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Tagliabue Cant Say Games Must Go On

Bob Glauber

September 13, 2001

NFL COMMISSIONER Paul Tagliabue finally will make a decision today about whether to cancel this weekend's games. But after the horrors of the most colossal act of terrorism this country has known, is there really any decision to make? If Tagliabue does not honor the dead and wounded, as well as the billions around the world who are mortified by what has happened, then he will have made the most senseless and unforgivable decision of his otherwise admirable tenure.

What decision is there to make, other than to cancel the games as a tribute to everyone affected by this act of barbarism? There is something to be said for creating a sense of normalcy as soon as possible, and that the games would take people's minds off the horrors. But there is no sense of normalcy now, nor should there be. At least not yet.

The scope of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon is so profound and frightening that playing the games would only trivialize the overwhelming sadness.

The last thing the NFL should want is to have a game being played between the Giants and the Packers, with the smoldering ruins of the twin towers in the background. Or another being played at FedEx Field, not far from the bombed-out Pentagon.

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That is why Tagliabue must rule these games should not be played.

Even the players are reluctant to play, whether for fear of getting on an airplane or of gathering in a stadium that could be a target for terrorism, or out of respect for the victims and their families. NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw has heard from several player representatives that the consensus is to cancel the games, for reasons of safety and respect.

The Giants and Jets are particularly disturbed about the thought of playing, since they are so close to where the tragedy struck. Giants tackle Lomas Brown is traumatized by the thought he and his teammates were landing at Newark Airport after Monday night's game at Denver at about the same time that terrorists were boarding a flight for San Francisco that was part of the attack.

"The reality is we flew into Newark Airport at 6 o'clock Tuesday morning, he said. "The guys who hijacked the flight from Newark were probably there. We charter on United, and it was a United plane. It's just horrible, horrible. It's so sad and so scary.

Jets quarterback Vinny Testaverde is adamant that the games should be called off, challenging any owner who would be willing to put his players on airplanes. The Jets are scheduled to play in Oakland Sunday.

"My suggestion would be if they're going to play these games, the only people that should have a say-so are the owners who are traveling, Testaverde said. "And if that's the case, every owner has to travel with their team. Let them make the decision knowing those parameters.

Here's how strongly Buffalo Bills defensive end Phil Hansen feels that the games should be called off. He'd be willing to sacrifice his weekly salary not to play. "If we do play Sunday, it looks like: Those damn football players, all they care about is their money.

But we don't have a choice in the matter. The NFL's going to decide. But you know what? I'll forego my weekly paycheck. This is serious. Doesn't football seem pretty trivial? It's a wake-up call. Go home. Hug your wife. Count your blessings.

Hansen is right that fans will point a finger at greedy players. But the real culprits would be Tagliabue and the owners, who are involved in making this call. There are huge financial and scheduling implications associated with cutting the regular season to 15 games. The revenue from television and stadium profits is enormous, and the league doesn't have a bye week between the conference championships and the Super Bowl to make up this week's games. In the bigger picture, however, that revenue is inconsequential. This national tragedy is all that should matter now.

"Everything we've talked about [in the locker room] is not the Raiders. It's Who saw what? Who did it?' said Jets center Kevin Mawae, whose informal poll revealed every Jet wanted the games canceled. "That's the main focus. They don't want to play.

They shouldn't have to play. Just as they shouldn't have had to play two days after John F. Kennedy's assassination on Nov. 22, 1963. Former NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle called his decision to play that Sunday the biggest regret of his otherwise remarkable tenure. It is a lament he took to his grave.

Tagliabue shouldn't make the same mistake. He should make the only choice there is: no games on Sunday.