Copyright Baltimore Sun
The NFL had a chance to do the right thing, and they whiffed miserably by fining the Ravens organization an embarrassingly small amount, $100,000 (“Ravens fined $100K by NFL for handling of Lamar Jackson’s practice report,” Oct. 31). This comes at a time when the sports world is spiraling out of control with coaches and players in the NBA breaking gambling rules and leaving no doubt that way more goes on than the few who were caught. The NFL said that it’s OK to blatantly break the rules like the Ravens organization did and insult the fans who support their teams and the gamblers who throw away their money on a product that is supposed to be above board. The commissioner’s office had a chance to lay down the gauntlet, and as usual, the good ol’ boy owners proved who really has the power in this league. At a bare minimum, the Ravens should have lost draft picks and possibly a suspension for John Harbaugh, who stated it was an honest mistake. They knew 100% that it wasn’t a mistake and showed the fans of this town who actually runs this team, the prodigal son Lamar Jackson. He could have played against the Chicago Bears but made the decision not to, and that left Harbaugh and the Ravens organization scrambling to fix the situation. Everybody is happy now because of two wins and the prospect of still making the playoffs that they sacrificed the integrity of this organization. And sadly, the NFL helped them do it. Shameful to say the least. — Bob Lancione, Towson
