Don Van Natta Jr. wrote an extensive profile of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for ESPN the Magazine which you really should read. The profile touches on just about everything you ever wondered about Goodell–his motivations, his legendary temper, and his fears. One the fears captured in the profile stems from the violent nature of the …
Tag Archive: Roger Goodell
Dec 11
Paul Tagliabue vacates all player discipline in Saints bounty case
So it seems that Paul Tagliabue has decided to vacate all player discipline in the Saints bounty case. In a statement released on Twitter from NFL spokesman Greg Aiello, Tagliabue agrees with Roger Goodell that Saints players did indeed participate in a bounty program, but has ruled that the player discipline should be vacated because …
Sep 28
Roger Goodell to Packers fans: I know you understand
Now that the regular referees are back on the job, Roger Goodell is willing to sort of apologize to NFL fans everywhere. But he saved his best quasi-apology for Packers fans. Instead of Goodell for once at least pretending to understand Packers fans frustration about Monday Night’s game, he does what Roger Goodell does. And …
Sep 27
Breaking: NFL and Refs Finally Reach Deal.
My fellow Americans, our brief national nightmare is over – the NFL’s regular referees are headed back to work. After three weeks of blown calls, no calls and reversed calls; of physical contact and verbal intimidation; of confused Vegas bookmakers and infuriated fantasy players; and less than 48 hours after what is perhaps the most …
Sep 25
Why the Green Bay Fiasco Has Wider Reaching Effects Than anyone is Talking About.
Everyone is talking about the end of the Green Bay/Seattle game because of the on the field debacle. However if I was the NFL, I would be more worried about the off the field possibilities, and consequences. Right now the NFL finds itself the defendant in a lawsuit involving more than 2000 former players concerning …
Aug 28
Pro football is heading to China
As the NFL expands to east to London, another brand of football is going west. To the Far East. According to ChinaDaily.com (via SportsBusiness Daily), ESPN’s Ron Jaworski is helping the Arena Football League establish a presence in China. “We’re coming to a country that doesn’t know much about what American football is, but it’s …
Jul 31
Is Adderall becoming the new excuse for steroids users?
For an athlete caught using steroids, the four-game suspension is nothing compared to the scarlet “S” that gets applied to their permanent P.R. record. The player never will be viewed the same way. If he succeeds, cynics will say it’s because he’s using steroids. If he becomes average or worse, the fact that he’s not …
Jun 24
Scott Fujita thinks the NFL has “very little regard for the truth”
As the NFL continues to insist that the four players suspended for the Saints’ bounties were deeply involved in a program that flagrantly flouted the rules, one of those players says he’s fed up with the NFL inaccurately portraying him. Browns linebacker Scott Fujita, who is suspended for the first three games of this season …
Jun 18
Ginsberg chastises Goodell for distortion of evidence, demands reversal of suspension
The Commissioner of the National Football League rarely gets talked to in the way he got talked to today. On Monday Goodell got an earful from lawyer Peter Ginsberg in the initial session of the bounty hearings. As set forth below, Ginsberg accused Goodell of failing to conduct a fair process and distorting facts, calling …
May 02
Cries from the Crowd: Roger Goodell strikes again
When Roger Goodell handed down suspensions on the Saints coaches over a month ago, we knew player suspensions were coming. Today, Goodell struck again.
The NFL announced that Saints LB Jonathan Vilma was suspended for the whole season, defensive tackle Anthony Hargrove (now on the Packers) suspended eight games [...]













