Three Strikes Rule

Three strikes and you’re out. Usually, when you hear this phrase, you immediately think of baseball. However, in the near future, these words could become very closely associated with the NFL.

After recent off the field incidents involving Pacman Jones, the starting cornerback for the Tennessee Titans, many rumors have begun to circulate about a supposed “Three Strikes Rule”. According to this rule, players would be banned from the NFL after three serious offenses. Most players, coaches, and fans relish this idea, as blatant troublemakers usually hurt the image and overall performance of their team. The Cincinnati Bengals are a prime example of why this rule should go into effect. Over the course of nine months, the Bengals had nine players that were arrested on a broad range of charges. When an organization doesn’t take substantial action to prevent their unruly players from repeatedly getting into trouble, then someone else has to step up and do something about it. If I were the commissioner of the NFL, I would not only implement the Three Strikes Rule, but I would also institute a cap penalty system, in which teams would lose a certain amount of cap room for each off the field incident that involves one of its players.

Now you must be asking yourself, “How would this rule affect me?”. Well, the impact of this rule on fantasy football could be relatively big, depending on the specifics of the rule. Individuals who are involved in competitive dynasty leagues would be affected the most, as they would have a big void to fill in their roster if one of their star players were to be completely banned from the NFL. Whether the effect would be felt immediately or not would depend heavily on the specifics of the rule. The biggest issue would be whether past incidents would count towards their three strikes, or whether they would start with a clean slate. If past incidents were to be counted, then a few big name players would already be in danger of being made into an example. Players such as the aforementioned Pacman Jones, along with potential future problems such as Chris Henry, Tank Johnson, and Michael Vick could be in danger. I feel as if it would be a good idea to look closely at a couple of these potential risks, so that you can make an informed strategy decision when trading/drafting them for your long-term dynasty leagues.

Chris Henry
He has proven over and over again that he will be a problematic player for any team that is willing to sign him. Even in his college days at the University of West Virginia, he was unable to respect authority. The Cincinnati Bengals, knowing his behavioral risks, took a chance and drafted him in 2005. Since that time, Henry has had numerous off the field problems. He has been arrested countless times for crimes including drug possession, driving while intoxicated, providing alcohol to minors, and numerous gun charges. Chris is quite a risk when it comes to suspensions, and potential banishment. If the Three Strikes Rule were to come into effect, then you might want to follow his status very closely, and strongly consider trading him if a decent offer comes along.

Pacman Jones
Since being taken by the Tennessee Titans in the 2005 draft, Adam “Pacman” Jones has proven to be a very reliable cornerback and kick returner on the field. His ability to create game-changing plays is astonishing, especially for such a young player. However, his off the field behavior is a huge threat to his NFL career. Jones is a prime example of a young man who feels as if his amazing talent grants him a free pass when it comes to the law. You can blame this on his background, his college coaches, or just flat out arrogance, but the fact still remains that he is in serious need of a reality check. In total, Pacman has been arrested ten times since joining the Titans, due to crimes including assault, vandalism, and public intoxication. He is also accused of being involved in a very serious nightclub altercation, in which he allegedly slammed a dancer’s head on a stage and threatened a guard’s life. It is also alleged that a member of Jones’ entourage returned to the nightclub with a gun and fired into a crowd, hitting three people. One of the people hit was former professional wrestler Tommy Urbanski, who is now paralyzed as a result of the incident. If you currently own Pacman, then you are aware that he is a huge risk, with or without the three strike rule. If you own him, then it would be a very good idea to try and trade him the instant you see a reasonable offer.

For those of you who are reading this, and are planning on joining/creating a new dynasty league, take this article to heart. Try to avoid troublesome players whenever possible, regardless of whether the Three Strikes Rule is implemented at the time or not. These sorts of players often cause headaches, and they can be a huge problem down the road. Take Terrell Owens as an example. During the 2005 season, many people took him in their drafts, disregarding his previous history of disruptive behavior as a member of the San Francisco 49ers. This move backfired in the middle of the season, when the Philadelphia Eagles benched Owens for the rest of the year due to his off the field antics and his troublemaker attitude.

So, during the off-season, when you are monitoring transactions, depth-charts, and injury reports for your fantasy team, don’t forget to also monitor the legal wire. In doing so, you will be more likely to avoid midseason blunders, and you just might have an all-important advantage over your competition.

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