The Roger Goodell thread

[salamander]

What irony it would be, when all are grandstanding about how wrong it is to blame the victim, if it all comes down to a wife who begged the DA and Roger for leniency? And ends up indirectly blamed by Roger and Co. for the mistakes they made.

That would be funny as hell, for real. It's also looking like a real possibility based on how she's been acting and what she's been saying the past couple of days.

Even if it isn't true, she has been willing to nail herself to a cross for some time now. It is the easiest way out for everyone, and seems to be exactly what she wants.

This is rather judgmental of me, but it really seems rather sad. I don't know if she's just alright with that kind of treatment, or what, but...It doesn't look good.

I'm withholding judgement of her. They've been together for 6 years and for all we know this was an isolated incident. I've been married for 8 years. If my wife did something unspeakably hurtful to me after all this time together, it would be very difficult for me to throw out the eight years of love/support/memories, let her worst moment define her, and just cut bait.

Now if it ever happens again she should leave immediately.

 

[Scottemojo]

The Daily Show's take on Roger. I LOLed.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on...the-daily-show-skewers-ray-rice-nfl-yet-again

 

[Jville]

The Daily Show's take on Roger. I LOLed.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on...the-daily-show-skewers-ray-rice-nfl-yet-again

Thanks for posting. Enjoyed it and watched it twice.

 

[RolandDeschain]

Lol, that Stewart segment's pretty funny.

 

[Sports Hernia]

I choose to be a foolish optimist. I'm hoping that this is such a black eye that the owners will have no choice but to elect an honorable commissioner who will give the league a much better image, even if he doesn't raise profits quite as fast as Goodell did.

You don't think the NFL commissioner position is just essentially in existence to do what the owners want done?

There is a huge difference between the way Goodell has gone about his business and the way his predecessors did. Huge.

Now to answer your question. I am generally pro-owner. I was 100% on the owners side during the 2011 labor dispute, and it is one of the very few things I have absolute praise of Goodell for. I am just fine with the commisioner representing the owners to an extent. It's basically his job to do so.

What bugs me about Goodell is the idiotic way he's gone about it, proposing changes that are bad for the game but might make them slightly less liable or slightly more profitable. Such as...

Banning certain celebrations for no particular reason

The potential 1 year ban for weed

The proposed 18 game schedule

Thursday Night football (despite players saying they need 6 days of rest to recover, and that home teams almost always win these games)

The rule changes that have spiked penalties and made the game almost unwatchable (not just talking about 2014 either)

The proposed expanded playoffs which would allow more 8-8 and 7-9 teams to make it at the expense of a legit contending team getting that second bye week

The proposed long extra point, which would cause the number of games lost by random bad luck on a PAT to jump 10 times.

NFL in London, which would be a travel nightmare and will probably turn into a huge mess very quickly if it fails to catch on with the locals.

The kickoff being moved to reduce the value of special teams, while having no provable benefit towards concussions

The general pussy-ification of the game

...

The NFL has really taken off since Goodell took over, but I think that has very little to do with his decisions, and a lot more to do with a vastly improved college game preparing players for the NFL much better than before, particularly at QB. Not to mention, the success of college innovation and influence which has made the game more fun to watch.

IMO, you could put a do-nothing guy at Commissioner and he would be better than Goodell on most issues.

Bravo sir, Bravo! :th2thumbs:

 

[TXHawk]

Odds are, Goodell will keep his job and we'll hate him more than ever. But if the NFL does crack, I have to believe they'd have the sense to go after a different kind of hiring. It's okay for a commissioner to be in the owners pockets to an extent, that's basically in his job description, but Goodell is a special case.

Like any business, nothing will facilitate change until it hits the pocket book........and as of now I don't see advertisers running for the hills, nor fans refusing to attend or watch games.

This all points to Goodell going nowhere. He may be dragged up in front of congress or have a long apologetic press conference where he cries and says how sorry he is for not doing the right thing. But the bottom line is the owners are the only ones with the power to fire Goodell, and they aren't going to stop this money train, not even for a problem like this.

Nixon was never going to resign until suddenly he did. The Berlin Wall was never going to come down until suddenly it did. Enron was a multi-billion dollar energy giant until suddenly it wasn't. Sometimes events start to build momentum until they reach a critical mass and then what seemed unthinkable happens and in retrospect seemed inevitable all along.

