Not what the NFL needs


Published: April 10, 2008 by Berry Tramel Comment on this article Leave a comment

The NFL needs a few things. Fewer penalty flags on defensive backs. More professionalism in the end zone by touchdown-makers. A team in Los Angeles would be nice.

The NFL does NOT need one more knuckleheaded wide receiver. For some reason, pro football prima donnas have migrated to the flanker position. Troublemakers can be found split wide. Terrell Owens. Randy Moss. Chad Johnson.

So why did Malcolm Kelly act the way he did Wednesday, ripping OU after pro scouts watched him run slow times in the 40-yard dash? It was bad enough that Kelly gave the scouts reason to think he wasn’t fast enough to play in the NFL. Now he’s given them reason to think he’s a goober.

If you will blast your college program — ON ITS CAMPUS — where the atmosphere is all warm fuzzies and Three Musketeerish, what would you do in the poisonous pro locker room, where criticizing the organization is part of the initiation? Dumb. Very dumb.

Kelly could at least claim solid-citizen status after his woeful 40 times, which were anywhere from 4.68 to 4.75, which can be decent for a linebacker but not for a passcatcher trying to outmaneuver Bill Belichick-type defenses. Now, Kelly’s good name is gone. Right in front of pro scouts, he turned bellyacher and excuse-maker.

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by Berry Tramel
Columnist
Berry Tramel, a lifelong Oklahoman, sports fan and newspaper reader, joined The Oklahoman in 1991 and has served as beat writer, assistant sports editor, sports editor and columnist. Tramel grew up reading four daily newspapers — The...
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