NFL needs to wake up

A lot has been made of the "image" of the NBA and how they are thugs and criminals and need to rework their reputation. While all of this was happening the NFL was quietly cementing their place as the league with the most "off the field instances." From the Cincinnati "Bungles" having a seventh of their team arrested from fifteen different instances to Michael Irvin's whole life most of the instances were seen as personal and slightly humorous, but there was also a streak of more serious crimes that no other league had to deal with. From the Ray Lewis and Rod Carruth incidences to the eight players shot in the last six years the NFL has been treading dangerous ground for a while. Now one of the up-and-coming cornerbacks in the league is dead and the NFL is left with the question; what to do about these issues? Much of it is overlooked because the NFL is so rich and controls so much of the sports industry that it can sweep these issues under the rug. ESPN under reports all these issues, probably because the NFL is such a large chunk of its revenue, but it should not get to the point where a starter in the NFL is killed and two coaches being fired is more important than the life of this 24 year old man. The NFL has to step back from its mafia-esque reign over sports news and help reverse this negative off-field trend.

Side Note: Unfortunately this happened at Kenyon Martin's birthday/New Year's Eve Party so I'm sure the NBA will somehow get as much or more flack than the NFL will.