Roger Goodell

[Kodos]

Another poll! What are your thoughts on Roger Goodell?

[albionmoonlight]

As a fan, I think he should be fired.

But, as an owner, I'd love him. He has managed to personify everything that is wrong with football. Whenever something goes wrong, there are no calls to boycott the NFL or otherwise hold the owners accountable. There are simply calls to fire Roger.

[Blackadar]

Fired.

I simply don't like the direction he's taken the game. There are too many arbitrary rules. There are too many referee huddles. Offenses have too much advantages. Certain players and positions are coddled to the detriment of others. Discipline is WOEFULLY arbitrary and inconsistent.

In short, I think he's for shit and in large part due to his decisions I've pretty much stopped watching football altogether. In addition, there was NO NFL merchandise purchased by our family this Holiday season, which is the first time that's ever happened.

[Buccaneer]

Why as a fan? Just because he had the balls to actually punish teams and players (compared to Tag who did nothing)? A lot of fans are screaming to punish the Pats but I guess if punishments do not involve teams or players you do not like, then he is a tyrant.

[panerd]

Fired.

I simply don't like the direction he's taken the game. There are too many arbitrary rules. There are too many referee huddles. Offenses have too much advantages. Certain players and positions are coddled to the detriment of others. Discipline is WOEFULLY arbitrary and inconsistent.

In short, I think he's for shit and in large part due to his decisions I've pretty much stopped watching football altogether. In addition, there was NO NFL merchandise purchased by our family this Holiday season, which is the first time that's ever happened.

Front Office Football Central (http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/search.php?searchid=535156)

2000 posts in the last year about the NFL. I get that people like to rag on Goddell but I hate when they make up stories about how they stopped watching football or something that is so easy to prove otherwise.

[CU Tiger]

Fired.
He has made a mockery of the shield.
He has labor relations at their worst point in years.

[Radii]

As a fan, I think he should be fired.

But, as an owner, I'd love him. He has managed to personify everything that is wrong with football. Whenever something goes wrong, there are no calls to boycott the NFL or otherwise hold the owners accountable. There are simply calls to fire Roger.

This is exactly right imo.

[Blackadar]

Front Office Football Central (http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/search.php?searchid=535156)

2000 posts in the last year about the NFL. I get that people like to rag on Goddell but I hate when they make up stories about how they stopped watching football or something that is so easy to prove otherwise.

Excuse me? Linking 2,000 posts of other people doesn't prove a damn thing about me. I hate when people have logic fails or something that is so easy to prove otherwise.

[stevew]

As a fan, I think he should be fired.

But, as an owner, I'd love him. He has managed to personify everything that is wrong with football. Whenever something goes wrong, there are no calls to boycott the NFL or otherwise hold the owners accountable. There are simply calls to fire Roger.

So what you're saying is, he is the shield. Both figuratively and literally.

[terpkristin]

I voted the obligatory trout but this guy should be fired. I'm a Pats fan and I a) think they cheated and b) think they should be penalized with a REAL penalty instead of the gentle slap on the butt they're going to get.

And the entire handling of the personal conduct stuff, ESPECIALLY this season, has just been an embarrassment.

/tk

[bhlloy]

It's an overused word but the handling of the Ray Rice situation is a disgrace. Coupled with the sanctimonious bullshit since then that the NFL is really serious about domestic abuse now that public opinion has turned and I can't think of any public figure I feel should be fired more. Of course he reports to owners who only care about the bottom line, so it's never going to happen.

[Schmidty]

I voted the obligatory trout but this guy should be fired. I'm a Pats fan and I a) think they cheated and b) think they should be penalized with a REAL penalty instead of the gentle slap on the butt they're going to get.

And the entire handling of the personal conduct stuff, ESPECIALLY this season, has just been an embarrassment.

