Goodell

[dhamz]

It seems a lot of people don't distinguish between the rule changes to make offense easier and rule changes for player safety.

The elimination of contact after 5 yards, done under the Tagliabue regime by the way, was to get more passing yards and points and in reality was a power play by Bill Polian to try to make it easier for his flawed team to win. As BB would tell you for about 20 years every ruling the competition committee makes is for the benefit of offense.

The rules on head shots, player safety, etc. were put in place for businees reasons. The league is facing lawsuits. There will be more. The NFL and the NFLPA have no choice but to look for ways to protect players so that they can protect themselves in court in the coming years. The fact is these also make it easier for offenses but unlike the changes the competition committee makes, it wasn't the reason they were put in place.

 

[LetsGoPats36]

The answer is M-O-N-E-Y. The man has produced.

It ain't some high school popularity contest.

Very simply, it's how the world works.

This thread really didn't need to continue after this post. Well said. I hate Goodell as much as the next guy but he's not going to get canned while the league is thriving.

 

[shmessy]

Do you think the Patriots will be bringing in the same local numbers once Brady and Belichick move on and the Patriots finish 6-10 or 8-8?

Goodell is the Commissioner of the NFL, not of the Patriots.

 

[shmessy]

I for one am watching less football these days. The never ending commercials (DVR helps), the challenges, the replays from every angle on every play, the rules benefiting strictly the offense, the officiating and the overall poor quality of play is making the game less enjoyable to watch.

You're one person.

Goodell is judged on a wider demographic basis.

For every Armchair Quarterback, there are 3 new fans to the game with discretionary income every year.

The NFL owners will gladly take that trade everyday of the week and twice on Sunday.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I agree. Goodell will go into his next performance review with a new labor contract, a new TV contract and improved player safety regulations (including drug rules). His next contract extension will probably be for 5 years at a very high salary, and this will be well-justified.

It is not a matter of whether we at patsfans like him or not.

I'm not so sure how much credit I'd give to Goodell for the TV rights money. The market effectively dictates that and it's not tough to allow a bidding war and see how high it goes. "Packaging" football effectively does take a bit more art but I'm not sure if Goodell is the mastermind behind that.

As far as ending the lockout, I'd say most will agree it went too long and it only ended because some active owners took charge. Although I know they all have a role to play, it seemed to me Goodell just wasn't getting it done - which is why Kraft et al had to step in at the 11th hour.

But both of those things are effectively "done" for a good chunk of time.

The only reason you wouldn't try to offer him a lucrative golden parachute would be because you like his "management" of both the game and ongoing team and player relations.

In that regard he's been absolutely HORRIBLE with inconsistent policies and a tendency to "get tough" when the bad PR threatens to personally embarrass him. And it does seem like he has a soft spot for certain teams and maybe even certain players - and is a hardass with others.

If the owners are happy with that aspect of his management, they should keep him.

But with the CBA and the TV rights settled I have a tough time seeing why you wouldn't want to give the NEXT Commissioner ample time to prepare for the next round of TV rights and CBA negotiations.

The "new" money for the NFL is probably going to be overseas - at least that's what the NFL owners think and I'm not sure how much Roger has to crow about on that. Since the CBA and TV contracts are set it may be better to get someone who will be fair and consistent with his treatment of teams and players, and who can do a better job developing the overseas market.

If I were an owner, that's probably how I'd be thinking.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

Goodell is the Commissioner of the NFL, not of the Patriots.

And he personally has little if anything to do with the popularity of the sport. There are many reasons the sport is popular. Roger Goodell is not one of them.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

You're one person.

Goodell is judged on a wider demographic basis.

For every Armchair Quarterback, there are 3 new fans to the game with discretionary income every year.

The NFL owners will gladly take that trade everyday of the week and twice on Sunday.

And I'm giving one person's opinion. One who has been a fan for a long time.

How long will those three new fans remain fans of the sport?

