NASCAR right on track, NFL wide right
By TIm Marren
Friday, October 08, 2026

NASCAR right on track, NFL wide right

Let me preface this column by saying I don’t know much about NASCAR or car racing in general. All I know is what I read in the paper or catch on Sports Center.

But what I do know is that officials in the left-turn-only “sport,” in my opinion, made the right call when they fined Dale Earnhardt Jr. $10,000 after her dropped a four letter word on NBC when asked how his fifth win in Talladega compared to his late father.

“It don’t mean (expletive) right now. Daddy’s won here 10 times,” he said.

That goof up in the heat of the moment not only cost him $10,000 but also 25 points towards the season championship. They may have gone too far with the point shaving, but at least they addressed it in a timely fashion. Doing so will keep their sport popular and clean for the younger crowd.

The National Football League on the other hand hasn’t quite figured out what they should do with their players and the baggage they bring to the table.

During Monday Night Football this week, Baltimore Ravens players Jamal Lewis and Ray Lewis openly discussed their off-the-field court related problems that one faced a few years ago and the other is in the midst of right now.

While miked up on ABC, Ray encouraged Jamal to keep plugging away at the Kansas City defense and now to let his pending court date impede his play. As if an anticipated plea bargain to drug trafficking charges in Atlanta is anything that might boggle your mind.

But, with all due respect to the NFL’s poster boy, Jamal would know.

He had even bigger problems when he faced double murder charges in 2000. But he’s a free man, able to lend his teammate some advice.

Why is this occurring? We have one athlete in a sport that probably ranks third among sports in popularity who has to pay through the teeth and faces losing a championship because of the “S word.” On the other hand there are two other guys chatting it up on the sidelines about how to keep drugs and murder off your mind when your fighting for a first down.

What is going on here?

Sure, it’s being discussed that Jamal will be suspended by the NFL because of his court problems, but why aren’t he and Ray facing fines or suspension for openly discussing court problems on national television.

And while I’m trying to compare apples to apples, both situations being athletes saying dumb things on television, there’s more to the Lewis case that further solidifies why athletes shouldn’t be held to a higher standard than you or I.

As part of his plea, Jamal will serve a few months in jail, in lieu of the 10 years he would have had to serve if he was found guilty. I bet you can guess when his jail time will begin: the off season.

Jamal will hopefully get suspended by the NFL for a few games (which is hard for me to write because I have him on my fantasy football team) and get hit with a fine, which is good because these athletes only understand discipline when the precious dollar is involved. But why is the NFL always slow to react? I love the NFL, but this is a joke.

Two grown men going off at the mouth on the sidelines about court cases — what’s next, an alleged murder victim found not guilty keeping his spot in the NFL Hall of Fame and on the Buffalo Bills’ ring of honor?

City Editor Tim Marren’s column appears Thursday’s. You can contact him at (585) 798-1400 Ext. 2230 or [email protected].
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