FIRING LINE
Priorities
By Ellis G. Cannon
Publisher, Pittsburgh Sports Report

This column does not usually reflect on issues appearing in the rear view mirror. We like to look ahead. But what happened in Miami last month gives us a chance to reflect and look forward – only not with our eyes wide shut.

Here we were, less than 24 hours from Ben Roethlisberger's debut, and the dominant issue to my talk show callers was weather. What happened on that show either reflected a largely silent cynicism about the league or we just upset a lot of folks.

Admittedly, our belief the game should have been delayed may appear naïve. We also understand the logistics of rescheduling a game are complex.

It's just they should not have been given priority.

Most critics of the league's decision to play focused on the unfairness to Dolphins' season ticket holders. We understand the unfairness – actually almost complete disregard – to its fan base, but not just because they had to sit in rain. No, the game should not have been played because of the humanity of the situation.

We understand the NFL expertly markets itself to feed the money making machine it has become perhaps better than any other sport. We also know there weren't easy solutions. We're fans of the NFL too.

But what we learned in Miami is you're not the top priority of the league.

The league is the top priority of the league.

How else can you explain playing in that mess, not just on the field, but also off it? We can go through the argument that it was necessary to play the game because of the competitive disadvantage rescheduling would cause – like the Dolphins aren't competitively disadvantaged when they wake up in the morning – but that's smoke.

The fire is the league's many dollar and cents issues took priority over everything else.

That's the essence of our objection. Sure, there's unfairness about putting on a game knowing season ticket holders could be arrested for violating a storm-imposed curfew. Beyond that, the league explicitly put its business considerations above its fans and employees.

Maybe that's always the case, but showcasing it in the midst of turmoil meant there was no mistaking the message. When a business is willing to highlight a decision that puts its interests above those who make the dollars possible, it should trouble you. Or at least cause you to recognize how the league really keeps score.

Most fans don't see that; to them, it's big-hit highlights and loud music. That's a testament to the league's brand-marketing mastery.

That said, the next time you blast the NHL and MLB for their many ills, make sure you at least recognize the role arrogance and greed plays with the NFL.

Nothing could be more arrogant than holding off on a decision to play, depending first on where the storm hit and then seeing how bad the damage was. This was the equivalent of the banjos that ignore evacuation orders. The league played the same game.

I know everyone survived, there were no tragedies and players can't complain of major injuries caused by that slop. But the ends don't justify the means, particularly when an entire state has been traumatized for weeks. Don't serve up the "perseverance" the NFL demonstrated, as one talk show caller lamented, or the value it had to South Florida.

Because every once in a while, you have to do what's right, even if inconvenient. The NFL gets the benefits of playing king; those responsibilities come with it.

Then again, maybe we're just naïve.