PonyExpress

When Roger Goodell made his first public appearance as commissioner, in the booth on Thursday Night Football (the Mia-Pitt game in 2006), several posters here immediately pegged him as the doofus he has proven to be.

One enduring image of the man came from this year's NFL draft...

"Welcome" he stated, then looked down at his notes... "to the NFL Draft". Then he looked up again. "With the first pick, the Miami Dolphins select..." then he looked down... "Jake Long..."

Yes, he had an entire year to prepare for that moment, and still had to look at his note card to remember he was at the NFL draft.

Yes, he had a full week's notice the Dolphins would select Long, had been handed the official slip before mounting the stage, but still had to double check.

I haven't seen a man paid to be the mouthpiece of an organization so inept at public speaking since Scott McClellan, the President's former press secretary.

Goodell acheived his current position due to his lineage, his looks and his bland persona. If those attributes had been married to a first class brain, he would have made a top notch commish. Sadly, nobody is perfect.

He was the man everyone in the league could agree on because that blandness made him appear inoffensive, and not a serious threat to any particular competing interest among the owners.

They gave him a token sceptre and some generic public tasks which would elevate his popularity with the fan base, but were of no serious importance to the league beyond minor PR: "Player conduct".

So he knocked a few heads, got full of himself with all the fawning press and went on a power trip. The Straw Man started to feel his oats, began to believe he could exercise power in a tyrannical way no one ever intended he should. At the time I don't think the owners fully realized the degree of buffoon they had on their hands, but they are now fully aware their Emperor has no clothes after his bumbling reaction to the LIEgate fiasco.

History will show that initial, knee jerk response to a minor infraction with plenty of historical precedent was the first clue to Goodell's unfitness for command. He is kind of like of the drooling, incestuous spawn of some late Roman Emperor who got handed a sceptre and asked to preside at a few public events as a sop to the mob, but then starts thinking he is divine and wants to lead an army against the Huns.

The likelihood of the Doofus in Chief presenting the Pats, the league or himself in a positive light tomorrow is nil. I fully expect the slimy Mr. Walsh to outshine Goodell, and Walsh's clever lawyer, Mr. Levy, to dance verbal circles around the tongue-tied commish.

Then I expect Spectre to slap the Doofus in Chief around. Specter has already met Goodell in person, served with Goodell's father in the senate, and despite all his faults is highly skilled at taking the measure of a man. He has identified Goodell as a pinata. There is no way Specter would be pulling these stunts against a seasoned pro like Taglibue or a clever devil like Rozelle.

We may have an "Emperor with no clothes" event tomorrow, when all the air goes out of Goodell's balloon, and the media realize he is in over his head and turn their weapons against him going forward.

Reiss already started to shift the spotlight on Goodell in his recent cameragate overview article. That may be a harbinger of things to come...

maverick4

At his very first speech, far before Spygate, I knew this guy sounded like a moron. He is a pushover who interestingly enough got power hungry to prove everyone he was the new sherriff in town.

I hope this guy gets fired. What is the process for this and how soon could it possibly happen?

Gumby

Isn't this the lawyer the Pats paid for?

Is he really that good? Jeez the least they could have done is hire some bozo straight out of univ of wallamalou or something. Put him on a par with their "evidence".

ctpatsfan77

Actually, IIRC, Levy was hired well before the Patriots got involved in any negotiations, so I'm guessing that he agreed to work pro bono before that. [Also, keep in mind that--if I understand the agreement correctly--it's in Walsh's best interest that the Patriots not be paying Levy, since every dollar that the Patriots pay is a dollar he has to forfeit out of any money he receives selling his story.

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captain stone

Well-written, Pony. I esp. liked the line comparing Bad-dell to a drooling, incestuous spawn of a Late Roman Emperor. Reminds me of Latin and Ancient History classes at Boston Latin...and of Bob Guccione's "Caligula."

If you see someone digging himself into an ever-deeper hole, then you need to take that man's shovel from him. Bob Kraft needs to monitor this meeting very, very closely; the future of his franchise's brand is at stake. I hope that maybe he is waiting to see how things develop before he decides to call an intervention.

The time for Bad-dell to shed his Tin Woodsman shell is now. He needs to look Levy and Specter in their eyes, grab them by the seats of their pants, kick them to the curb, and close the door behind them. He needs to show some courage, conviction, and leadership. One doesn't have to be a First Class schmooze-hound to be a successful commish, but dam if Bad-dell doesn't make Gary Bettman look like Peter Uberroth.

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Question Authority.

Hardboiled

I don't think he can play the middle on Tuesday. He's got to go heavy one way or another.

I don't think a "it's over" will fly.

He is going have to offically clear the Pats pre-2006 or hit them harder.

VJCPatriot

I don't think so actually. He's not going to 'clear' them for what they did. But neither is there any new evidence here meriting new punishment. All he has to say is that the evidence doesn't prove any new wrongdoing and the punishment that has already been handed down will stand.

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