Goodell Grows Some ... Allegedly

Last week, when news outlets reported that Adam "Pacman" Jones was in an altercation with a member of his four-person security team, I waited for our true football guys at PHSports to tackle the story. However, one was busy with his future in-laws, another had relatives in town and the other was at a law conference. We all have lives, and I do too sometimes. When I found the time on Saturday, I wrote this scathing piece which questioned whether NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's ability to make decisions based on what is right.

That said, I also waited for Goodell to arrive at a decision. When I first saw the report, I was upset. When I read about Cowboys Owner/GM Jerry Jones deeming any punishment "ridiculous", I was infuriated by his pomposity and arrogance. When I read the never-before-seen version of the English language manifested in a police report which had Jerry Jones's inconspicuous imprints all over it, I had exceeded the previous levels of infuriation. However, when word struck about alcohol being involved in the incident, it was an absolute no-brainer that Goodell that a decision was imminent and that it would be punitive. In the end, I give Goodell a small measure of credit for his decision to indefinitely suspend Jones; however, like I said, it was a no-brainer and I think it's imprudent to praise a leader for making the obvious decision one week later than he should have.

Roger Goodell Has No Spine

There are a few truths that we hold to be self-evident.

• The Detroit Lions is the worst franchise in the NFL
• Unless handed a no-brainer pick, the Sonics/Thunder will draft a project power forward/center
• The Cubs will always disappoint
• Tom Brady is one good looking dude
• The voice of DJ Khaled should be added to the Geneva Conventions' interpretation of what consistutes torture

Here's another one: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has no spine.

Yeah, I went there. Many feel strongly that Adam "Pacman" Jones should not have been reinstated for his repeated indiscretions and would not have been reinstated unless he played for the NFL's most marketable franchise, the Dallas Cowboys. Meanwhile, not only has Jones been reinstated since becoming a member of the Dallas Cowboys, he is back in the news this week for getting into a fight with the team-issued bodyguard. Not surprisingly, Mr. Win At All Costs himself, Jerry Jones, has come out already and stated that the other Jones will not be suspended by the team. Ironically enough, or not so much at all, #1 cornerback Terrence Newman had surgery to repair a tear in his groin muscle and will be out for approximately a month. To date, there has been no suspension from the Commissioner's office for a player who was granted reinstatement on the assumption that no funny business would be tolerated. I wonder what Odell Thurman thinks about that.

While I understand that the Commissioner's office has to do its due diligence in any investigation of wrongdoing, it has acted swiftly in other matters that involved franchises of lesser stature (see the Cincinnati Bengals). Need I mention Spygate and which franchise was involved? Some have argued that the stripping of New England's first-round pick was an enormous penalty and that Goodell could not have taken away the 7th pick New England held which they acquired via trade from San Francisco for the rights to Joe Staley. My response ... he's the Commissioner and he can take away whatever he wishes. If he wishes.

At the end of the day, it's easy to come down hard on franchises that have more arrests than wins. It's a low risk, high reward situation for Goodell. When he came down hard on recidivists like Odell Thurman or Chris Henry, he was applauded by many for rooting out the bad behavior that his predecessor addressed with less purported ferocity.

In the case of the Commissioner addressing indiscretions coming from "America's Team" or the only team to win three Super Bowls this decade, it has to be considered high risk and medium (at best) reward. By coming down hard on the league's most valuable franchises, Goodell would be biting the proverbial hand that feeds him. Unfortunately, in the case of Roger Goodell, biting the hand that feeds him precedes doing what is right and what is consistent with his mission of improving player conduct in the NFL.

For those reasons, Roger Goodell is spineless and fits in pretty well with his political equivalents in Washington. What Goodell needs to do is to shape up and make decisions based on what is right for the league rather than making inconsistent judgments based on the ideals of self preservation.

Tuesday FourCast: Week 3

Clement is always a tough act to follow. The guy just has a knack for analyzing what happens on the field/court/rink/pitch/etc. Now it's my turn, and I do my analysis like I like my football games...UGLY!!! Week 3 had its shares of ups and downs, but I decided the bigger stories were more interesting to me.

