NFL Commissioner Goodell Discussion

Sep 6, 2005
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Poll: 61 percent of players disapprove of Goodell’s performance


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The NFL players have spoken regarding their Commissioner. According to USA Today, 61 percent in a poll conducted from December 19 through January 12 disapprove of Roger Goodell’s job performance.

The poll has a 5-percent margin for error.

“I think it’s obvious that I disapprove,” Steelers linebacker James Harrison said. “I feel like what he’s doing is not totally for the safety of players. . . . A lot of stuff they’ve done, [such as] fining guys crazy amounts of money for helmet-to-helmet hits and all that and saying you’re doing this for the safety of players. But yet you want to add extra games to the regular season.

“In the true interest of player safety, I would have no issue with it. But that’s not what it’s about. It’s about money. Who hired Roger Goodell?”
The fact that he was hired by — and ultimately works for — the owners speaks more to the ongoing divide between labor and management, despite a labor contract that lasts eight more years.

The only real surprise is that the percentage of disapproval wasn’t higher.
 
Sep 6, 2005
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Robert Kraft: We lucked out getting Roger Goodell as commissioner

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Most NFL players say they disapprove of the way Commissioner Roger Goodell does his job, and there’s a vocal contingent of NFL fans who disapprove of Goodell as well. But there’s little doubt that with the NFL in better financial shape than ever, Goodell’s bosses are happy with the work he’s doing.

Those bosses are the owners of the 32 teams, and as Patriots owner Robert Kraft put it in an Outside the Lines profile of Goodell, the owners consider themselves fortunate to have a commissioner as good as Goodell.

“I think we really lucked out with him as commissioner,” Kraft said. “I think Roger, once he assumed this position, really runs the NFL like he owns it and thinks like an owner.”

The fact is, however, that Goodell is not an owner, and the criticism Goodell gets from players and fans often centers on a belief that Goodell cares more about the good of the owners’ bottom line than he cares about the good of the game. Kraft says that Goodell doesn’t need to be popular to be doing a good job.

“To be honest, I really don’t focus on how players view the commissioner,” Kraft said. “All I know is he’s very tough but very fair, and he’s doing a job, and it’s not going to help him win popularity contests. I want him to do things just the way he’s doing them.”

As long as Goodell’s bosses — the team owners — are happy, he’ll keep doing what he’s been doing.
 
Running the NFL is no different from running CocaCola.... profits will continue to stream regardless. It's like a 'fool proof job'. The CEO, Terry Davis, made a whopping 7.96 mil in the last financial year. Question is: how many d*** are you willing to suck to get there? In the NFL: 31.
 
Sep 6, 2005
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Roger Goodell: The future of football relies on changing the game


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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is making clear once again that he wants to change the game of football to make it safer.

Goodell said in a speech at the University of North Carolina on Wednesday that he believes the future of football depends on changing the game, and he sees that as one of his primary missions.

“If there’s any single reason for the incredible success of the NFL, it’s because we’ve never allowed ourselves to be complacent about anything,” Goodell said. “There is a national conversation taking place about football. We welcome it. That’s how we approach our jobs every day: Looking at changes to the game not as something to be feared, but as something we need to do as if the future of the game relies on it. Because it does. The risk of injury in football is well known, but throughout history, football has evolved and become safer and better.”

Goodell mentioned the importance of reducing the brain injuries that players suffer on the field, although he also stressed that football is far from the only activity that risks brain injury, and he noted a study that found that NFL players live longer than the American population as a whole.

“In recent years there has become a sharper focus on concussions in football and other sports. Let me make an important point here: Concussions are a global issue. Not just a football issue,” Goodell said. “We can and must do more to make the game safer, and in the process we will make other sports safer as well.”

Goodell said health and safety will continue to be his highest priority. And he’s willing to change the game of football to make it safer.

============


Some spot on comments from article...

“so let’s play 18 games every season!”

