Is Roger Goodell Good For the NFL?

[Lotus]

Goodell has been excellent when it comes to protecting the shield, as others have said.

But Roger Sunshine drives me crazy with his pr statements. I think that owners could commit genocide and he would find some way to give it a positive spin.

[Daseal]

I think he's done far more good than bad for the league. The personal conduct policy and the way he's dealt with off the field issues, I think you have to give him two strong thumbs up. As far as expansion of the league and the season, regardless of who the commish is, these are always going to be issues on the table. Expanding to Europe has been discussed for years, it's not a Goodell thing, it's always been a long term view of the league. As for the expanded season, it's happened a few times before with success.

I like that there's a player conduct policy, but I do not like how the NFL has handled it. There needs to be a disciplinary group. Right now Goodell has too much say in what discipline a player receives. I don't feel as if his punishments have been standard across the board.

Make the same crime receive the same punishment irregardless of how popular/important/etc a player is to the league. These are some of the same issues you see in the NCAA. We care about the rules... as long as it doesn't affect our bottom line!

[Alvin Walton]

Originally Posted by firstdown

Whats wrong with Sunday? The game was over by 10 and for some it was over by 7.

For the same reasons that St. Patricks Day should be on the last Friday of every March.
Same goes for Halloween.

Or better yet, hold the Super Bowl on a Friday and make it a national holiday.

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by Alvin Walton

For the same reasons that St. Patricks Day should be on the last Friday of every March.
Same goes for Halloween.

Or better yet, hold the Super Bowl on a Friday and make it a national holiday.

Hey I'm all for that since my birthday falls on St. Patrick's Day!

[SBXVII]

I've tried to start a comment 3 times and each time I've stopped and erased what I started.

#1- I'm not a fan of Goodell.

#2- I presume the players and owners gave him (Goodell) all his power, otherwise he's over stepping it in regards to making the "NFL" lable more important then the game itself. I know it's all about marketing and $$ but I can remember when the NFL and commish were there just to keep the owners together and on page, now it's more about the NFL image.

#3- I have no qualms with NFL Europe. I actually liked seeing the foriegn players playing American ball. I liked seeing the fans getting all excited watching their teams play. I usually don't watch CFL but they have their own league built by their own millionairs. Let Europe do the same. Instead of NFL America putting it together for them.

#4- Take away the BS celebration rules. If the player is taunting the opponant or fans, or if the celebration lasts more then 10 sec., or involves more then 2 people, or the player uses extra devices such as "popcorn" or "sharpies" or whatever then throw the flag. and keep it consistant. The flagged the Pack last night for "going to the ground" (kneeling), yet in the 4th quarter when the Pack made a TD and the player "went to the ground" (kneeling) no flag. Plus the penalty should be assessed on the very next play to follow which would be the field goal vs. waiting two plays later and backing them up on the KO.

[SBXVII]

Originally Posted by Daseal

I like that there's a player conduct policy, but I do not like how the NFL has handled it. There needs to be a disciplinary group. Right now Goodell has too much say in what discipline a player receives. I don't feel as if his punishments have been standard across the board.

Make the same crime receive the same punishment irregardless of how popular/important/etc a player is to the league. These are some of the same issues you see in the NCAA. We care about the rules... as long as it doesn't affect our bottom line!

This is another issue I have. Instead of punishing a player if found guilty by law, Goodell prefer's to punish at his whim. Plus the punishment doesn't always seem fair compared to other punishments. On top of that a player making only minimum should not have to pay the same amount a 100 million dollar player should be paying. Make the punishment a % of what the player makes. That way each players pays a penalty but pays in accordance to a % of what he makes. $100,000 to a player making $400,000 is pretty steep but a $100,000 to a player making 10 mill a year is pennies on the dollar.

[mredskins]

Why did he need help from Terry Bradshaw to hold the mic during the trophy ceremony last night? IT was really weird if you were paying attention.

[skinsguy]

Roger Goodell:

Thoughts? Well, I think he's done a good job so far. I certainly like the player conduct rules, because the players do need to clean up their act if they are to be role models to the fans that look up to them. And let's face it, whether if they like it or not, intended to be or not, they are viewed upon as role models, especially to the kids. So, I say kudos and job well done by Goodell in those respects.

I also like the ideas of making the game a bit safer to play in regards to concussions. Although, you can only take that so far before you really change the complexion of the game, and that is something I do not want to see. But, I am all for protecting the players health. But let's keep in mind that the game is and will always be a dangerous sport and injury is inevitable.

The 18 game thing? I realize that's a toss up. I don't really mind seeing two extra games, although I think they would also need to have an extra bye week thrown in there to help the players rest and recover from injuries. I have no idea if that is on the table or not.

I also remember reading the argument that expanding the active roster in order to balance the longer season would water down the product. While I don't necessarily agree or disagree with that, I do want to point to the Super Bowl champions, and how many of their starters they had lost during the season and even in the Super Bowl itself. Yet, they continued to improve throughout the season and caught fire in the playoffs. So, I'm not so sure I necessarily, completely, buy the water-downed product idea. But, I do understand why one would assume the quality would be less than what it is now.

