When the owners of the NFL brought on Rodger Goodell as the commissioner, they appointed quite the spin doctor – even though it took 4 rounds of votes to get him in. His business tactics have helped in the realignment of the league, stadium builds and probably his biggest money venture to date – the NFL Network. I’ve alway been skeptical of Goodell and the type of commish he has been for the NFL. Every time he does something that frustrates fans he hangs that little sincerity carrot over our heads – rules to ‘promote’ player safety, a $1 salary during the lockout. But as he stands at that NFL emblemed podium time after time, that sly smile reveals his tell that he is spinning the truth like they are records.
Ever since the negotiations started, Goodell has crafted a campaign that has demonized the then NFLPA. But his latest attempt to paint the owners and the league in a more favorable light and the players to the pits of hell tips his hand as to just how cunning (not in a good way) he is to make everyone feel sorry for the billionaires of the league.
It’s no surprise that Goodell picked the Wall Street Journal as his forum for pleading his ‘case.’ Goodell is married to Fox News Channel’s Jane Skinner. FNC is owned by Rupert Murdoch, who also owns the WSJ. So I’m sure it took little to no effort to get the op-ed into the paper. By placing this op-ed in the WSJ instead of say Sports Illustrated or the New York Post or any other current based sports publication, Goodell is clear to whom is is speaking to – Corporate America. And he doesn’t pull any punches with how he spins the result of the NFL players ‘winning.’ (God, why does everything come back to Charlie Sheen?!)
According to Goodell, if he is correct with his predictions of what will come if the players ‘win,’ he will put the Myans and their calendar to shame. Essentially free-market principals will take over and destroy the utopian business of small market teams. Teams like Buffalo will perish at the newly “blind adherence to free-market principles that favor teams in larger, better-situated markets.” (Be sure to ignore the shit ton of money that Jerry Jones just recently spent on Jerry Land) I’d say they are perishing already.
Goodell could care less about football fans. As commissioner, his job is to bring the two sides together and mediate a process that will better the lives of the players and the league, and ultimately, the experience for the fans. It’s clear that he is favoring one out of those three. Why else would he be writing to a publication whose majority of readers are already wealthy and lose a monocle whenever federal courts get in between them an their money? The guy is angry for the judge’s ruling because it puts him and the owners in a terrible position. Seems like his anger has pegged the hypocrisy meeter as he tries to argue about revenues, stadium renovation incentives and a lockout caused by players and the players alone.
Goodell has made a mistake in his latest move. He’s shown that he doesn’t care about the players (a forgivable offense I suppose), but he’s also shown that he doesn’t care about the fans when spewing his spin and hypocrisy. He is out of touch with NFL fans. He writes to his corporate buddies – practically preaching to the choir. He fails to show some humility from this ruling and reassure the fans of the NFL that there will be an agreement and there will be a season for them to watch. And for that, the guy needs to resign. If you see him – boo him, heckle him. Everywhere he goes, he needs to be reminded how shameful he is for siding with the big bucks instead of vying for a better league for all… ALL. I hope you can’t even hear who Carolina picks as the No. 1 draft pick because the boos are drowning out the mic.