Cheerleader Censorship

I noticed an unusual referral in my web stats today, so I clicked through and found this interesting story:

The cheerleader squad for the Philadelphia Eagles exercises and practices in my neighborhood gym. The other day a lawyer came in and took a few of them aside. I overhead her instruct them to delete their Facebook and MySpace profiles immediately, explaining that membership in online social networks is a breach of contract... 

The last thing I heard her say is, “If you feel these profiles are important for your modeling career or personal life, then keep them — but then you will relinquish your position on the squad.”

First of all, that's excellent gym selection.

Secondly, how typically heavy-handed is this of the Eagles / NFL?  Rather than just saying the team expects the cheerleaders to project a wholesome image and will remove those who don't, they send in the lawyers to shut down their access to social networking sites that pretty much the entirety of the under-35 population in this country uses.  Because it sure would be terrible if those cheerleaders were out there sticking up basically-naked pictures of themselves. 

Is this even a calendar?  You can barely see the dates.  (On the left, dude.)

I don't know about you, but those pictures just scream "WHOLESOME" to me. 

Almost makes you want to google around a bit to find what the team was so intent on you not seeing...

Comments

[Eagles Fan in San Fran]

Suddenly, I don't really care about Lorenzo Booker anymore.

[Schwartz]

Hah hah thanks, man. I just wrote a follow-up post.

[Eric]

It does seem hypocritical to promote "sex appeal" then deny them the ability to do it themselves.

However, I do understand their stance on social network websites. There are plenty of stories out there now where employers now search for potential employees who applied to the company on these social networks. They use this as part of their evaluation process. Doesn't seem fair does it? Eh, I don't know. So I don't see this as a wrong thing for the organization to do.

Besides, the cheerleaders have to have very specific bodily measurements to be a cheerleader, why not go a little further and force them to not have social networking sites? I would think people would be more offended by the former than the latter. Unless you're gay... not that there is anything wrong with that.

[Derek]

Exactly, your sex appeal is valuable to us when it helps us promote our business. It is strictly forbidden when it helps you promote yourself.

Whatever, there are 6 million other more pressing matters facing the world right now. I don't really care much about this specific issue.

What does (continue to) bother me, however, is the MO of the NFL, which throws its weight around constantly in these sorts of heavy-handed ways. And they always -- always -- lead with the lawyers.

[Eric]

Speaking of the NFL throwing its weight around...
http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d80b7a646

Watch at the end. Hopefully someone from the Eagle FO sees this and lets Demps and Jackson know. I'd rather this not cost a game.

[Schwartz]

Hey Derek, you're right, of course there are many more important things to worry about right now. But I think a little tongue-in-cheek righteous indignation about something inconsequential in the grand scheme (though of potential personal importance to the individuals involved) could help blow off some steam amidst the current financial hubub.

[jhavrk8]

You MUST go to PE.com to see the chics, duh.

And hopefully it's just a fluke with my browser but the red background is creeping me out...

[Eric]

Yes, the red is very hypnotic. Like, it makes me want to kill someone. Derek, you're liable. ;)

[Derek]

Come on, it's Phillies solidarity :)

All right, all right, I'll tone it down.