He is changing professional football into flag football.
You can no more eliminate violence in football than you can eliminate it in boxing or Mixed Martial Arts.
He is attacking the very essence of American’s most popular game by trying to limit “aggression” when aggression is its core value just like boxing, just like mixed martial arts.

How bout if its not broke dont fix it!! You really need to stop the excessive fines u are giving out to the players!! They deserve every penny they get because the next game could be their last! Give them community service or make them visit childrens hospitals but stop taking their money!!!

Wants to make the game safer… Total BS! How bout those Thursday games.

This guy could care less about the health and safety of players except to the extent that it adversely impacts the pocketbooks of his megalomaniacal, narcissistic bosses.

Okay, Roger, you want to make the game safer? Start by getting rid of those idiotic weekly Thursday night games which are held for one purpose: to get the league’s network more exposure.
Until you do that, no one is going to believe that you are taking safety seriously.


The future of football relies on replacing Roger Goodell. Was the NFL struggling before this egomaniac took the job? Am i missing something? One thing I remember clearly, however, is that it was affordable to attend a game under Tagliabue.

The man is a known liar & has zero credibility. His main focus is fighting the concussion lawsuit, not safety.

Remember the game that we all have grown to love because soon all we’ll have are those memories. Greed ruins everything.

The future of the game, as well as the United States, is getting us out from the suppression of tort law.
Until we get all of the lawyers out of the senate, we will continue to nose dive. And that is the truth.

I call BS on the study that found NFL players lived longer than the American population as a whole.
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It doesn’t surprise me that retired players live longer on avg. most may have bad knees , etc but they tend to have more money plus a degree and opportunities for a career after football that makes living a little less hard. Of course there are broke retirees too so I’m not broad brushing but retired nfl players probably have more savings and access to better health care than the average joe

He’s wrong. Changing the game as he envisions will lead to the demise of NFL football. Rather than trying to eliminate the violence and aggression via vague and subjectively enforced rules, maybe he should work on eliminating the ability for suing the league. Liability waivers.
 
Feb 21, 2006
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Just read this article on Goodell on ESPN Magazine website - heard about it via the BS Report podcast when Simmons interviewed Van Natta who authored the piece. Some background; Van Natta is an investigative journalist who covered the CIA post-9/11 and worked on the Murdoch phone-hacking scandals as well.

Funniest anecdote from the podcast was when he talked about playing a round of golf with Bill Clinton while covering him for a story in 2002 and Clinton proceeded to blatantly cheat his way around the golf course right in front of him.

http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/page/RogerGoodell/game-rules
 
Sep 6, 2005
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An Open Letter to NFL Owners: The Game Deserves Better

The author, a writer for The MMQB, says it’s time to replace or reassign Roger Goodell, and bring in an independent commissioner who represents the interests of everyone who contributes to football’s success

By Greg A. Bedard

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Dear NFL owners,

I have loved the NFL ever since I can remember. I can recall watching games on the couch with my father, and how he stressed the importance of good line play. I remember my first plastic Dolphins helmet, and my favorite Dan Marino jersey (it’s still in my closet somewhere). I cheered in the rain at the Orange Bowl and froze on the metal bleachers at Foxboro Stadium. I tried to make it out alive at Giants Stadium and the Vet. I now make my living by (hopefully) enhancing fans’ knowledge of the game, and I often talk in the car with my son and daughter about the big games coming up. I can’t remember when the NFL hasn’t played a central role in my life. I love the game of football, and I have immense respect for those who are in that arena.

After much debate and consideration, I feel it’s necessary to tell you this: You can and should do better. Roger Goodell needs to go, or at least be reassigned. And he should be replaced by an independent commissioner.

I get it: You like Goodell. He’s been a loyal NFL employee for many years, and he’s made you a lot of money by positioning the league to take advantage of every revenue stream and by getting you a great deal in the current collective bargaining agreement. He also seems to be a good guy.

