Comments on: On bounty ruling, Goodell thinks “conduct detrimental” should result in discipline

By: ialwayswantedtobeabanker

ialwayswantedtobeabanker — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 18:01:13 +0000

“… difficult issues that have lingered for years before suddenly becoming problems.”

BINGO – very well stated.

By: txnative61

txnative61 — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 07:31:28 +0000

Players from around the league have mentioned various incentives for hard hits that bordered on “bounties” for injuries, but were limited to more informal locker room talk. The accusation was that the coaches established a more formal system that included payments for injury specifically. Players were suspended for contributing to a “pool”, that they say was never formally in place among the players, and never exceeded the informal incentives on many teams. Now it is clear around the league that ALL incentives will be harshly punished, so yeah, Roger—this didn’t set a precedent for future amnesty, duh.

By: bluebongzilla

bluebongzilla — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 06:15:21 +0000

Paul Tagliabue was the worst NFL commissioner ever.

By: ncfloyd

ncfloyd — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 05:01:02 +0000

So Tags suggested Goodell should have done what Rozelle did, wait a year before any discipline. I believe he did, he told all the teams to shut down any and all bounties back in 2009. Then he disciplined the Saints when the did not.
Tags provided no leadership during his time. The league needs someone with the nuts to suspend guys who embarrass the league. The nfl wil go on without Vick and Roethlisberger. Tags let ray Lewis, an accomplice to murder continue playing.

By: skolvikesskol

skolvikesskol — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 04:15:59 +0000

If everyone is held responsible, the entire team should’ve been suspended. SMH. Tags was right. Penalize the coaches, kill bounty systems, then put in a clearly thought out and communicated punishment for ANYONE involved in future bounty systems…. So easy…. sigh.

By: mjkelly77

mjkelly77 — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 03:52:37 +0000

sportsfan240 says:Dec 12, 2012 7:45 PM

This guy needs to go. Goodell is a joke. He is trying to ruin this game.
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There are 32 team owners whose opinion would be diametrically opposed to yours. And it’s THEIR opinion that counts.

By: mjkelly77

mjkelly77 — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 03:45:46 +0000

When I last checked, Roger Goddell was still the Commissioner of the NFL and Pual Tagliabue was just a hired hand for one specific instance.

By: montanapredator

montanapredator — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 03:33:08 +0000

This a joke. We all know there was a bounty program. The issue now is was it the responsibility of coaches or players. Who hit Farve and was flagged for roughing the passer ona handoff in the NFC champ game in 2010? Why do the Aints coaches say there was a bounty program? Vilma is washed up and has no reputation to to denigrate. Let the lawyers reign and Vilma’s forgettable career will be over before his BS case is decided.

By: silentcount

silentcount — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 03:07:11 +0000

How do you punish a player or coach without punishing everyone else who had nothing to do with the infraction? You do what Tagliabue said and make the guilty pay big fines. Case in point, when Bellichek was caught cheating, he paid a fine and wasn’t suspended for a year. Why? Because the Patriots wouldn’t have a fair chance to be competitive without their coach. And the same thing would apply to Sean Payton. When Goodell suspended him, Vitt and Loomis, he punished thousands of people who were totally innocent. That’s why what he did was wrong.

By: Little Earthquake

Little Earthquake — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 03:05:43 +0000

Hiring replacement refs = conduct detrimental to the league.

By: daknight93

daknight93 — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 02:56:31 +0000

is this guy ever gonna grow up….a decision was made and his suspensions were overturned let it go and move on!

By: whatchutalkinabouthillis

whatchutalkinabouthillis — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 02:41:39 +0000

Roger, you talk too much.

By: tdshouldbeinthehall

tdshouldbeinthehall — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 02:37:50 +0000

For all the not so smart people out there that think Goodell is ruining football, maybe you should look at the fact that there are 2000 former players suing the league because the league didn’t protect them from themselves. Goodell has no choice but to try and make the game safer or at least make it look like he is. He doesn’t care about player safety anymore than you or I. He is doing what the former players are making him do because of their lawsuit, so point your finger at the former players if your looking to lay blame. THEY ARE THE ONES WHO ARE RUINING THE GAME WE LOVE.