And I'm not disagreeing with you on the economic or popularity numbers, I don't like Goodell or the changes he's brought to the game for the most part.

Something becoming more popular does not mean it is a better product, in fact it usually means a more watered down bastardized version of the product. Anyone disagree that hasn't happened with football?

 

[ausbacker]

There's nothing bulldust about it. The NFL was a cash cow and ratings behemoth long before Goodell stepped into the role of Commissioner. For example, 21 of the top 45 shows of all time are Super Bowls.

All that really proves is that the NFL has been on a growth rampage thanks to a superior product (much like the AFL). You're not silly enough to suggest the same performance would be possible if nobody were in charge and the game were left to "evolve" are you Deus?

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

All that really proves is that the NFL has been on a growth rampage thanks to a superior product (much like the AFL). You're not silly enough to suggest the same performance would be possible if nobody were in charge and the game were left to "evolve" are you Deus?

Strawman

Nobody here that I see is arguing for no Commissioner. The debate is over Goodell's contributions or not to (a) the NFL's growth and (b) improving the product. Some (I) have argued that the league was already growing exponentially before his administration and that from a football (NOT fantasy) fan's perspective he's damaging the product. Another Commissioner, not no Commissioner would be better.

 

[ausbacker]

Strawman

Nobody here that I see is arguing for no Commissioner. The debate is over Goodell's contributions or not to (a) the NFL's growth and (b) improving the product. Some (I) have argued that the league was already growing exponentially before his administration and that from a football (NOT fantasy) fan's perspective he's damaging the product. Another Commissioner, not no Commissioner would be better.

Calling Strawman is the greatest internet debate cop out available. It's basically an admission that I can't discredit what you're saying but I'll throw it out there in the hope that it sticks.

For the record I don't like Rodger Goodell's administration much but I have seen nothing to suggest that the popularity of the NFL is in decline (other than the ramblings of a few aggrieved types, who ironically are posting on an NFL forum).

The current state of the NFL is the evolution of the NFL. To say that someone else wouldn't have run the game in the same manner Goodell has is a fallacy. Nobody is arguing against improvement, there is always room for improvement.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

No
Strawman is where YOU assign an easily destroyed argument to someone else who did NOT make that argument

YOU raised the nobody in charge ridiculous point. Nobody else did.

 

[ausbacker]

No
Strawman is where YOU assign an easily destroyed argument to someone else who did NOT make that argument

YOU raised the nobody in charge ridiculous point. Nobody else did.

No, I have no issue with identifying that I made a comment about leaving the game to run itself and observing the evolution of that claim. You on the other hand made a remark about employing another commissioner despite nothing to the contrary suggesting anyone else would be doing a better job of running the NFL than Goodell currently is.

 

[CheeseMonkeys]

It's ridiculous reading some of the comments where people are saying the NFL has turned into "a joke" and how the NFL is all about "Fantasy high offensive stats and scoring". Some of you act like Goodell came into office and now Defenses are just rolling over.

There are now rules that protect players from becoming a vegetable, not to cause offenses to score "fantasy numbers". I'm fine with the NFL protecting players, although has Goodell gone too far with his fines? Of course he has.

 

[Joker]

For me ,all this has NOTHING to do with Goodell vis a vis the New England Patriots Football organization....this is a man who has fined the New England Patriots a MILLION dollars and made the club forfeit a FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICK.....stop with the "respect authority!!!!" ballwashing that's been going on here and THINK about that.

What is the value of THAT pick to the New England Patriots? For the sake of argument ,since we will never know, let's assume for a moment that the Patriots hit it big with a blue chip, All Pro player....what does this do for the fortune, the business success of the NEP going forward?? How do you put a price on THAT??? It could easily mean millions or tens of millions more revenue because of ultimate success, that being Super Bowl championships.The ancillary revenue streams have NEVER been factored into this ridiculous judgement made by this man, unilaterally.

