Comments on: Goodell dismisses perception of bias in bounty appeals

By: backindasaddle

backindasaddle — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 22:08:41 +0000

….and then Roger Goodell said: Let them eat cake!

By: mrpowers88

mrpowers88 — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 20:34:22 +0000

Can somebody tell me where the bias is?

Goodell and the NFL ran an investigation (as shoddy as it was) and came to a conclusion (which may or may not be right).

The players appealed and did not say anything or show any evidence during the hearing to argue that the conclusion was wrong, except say Goodell was wrong to the media after. (Vilma’s lawyer was probably the only one to say anything to Goodell during the hearing)

What unbiased arbitrator/judge is going to side with the party who does nothing to argue their side in an official hearing, except talk to reporters after saying the whole thing is a sham?

By: lombardihero

lombardihero — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 20:15:21 +0000

DeMaurice Smith and the Players thought he did an amazing job. Matter of fact he got a million dollar bonus.
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The owners won out right the Union failed to negotiate key elements in these contracts and part of me thinks Smith was buddy buddy with Goodell the whole way through.
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This whole Goodell stuff is just a major put off the dude thinks he is larger than the game of football and it’s really starting to be a huge turn off.
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Where are the NFL people that do damage control? or are they threatened to be fired if they say something as well?
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Greg Aiello is a joke talk about a dude that has his head up Goodell’s you know what.

By: sdisme

sdisme — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 20:14:17 +0000

Can you attach the full 8 page letter?

By: rhodeislandpatriotsfan

rhodeislandpatriotsfan — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 19:21:48 +0000

Can we at least agree that any challenge to Goodell’s impartiality must necessarily include supporting credible evidence? What SPECIFICALLY has Roger Goodell said or done that can be even remotely construed as evidence of bias or pre-judgment in this matter? Of course the NFLPA can try to “sell” the argument that under Article 46, Section 2(a) Goodell should have designated another hearing officer, but how likely is it the court will “buy” it? Article 46, Section 2(a) also states: “Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Commissioner may serve as hearing officer in any appeal … AT HIS DISCRETION (emphasis added).” Absent a showing by credible evidence that Goodell was manifestly and incurably prejudiced in this matter, I’m inclined to think that the court will be reluctant to substitute its judgment for Goodell’s in the context of the player disciplinary hearing.

By: jjbadd

jjbadd — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 19:03:10 +0000

Roger Goodell is a tyrant, and a fan of Hitler, & is not capable of being fair & impartial…especially if he is expected to rule against the very entity that employs him.

By: houndog50

houndog50 — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 18:58:49 +0000

FinFan68 says: Jul 7, 2012 2:21 PM

It is hard to be unbiased but i think Goodell is trying. His priority is the game itself not a specific team or player.
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Maybe so FinFan, but what he’s done so far is tomake himself look like a fool that doesn’t need to recognize or follow the facts, therefore making the league look stupid.

By: cgsuddeath

cgsuddeath — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 18:52:20 +0000

Goodell and the NFL is when it comes to the Patriots.

By: notoriousjebus

notoriousjebus — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 18:52:08 +0000

FinFan68 says: Jul 7, 2012 2:21 PM

It is hard to be unbiased but i think Goodell is trying. His priority is the game itself not a specific team or player.

If this were true, wouldn’t he want to make sure that the entire process was conducted in a manner that held up to rigorous scrutiny? Either by appointing someone else as the “hearing officer” or not involving himself in the investigations so he would at least have a stronger argument of impartiality.

As it stands now, the perception is that Roger Goodell, directed the investigation, interpreted the results of the investigation, determined the punishment, hired Mary Jo White to evalutate/concur with the process and his findings, then passed sentence. When one is so intimately involved in every aspect it becomes exceedingly difficult to claim impartiality.

Just imagine if our legal system was set up so that the arresting officer, was also the prosecuting attorney as well as the judge and jury.

By: Deb

Deb — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 18:47:43 +0000

Every team but the Steelers voted for Goodell to be investigator, prosecutor, judge, jury, and executioner. Now no team but the Steelers has a right to complain. It is, however, a ridiculous amount of power to invest in one person–which is why our nation’s founders divided power in setting up our government. I hope a real court will take Goodell down a peg.

By: FinFan68

FinFan68 — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 18:21:57 +0000

It is hard to be unbiased but i think Goodell is trying. His priority is the game itself not a specific team or player.

By: thekiddone

thekiddone — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 18:19:57 +0000

The union had their chance to change the commissioner’s power. The league probably wanted a bigger percentage of the pie in exchange for an independent judge. Players preferred money. Now they complain. Let’s see what happens in a few years when the contract is up. Will players sacrifice money for an independent judge?. I don’t think so.

By: GG Eden

GG Eden — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 16:25:22 +0000

They say in a lot of sports that a good game is when referees are seen but not heard. That a good referee is one who isn’t in the spotlight and lets the players play.

The same can be said of commissioners of sports. Roger Goodell is turning the NFL into something all about Roger Goodell. It didn’t start just now, it’s been going on for a while now, but it’s increasing at a rapid rate.

By: sonofaveatch

sonofaveatch — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 16:22:11 +0000

People seem to forget that what the saints did deserves the suspension. Also if the union agrees to those terms they cannot turn around and call foul when something goes wrong. I applaud Goddell for standing by his decisions.

By: daknight93

daknight93 — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 15:43:41 +0000

Goodell will dismiss everything the nflpa have to say and if it isn’t in the interest of Goodell..he will also reject it…Goodell will hide behind the CBA and say he has a right to railroad the players because they signed off on it..Federal Court here it comes!

By: geefan1

geefan1 — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 15:34:26 +0000

Too bad the NFLPA isn’t a little more unbiased. If they were, perhaps they’d be a tad more concerned about protecting the players that were targets of a bounty and disciplining the player rep who broke league rules and contributrd to a pool that was at least a salary cap violation, rather than putting their desire to fight the league ahead of common sense.

By: garylanglais

garylanglais — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 14:59:50 +0000

So Goodell wasn’t biased in the bounty proceedings because the rules allow him to be biased.

Got it. Good, glad we got that resolved.