The NFL has provided yet another clear example of why trying to build automated "profanity filters" is one of the stupidest exercises in technology. Yet, it's one that gets repeated again and again.
This example involves their customized jersey shop, where you can, ostensibly, get your name on the back of a football jersey.
Unless, that is, your last name happens to be "Gay". According to NameStatistics.com, Gay is the 774th most common last name in the U.S., with around 37,500 Gays living among us.
They can't have no team jerseys though. Fans of New England Patriots cornerback Randall Gay are apparently out of luck.
Outsports.com details how stupid this is, and prints a response from the NFL to someone whose last name is Gay informing him that "there is no way around this issue."
They also show that the main reason these kinds of filters are absurd is because they don't work. See the jerseys below, rejected names with an X, acceptable with a check.
The entire list of banned words (culled from a now-removed javascript) can be found here.
No jersey for you, Mr. Spermbag.