/tk


+1

[Buccaneer]

Regardless of how it got there, are people pissed Rice penalty was too hard or too soft? We have seen in our judicial system that the process can be messy. If you want the nfl to be "serious" about domestic violence (as any organization should), I can assure you that you will not like the results. Be careful what you wish for if you think he's too soft or wishy-washy. If you think he's too hard, then there will be no change.

[bhlloy]

I don't think you can say "regardless of how it got there" though. Not when that shows how little respect the NFL actually has for these issues and how they will basically do the minimum that public opinion demands.

[sabotai]

I went with "Good" because I'm trying to look at it realistically. He actively tried to suppress and cover up research on concussions. I think that's terrible, but I also think 100% of all other possible NFL commissioners would have done the same. He also totally botched the whole situation with Ray Rice.

In my idealistic vision of how the world should be, he'd be fired for the situation with research on concussions. But we don't live in that world. In this one, he's done a better job than most others would (especially when compared to his predecessor).

[Buccaneer]

What he did right off the bat with the Saints was great, no previous commish would've done that. Too bad he didn't consistently do that but I think fans and media were too critical and was forced to go easy.

[Suicane75]

Went with the trout because I don't have the energy to give a fuck.

[molson]

It's not like the NFL cared about domestic battery before Ray Rice. Goodell has easily been the toughest commissioner when it comes to player conduct in history, so I'm content to look at the Rice thing as a weird screw-up that he eventually corrected.

Otherwise, I don't have any problem with him - until and unless we get the 18-game season and expanded playoffs, though I'm not sure he'd be to blame for those.

[Buccaneer]

It's not like the NFL cared about domestic battery before Ray Rice. Goodell has easily been the toughest commissioner when it comes to player conduct in history, so I'm content to look at the Rice thing as a weird screw-up that he eventually corrected.

Otherwise, I don't have any problem with him - until and unless we get the 18-game season and expanded playoffs, though I'm not sure he'd be to blame for those.

I agree with you, I would think the TV people would be the blame.

[SteveMax58]

As a fan, I think he should be fired.

But, as an owner, I'd love him. He has managed to personify everything that is wrong with football. Whenever something goes wrong, there are no calls to boycott the NFL or otherwise hold the owners accountable. There are simply calls to fire Roger.
This is kind of where I am.

I don't like him, or what he's done with the game, but I also realize that he hasn't done those things on his own. So I understand why the owners might like him as he takes the blame for everything.

[RainMaker]

I think he's made some changes that have been detrimental to the sport although positive to their bank accounts. Things like Thursday Night Football for instance. Their inability to stagger the schedules on Sunday.

I don't care a ton about the Ray Rice stuff because I think that's a job for our justice system. Never understood why the onus for punishment is put on sports leagues for this stuff.

He should be fired because he's a poor leader who instills zero confidence in the public. The commissioner is someone who has the respect of its fanbase, not a laughingstock.

[stevew]

I hate the staggered draft.

At least we get 3 930AM London games this year. Way better than Thursday games.

[RainMaker]

I hate how they ruined the draft too. Was so great to just spend your weekend watching it on and off.

[RainMaker]

And what I mean by staggered schedules is having a couple games start at 11 eastern, 1 eastern, 3 eastern, 5 eastern and a primetime game. Basically so there are games all throughout the day. Not 12 early games and 3 late games on a Sunday. Redzone is a hit, people want to watch their fantasy players, use that to your advantage.

And if not, at least put a few more late games on. So silly to have 12 early games and 3 late ones.

[Lathum]

I went with great. Reason being is he works for the owners and he is there to grow their brand and make them money. He has been wildly successful in both.

Us as fans can bitch all we want and scream about boycotts and the games being ruined, but the numbers say otherwise.

TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: AFC Championship Tops Adults 18-49 and Total Viewers for the Week Ending January 18, 2015 - Ratings | TVbytheNumbers.Zap2it.com (http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/01/21/tv-ratings-broadcast-top-25-afc-championship-tops-adults-18-49-and-total-viewers-for-the-week-ending-january-18-2015/352652/)

TV ratings: 'Sunday Night Football' dominates; Fox benefits from NFL overrun - LA Times (http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-tv-ratings-football-nbc-fox-cbs-60-minutes-abc-revenge-20141208-story.html)

Despite domestic violence scandals, the NFL's TV ratings remain strong | The MMQB with Peter King (http://mmqb.si.com/2014/10/29/nfl-tv-ratings-domestic-violence-scandals/)

We still watch. We still gamble on it. Everyone from the hardcore football fan to casual fans have a fantasy team. Draftkings ran 15 weekly tournaments this year that awarded 1 million to first place, the cost to enter was $27, weekly fantasy has exploded.

Say what you want about rules changes, scandals, etc...the league is insanely popular across so many fronts right now.

[RainMaker]

But is that because of Goodell? I think you could put anyone in charge and that league would print money.

[Lathum]

But is that because of Goodell? I think you could put anyone in charge and that league would print money.

Who knows?

But is it fair to slam him for the bad stuff but not give him any credit for the good?

[Buccaneer]

Ok, I understand better. I thought the criticisms were centered on punishments (or lack thereof) but I see it extends to scheduling as well (games and draft). I agree that the draft was made worse and weekly Thursday Night games are a bad thing. Not to mention London and the very bad ideas of 18-games and expanding playoffs. Not sure how much of those are/were directed by Goodell.

[Lathum]

Through seven games this season on CBS and NFL Network, “Thursday Night Football” averaged an 11.4 overnight household rating/19 share, a big 81% improvement over last year (6.3/11) when the games aired on NFL Network alone. “TNF” continues next week with New Orleans at Carolina exclusively on NFL Network, and CBS premieres its Thursday lineup including “The Big Bang Theory,” “Two and a Half Men” and “Elementary.”

JIMG can probably tell me more, but seems like Thursday Nights have been a success for the NFL.

[TroyF]

Fired, but strictly because of the Rice situation. I love the fact there are far less cheap shots now. I have no issues with most of the punishments he has handed out. (Though i still think destroying the Patriots videotape evidence is a travesty) But the final factor for me is Rice. Having or not having the videotape should never have mattered. It was a disgrace how he handled that.

[Logan]

Thursday night games will always get big relative ratings just because of the guarantee that you'll have gamblers/fantasy players watching. People talk about subpar play with the short turnaround, and it's probably too early to see if its just a sample size issue or not, bu that and potential injuries are really the only things that could eventually change it. Although, it seems like adding a second bye week and having every team play at least one TNF game coming out of a bye is a real easy fix.

[Lathum]

Thursday night games will always get big relative ratings just because of the guarantee that you'll have gamblers/fantasy players watching. People talk about subpar play with the short turnaround, and it's probably too early to see if its just a sample size issue or not, bu that and potential injuries are really the only things that could eventually change it. Although, it seems like adding a second bye week and having every team play at least one TNF game coming out of a bye is a real easy fix.

And that brings more eyeballs to their product on a night that there usually wouldnt be, which brings more money in to the league and owners.

[ShaneTheMaster]

I'm a Saints fan. 'Nuff said.

[stevew]

I wish there were weekly Saturday night games. I'm not going to watch any NCAA but would love a game to hang out and watch.

[molson]

It's tough to isolate Goodell's influence. I seriously doubt we wouldn't have London football or Thursday football if someone else was in that spot. For all we know, he reels the owners in from some of their wackier ideas.

One thing I like about him as that he has been pretty accessible. He's always sharing different bits and pieces about things that may be on the table in the future. The 18-game season got out there, got shit on hardcore, and now it looks like we won't see it anytime soon. He's even attempted Twitter Q&As, with all the inevitable trolling that came with that.

[Buccaneer]

Social media? Trolling?!? I guess it's a lot like politics and culture, people have to be extreme in order to make their typings heard, as evident in this and the Pats thread.