NFL goes pink

 I went to a parent meeting at my son's school Monday evening and when I arrived home I found my husband and both of my sons firmly planted in front of Monday Night Football.

"Look Mom," said my younger son, "they all have pink breast cancer ribbons on their helmets."

"And the referees have pink whistles and pink ribbons on their hats," added my older son.

Although they continued to point out pink cleats and other pink items in the game they did not catch them all, which include:


» Game balls with pink ribbon decals used for every down
» Players wearing pink cleats, wristbands, gloves, chin straps, sideline caps, helmet decals, eye shield decals, captains' patches, sideline towels and quarterback towels
» Pink coins used for the coin toss
» Pink sideline caps for coaches and sideline personnel and pink ribbon pins for coaches and team executives
» Officials wearing caps with pink ribbons, pink wristbands and pins and using pink whistles
» On-field pink ribbon stencils and A Crucial Catch wall banners
» Pink goal-post padding in end zones

It was true, that bastion of male machoness has gone pink this month.  Both the players and the referees are supporting breast cancer awareness and cause marketing by wearing pink ribbons and making donations to breast cancer organizations.  Nationally the NFL has adopted the American Cancer Society as its pink charity although specific teams have adopted various breast cancer organizations.  A quick rundown of the NFL's Pink October activites can be found here.