I don’t see where the issue is. If you stay out of the principals office then who cares how he charges others?

We’ve had several active players completely throw Goodell under the bus, like the Ravens Bernard Pollard and the Falcons Roddy White. Before they said anything, I would have put each in a category of player who says what is on their mind, and doesn’t really think through potential consequences. So I believe their words are how they truly feel. They simply say what is on their mind without a real concern for the potential backlash they might get for saying Goodell is wrong and out of control.

We then have a few who have obviously towed the company line in what they said, such as Eli Manning. But Eli would be in a group of player I’d consider potential politicians after their playing days. The type of person that can smile, tell you something, and make you believe what they are saying, even though inside they may be thinking the exact opposite…a politician.

We also had one or two people like Vikings punter Chris Kluwe. When the news first broke, he wasn’t upset, he was downright angry. Since then he seems to have calmed down A LOT. I am not sure if that is because he recognizes some of the issues with the case or that he listened to himself and realized he might be coming off the wrong way. Point is, initially at least, there were a select group of players that were not happy with the Saints players.

But a player like Eric Winston, to me, is the average NFL player. He represents the majority of men who make up the NFL. He doesn’t fall directly into any of those other categories, he is a somewhat normal dude blessed with amazing size which enables him to play football at the highest of levels. He has played on a team that faced that Saints defense each year, either in the preseason or the regular season, so he has firsthand knowledge of the Saints defense on the field during the “bounty” period.

The fact that Winston basically realizes the issues with the process and the current state of affairs is telling. To take the exact quote, “It seems like he’s running amok with it and deciding to do what he wants and it really doesn’t matter what the evidence says.” You can’t make it any clearer than that.

This from a player who played against the Saints each year. Wouldn’t he know if the Saints were a “dirty” team better than most? And if so, why then would be basically be standing up for such “dirty” players who were obviously trying to hurt him and his teammates? he is a player who has no teammates effected so he has no reason to take this stance. he was a player on two teams, each who have no connections to these players or the team. Yet he sees it as clearly as most Saints fans, players, and now much of the media. That the NFL has exaggerated and created a villain where they needed one, in order to exact change which positions the league as an active protector of NFL players.

I just wonder if he is the exception, or the rule. My hope, he is the rule. And if so, Goodell has created a much larger issue than he can simply cover over with his current tactics.

Dislike away since I didn’t simply pile on the Saints. But everything I said was straight forward and fair.

What a moron!!!! You see kids!!! This is what happens when you get your education from the University of Michigan!!!! You think you’re smarter than you really are and you screw up!!!

University of Michigan, #1 in one thing only: Unearned Arrogance!!!!

You may hate my team, and a lot of you called them stupid when they voted against the CBA, but they saw this coming.

What’s their alternative? Court cases? Yep. We don’t need any more lawyers please.

I’m sure they can police themselves, right?

What a joke.

They could have had no franchise tag if they gave up some money.

They could have had guaranteed contracts if they gave up some money.

They have nothing to complain about.

This way he can go off common sense instead of arguing minute technicalities that allow criminals and rapist to get off scott free like they do in our legal system.

Most reasonable people would look at all the evidence in the bounty case and conclude with a reasonable amount of certainty that something bad was going on. We have audio of coaches, appologies from coaches acknowleding what they did, player statements acknowleging they were directed to lie about it (which were predictably classified as being “taken out of context” by said player), audio of hargrove asking teamates to pay him his money when he thought he knocked favre out of the game, and the list goes on.

What is more likely… Goodell made up all this stuff along with fake audio tapes and confessions because of some stupid conspiracy theory, or there was simply a bounty/ pay for performance system that Goodell discovered?

Again, dont do stupid stuff and Goodell wont bother you. If you’re mad about the fines on the field, tell “those who came before you” to stop filing lawsuits every 4 minutes and Goodell wouldnt be in a position to HAVE to impose fines to show he’s serious about pkayer safety.

The “Rog” has been using the ban hammer for how long on players for the “good of the game” since he took office. And now they are just starting to b & moan? Talk about missing the boat.

I’m thinking DeMaurice Smith might have some ‘splainin to do to the rank and file as to why this issue was never brought up during the negotiations.

As for as I’m concerned, they’re the only team that has earned a right to bitch about this.

fans have your back 100 % this time around,

we see what the heck is happening,

its not balanced at all,

he’s the judge, jury, and appeal process