Petition To Fire Roger Goodell

[coolcool]

While I applaud Radisson Hotels, the only thing that really matters to the NFL is what happens to them financially. Will the Vikings suffer for this, or will another sponsor jump at the chance to partner with the team?

 

Michael Vick killed dogs, Ben Roethlisberger behaved badly toward a woman/women, Junior Seau killed himself because of brain damage. . .and yet the NFL's revenues have never been higher.

 

These news stories create a bunch of outrage, and then we go back to watching games.

 

If we keep watching games, buying merchandise, etc. then all this message board stuff is empty.

 

In the same regard, buying a Kelly Clarkson album would then be immoral because she's signed to the same record company as Chris Brown... a company that didn't suspend or drop Chris Brown, despite boasting a laundry list of more despicable acts than Ray Rice.

 

Also, I don't know if you're implying the NFL itself doesn't care or doesn't realize it stepped in it. I thought by suspending Ray Rice for possibly forever they acknowledged that they have an issue that will affect their bottom line.

[Point Beer Is Best]

An interesting point not brought up in the AP case (at least not that I've really heard much from the media) is that he had another child tragically die about a three years ago when some other man abused the boy. Seems like he is pretty inconsistent with which children he chooses to raise and how he raises them.

 

That happened just this past season. Peterson had just found out that the boy even existed a couple months prior and had yet to meet him in person. There's now a second report that he was investigated for another abuse that left a scar over another of his son's eyes, but wasn't charged. I believe i've read a report somewhere that he's fathered children with at least 5 different women.

[JimH5]

Music artists aren't team players. Nobody gives a rip what record company someone is signed to. Nobody is a fan of a record label.

 

My implication is that the NFL has a history of not caring about anything other than their own short term revenues, and in hiding their problems from the public. They have proven that by their tobacco-company-like handling of brain injuries.

 

It took public outrage to get the NFL off of their initial 2-game Rice suspension. I think they either willfully ignored the elevator video, or they saw it and hoped it wouldn't go public. They didn't show a moral compass until they were forced to.

[Point Beer Is Best]

Well, now things are picking up. Anheuser-Busch has released a statement saying they have concerns over how the NFL is handling the recent player issues.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2014/09/16/nfl-anheuser-busch-sponsor-domestic-abuse-sponsor/15726217/

 

We are disappointed and increasingly concerned by the recent incidents that have overshadowed this NFL season. We are not yet satisfied with the league's handling of behaviors that so clearly go against our own company culture and moral code. We have shared our concerns and expectations with the league.

 

Very interesting.

[FVBrewerFan]

These news stories create a bunch of outrage, and then we go back to watching games.

 

If we keep watching games, buying merchandise, etc. then all this message board stuff is empty.

 

 

Yea, it's hypocritical. But I'll keep watching because I love the NFL. I am not going to let a few knuckleheads determine how I spend my Sundays. There are abusers at WalMart, McDonalds, and Sony also. Some are discovered, some aren't. Either way I'm not going to stop being a customer of their product/service.

 

We can provide a litany of problems in MLB, NCAA, NBA also. I'm not going to just stop watching sports. I think we can do both simultaneously. Keep watching and supporting the sport, while putting pressure on to handle things the right way.

 

Is DUI better or worse than child abuse? Not sure, but we still support the Brewers, even thugh Yo wasn't suspended at all. Or an even better example...KRod...

[coolcool]

Music artists aren't team players. Nobody gives a rip what record company someone is signed to. Nobody is a fan of a record label.

 

My implication is that the NFL has a history of not caring about anything other than their own short term revenues, and in hiding their problems from the public. They have proven that by their tobacco-company-like handling of brain injuries.

 

It took public outrage to get the NFL off of their initial 2-game Rice suspension. I think they either willfully ignored the elevator video, or they saw it and hoped it wouldn't go public. They didn't show a moral compass until they were forced to.

 

So uh, if I'm not a fan of the Ravens, why would I give a rip about what the NFL does? I'm not quite following how it's not okay for one employer to suspend someone for only 2 weeks, but for another employer, it doesn't really matter.