But NFL fans have lost faith in his ability to lead the league. In Sports Illustrated’s Fan Poll, just 29% think Goodell should keep his job. After last week’s press conference debacle, he has no credibility. The players have felt this way for a long time. Now fans are standing with them, hoping for better.

Article VIII in the Constitution and Bylaws of the National Football League is titled, “Commissioner.” The first line reads: “The League shall select and employ a person of unquestioned integrity to serve as Commissioner…” Goodell’s integrity is very much in question, which, by the letter of your law, means he is unfit for the office he holds.

"It’s time to show fans that you care about more than money and personal loyalties. It is time for the league to have an independent commissioner who is not handpicked by the owners."

How he handled the Ray Rice case is just the latest example. How Goodell passed judgment on him without demanding the video from inside the elevator is unconscionable at best, and showing possible favoritism to the Ravens at worst. This has been a problem before.

Goodell meted out his punishment for the Patriots in Spygate four days before anyone from the league office examined the Patriots’ other tapes and associated notes to determine the extent and influence of the illegal taping. Then the tapes and notes were destroyed. Why? Was it a favor to Patriots owner Robert Kraft? We’ll never know.

When Goodell conducted a coin toss to determine whether the Giants or Jets would host the first game at MetLife Stadium, he didn’t invite either team and declared the Giants the winner. Was this a favor to the Maras one of the NFL’s founding families, over newcomer Woody Johnson? Again, we’ll never know. But Johnson issued a statement that said plenty, then and now. “The League departed from our time-honored tradition and declined the opportunity to set the matter straight with a transparent process,” he said.

It’s not clear if Goodell even understands the concept of transparency, which is the foundation of trust and integrity. During the press conference he said, “There is no reason we cannot be as transparent and as effective on these [personal conduct] issues as we are with the game on the field.” Later, when asked what Rice said in the hearing, Goodell sidestepped the question by invoking Rice’s appeal. There is no reason not to answer that question. What Rice already said is fact and evidence. An appeal, in which Goodell will be called as a witness to explain how Rice’s words were ambiguous, is not going to change that. Tell us now what your testimony will be.

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Goodell's chummy relationship with some NFL owners, like New England's Robert Kraft, has called into question the commissioner's ability to rule without prejudice. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

When asked about the Associated Press report that said the elevator tape of Rice knocking out his then-fiancée had been sent to the league office months before Goodell handed down a mere two-game ban, the commissioner offered nothing in the way of genuine answers. When asked about anything of substance, Goodell deferred to the investigation by former FBI director Robert Mueller or to the committee he plans to form by the Super Bowl—five months from now—to recommend changes to the personal conduct policy.

Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf were found by a New Jersey judge in a civil case to have committed fraud, breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty, in violation of the state’s RICO statute, and ordered to pay $84.5 million. They have not been punished by Goodell.

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam’s truck stop company, Pilot Flying J, agreed to pay a $92 million penalty as part of a federal fraud investigation. He has not been punished by the NFL.

With Haslam, the league has taken the position that “there have been no allegations of any personal conduct that is in violation of NFL policy.” The league hasn’t issued a statement on the Wilfs, but the cases are similar: Two league owners were punished by the judicial system for fraud.

The league’s personal conduct policy clearly states that a person doesn’t have to be convicted or even engage in criminal activity to be punished. “You are held to a higher standard and expected to conduct yourself in a way that is responsible, promotes the values upon which the League is based, and is lawful,” the policy reads. “Persons who fail to live up to this standard of conduct are guilty of conduct detrimental and subject to discipline, even where the conduct itself does not result in conviction of a crime.” One circumstance that allows discipline to be imposed: “Conduct that undermines or puts at risk the integrity and reputation of the NFL, NFL clubs, or NFL players.”

And, finally, Goodell appointed Mueller to conduct the independent investigation of the Rice episode. Mueller is a partner at the law firm of WilmerHale. Not only has that firm done work for the NFL, but Ravens president Dick Cass, a central figure in the investigation, was also a partner there for 31 years. This isn’t just a failure of transparency. It’s an insult to NFL fans who are continually being disappointed by the failures of leadership.

