around something like a charity poker tournament is full of "NFL player" this and "Football star" that, the NFL is quick to step in.
We can only assume that this was the reason for their decision, not that they have anything against cute deaf children in Africa struggling in vain to hear the lion quietly approaching through the grass.
But seriously, charity poker to benefit deaf children? It's not hard to see why giant corporations like the NFL get a bad rap.
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