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- Sep 13, 2004
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Almost everyone here thinks that this situation will be a major negative for the NFL. I strongly disagree. It may even have saved Goodell's job, although probably not. Consider
1) Most of the owners are celebrating the punishments, and most of the fans, and most of the public. Everyone knows that Goodell did a terrible job with regard to Rice. Goodell and the league are now being judged by this issue instead, a good deal for the league.
2) Let us presume that the public ACCEPTS the fact that the league didn't have enough proof, and overstepped in punishing those who are accused of cheating. Is this really bad for the league? Almost everyone agrees (including most patriot fans) that the team lives on the edge, doing all it can to win, occasionally taking advantage of loopholes in the rules. In this case, lots of teams probably violate the rules with regard to inflation or deflation. Do folks in the public think that the patriots did no wrong, or do they think that the patriots did something technically illegal and are being punished?
1) Most of the owners are celebrating the punishments, and most of the fans, and most of the public. Everyone knows that Goodell did a terrible job with regard to Rice. Goodell and the league are now being judged by this issue instead, a good deal for the league.
2) Let us presume that the public ACCEPTS the fact that the league didn't have enough proof, and overstepped in punishing those who are accused of cheating. Is this really bad for the league? Almost everyone agrees (including most patriot fans) that the team lives on the edge, doing all it can to win, occasionally taking advantage of loopholes in the rules. In this case, lots of teams probably violate the rules with regard to inflation or deflation. Do folks in the public think that the patriots did no wrong, or do they think that the patriots did something technically illegal and are being punished?