These are just the examples we know about, but it makes you wonder: How many times has Goodell sided with one team because he knows that owner better? Did he punish the Saints harshly in Bountygate because Goodell isn’t as chummy with Tom Benson? Which owners are talking to Goodell before he disciplines a player on that team? We don’t know because Goodell doesn’t want us to know.

His idea of transparency has been a curtain, and only he holds the rope. A few years back I questioned his involvement in a Rex Ryan scheme to manipulate then-Jets receiver Santonio Holmes to the team’s advantage. Goodell wouldn’t stop to answer my questions, so our “interview” was 71 seconds long on the move. The look he gave me was, basically, “How dare you question my motives?”

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Condoleezza Rice(Tim Dominick/MCT/Getty Images)Condoleezza Rice (Tim Dominick/MCT/Getty Images)

All NFL owners have preached, in some form, that everyone must do right by the league and game. It’s time to show fans that you care about more than money and personal loyalties. The game of football is bigger than that. It is time for the league to have an independent commissioner who is not handpicked by the owners. Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would make a fine choice. Other respected public figures who come to mind include John Madden, Steve Young, Alan Page, Steve Largent, Tony Dungy, J.C. Watts, Carl Levin, Robert Thomas, Cory Booker and Jon Runyan.

Really, it doesn’t matter who it is. As long as the next commissioner has a mission of overseeing the game fairly, independently and transparently, fans will be on board. It has to be about more than just “protecting the shield”—which we now know is code for looking out for team owners, with Goodell telling fans only what he thinks we need to know and when. With all due respect, you owners might control the teams, but the players give football its vitality and fans are the ones who buy the tickets, purchase the concessions, give you the TV ratings and buy the merchandise that funds this game. We have a stake in the game. In our own way, we too are owners. We more than deserve a say.

I’ve spoken to many of you owners during my career. You take great pride in knowing that football is the most popular game in the country. You want the NFL to be a beacon that people can look to for direction. You’ve made plenty of money, and you’ll continue to make much more. Electing an independent commissioner can make the NFL even more popular without threatening your bottom line. You would be acting as true stewards of the game and making fans feel as if they’re more than just line items on a spreadsheet. Prove to them that they have a voice. Prove to them that you’re listening.

Convene a committee to find the next NFL commissioner, and include player representatives and season-ticket holders. Let them whittle down the list of candidates. Find the people with the best ideas on how to bring the integrity of the league up to the level of the game. Should there be a clearer line of demarcation between the football side of the league office and the business side? Should there be a CEO along with the CFO, both of whom report to a commissioner? Who should make personal conduct decisions? Let’s find a way to bring more transparency to 345 Park Avenue.

The game has taken a massive hit due to out-of-touch leadership. Don’t further the damage by backing Roger Goodell out of misguided loyalty. Instead, take a step back and open your minds. Football is a great game, but only because of the people who play it and support it. You’ll never get another opportunity like this. The time to act is now. Put someone in charge who will do what’s right for the game, not just for you.

Sincerely,

Greg A. Bedard
 
Good article by Bedard (except the C.Rice recommendation). Gooddell is such an owner's puppet. There is also no way the owner's are going to approve for an independent commissioner. That would be a loss in their power base.

The fact that the NFL charter says people should act with integrity and then do nothing about Haslam and the Wilf's fraud is truly astonishing.
 
Good article by Bedard (except the C.Rice recommendation). Gooddell is such an owner's puppet. There is also no way the owner's are going to approve for an independent commissioner. That would be a loss in their power base.

The fact that the NFL charter says people should act with integrity and then do nothing about Haslam and the Wilf's fraud is truly astonishing.

The worst part is that Goodell is a puppet to a select inner circle of owners. I also can't remember so many references to the League Commissioner as "working for the owners".....I thought he worked for the NFL in the role of custodian?