And as far as the expansion thing to Europe, this is what I would propose:

Reinstate NFL Europe, but allow (with support by the NFL owners) those European teams to inherit the mascot names/logos that are used in the NFL. Now, I understand the ties that these mascot names have to their NFL cities and history, but we're talking about making a recognizable product based on the NFL successful in Europe. Personally, I would come closer to watching an NFL Europe game if the "Cowboys and Redskins" are playing each other, as opposed to the "Galaxy VS Fire". That's just me though. I mean, baseball does it, why can't the NFL do it? (Besides any legal ramifications.)

I would think of the Redskins' European team as their farm/minor league team. I realize that NFL teams sent some of their players to the European league in the past, but I'm talking about NFL teams having their own European team. This could possibly help the development of those "extra" players we would have to enlist onto the active roster, and then maybe the NFL product wouldn't seem so "water down?" Again, I might be way out in dreamland, but I believe that is the only way I would support the NFL truly expanding into the European countries. I think the travel for those teams who have to player over in Europe is already a killer for them. I would hate to think how hard that would be on a regular basis.

[SBXVII]

Originally Posted by Alvin Walton

For the same reasons that St. Patricks Day should be on the last Friday of every March.
Same goes for Halloween.

Or better yet, hold the Super Bowl on a Friday and make it a national holiday.

I'm betting it's coming. For those in Cali or Hawaii the 6:30pm start is no big deal. For those on the East coast the game ending at 9:30 or 10pm is. Don't get me wrong I stayed up till 1:30am which was my fault but I couldn't sleep. I was wound from watching the game. Not to mention others who probably went out to a bar or hung out with friends.

Clearly the SB would be better suited for Sat. so people can party throughout the night if they want to and sleep in the next day... if they choose. Instead of having to take a sick day or a day off from work or simply dragging your self in to work.

[MTK]

I could live with a Saturday night SB.

[redsk1]

I'm all for a "forward thinking" commissioner. I don't think that you have to change things just for the sake of change.

18 Game Schedule: Not for it, I think it's overkill, it will lessen the impact of a single game, players aren't for it, fans aren't for it, why do it? I know the answer.

Europe: We don't have a English Premier Team here, they don't need a NFL Team there. Sorry, expansion waters down the competition level.

I like personal conduct policies but RG needs to have someone handle that for him.

Saturday Super Bowl: A good idea.

[SBXVII]

Skinsguy,

With out quoting everything...

whether if they like it or not, intended to be or not, they are viewed upon as role models, especially to the kids.

Your 100% correct. I don't like it or agree with it but your correct. But I still see the "NFL" as being this evil empire over shadowing the teams and players. Instead of everything being sent to the NFL for review on a dicided punishment how about teams do the punishments and if the teams don't or fail to then the NFL can step in. Plus only punish if a player is actually found guilty of a crime.

I also like the ideas of making the game a bit safer to play in regards to concussions. Although, you can only take that so far before you really change the complexion of the game, and that is something I do not want to see. But, I am all for protecting the players health. But let's keep in mind that the game is and will always be a dangerous sport and injury is inevitable.

I'm torn. I'm the first to say they get paid millions to play a violent sport. They don't want a concussion don't play. No different then a boxer. You don't go into boxing not expecting to get knocked out once and a while. But it does seem players are playing with wreckless abandon. Even the hitters. But it pisses me off seeing how no one can hit a QB or WR anymore. They might as well make it flag football.

[SBXVII]

Skinsguy,

Also...

Reinstate NFL Europe, but allow (with support by the NFL owners) those European teams to inherit the mascot names/logos that are used in the NFL. Now, I understand the ties that these mascot names have to their NFL cities and history, but we're talking about making a recognizable product based on the NFL successful in Europe. Personally, I would come closer to watching an NFL Europe game if the "Cowboys and Redskins" are playing each other, as opposed to the "Galaxy VS Fire". That's just me though. I mean, baseball does it, why can't the NFL do it? (Besides any legal ramifications.)

This is not a bad idea. They could change the colors if they wanted or maybe let "Nike" or whoever keeps coming up with all these supposedly different ideas for "uni's" wear them in Europe. But if not how cool would it be to be rooting for the European counter part of your favorite team. The Redskins.

[celts32]

I generally like Goodell. My only huge complaint is how he destryed the NFL Draft just to try and make a couple more bucks. The Saturday of the draft was always one of my favorite days of the year. A day of football in the middle of the offseason. A day to sit back and eat drink and talk about football. Now it's so spread out...only 1 round on the first day...round 2 starts in the middle of Friday rush hour on the east coast and Saturday only has the late rounds. That day was practically a holiday for me and Goodell destroyed it!

[Alvin Walton]

Originally Posted by celts32

I generally like Goodell. My only huge complaint is how he destryed the NFL Draft just to try and make a couple more bucks. The Saturday of the draft was always one of my favorite days of the year. A day of football in the middle of the offseason. A day to sit back and eat drink and talk about football. Now it's so spread out...only 1 round on the first day...round 2 starts in the middle of Friday rush hour on the east coast and Saturday only has the late rounds. That day was practically a holiday for me and Goodell destroyed it!

I agree, the draft should go back to Saturday for at least two rounds.