Thursday, September 11, 2014

Roger Goodell Supporters Remain Steadfast Despite Mounting Evidence

ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith is steadfast in his
support of commissioner Roger Goodell.
I am never too fond of these sports topics that totally take over the entire two hours of ESPN's First Take with Stephen A. Smith, Skip Bayless and super moderator Carrie Champion (see; Tim Tebow), but the Ray Rice issue has ceased to be about the Rice family and has totally become about Roger Goodell and whether or not he should retain his job.

My previous post about this issue did not demand the firing of Goodell mostly because I am very cognizant of what his termination entails.  32 NFL owners will have to be convinced that Goodell was behaving deceptively and was likely in collusion with the Ravens and the Rice family on how this matter would be conducted for public consumption.  As hard as it seems to believe he is telling the truth, proving that he has done all of that might not be easy to do, but could be the threshold for his termination.

However, lets be clear about the details.  The Associated Press (AP) news organization is reporting that someone in the NFL office confirmed receipt of the full video.  If AP is to be believed (and they usually are) Goodell will struggle to remain exempt of responsibility.  Even if he did not see the video, this all happened 'on his watch'.

Those were the words of Goodell when he put the hammer down on the New Orleans Saints organization during Bounty Gate.  Several Saints staff, including the head coach and players, were punished during this over reach of Goodell.  Eventually, the former commissioner Paul Tagliabue would be called in as the arbitrator who found Goodell's rulings a bit too harsh, especially on linebacker Jonathan Vilma who lost several games to the misguided rulings of Goodell, but was fully exonerated by Tagliabue.

Add this potential lie to that Goodell misstep and it is easy to understand why Goodell should be on his last days with the NFL.  Most people are not convicted on potential truths except if it is being done by Goodell himself, so this current heat on Goodell might just be the rabbit with the gun (as one NFL player tweeted). In reality, Goodell will need to be captured dead to rights in order to convince his bosses or  his most vocal apologist, Stephen A. Smith.  When Smith went all-in on Terry O'Neill, the head of the organization called NOW (National Organization for Women), who called for the resignation of Goodell on their website, he found himself apologizing for the harshness of his words (Bayless reminded him that many women who work for NOW are often former victims themselves), but doubled down on his support of Goodell.  As hard as it was to watch Stephen A. stumble to defend Goodell, I had to acknowledge the fact that only one NFL team owner has spoken out to say that Goodell might lose support if he is proven to be lying.....and that owner remained anonymous.

NFL team owners love Goodell and he realizes the power of his position.  Commissioners don't get fired, they retire or resign at their own leisure because their jobs are secured by the difficulty of gaining a majority consensus.  Even the total exoneration of Saints linebacker Vilma did not result in admonishing Goodell who was responsible for confirming the facts on those he had punished. Guest ESPN analyst and former Saints player Jabari Greer, was a Saints player when Bountygate was being investigated by the league.  Given the thoroughness of their Bountygate investigation, Greer is confused why the league did not acquire the video tape on Rice. According to Greer (an NFLPA rep. who announced his retirement during today's episode of First Take), "It was clear that Goodell is on the owners side.  There is no compassion for the players from Roger Goodell", Greer added.

Nothing like a little controversy to shine light on people and situations. In hindsight, the whole role of NFL commissioner is reflective of a marketing plan and not a sound organizational approach.  "The GAME of football has become a pure business", according to Greer.  Yet, when he said that statement, he was shocked to be challenged by Stephen A. Smith who asked him the question, "Have you told that comment to the owners?"  Greer had to admit that he had not.

What Smith was pointing out was who they all work for, including Goodell, and he quieted the panel with his question.  How does anyone argue with the person who cuts all of the paychecks.  Complaining about Goodell might be expected and even allowed, but some owners have described this recent attack of Goodell as a "witch hunt" despite the facts that stand against him.  Employee whining that reaches the owners office comes at a major risk to that employee, but not having a viable place for grievance creates an antagonistic environment that is not healthy for employer or employee.

Speaking of healthy environments, Greer pointed out that none of the 32 NFL teams has an in-house clinical psychologist, and that needs to change today.  In a league of such prized athletes, doctors of every other sort are made readily available, but Greer claims that therapy is suggested through typical benefits posters like most employers are required to display.  It could be that an in-house psychologist would shut down on the field activities that NFL teams currently allow, like domestic violence issues or concussion issues, but these problems are forcing players to take the time away from the field that they currently only get during a public crisis that soils their reputation and that of the league.  If the NFL truly wished to address the problems that Goodell has tried to deal through the termination of Ray Rice, it would do more to avoid the issues like Rice is experiencing.

Disregard what you think about millionaire football players.  In reality, they are high paid cattle.  The really great ones, like Peyton Manning are cattle with opinions, but even he has someone watching for that moment in which he must be sold for value or sent out to pasture. That someone is typically called "the boss".  Commissioners retire because having 32  bosses makes it work out that way.  If the Baltimore Ravens owner is more willing to own his role in the under investigation of the Rice incident, it is because he is more untouchable than Goodell.  Aside from rare occurances, owners do not get fired, but commissioners can, and Goodell either needs to be fired or fired from his holy stature.

The NFL needed to change to role of the commissioner and this incident gives them a unique opportunity to save Goodell and save their soiled reputation by appointing a boss over the only employee in the league without one.  Roger Goodell has done good for the owners. $78 million dollars in players fines since 2006 might be proof of player stupidity that Goodell has kept from destroying the leagues reputation, but it is also evidence of a commissioner who answers to so many owners that he answers to no one.

To correct this problem, the NFL needs a punishment czar to oversee discipline and is also the boss of the commissioner.  Goodell can continue doing everything that he currently does for the league, but he would now be accountable to someone truly responsible for the shield and not just the shareholders.  Condoleeza Rice would be great PR for the current issue of domestic violence, and having Goodell implement the Greer suggestion of in-house therapy could offer additional healing to damaged NFL families and the wounded shield as well.

We may not be able to prove Goodell a liar, but he is nonetheless responsible for being on watch at the time.  Goodell has earned the termination so many are calling for, but even the new commissioner must be removed from this god-like responsibility, while retaining the power that comes from steadfast support of 32 bosses. In the banning of Rice, Goodell is disregarding his own new rule regarding domestic violence.  Unfortunately for the NFL, firing Goodell from his role as the existing commissioner makes the prospect of terminating future commissioners more realistic to disgruntled players who might not like Goodell's replacement either.  The owners duty to the shield and to the office of the commissioner will make this decision a tricky one for sure.

Goodell should be fired, but its much more complicated to the ownership group than a simple termination.  Firing Goodell would compromise the shield, which means he must be fired from his exclusive role of NFL decision maker.

Whether he stays or goes, Goodell must be fired from something.

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