Bill Simmons goes after Goodell, in a big way

[BTTA]

You would think someone with some sort of brain would point this out to anyone in authority over there. These people are collective morons.

What is their motivation for changing?

 

[Bella*chick]

So that the public doesn't turn the scrutiny on ESPN too?

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

Journalistic standards = whichever side has/makes more money wins

 

[borg]

Ed Werder is currently in position outside Lebron James' home hoping to identify what flavor chewing gum the King prefers pre work out. Details on Sportscenter.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I think Roger Goodell is guilty of trying to cover up the Ray Rice video. it ws a calculated risk that is blowing up in his face. I do somewhat feel bad that he is also an indirect victim of Ray Rice's stupidity.

This is good thread and Simmons was entertaining, but we NFL fans are also indirectly losing in all of this as well. I feel like everything I turn on ESPN, NFL Network, or Sports talk radio they are always talking about domestic abuse and not about actual NFL games. To be clear, I understand the stories are so big that they must be talked about, I'm more saying it's a shame that these people committed these unspeakable acts and created this media storm in the first place.

As NFL fans, I think we're losing more by having Roger Goodell as commissioner than we are by analysts always talking about domestic abuse and not actual NFL games.

99% of those commentators don't know anything worthwhile about football anyway, so nothing of value is lost by them focusing on other stuff. I'd rather they talk about domestic violence than whether or not Tony Romo is choke artist, running up the score, if Jay Cutler is tough enough, etc.

 

[DSting]

While it seems great that Simmons had some sort of ethical change of heart in his reporting, this is all just a reflection of the marketing of the NFL to casual sports fans. Football is a violent contact sport, and the men who play are not always choir boys. That was never a huge deal--we all sort of understood it and probably worked with some guys like that--until the NFL decided to bring in the pink jackets. Now every player's personal conduct is under a microscope because the casual fan is horrified. They've looked in the kitchen and don't like how the sausage is made.

 

[DarrylS]

Wonder how many new "twitter" followers Simmons got because of this, as that is the measure of success???...

 

[SalemPats]

Wonder how many new "twitter" followers Simmons got because of this, as that is the measure of success???...

The more i think about it the more i think it's a planned suspension to make Simmons more in touch with the fans. He's awful on the NBA telecasts and sort of become the ESPN golden child. This was a way to make him an outsider even though he runs the show

 

[Pessimistic Pete]

Yeah, Goodel sucks, so do all the owners.

Simmons must be doing this for attention now though. He had an awful article how Roger Goodel was the worst commissioner in the history of sports, which was absolutely moronic.

He also was praising Adam Silver and said he would have handled this perfectly. Really? The guys has had the job for a few months and the only decision he had to make was the obvious one that all the media wanted (kick out Sterling)

So that the public doesn't turn the scrutiny on ESPN too?

That's the problem.

ESPN -IS- the sports media. The public only reacts to whatever agenda they're pushing.

 

[Uncle Rico]

and now Bedard with a letter to owners:

http://mmqb.si.com/2014/09/24/open-letter-to-nfl-owners-roger-goodell-should-be-replaced/

No surprise these days, but its a shame Bedard's measured and reasonable column isn't getting a fraction of the attention Simmons's column is..

 

[mosi]

one of the finest pieces of sports writing i've ever read.

Brave too
http://grantland.com/features/daring-ask-ped-question/

Agree 100%. Every sports fan - heck everybody - should read that article. I still have fights with people about Lance Armstrong and drugs. People are fools if that don't know that it is everywhere. Every single sport has been infected with PED - at every level. From the amateur athlete, the Olympic athlete to the professional.

 

[Darrone]

In other news, ESPN has RE-cancelled Playmakers.

 

[Deus Irae]

...He also was praising Adam Silver and said he would have handled this perfectly. Really? The guys has had the job for a few months and the only decision he had to make was the obvious one that all the media wanted (kick out Sterling)...

Silver also got that decision wrong.

 

[TheBeers]

I've been reading and listening to Simmons for looong time. I think he comes across as very honest. To me that's what makes his thing (writing from a fans perspective) work. He is allowed to be a homer, to curse, to have ridiculous opinions at times and yes become irate and bash Goodell. He was also critical of ESPN when they showed the Rice knockout footage for two days. He has always called out ESPN when he felt they deserve it and he's been joking about it for years.

I was really surprised they pulled his offending podcast from this week. I am a big fan of it and a lot of his other stuff. So I did something I never do.. I wrote an angry email to ESPN, and I told them I am "suspending" their programing and affiliates until Simmons is back (sans MNF Pats... didn't tell them that). Yeah I know it won't do anything, whatever. Outside the actual game broadcasts there is not much else worth watching anyway.

Point is ESPN are a bunch of hypocrites, and Bill is right. Goodell is a liar. A bleeping liar.

 

[rochrist]

Silver also got that decision wrong.

No, he didn't.

 

[Deus Irae]

No, he didn't.

Of course he did. Pretty much every aspect of it was wrong.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Well this thread is about to go in an interesting direction.

 

[Deus Irae]

Well this thread is about to go in an interesting direction.

Nah, it would be off topic. It's done.

 

[MrNathanDrake]

#FireGoodell

2 of the past 3 NFL seasons have started out with controversy and scandal (Replace refs a couple years ago).

Goodell sucks. You can blame the refs or NFLPA or union or whoever you want… Ultimately Goodell should've stepped in way before that season started and made sure everything worked out. I can't believe they actually went DEEP into the season with replacement refs and expected it to be okay.

 

[jmt57]

When the news about Rice first cam out, the usual suspects that have close ties to NFL info (Mortensen, Schefter, King) wrote that though they themselves had not seen the second video, NFL officials had. They also wrote a very important and specific detail - that Rice's fiancee hit her head on the railing inside the elevator after Rice hit her, on the way to her unconscious state on the floor.

To me, that's the smoking gun. How is it that these writers with long-time sources to NFL officials had that extremely specific information, that was later corroborated by the TMZ-obtained video - yet then after the fact they (to protect their pipeline) and the NFL deny that they ever saw that second video?

And that's without even considering how the casino/hotel people are still today insisting that they sent that second video to the NFL's head of security.

The cover-up stinks, and what is most offensive from the odor of that stench is that the NFL looks down their noses at us, their consumers, and expects us to believe their lies.