Carolina owner Jerry Richardson made headlines recently when it was revealed he asked that No. 1 overall draft pick Cam Newtonnot get any tattoos or piercings while he was a member of the Panthers. Should an organization have the ability to restrict whether a player gets tattoos or piercings?
I'm not feeling Richardson's position at all. I understand that maybe he wants a squeaky clean quarterback in all terms, but if Cam Newton got a tat across his chest that read "Super Bowl champion" the year after the Panthers won the Lombardi Trophy, I don't think Richardson would have much of a beef. If a team wants players to not adorn their bodies with ink or piercings, and wants to enforce that mandate, then they should pay players to adhere. That's how ridiculous this is.
Otherwise, let the players be who they want to be as long as they are doing their jobs and behaving themselves. If they're not performing or behaving, bounce them. Not because of how they're decorated, but because they weren't doing what you paid them to do.
I'm a liberal guy. To each his own. When you grow up with Bad Brains and The Dead Kennedys and low-budget horror films in Baltimore City, well, it takes more than a tattoo or nose ring to faze you.
And as a journalist, I could not believe any more firmly in the Bill of Rights and individual freedoms. So if an employer -- any employer, even an NFL club -- wants to ask or urge an individual to abide by certain codes, so be it. But to hold their appearance against them is something else entirely. And I doubt any such thing would ever take place ... particularly if the kid can play, even a little bit.
The reality of locker room culture is that jocks in this day and age very likely will have tats and/or piercings and it's a personal choice and no one's business but their own. Welcome to 2011. So to ask one to consider other options is perfectly fine. To punish them for looking like almost everyone else is entirely something else.
The late, great George Steinbrenner never let his Yankees have facial hair, but that was years ago. I remember when Johnny Damon joined the Yanks from the Red Sox and immediately cut his hair to conform to Steinbrenner's wishes. As for Carolina and Mr. Richardson, I don't think this has been a rule and, in fact, I don't think it should have been brought up by the owner. Cam Newton will represent the club well and probably didn't need to hear the parental opinion from the owner.
Teams can ask you to do just about anything, but demand it? I can't see that as a condition of employment. My guess is that this would be another discussion of moderation. Tattoos are a volatile subject, especially in the workplace. We would all be surprised at the number -- and stature -- of people who have tats. It's the volume of tattoos, and placement of them, that leads to discussions like this one.
Does Jerry Richardson know that Jeremy Shockey is on his team? Steve Smith has tattoos, too. So the hypocrisy from Richardson is bothersome. However, if you are looking at the bigger issue of having an owner banning tattoos, I do not have a fundamental problem with it.
I do not have a problem with tattoos or piercings personally, but the Panthers are Richardson's team and he sets the rules. Many employers have dress codes that prohibit visible tattoos, so Richardson is well within his rights (if anybody thinks this is a First Amendment issue, you deserve to be flogged or at least take a remedial history class). If Cam Newton has a big problem with it, then he can certainly exercise his right and not play football.
Newton has a pretty compelling case for being singled out, and I find that wrong.
An organization should have the right to institute a reasonable dress code for its staff and players. While I believe a player should certainly retain his freedom of expression, it is important for players to also reflect the image of the organization. In looking at Cam Newton's situation, the owner recognizes him as the face of the franchise and would like his No. 1 overall pick to project an image that would be an easy sell to corporate sponsors and the fan base. Newton should understand that pro football is a billion-dollar industry and marketability is essential to raising revenue. That's why it is important for the Panthers' star quarterback to always project the image of being the consummate professional.
