Open letter to NFL League Office: November 18, 2005

ESPN gave our children an ugly dose of “Gangster Rap” before the November 13, 2005 NFL game Sunday night between the Steelers and the Cleveland Browns. A “Gangster Rap” promo introduction to Sunday Night NFL Football is totally inappropriate. Why would the NFL endorse “Gangster Rap?” Gangster Rap is an invitation to our young children especially our young black children to become the glamorized Gangsters they see on television. Is that what the NFL has become? Pimping for Gangster Rap? Recruiting for gangs in America? The name of the person who approved that ESPN programming should be made public.

Today Law enforcement is having major problems with gangs all over the country. The NFL & ESPN have picked the absolute worst time in history to appear to throw in with the gangsters. The NFL is making gangs and gangsters look like the glamorous “in thing” by embracing and glorifying Gangster Rap to the NFL’s national television audience. Gangs in America have become a huge National Security and immigration issue with fears of terrorist infiltration. Law enforcement and Homeland Security do not need the NFL & ESPN recruiting for gangs in America while they are trying to break up those same dangerous gangs.

There was a dignity about the game when I played in the 50’s and 60’s and that dignity is being destroyed by Terrell Owens and Randy Moss and their ilk who look and act like gangster rappers in the end zones and almost every time they can get in front of a camera. The suspension of T.O. is a step forward but the Gangster Rap culture is reducing “our” games stature to that of a Jerry Springer Show. At the same time the NFL is choosing to make it look more glamorous for our children to be gangsters than to be law abiding citizens. The fact that ESPN (a Disney Property) and the NFL are promoting the gangster image to our children is unbelievable.

The NBA had the good sense to cut this glorification of Gangsters off by starting this season with a dress code that eliminates Gangster Rap garb. So at the same time the NBA is helping to fight Gangster Rap the NFL is starting an advertising campaign to glorify the gangsters. That ESPN Gangster Rap NFL promo makes me embarrassed for people to know I played in the NFL.

My NFL friends the ones I talked to and other fellow alumni players and I apologize for the poor taste of whoever approved the NFL Gangster Rap Promo for Sunday night football. We support our Homeland Security's battle against gangs and gangsters world wide. We do not want Gangster Rap promos associated with the NFL that is “Built on Our Shoulders,” and we certainly had nothing to do with ESPN and the NFL’s embarrassing decision to use a Gangster Rap promo last Sunday night before the Browns v Steelers game. Had we known about this Gangster Rap promo ahead of time we would have objected before it was run but we are not consulted and don’t expect to be, but we are truly embarrassed by it.

Bernie Parrish, with Walter Beach Cleveland Browns 1964 World Champions
Parrish authored the best seller “Thay Call It A Game”( Shoulders the NFL Stands On)