NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Caught on Camera Laughing at Concussion Joke

[RayClay]

Whats the big deal? The player made fun of HIMSELF, not anyone else. Are we so uptight now that we're no longer allowed to find humor in a joke a person makes about HIMSELF?

Staubach isn't the commissioner of the NFL. Talk about missing the point.

 

[Koma]

This is tangentially related and I didn't want to dig up the Case Keenum concussion thread (if there was one), but Florio has an article about how Goodell admitted in an interview today that the Keenum situation was not handled correctly. However, the league already determined that no one will be fined or disciplined for mishandling this situation.

So, the commissioner acknowledges things were handled incorrectly with Keenum. There is clear video of all the events and I don't believe there is much debate over what should have happened when and that a breakdown in the system took place. The league's response was to remind everyone who should have been following the guidelines that they really should be following them. No other disciplinary measures were taken.

With the Patriots last January, there was no evidence of wrongdoing, no witnesses, no video, and no confessions. The benefits, if there were any, are debatable. The league's response was to issue a crippling punishment over what less than 1% of the air in a football (assuming someone actually removed that air on purpose.)

Ask a casual football fan about Case Keenum and most of them won't know what you're talking about. If you wait a few months, none of them will. Ask them about deflategate and you'll the opposite response. The degree to which these situations are screwed up is unbelievable.

 

[borg]

What more would you like the NFL to do regarding concussions? Under Goodell, the rules have been transformed, the style of play has been transformed, the medical protocol has been transformed, settlements have been negotiated. Kickoffs through the end zone, tackling strike zones, players being removed from games, etc etc. Let's ignore all the positives that have been installed under this commissioner regarding concussions and instead point to a single chuckle of a joke told by an ex-player at a social event and use this moment to manufacture some phony outrage.

When your done with your shift on the Giggle Police, get your PC posse together and strike a blow for victims of room temperature persecution.


And if this outrage is not enough, let's get the movie Tropic Thunder off cable because the comedic persecution is debilitating and insensitive...

And don't you think the directions North, South, East , and West need to be retooled because of the confederate undertones. And the name South Boston, that has to go. Goodell's not funny and neither is South Boston

 

[Silver Blue&Red]

I hate Goodell as much as anyone here, but this isn't bad at all. Coming into the thread, I thought a hidden camera caught Goodell laughing at some hideous joke about concussions. As the astute fnord just pointed out, not only is he packing heat in his boxers, but there's a lot of **** to actually pile on Goodell about. Him laughing at Staubach making a light joke about his own concussion history is not one of those things.

You are right. But I hate Goodfella with every fiber of my body. And I will jump on the bandwagon of anything he is a part of. He is on a non stop mission to destroy the Pats, with absolutely no consideration of facts. Even releasing false stories. Call me shallow, but FVK him. He gets what he preaches

 

[Silver Blue&Red]

Whats the big deal? The player made fun of HIMSELF, not anyone else. Are we so uptight now that we're no longer allowed to find humor in a joke a person makes about HIMSELF?

Tell Jr Seau's family that

 

[Deus Irae]

Tell Jr Seau's family that

So you're going to blatantly straw man this argument, then?

 

[Silver Blue&Red]

So you're going to blatantly straw man this argument, then?

Pretty much. He deserves absolutely no sympathy or benefit of the doubt. I'm very spiteful

 

[YOUGOTMOSSED]

Pretty much. He deserves absluting no sympathy or benefit of the doubt. I'm very spiteful

Ultimately, AL Capone went down for tax evasion. When it comes to Goodell, we should make a big deal out of anything and everything until he ultimately goes down. Kind of like how he treats us.

 

[Jackson 2]

Pretty much. He deserves absluting no sympathy or benefit of the doubt. I'm very spiteful

I like your thinking...I'd prefer to see him get nailed for something legit, but if that can't happen I'd settle for a frame job if I had to. Either way, it'd be deserved.

 

[Crazy Patriot Guy]

Tell Jr Seau's family that

In 2002, my grandmother died of bone cancer. She needed so much pain medication near the end, she wasn't herself, and would cuss and spit at my mother and sister as they took care of her. It was tough to see her go that way and I miss her to this day.

Should I feel guilty though that I laughed when Lance Armstrong said he would give his right nut when they asked if he wanted to host the ESPYs? I'm not allowed to have a sense of humor?

 

[alvinnf]

This guy has ivory tower syndrome. He is so self important, he just doesn't give a ****e. So much so that he can't perceive the way the outside world views him.

 

[Silver Blue&Red]

In 2002, my grandmother died of bone cancer. She needed so much pain medication near the end, she wasn't herself, and would cuss and spit at my mother and sister as they took care of her. It was tough to see her go that way and I miss her to this day.

