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Urlacher Fined $100,000 for Wearing Hat
Wednesday, April 18, 2007 5:34 PM EDT
The Associated Press


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NEW YORK (AP) — Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher was fined $100,000 by the NFL for wearing a cap during Super Bowl media day that promoted a sponsor not authorized by the league.

NFL rules prohibit gear that advertises any product but a designated sponsor, league spokesman Brian McCarthy said Wednesday.

Urlacher was fined for drinking vitaminwater and wearing a vitaminwater hat during the media session in Miami leading to the title game. Gatorade is the NFL's official drink.

McCarthy said this is the first time such a fine has been levied. He added that $100,000 is the standard fine for such a violation at the Super Bowl. A violation during the regular season is $10,000. It is $50,000 at the Pro Bowl.

The fine recalls an episode involving Chicago quarterback Jim McMahon in the playoffs following the 1985 season, the previous time the Bears made the Super Bowl.

McMahon wore a headband that said "adidas" in a playoff game against the New York Giants, and then-commissioner Pete Rozelle fined him $5,000 because the shoe company was not an NFL sponsor. The following week, in the NFC title game against the Los Angeles Rams, McMahon wore a headband that read "rozelle."



Is this just the NFL mad because they are not getting a kickback. This is the most absurd fine I've seen since Portis being fined for his socks.

LOSTHOG wrote:The fine recalls an episode involving Chicago quarterback Jim McMahon in the playoffs following the 1985 season, the previous time the Bears made the Super Bowl.

McMahon wore a headband that said "adidas" in a playoff game against the New York Giants, and then-commissioner Pete Rozelle fined him $5,000 because the shoe company was not an NFL sponsor. The following week, in the NFC title game against the Los Angeles Rams, McMahon wore a headband that read "rozelle."

I don't know about the huge fine on Urlacher, but this part was hilarious.

And I agree... the whole NFL policy with the uniform, like with Portis's socks, was and is ridiculous.

i'll bet the vitamin water company paid for the fine and then some to urlacher

I feel a little weird about this. I suppose I be more dead set against it if he were only wearing the hat or only drinking the product. Putting the two together likely constitutes advertisement, and the NFL does own the telecast and the content.
At the same time, what if Urlacher doesn't like Gatorade? Does that mean he has to remove the label from his beverage of choice?
Incidentally, 100k is a stiff penalty. I'm sure he can cover it (or, as the last poster mentioned, the water company can), but that's some serious money there.
Repeat offender, or message bearer?

tcwest10 wrote:Repeat offender, or message bearer?

I'm leaning towards message bearer. That seems to be Goodell's MO atm.

Jeremy81 wrote:i'll bet the vitamin water company paid for the fine and then some to urlacher

They offered but Urlacher said no as he wore the hat so he'll pay the fine. THe vitamin drink company is going to give $100,000 to a charity in Urlacher's name though.

$100,000 though? I mean, seriously!! What kind of crazy world do we live in where a guy gets fined $100,000 for wearing a hat but if ya commit a crime you can get away with paying less than that.

It's not like he laid in an illegal tackle or something; my God!