 

What short term profit are they gaining by causing a huge public outrage like this? You think its not a big deal to them that sponsors are dropping from teams?

 

As for the video, why would they hide details of the video if they didn't think it would be a problem if it leaked? And if they did conceal it, wouldn't they had to have known that it would eventually come out or get leaked? This is sports, there's no secrets in sports. This is what I don't get - why would Goodell risk his $30 million salary concealing something that he had virtually no incentive to keep secret?

 

I think they made a colossal PR mistake when they decided to only suspend him 2 games. I think the NFL is under some incompetent management right now. But do I think they're being run by evil geniuses that are out to destroy all that is good? No. Having a month like this isn't good for the NFL, and it's not somehow making them more profit. Having controversies isn't good for business.

[jerichoholicninja]

Well, now things are picking up. Anheuser-Busch has released a statement saying they have concerns over how the NFL is handling the recent player issues.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2014/09/16/nfl-anheuser-busch-sponsor-domestic-abuse-sponsor/15726217/

 

We are disappointed and increasingly concerned by the recent incidents that have overshadowed this NFL season. We are not yet satisfied with the league's handling of behaviors that so clearly go against our own company culture and moral code. We have shared our concerns and expectations with the league.

 

Very interesting.

 

They should probably also be concerned about how many NFL players are getting DUI's after quite possibly using their product.

[superfly]

Anyone want to take a shot at what the #1 rated (and probably through the roof ratings) game will be this weekend? For all the outrage Vikings@Saints will kill it this weekend.

[JimH5]

You think its not a big deal to them that sponsors are dropping from teams?

 

Having a month like this isn't good for the NFL, and it's not somehow making them more profit. Having controversies isn't good for business.

 

I do think it is a big deal to them. I don't think they like the controversies. I just think they were tone deaf in how they handled these cases.

 

Nobody likes for outside groups to pressure them to act, and I think that is especially pervasive in the NFL. I think they want to handle everything internally, not share their process or details with the media & public, and I think they don't know how to handle criticism.

 

The NFL has shot to the top of the sports world doing it their way, and every time they have faced criticism, it eventually goes away.

[jerichoholicninja]

I haven't paid any attention to ESPN is years. Are they actually covering this story the same way they did with Braun and Kobe Bryant or is it bottom line filler to avoid hurting their cash cow?

[lcbj68c]

I don't believe R. Goodell or the NFL had seen the elevator video. R. Goodell hasn't been shy about punishing players in the past and I highly doubt there was some grand conspiracy cover-up to benefit Ray Rice. I'm definitely in the minority, but I believe the 2 game suspension from the NFL was enough. Ray Rice should have been dealt with by his employer and once the video came out and Rice's lies to the Ravens and the NFL were exposed, they acted accordingly.

 

At the time of the 2 week suspension, all that was known was that Rice committed a misdemeanor that the D.A. dropped and the victim and Rice both interviewed before Goodell and he made his decision after the Ravens failed to clean up their own problem. What difference would it have made if he got a 4 week suspension or a 6 week suspension or a 10 game suspension? It wasn't until the lie was exposed that the Ravens acted and acted swiftly they did.

 

I'll continue to assert that this is a Minnesota Vikings problem and not an NFL problem. The only time Goodell and the NFL need to step in is when the teams fail to take care of their own house.

[jerichoholicninja]

Was Aaron Hernandez ever suspended or was he just released?

[FVBrewerFan]

I don't think the NFL ever suspended him. The Patriots may have when the news first broke, but they released him pretty quickly if I remember right. In that case, it was so blatant I don't think the NFL had to get involved.

[jerichoholicninja]

Hey! Welcome to the party Jonathan Dwyer (arrested for domestic violence today).

[AZBrewCrew]

National Felon League

[JimH5]

Well, they finally got it right with Peterson, and it seems that other teams are also moving toward benching/suspending guys with Domestic Violence charges.