This scandal has that type of feel. The AP story won't be the last shoe to drop. Appointing an independent investigator is a desperation move that will insure that this story will continue to be in the news for months. I think it's only a matter of time before the owners crack and realize that they can still make boatloads of money with another commissioner who is far less toxic than Roger Goodell.

 

[SeatownJay]

Here's Keith Olbermann's opinion of the "independent investigation".

[youtube]7dK1vzqhr4M[/youtube]

 

[El Caliente]

Here's Keith Olbermann's opinion of the "independent investigation".

[youtube]7dK1vzqhr4M[/youtube]

As a Saints fan (who has seen all of this play out before), this is exactly how lame a cover up it is going to be.

"We found thousands of pages of evidence."
"Can we see that evidence?"
"Well sure, but only a few of you can."
"Well why can't all of us see it?"
" because not all of you at sucking at our tit."
(Passes over a bunch of power point slides)
"There's your evidence."
" roger, these are just power point slides. They don't point to anyone in particular doing anything."
" Hey, how did you get in here! Get out if you don't like my evidence."

 

[Uncle Si]

Even if it isn't true, she has been willing to nail herself to a cross for some time now. It is the easiest way out for everyone, and seems to be exactly what she wants.

This is rather judgmental of me, but it really seems rather sad. I don't know if she's just alright with that kind of treatment, or what, but...It doesn't look good.

I'm withholding judgement of her. They've been together for 6 years and for all we know this was an isolated incident. I've been married for 8 years. If my wife did something unspeakably hurtful to me after all this time together, it would be very difficult for me to throw out the eight years of love/support/memories, let her worst moment define her, and just cut bait.

Now if it ever happens again she should leave immediately.

I think those familiar with domestic violence see that Janay's actions are very in line with most victims. Statistically, in fact, its far more likely that the victim (and family) become the enablers of the behavior, often take on the blame, and remain in the relationship.

to say "if it ever happens again" seems to imply that this was the first time. I highly doubt it. It may be the last, due to the fantastic trauma it has caused. But I highly doubt this was their first violent dispute.

Lots if info on domestic violence and the actions/reactions out there these past few days that are worth reading (NY Times has a piece up today about how pro sports are lenient and enablers of this crime to their athletes; another truly shocking story written by a crime reporter on Deadspin).

The main facts are: domestic violence is rarely reported, it is even more rare that convictions take place (as the victims are statistically more likely, by like 80%, to recant their stories), the victim typically shoulders the responsibility, and rarely do the couple separate (initially).

One of our "guest" posters has missed the boat in adamently defending his player all over this board. He falls back on "due process" and a lack of criminal charges as some sort of proof of potential innocence. Those familiar with domestic violence can see the darkness in waiting for those actions to come to light. it may not be gas to a fire, but it certainly breathes air into it.

 

[Sports Hernia]

As much as a pompous ass as KO can be and usually is, he is spot on here.
The "fix is in" when THEY get to choose who gets to investigate them.

 

[rigelian]

Past commissioners have taken a stand against owners when they thought it was for the good of the game. Paul Tagliabue not letting Tom Benson move the Saints to San Antonio, for one example. There's a delicate balance there between representing the owners and being a diplomat for the game in general. Goodell is great at repping the owners - see how favorable the CBA is toward owners, how weak the NFLPA in general is, and how cities are falling over themselves to give guys like Jerry Richardson and Arthur Blank millions of dollars for new digs - but not so good at that second thing.

Do you seriously believe that Tagliabue made the decision to block a move of the Saints to San Antonio on his own? I strongly suspect the other owners were suggesting that Tagliabue take this action.

The bottom line that the last Commissioner to have the independence to protect the integrity of the game was Bart Giamotti who was the Commissioner of Major League baseball. The owners revolted and got rid of him and replaced him with, now get this, an owner. Not only an owner but a weasel of an owner.

Commissioners are basically the owners agent doing the owner's agenda. The ultimate piece of evidence of this is the contradiction of the desire for an 18 game schedule with the heightened safety rules. The 18 game schedule is necessary to increase owner revenues, the safety rules are there to reduce owner liability. Expanded playoffs and London? I assure you the ownership is pushing for both.

What I find amusing are fans who are pro owner and anti Goodell. They are one in the same thing.

