Monte Poole: Bad trash talkers need to be saved from their own mouths

Trash talk in big-time sports was conceived by Muhammad Ali, anexquisite practitioner who still owns the patent.

Good trash talk is a skill, then, and great trash is an art. Aliwas an artist.

The overwhelming majority of NFL players lack this skill. Notthat it prevents them from trying.

Well aware of various ugly and clumsy attempts at trash talk,league management is taking steps in hopes of saving the playersfrom themselves.

After a week of profanity and disrespect between playoff teams,most of it related to the Patriots-Jets game scheduled for Sunday inNew England, the NFL office a few days ago sent out a memo remindingthe boys among them they're better off behaving as men -- or elsethere might be consequences.

Thank you, Ray Anderson.

As the league's executive vice president for football operations,Anderson is responsible for matters of discipline, including finesand suspensions. His message was simple: Should it be necessary toimpose any disciplinary action, we also will take into account anyevidence presented with one's mouth.

Jets linebacker Bart Scott had better hope he's not in the areashould Patriots wideout Wes Welker get clobbered while in adefenseless position, for Scott not only crossed the line but spiton it Friday when responding to Welker's jabs at Jets coach RexRyan.

Welker during an interview session made nearly a dozen ad-libreferences to feet or toes, an obvious shout-out to video posted onthe Internet of Ryan's wife and a voice presumed to be Rex Ryan. Thevideo suggested the couple enjoyed a strong, um, appreciation offeet and toes.

Discovery of the video led to national news and a story that madethe rounds, drawing giggles in locker rooms around the league. Ryan,who talks more than any coach in the league, invoked his right notto discuss it.

Though Welker is a jokester who was having fun teasing theopposing head coach, Scott's reaction to Welker's comments was outof bounds.

"I'll tell you what," Scott told Newsday. "Be very careful whatyou say about our coach. His (Welker's) days in a uniform will benumbered. Put it like that."

That's not trash talk. That's an implied threat.

Trash talk is Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis referring to widereceiver Randy Moss, then with the Patriots, as "a slouch."

Good trash talk is Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco promising tochange his name back to Chad Johnson if he's stopped by Revis. (Chadbroke that promise.)

Great trash talk is Jets quarterback Joe Namath guaranteeing aSuper Bowl victory against heavily favored Baltimore -- anddelivering.

Superior trash talk is Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe pickingup a sideline phone during a rout, pretending to call the WhiteHouse and requesting reinforcements because "we are killing thePatriots."

Any talk about an opponent's days being numbered -- in a gamewhere one's career can end on any play -- is not trash talk. It'smenacing. It's dangerous. It's not much different from placing a"bounty" on someone, and it has no place in sports.

To see the number of players kneeling in prayer -- on both teams -- when an injured player is being attended to is to know thatmortality is no joking matter in the NFL.

Anderson's crackdown on trash talk is an addendum to the league's2010 crackdown on illegal hits on defenseless players. The idea isto maintain the ferocity of the game while punishing recklessdisregard. It's a fine line indeed, but most sports wisely instituterules and regulations to protect the participants.

The NFL is derisively referred to as the "No Fun League." And inmany ways, it is. The league can and does take its policing a bittoo seriously. Players ought to be able to do a little dance, have alittle fun during the game.

When there is cause for celebration -- and I don't mean a fourth-quarter touchdown to close the gap to 41-10 -- I enjoy it. Same withtrash talk.

It's mostly about the execution. Quality trash talk comes notwith malice in the heart but a twinkle in the eye. It has an elementof humor. Ali usually nailed it. Ochocinco usually nails it.

Too many NFL players, like Scott, swing and miss. They neededthis warning.

Contact Monte Poole at mpoole@bayareanewsgroup.com.