 

It shouldn't have come to threats from advertisers and potential fan boycotts. The league should have been out front on this. Instead, they are forced to react to outside pressure.

[FVBrewerFan]

I don't know, I think the NFL has handled this pretty well. They have been out in front, Goodell has even been criticized for over-policing the league when players have had off the filed issues. Also, for many years now the NFL has held their rookie forum where they try to teach incoming players how to conduct themselves, what to avoid, etc. No other pro sports league does that to this day, as far as I know.

 

This Ray Rice, Peterson, Hardy, etc. issue is the perfect storm, and I think they've handled it pretty well.

[fondybrewfan]

Hopefully the other major sports leagues learn from the NFL's mistakes and get good domestic violence policies in the place. This very well could have happened to MLB or the NBA first. Its not surprising that this appears to be a problem in the NFL considering these mean are basically trained to be violent. Not to make excuses but perhaps its hard to turn that off for some guys?

 

McDonald is the only guy left out there where nothing has been done; he also hasn't been charged though either.

[WV Brew]

The Packers should immediately start doing oppo research and leak information on violators as the playoffs begin. They should research their own players and drop any that might be questionable. They might get inside information on Russell Wilson from his UW days which appears to be one of the few ways the Pack could beat the Seahawks.

[FVBrewerFan]

They already research their own players, before and after they sign them. They do have private investigators, etc. that keep tabs on what their players do off the field. NFL does this one their own as well.

 

Oppo research is interesting, never thought of that...

[trwi7]

Was Aaron Hernandez ever suspended or was he just released?

 

I believe he was arrested in summer and released almost immediately after his arrest so the NFL didn't really have to do anything about it. The Patriots took care of it by releasing him.

[coolcool]

I find it strange that there's been virtually no backlash from the NLFPA appealing Ray Rice's suspension. Goodell is getting most of the focus, even after suspending Rice indefinitely, and I haven't really heard any outrage over the NFLPA essentially trying to reverse his decision.

 

Also, I do think the NFL should start taking ownership of off-field issues instead of relying on the teams to do so. It's directly against the teams self interest to suspend star players, while for the NFL, success can shift from one team to another. If Peterson is suspended 5 or 6 games, it means more success for the Packers, Lions, Bears, etc. Puts teams in a rough spot.

 

I think these cases are obviously harmful to the NFL and they know its harmful for their image. People want contend that they're greedy and they don't care - well maybe so, but I don't think it's in their financial interest to have these controversies occur.

[packfan79]

Wonder how much more will come out.

 

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/11551518/how-ray-rice-scandal-unfolded-baltimore-ravens-roger-goodell-nfl

[danzig6767]

National Felon League

 

The NFL employs about 1800 players and it's been five involved in these recent violent instances which has brought on all of this drama. It's been the handling of those players by the league which has mostly lead to it becoming such a huge story, that and there being video of the Rice incident.

 

Unfortunately, domestic violence is a big problem throughout all of society, but when it's just words in a media report, people can gloss over it easier. Seeing a video though of a grown man knocking out a girl absolutely changed everything. It no longer was just words in a newspaper or website statement. Same for the pictures of the 4 year old kid whipped by Peterson.

 

Human beings tend to be very visually orientated, especially in the world today. Hearing about terrible things can still draw ire, but actually seeing it usually inflames things 10 fold or more. That likely explains why the league tried burying video evidence which i'm 100 percent certain they knew existed.

[danzig6767]

My interest in the NFL has lessened quite a bit the last 3 or 4 years. I can not stand the amopunt of commercial time during the games. It is maddening

 

Three letters for you-- DVR

 

I record nearly everything i watch so that i can zip through excessive commercials. If say the Packers game is on at 3pm, i'll take my dog out for his walk at game time, get something else done, or watch something else for an hour. Same for Brewers games. If it starts at 7pm, i'll record it and either watch something else for an hour or take care of something needing to be done, then be able to skip through most commercials.

 

In fact, here and there when i do watch something live, i often find myself grabbing the remote during commercials until it sets in that i'm not watching a recording and thus can't fast forward through commercials.