Jets Fans Ahead of the Curve on "Breast Awareness"

After his long political career as an unapologetic racist and segregationist, Alabama Gov. George Wallace spend his twilight years kissing up to blacks in the vein hope they'd somehow forget what an asshole he'd been. This came to mind yesterday when I saw NFL players, refs and coaches wearing touches of pink as part of Breast Cancer Awareness month. The idea is to bring a hint of femininity to these tough guys and demonstrate sensitivity to a health issue that is a top priority for many women.

Even so, long time fans will tell you that awareness of--or even preoccupation with--a woman's mammary glands has long been a staple of the NFL and its devoted fans. Maybe the NFL is taking a page from the Wallace playbook. Either way there is a history. Take for example this item from the NY Times Dec. 2007: "The gantlet of abuse continued during halftime of the Jets' game against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday at Giants Stadium, with hundreds of men chanting obscenities at a handful of women in the crowd to expose their breasts."

And, no, those Jets fans were not chanting "Expose your breasts! Expose your breasts!"