Without much further ado...here's your Tuesday FourCast


#1. The Bane of Their Existence

How fitting is it that the team to end the New England Patriots' 21-game regular season winning streak would be the Miami Dolphins? The Curse of the '72 Dolphins persists. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Somebody has to shut those geezers up, and stop those corks from popping. I am not a fan of the Pats, but would have been fine if they put a cork in those geezers last year. Regardless of who is playing QB, nobody expected a 38-13 drubbing. But, is that what this team has become without Brady? Sure, they didn't have Maroney, but what does Maroney mean to that team anyway? He's been highly replaceable in my opinion. Would last year's Patriots have given up 4 TDs on the same gimmick play? Is Randy Moss giving up on another team? Charlie Casserly seems to be alluding to that. Regardless, we saw something that none would have dreamed while watching the Patriots tear through the league last season. The Foxboro faithful booed their own team.


#2. Al Davis and His Red Kimono

In Japan, by the time man reaches the age of 60, he is commemorated with a special ceremony. This ceremony features the man wearing a red kimono, which denotes that he no longer has the responsibilities of being a mature adult. Al Davis has been wearing a proverbial red kimono for some time now. The whole Lane Kiffin situation is nauseating. What self-respecting coach with any kind of experience would consider "coaching" the team under Al Davis? Kiffin is part of a long line of coaches that Al Davis has walked all over, dating at least back to when Shanahan was there. Davis owns a team that acts just as juvenile as he does. He breeds an environment for immaturity. The Raiders Culture is no longer a bunch of players who intimidate the other team on the field. They are now a team of individuals who do whatever they want at the detriment of the team. The latest, a Davis confidant John Herrera, showed those that saw the post-game video how despicable of a person he is. I say they parade him around the sidelines in Al's Red Kimono the rest of the season, before firing him.


#3. Jerrah and his Blue Storm

Switching from Al Davis to the owner that I respect the most in the NFL. Jerry Jones may be a meddlesome owner, but he knows his football. He's one of the better GMs in the league, and could probably head to the sidelines and coach that team. Jerrah is everything Al Davis tries to be (while failing miserably). He also deserves a ton of credit (so does Tuna) for having the best team on the field every Sunday. And yes, that is the most painful thing for a Redskins fan to say. The makeup of this team has championship written all over it. Now if they can just win their first playoff game in over a decade. Franchise QB, check. One-Two Punch at RB, check. Star Receivers, check. All-Star Offensive Line, check. Their offense has put up 96 points in the first three games. The defensive front seven is stacked like a 3-4 defense should be, with a slew of gutsy linemen and talented backers. The defensive backs are so deep with starting caliber talent that they can adjust to any team's style. Some haters will point to the players with unattractive character, but they forget the guys that are good influences on the team (Tony Romo, Flozell Adams, Zach Thomas, Ken Hamlin). Watching them pound the Packers this week cemented my feelings about the Cowboys. While I don't see them matching the regular season of the 2007 Patriots, I can easily see this team making another addition to the team's Lombardi Trophy case.


#4. The Bane of Their OWN Existence

Some are pointing to the St. Louis Rams as being the worst team in the NFL. However, I believe the owner of that title belongs to the Detroit Lions. I especially loved William Clay Ford, Jr. coming out and saying his father should fire Matt Millen so that the team can reach some level of success. No truer words have been spoken. The Lions are 31-84 under Millen. The bye week couldn't have come at a better time, because they go on the road in week 5, where Millen's road record is 8-49. While St. Louis is 0-3, they played teams like Philly, the Giants and the Seahawks (two playoff teams and a team that's playing like they're playoff bound). The Lions on the other hand have played two weak teams (Atlanta & San Fran), made them look good and have given up 113 points after 3 games. Their running game is in shambles, Kitna keeps putting the team in a bad situation by claiming they're going to win 10 games every year (giving other teams the motivation to shellack them), the offensive line, as talented as the individuals are, can't put it all together for an entire game, and the defense isn't playing with much heart outside of the LB corps. Management needs to show Millen the door. Not just for his mistakes, but also to give the team a fresh start from the top. The team may even need a fresh start from the coaching staff that runs the team more like a boot camp. Either way, it will be a long season for the Lions, and they may be looking at the #1 pick in the draft.