 

[gtcotcakya]

Full disclosure: I am in the camp that has wanted Goodell gone for years now. Having said that, I do not want him fired (with the inevitable golden parachute).

It feels like it would be more apropos to suspend him indefinitely for violations of the NFL's personal conduct policy.

 

[RolandDeschain]

What I find amusing are fans who are pro owner and anti Goodell. They are one in the same thing.

That's the WORST. Agreed. Regardless, though, anybody who hates Goodell but doesn't hate the owners JUST as much is a naive hypocrite, IMO.

 

[El Caliente]

Do you seriously believe that Tagliabue made the decision to block a move of the Saints to San Antonio on his own? I strongly suspect the other owners were suggesting that Tagliabue take this action.

Yeah, it wasn't all Tagliabue. While Benson did want to leave New Orleans after Katrina, I imagine Tags was prompted to tell him hell no, but Jerry Jones, and Bob McNair were probably in on it as well as their market share would have taken a hit with another competitor into the market. But I will be the first to give Tags the credit for that one. Benson was a real tool bag after Katrina.

 

[gtcotcakya]

What I find amusing are fans who are pro owner and anti Goodell. They are one in the same thing.

That's the WORST. Agreed. Regardless, though, anybody who hates Goodell but doesn't hate the owners JUST as much is a naive hypocrite, IMO.

While somewhat supportive of the point made here, there is a matter of degree of similarity. To argue that owners/Goodell are "one in the same thing" is to imply that Goodell is nothing more than a mouthpiece for the collective interests of the owners. While I am sure those interests heavily influence his policies and focus, I suspect Goodell has a great deal of autonomy and influence both beyond those interests and in the execution of them that you are ignoring. I don't think it's necessarily hypocritical for someone to say I "hate" Goodell more than I "hate" the owners.

 

[RolandDeschain]

I don't think it's necessarily hypocritical for someone to say I "hate" Goodell more than I "hate" the owners.

It's hypocritical because NOBODY knows what things are being done by Goodell, and what things are being done by the owners through Goodell. What most people end up doing is assigning blame for what they don't like to Goodell, the man himself. Hypocritical assumptions to support our preferred opinions.

 

[rideaducati]

Oberman has it right. A whole bunch of people should be fired from Goodell to Ozzie Newsome. This was a coverup that got found out pure and simple.

Oberman should lose his job again for being too much of a blowhard.

Why are we holding the NFL to a higher standard than the judicial system? Both the judicial system and Janay herself has forgivin Ray, yet people expect the NFL to dole out punishment above and beyond? The NFL has murderers playing in the NFL, but since there is no video, it seems to be okay with these mediots. I'm sure that hindsight will bring out even more mediots that didn't have a problem with anything prior to seeing a video. Hypocrisy is gonna run rampant.

I want to know where all these jackwads were when even worse things were done by players. Did Oberman give a damn when the Rams kept a murderer on their team? He had several years to speak out, but I don't recall any outrage. How about the guy in Carolina? He has already been found guilty...where is the outrage from Oberman? Oh, no video.

Anyone can go back and find something bad and call for someone's job AFTER THE FACT. Why don't these mediots jump on their soapbox BEFORE it gets to this point? Lemmings... They're just chasing the ambulance.

 

[AsylumGuido]

A Deadspin article listing all of Goodell's lies to date involving the Rice case.

http://deadspin.com/all-of-roger-goodells-lies-and-half-truths-about-ray-ri-1633951919

 

[AsylumGuido]

Another Deadspin article showing that Bill Polian was clearly censored by ESPN and/or the NFL when answering a question on SportsCenter. See, listen to and/or read his radically different answers to the exact same question within 20 minutes of each otherr.

http://deadspin.com/bill-polian-disagrees-with-bill-polians-insider-opinion-1633593081

 

[Jville]

Terrific finds Guido !!!

Thanks for posting. :th2thumbs:

I'm compelled to comment that lies have become too much of an accepted tool in image making and programming. The lie is accelerating the destruction of community trust.

[urltargetblank]http://deadspin.com/bill-polian-disagrees-with-bill-polians-insider-opinion-1633593081[/urltargetblank]
[urltargetblank]http://deadspin.com/all-of-roger-goodells-lies-and-half-truths-about-ray-ri-1633951919[/urltargetblank]