His decision is akin to that of a former Ford executive sitting in judgement of GM regarding a minor issue on the muffler shield being affixed on TOP or the bottom of the unit,industry standards calling for the bottom, and then fining GM a million dollars and forcing production of their new line onto the scrap heap....GM never gets to realize the benefits from all their R+D and all the profits from this new state of the art vehicle because this "former" FORD exec. decides to fine and damage the GM line.

Who the hell in this country would put up with THAT?????? Any rational person can see this situation literally screams INDEPENDENT ARBITRATOR...and THAT IS WHAT YOU WOULD SEE HAPPEN.

Again, using the Ford exec analogy, his former company has been determined to have a number of seriously defective flaws in one of its' vehicles. It's found that Ford has been brazenly and openly negligent,treating the public with corporate vulgarity after vulgarity...being discovered to have defective parts in its wheel hubs, yet allowed to keep it a "private matter".Ford employees allowed to run amok ,abusing sick time benefits, defacing competitors products as they are shipped by using organized lines of employees to slash tires in transit and then blaming GM for everything.

THIS is the Goodell Patriots fans have gotten rammed down their throats by the rest of this league's brahmins.....do you all seriously think that THIS is a tremendous marketing tool worldwide for the NFL and a feather in Goodell's cap??????????????????????

50 G's for that, paid for by Woody Johnson with a nudge nudge and a wink wink to the commissioner.....ONE MILLION DOLLARS and a FIRST ROUND PICK of untold value for an argument about a memo??????? Goodell is doing a great job????????

THIS being viewed worldwide by an audience of prospective fans that could expand the revenues of the league to unparalleled heights..??????????? Notice the term "look-alike"...a complete fabrication by the press to cover up this embarrassing incident.

Totally sweep THAT under the rug like it never happened???? That's telling the other five billion humans on the planet exactly what your moral compass dictates in regards to open deviance and degeneracy....don't ask, don't tell.

To those of you that continue to insist that Roger Goodell is the only man for this job, I submit that your requirements of the person to carry out the functions of league commissioner are so low that they appear subterranean.

 

[Deus Irae]

No, I have no issue with identifying that I made a comment about leaving the game to run itself and observing the evolution of that claim. You on the other hand made a remark about employing another commissioner despite nothing to the contrary suggesting anyone else would be doing a better job of running the NFL than Goodell currently is.

PWP covered it pretty well, so I'll leave it at that.

 

[ausbacker]

PWP covered it pretty well, so I'll leave it at that.

That reads like a cop out Deus.

 

[BennyBledsoe]

Anybody who thinks hard hits have been taken away from the game JUST by Goodell is kinda focusing their attention in the wrong direction.

I doubt Tagliabue or Rozelle would have left the issue of player safety go unaddressed. Protecting the players' futures beyond football (and yes, to protect the NFL against lawsuits by former players) is important. Unless you like the idea of our favorite players becoming physical wrecks or worse, suicidal, after they retire, you can hardly be against rule changes.

The game of football is forever changing. Better padding, better helmets, all have been enforced by the league as the years have gone on. As more information is gathered, new additions are made to the rules based on said information.

 

[Willie55]

Anybody who thinks hard hits have been taken away from the game JUST by Goodell is kinda focusing their attention in the wrong direction.

I doubt Tagliabue or Rozelle would have left the issue of player safety go unaddressed. Protecting the players' futures beyond football (and yes, to protect the NFL against lawsuits by former players) is important. Unless you like the idea of our favorite players becoming physical wrecks or worse, suicidal, after they retire, you can hardly be against rule changes.

The game of football is forever changing. Better padding, better helmets, all have been enforced by the league as the years have gone on. As more information is gathered, new additions are made to the rules based on said information.

Nobody is arguing against player safety, who wants to see ex-players barely living to 50 years old, and the ones that do, are basically vegetables. It's the incidental contact, the ones where the tackler puts his helmet into the ball carriers chest, rides a up a little, glances off the face mask, which then results in a 15 yard personal foul penalty. That's overkill.

And don't even get me started about illegal contact and the pass interference interpretation.