[mlmpetert]

Originally Posted by sportscurmudgeon

You do understand that Roger Goodell does not - - and cannot - - change any NFL game rules by himself. Not a single one...

Any and all chages to the rules come from a process that includes the Rules Committee (made up of owners, coaches and - - at least in the past - - former players too), followed by approvals of 3/4 of the owners and a concurrence by the NFLPA. There is probably some input here from game officials too regarding the ability to enforce any proposed rule change but I honestly do not know if that is a formal part of the process or just some kind of advisory note from the officials.

So, with regard to his "modifying the game" (your words) by changing the rules of the game to the detriment of the game - - - he didn't do it because he couldn't do it even if he wanted to.

As to how badly most of the players and former players hate him, the current players had their chance to show that about a month ago. They had to vote on the new CBA and in that CBA they would have to live with Roger Goodell as the arbiter of their behavior for the next ten years. Yet the current players voted OVERWHELMINGLY in favor of the CBA - - keeping this guy you assert they hate in charge of them. Or maybe you think that the players were too focused on the "business matters" to worry about how much they dislike the Commish in that vote... If that is the case, then maybe the emphasis that the owners and players have put on "business matters" might convince you as a fan that the "business matters" are pretty damned important...

As to how much the coaches hate him for meddling with the game, it is a highly prized and prestigious assignment for a coach to named to the Rules Committee - - where that coach gets to work with folks in the NFL Front Office including the Commish. I do not know of a single coach in the history of the Rules Committee who has begged off because the Commish was a hateful figure.

Roger Goodell is NOT the person to blame for changing any rule in the NFL just as he is NOT the person to blame for the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008. If you want to blame him for taking a hard line on enforcing rules that have been on the books for a long time and exacting more stern punishments for such violations, you can do that if you want. But that is a far more narrow set of indictments than you have been handing out here.

Honestly I don’t believe you when you say the NFLPA has to issue a concurrence to “all changes to the rules”. So the NFLPA effectively has presidential veto powers for any and all rule changes? Do you have anything to back that up? But regardless if they do or not as a union the NFLPA’s entertainment/profit seeking goals should be in concert with the NFL’s. A unions job is to protect its constituents not protect the integrity of the game, that job falls on the commissioner of the sport.

Whats up with all this hating (or hatting) Goodell stuff?. I don’t hate anyone, brah. Hate him or love him Goodell is still the one to blame for rule changes in my opinion. Hes the commissioner of the sport. The Rules Committee is making policies through his direction. Goodell has championed all these player safety rules, they are coming from him. If youre saying the disconnect of Roger Goodell and rules in the NFL is comparable to the disconnect to the Lehman collapse then you’ve gone full retard. I don’t know how else to put it.

All im saying is that Roger has, imho, been bad for the NFL as the clear representative of professional football. I think protecting players is just as important as protecting the integrity of the game. I don’t hate Rog or anyone else. I think seeking changes in the protection of players through better safety gear and requirements should be paramount to modifying rules of the game. I think Tagliabue was a better commissioner then Roger and prefer the way he left the game to the changes made since. I guess I just really like the sport of football, but don’t get me wrong I also love entertainment….