By: bigbabies

bigbabies — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 02:14:39 +0000

I hope this story continues through to next season because its not played out yet………interesting

By: 6thsense79

6thsense79 — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 02:04:48 +0000

Players going to win a case?

Tagliabue confirmed that there was an organized bounty program in place –despite the denials of all these fine upstanding players, who testified that there was no bounty program.

If these players were smart, they’d just hope this goes away. If they pursue it – they’ll probably be convicted of perjury.

Which would serve them right…

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And if the players had listen to people like you to take their punishments like a “man” at the start of this they would have missed multiple games and been out 100s of thousands if not millions. Luckily they dis what real men do when they felt they were done wrong and fought. Now they have the league scared to release the transcript of the Tags hearing. Every time anyone other than Goodell has ruled in this case the league ends up losing. Yet you seem to think they will lose in court. Well the players have done very well not listening to people like you and I think they should never pay attention to what folks like you say. Goodell wanted to fight when he thought he could be the bully well now the bully is getting punched in the mouth and I hope the players don’t stop till he cries uncle.

By: 6thsense79

6thsense79 — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 02:04:05 +0000

gtodriver says: Dec 12, 2012 8:33 PM

kattykathy says:

Goodell has not learned his lesson yet. When the other Saints players file suit also(within a week) then there will be 4 very strong cases attacking this arrogant control freak.

Once Judge Berrigan drops the hammer down, and Vilma and the others win their cases……I would hope he then learns his lesson. _______________________________

How is Vilma – or any of the other Saints players going to win a case?

Tagliabue confirmed that there was an organized bounty program in place –despite the denials of all these fine upstanding players, who testified that there was no bounty program.

If these players were smart, they’d just hope this goes away. If they pursue it – they’ll probably be convicted of perjury.

Which would serve them right…

————

By: chauncey33

chauncey33 — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 02:04:02 +0000

Jimmyjo says …the former commissioner did not say the players were inocent he just didn’t want to suspend them since it started by the coaches and GM….
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Jimmyjo, what was Tags supposed to say? “We screwed this up across the board?” “We shouldn’t have punished anyone?” He can’t say that. If he did, how would he undo what was done to the coaches?

It’s much easier for the NFL if Tags said what he did: That Goodell got some of it wrong (as it relates to the players) and some of it right( as it relates to the coaches). The real question is do people actually believe that?

That Roger Goodell somehow managed to get the player discipline all wrong, but got the coaches punishments all right? I don’t.

I think he got it wrong across the board, but like Drew Brees said, Tagliabue was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He knew the investigation and evidence was faulty, but his other loyalties to the NFL prevents him from being completely forthcoming. This was his compromise.

Put it on the coaches. They’re already serving out a punishment. It’s convenient and it keeps the NFL from looking like the total and complete liars they are.

By: jaltreality

jaltreality — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 01:55:12 +0000

gtodriver says:
Dec 12, 2012 8:33 PM

Tagliabue confirmed that there was an organized bounty program in place – despite the denials of all these fine upstanding players, who testified that there was no bounty program.

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Tagliabue’s lawfirm is defending Goodell in the defamation suit. I doubt he was going to make any statements that injures a client’s defense. His statements aren’t a good way of gauging the strength of the defamation suit.

By: tjigger

tjigger — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 01:52:41 +0000

Gtodriver

Players already testified as well as some coaches..
But neither of the NFL witness’s did

By: jimmyj049

jimmyj049 — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 01:35:59 +0000

Maybe I am crazy… the former commissioner did not say the players were inocent he just didn’t want to suspend them since it started by the coaches and GM. Why does everyone hate on Goodell for wanting to punish the coaches and players for participating?

