Monday, September 19, 2005

No, I'm Famous...Really

NFL players have to deal with vicious hits, a short playing career, abusive coaches and unforgiving fans. But now you can add to that list the threat of . . . impersonation. Unlike many other athletes, the helmets and other padding worn by NFL players often makes them hard to recognize on the street; thus, there are a number of people out there claiming to be these players. (Crouse, "To NFL Player, Imitation Isn't a Form of Flattery at All," NY Times, 09/14/05). The pathetic attempts at fame range from trying to seduce women in bars to attempting to open checking accounts in the player's name.

The NFL's vice president for security reports 37 such cases last year, with many more likely unreported. In many of these cases, no laws are broken. It may be against good taste to pretend you are someone else in a bar, but if it was against the law, a number of people would be in trouble. And the woman likely will figure out the scam when taken to the basement of a mother's house, rather than the larger dwellings usually associated with professional athletes. The most likely legal remedy is a civil claim that an impersonator damaged the reputation or earning potential of an athlete. Imagine if a woman came forward claiming to have had an affair with an NFL player -- a player who is happily married and has no idea who this woman is. Such allegations, even if untrue, could hurt a player's reputation, endorsement potential, and personal life.

The law usually comes into play when money is involved. If an impersonator accepts an appearance fee while claiming to be an athlete, or if the fake-athlete perpetrates some other type of fraud while claiming to be someone else, then he will have to answer to authorities other than the NFL. And then there is identity theft, which is a separate offense, and one that is much more serious.

In our culture of reality television and American Idol, everyone wants to be famous or know someone famous. It might behoove some NFL players to begin mugging for the camera without their helmets -- or risk never knowing all the places they "turn up."

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