He has no relationship with the NFLPA, doesn't appear to answer to anyone (other than the aforementioned inner circle of owners) and deals out suspensions and fines without any consistency or transparency.

He couldn't even attend the opening of the new 49ers stadium....not like the league opens a new stadium every other week so I'm not sure why he couldn't make it (although the York's were probably happy not to host him anyway)
 
Sep 6, 2005
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Goodell may survive in the short term, not over the long haul
Posted by Mike Florio on September 29, 2014, 9:00 AM EDT
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The league office typically doesn’t issue pink slips in the wake of controversy. Instead, the NFL usually waits for the issue to subside, and then the person deemed responsible for the problem quietly takes another job, either with an NFL team or as the A.D. at a Pac-12 school.

As it turns out, that same thing could happen to Commissioner Roger Goodell, even if his eventual departure would hardly be quiet.

Peter King of TheMMQB.com explains that at least one owner believes that Goodell could survive over the short term, but that lingering harm to the brand and/or public discontent could result in Goodell leaving at some point down the road.

Eventually, he may want to go — especially if he’s pushed to give up some of the extreme power he currently enjoys over matters of player discipline. Per King, some owners believe Goodell spends too much time on discipline. There’s also a belief he plays favorites when it comes to meting out punishment; it could be argued that the Ravens received an ill-advised favor on Ray Rice and that the Saints were unduly hammered two years ago in the bounty scandal.

Before any of that becomes relevant, Goodell must survive the aftermath of the Robert Mueller report and the ensuing Ray Rice appeal hearing, which likely will feature testimony from the Commissioner.

So while the focus for most football fans and those covering the sport have returned to the game, important issues linger regarding the man who runs pro football. Those issues could still bring him down.
 

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It is a bad look to fire the prez for incompetence. Find your successor first and then old one retires in a blaze of self congratulation.
Prime example Demetriou.
 
Sep 6, 2005
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No limits on Goodell testimony
Posted by Mike Florio on October 22, 2014, 11:15 PM EDT
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The bad news for the NFL is that Commissioner Roger Goodell has been required to testify in hearing regarding the appeal of Ray Rice’s indefinite suspension. The worse news is that, according to a source with knowledge of the situation, no limits have been applied to the topics on which he’ll be interrogated.

The case involves two separate issues — whether Rice lied to the NFL in connection with the investigation that resulted in a two-game suspension and whether the NFL knew, should have known, or needed to know the specific contents of the elevator video before issuing Rice’s initial two-game suspension. Although the NFL’s lawyers will be able to object to any and all questions posed to Goodell, former U.S. Judge Barbara Jones applied no restrictions in her decision to compel the Commissioner’s testimony.

This doesn’t mean the NFL won’t try. Plan A likely was shielding Goodell from testimony completely. Plan B may be to limit the topics to which he’ll be exposed. And with the question of what the NFL and when the NFL knew it about the Rice video far more likely to create lingering problems for the NFL than whether Rice told the truth, look for the NFL to continue to try to protect Goodell from having to answer questions regarding what the league knew or should have known under oath.

But the P.R. cost could be significant. The effort to keep Goodell from testifying already paints the league in a not-so-favorable light. Ongoing attempts to shape and mold and craft and limit the contours of what he can and can’t be asked will invite even more scrutiny.

Beyond the court of public opinion, there’s also a jury of 32 who may be very interested in how this plays out.

Plan C (or Plan B) could be a settlement of Rice’s appeal. But Rice likely wouldn’t be interested in something like immediate reinstatement. At this point, a significant amount of money would have to change hands to get Rice to release the tail of the tiger — so much that it would be obvious that the league opted not to purchase peace with Rice, but to buy Goodell’s right to remain silent.
 

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Rice is a campaigner but watching the ritual picking apart of Goodell will be worthy of getting a plate of popcorn.
 
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