By: gtodriver

gtodriver — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 01:33:11 +0000

kattykathy says:

Goodell has not learned his lesson yet.
When the other Saints players file suit also(within a week) then there will be 4 very strong cases attacking this arrogant control freak.

Once Judge Berrigan drops the hammer down, and Vilma and the others win their cases……I would hope he then learns his lesson.
_______________________________

How is Vilma – or any of the other Saints players going to win a case?

Tagliabue confirmed that there was an organized bounty program in place – despite the denials of all these fine upstanding players, who testified that there was no bounty program.

If these players were smart, they’d just hope this goes away. If they pursue it – they’ll probably be convicted of perjury.

Which would serve them right…

By: briggsweatbird

briggsweatbird — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 01:26:35 +0000

Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

I think the power of his office has made Roger drunk, and unable to think rationally.

Good to have a voice of reason step in, as the former commissioner did.

By: ttommytom

ttommytom — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 01:11:59 +0000

He’s a baby. He didn’t like being lied to and tried to screw everyone involved.

Get over it, dude. You make 12 millon dollars a year.

I was a cop and got paid WAY less to be lied to by every single person I encountered during the day outside of my partner. You don’t take it personal, you learn to play the game, which by making the statement above he has decided to do it his way, anyway.

Grow up…

By: blacknole08

blacknole08 — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 01:10:27 +0000

Even though the bounties were vacated by a commish who never held his employers responsible, I think this commissioner made the right decision on imposing the suspensions. Players nowadays act like it is a privelege to play in this league.

I respect Goodell and he is good for the NFL. And for those who still have bad things to say about him, realize that this sport has millions of fans, so its not like the league has suffered with him in charge.

By: andylucksneck

andylucksneck — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:53:54 +0000

Goodell’s opinions cloud his judgement. Roger is unable to look back at previous rulings and use this as a template to rule on present infractions. The example I would point to other than this bounty situation would be the collusion case that Mara spear headed, and fined both Jerry, and Danny. I really hope these two cases take RG down. I truly hope and pray that he is looking for a job and earning less than a dollar a year.

By: sportsfan240

sportsfan240 — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:45:47 +0000

This guy needs to go. Goodell is a joke. He is trying to ruin this game.

By: chauncey33

chauncey33 — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:45:04 +0000

Sean Payton did ask for his suspension to be overturned. You know you can just do a search for “Sean payton appeal suspension” and be informed.

By: NoHomeTeam

NoHomeTeam — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:41:08 +0000

I really can't believe all the Goodell hate here. A Commissioner with power and the will to use it is a good thing. Are you all really nostalgic for the Tagliabu regime? Short memories, people. Players running rampant on and off the field without the threat of real discipline, unfettered expansion of salaries, franchise flight? If you think Goodell is "ruining" the League, I respectfully suggest that "your" team or favorite player has experienced some negative effects due to his policies. Are the Saints worse off for the bounty scandal? Of course they are. Is the League worse off? Is the game itself worse off? You know the answer to that, even if you don't want to admit it to yourself.

By: rhodeislandpatriotsfan

rhodeislandpatriotsfan — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:36:14 +0000

Paul Tagliabue’s “Final Decision On Appeal” at page 3 states, in pertinent part, “To be clear: this case should not be considered a precedent for whether similar behavior in the future merits player suspensions or fines; rather, I have decided not to issue fines this time for the reasons stated in this decision and the sake of the best interests of all involved in professional football.” I construe that to mean Roger Goodell is not bound by Tagliabue’s ruling in future, at least on the question of what type of future discipline might be appropriate.

By: musicman495

musicman495 — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:31:51 +0000

mrbigass says: Dec 12, 2012 7:06 PM

So why didn’t Sean Payton jump in with the rest of them and try to get his suspension overturned?

Oh wait……….
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You really can’t figure out why a guy whose job depends on the owners will not challenge the owner’s commissioner? Think hard and try again. We’ll wait.