Should I feel guilty though that I laughed when Lance Armstrong said he would give his right nut when they asked if he wanted to host the ESPYs? I'm not allowed to have a sense of humor?

Bad example. If you were the "leader" of an organization, that now knows something Lance was doing back then, was causing his illness, would you publicly laugh about it?
You can feel anyway you like. I'm not telling anyone how to feel. I'm just stating my opinion. Goodell is a douche. Don't feed me the PC crap. I've had about enough of that bull in this country. BTW, I just got back from the hospital, where my dad is basically on his death bed. So you wont get any points from me on sympathy

 

[Crazy Patriot Guy]

I think Goodell is a douche too. It wouldn't bother me if he was fired tomorrow. But it doesn't mean I'm going to destroy him for every single thing he does.

If there was video of Goodell standing next to someone, listening to him make a concussion joke about a deceased player and he busts out laughing, I'd feel a lot different. If everyone in that room booed or groaned after Staubach made that joke while Goodell busted out laughing, I'd feel a lot different. But I'm not going to ignore an entire room of people laughing at a joke made by someone about himself and focus solely on how Goodell reacted. What was he supposed to do? Storm out?

I'm sorry to hear about your father.

 

[RayClay]

So you're going to blatantly straw man this argument, then?

That's not a strawman argument. That's an example.

 

[RayClay]

I think Goodell is a douche too. It wouldn't bother me if he was fired tomorrow. But it doesn't mean I'm going to destroy him for every single thing he does.

If there was video of Goodell standing next to someone, listening to him make a concussion joke about a deceased player and he busts out laughing, I'd feel a lot different. If everyone in that room booed or groaned after Staubach made that joke while Goodell busted out laughing, I'd feel a lot different. But I'm not going to ignore an entire room of people laughing at a joke made by someone about himself and focus solely on how Goodell reacted. What was he supposed to do? Storm out?

I'm sorry to hear about your father.

Maybe not approve the joke? That would have been the smart thing.

 

[The Brandon Five]

Maybe not approve the joke? That would have been the smart thing.

That might be asking a bit too much of poor Roger.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Who gives a ****? Tom Brady and those damn Patriots are still cheating somehow. We just have to find out how this time.

 

[1960Pats]

it's not a big deal ,but, if you're the commissioner of a sports league that has been sued for concussions and you profess to care about the safety of your players and you laugh at a concussion joke on camera, you are a moron.

Didn't you hear? The NFL doesn't have a concussion problem. Never has. The officiating is extraordinary too. And Greg Hardy is a more model NFL citizen than Tom Brady.

 

[1960Pats]

This is tangentially related and I didn't want to dig up the Case Keenum concussion thread (if there was one), but Florio has an article about how Goodell admitted in an interview today that the Keenum situation was not handled correctly. However, the league already determined that no one will be fined or disciplined for mishandling this situation.

So, the commissioner acknowledges things were handled incorrectly with Keenum. There is clear video of all the events and I don't believe there is much debate over what should have happened when and that a breakdown in the system took place. The league's response was to remind everyone who should have been following the guidelines that they really should be following them. No other disciplinary measures were taken.

With the Patriots last January, there was no evidence of wrongdoing, no witnesses, no video, and no confessions. The benefits, if there were any, are debatable. The league's response was to issue a crippling punishment over what less than 1% of the air in a football (assuming someone actually removed that air on purpose.)

Ask a casual football fan about Case Keenum and most of them won't know what you're talking about. If you wait a few months, none of them will. Ask them about deflategate and you'll the opposite response. The degree to which these situations are screwed up is unbelievable.

The biggest lie came when Jeff Fisher said he didn't notice it. The NYJFL observer missed it too apparently. He must have been busy with something else. Fraudger Goodless got a big laugh out of it though. Here's the play that they all missed;

 

[RobertWeathers]

That might be asking a bit too much of poor Roger.

Please not that I am not supporting the NFL here but I think I understand Goodell's perspective.

The NFL is done with this issue and considers is water under the bridge. Staubach did him a PR favor IMO.

In April they settled on paying up to $1B for the next 65 years to players who experience health issues caused by brain trauma.

Keep in mind the settlement stated that the NFL does not need to disclose what it knew about the long-term effects concussions have on players. Nor does it need to pay out to players who pass away- but are later are found to have CTE.

They acknowledge that players can receive concussions from playing professional football. They've said it is a violent game and are doing what it can to make it safer.

Goodell has said that players have a choice. Play or don't play. It's up to you.

For Goody not to laugh (he could have toned it down a little...) and try to shun the topic makes the NFL look like it has something to hide. Concussions are part of the game.

Game, set, match NFL.