Goodell

[CrackerDog]

He's certainly handed out more big suspensions during his terms than anyone on record. I guess here's how I see the good and the bad...

 

Good

 

Got a long term collective bargaining agreement with the players that puts a little more balance in the negotiations between teams and players.

 

Seems to have gotten players attentions with all of the suspensions. I'd say the league has cleaned up its act pretty well. Obviously there's always going to be issues just like anywhere in society but overall, I'd say the douche quotient in the league is down from when he took over.

 

Set aside more money for retired players via the last deal.

 

Is dealing with the concussion problem better than anyone before him.

 

Games on 3 night a week! Thursday, Sunday and Monday. The more the better, IMO.

 

Bad

 

Personal gripe, I hate the BS rule changes he tests out like the extra point from the 15 yard line. DUMB.

 

I think he's legislating out the violence in the game, thereby changing it, for the worse, forever.

 

He screwed up on the Spygate thing. I think the Pats should've had those championships reviewed and taken away much like we've seen in college ball.

 

In opening the can of worms regarding older players and injury settlements, he's succeeded in possibly having even more lawsuits hammer the league. Listen, I love Jimmy Mac and it's tragic what's happening to him, but I don't think he deserves a dime of compensation for his situation. Every player in the league knows injuries are going to happen and that constant blows to the head aren't good for the brain. This isn't news.

 

OK, that say you? I'll probably think of ten more on my home from work today...

[madlithuanian]

Total mixe3d bag. What I don't like is that he's inconsistent.

 

He plays super hardass for some, and not for others. If he were hardass across the board, I'd have little issue. At least you knew where he stands and all are treated the same.

 

I hate the rule tweaks too. I'm just old school. I think the Ep will go. The thing I've heard that I could live with is a TC is 7 points. However, if you so deem you want to go for it for a conversion, you get the ball on the 5 (I think that's what I heard)...if you make it you get an extra (so 8 total), and if you miss, you lose a pointe (you get 6). It simply takes out the ep. FG's would still come into play. Fantasy values for kickers would lessen even more!

 

He's certainly handed out more big suspensions during his terms than anyone on record. I guess here's how I see the good and the bad...

 

Good

 

Got a long term collective bargaining agreement with the players that puts a little more balance in the negotiations between teams and players.

 

Seems to have gotten players attentions with all of the suspensions. I'd say the league has cleaned up its act pretty well. Obviously there's always going to be issues just like anywhere in society but overall, I'd say the douche quotient in the league is down from when he took over.

 

Set aside more money for retired players via the last deal.

 

Is dealing with the concussion problem better than anyone before him.

 

Games on 3 night a week! Thursday, Sunday and Monday. The more the better, IMO.

 

Bad

 

Personal gripe, I hate the BS rule changes he tests out like the extra point from the 15 yard line. DUMB.

 

I think he's legislating out the violence in the game, thereby changing it, for the worse, forever.

 

He screwed up on the Spygate thing. I think the Pats should've had those championships reviewed and taken away much like we've seen in college ball.

 

In opening the can of worms regarding older players and injury settlements, he's succeeded in possibly having even more lawsuits hammer the league. Listen, I love Jimmy Mac and it's tragic what's happening to him, but I don't think he deserves a dime of compensation for his situation. Every player in the league knows injuries are going to happen and that constant blows to the head aren't good for the brain. This isn't news.

 

OK, that say you? I'll probably think of ten more on my home from work today...

 

[BearFan2000]

For me the top of my list is what Mad pointed about inconsistent. Whether its suspension, or fines.

 

 

When it comes to fines; we've all seen plays that later earned a fine but when there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the amounts (ie. an accidental helmet to helmet or play where the defender couldn't have avoided has seen fines bigger than plays where the player clearly took a shot intentionally, etc.) There's simply no consistency on what action constitutes what dollar amount fine. Almost like he approaches each situation as if it's the first one he's seen and forgets the context or any other infractions similar or different. Also think they are too quick to slap a fine. When you watch a replay in super slow motion from your easy chair, you lose perspective of the context of that play or the live speed of it. I don't feel he takes into account the entire play, the actions of both the "offender" and the "victim." IMHO a defender who's momentum is carrying him towards the ball carrier and his intent is to hit/tackle said ball carrier as per his JOB and the ballcarrier changes his body position and the defenders helmet then strikes where he didn't intend to. It's a a penalty and a fine. I'd be like saying every time someone is rear ended it's 100% the fault of the person who struck the driver in front of them. Even if the driver in front of them made an action to cause that accident. Basically when you are inconsistent, your players have a vague idea of what's acceptable and what's not despite what they "officially" hear. Your accidental play in essence may draw a higher fine than an out right dirty one.

 

Also what Mad said about being a hard ass on some but not others. There are players who are repeat offenders who over and over again make dirty plays, dirty hits, cheap shots, and some like Merriwether after the skins game last year who was originally to be suspended 4 games, joked about this kind of thing and his suspension is reduced to two games. Suh.... nuf said. There are players that the league has to know are dirty, but because they bring money to the game let them continue to play. While other less marquee players do not get that benefit and are made examples of. The league sells and markets itself on big hits on Sunday but fines those players for the hits the following week.

 

The tinkering with rules is something that is not Goodell's alone but the competition committee's but he does have a big influence on the areas of rule changes, points of emphasis, etc. During his time here Defenders have become more and more handcuffed on what they can do or can't do. They are over-penalized for actions they sometimes have no control over. Making a dumb play and drawing a PF is on the player and is deserved but when physics causes a play that the defender couldn't anticipate in real game speed. I'd be like saying every time someone is rear ended it's 100% the fault of the person who struck the driver in front of them. Even if the driver in front of them made an action to cause that accident. The rule changes, and points of emphasis overwhelmingly have and continue to benefit the offense because points = ratings. Look at all the laundry this preseason most games I've watched are hard to watch, because there seems to be a flag thrown on every play, in some cases resulting in teams offenses have 2, 3 and even 4 shots when they should have been punting or kicking a fg on some very ticky tack calls. I think if they are going to call some of these things tighter like illegal contact, defensive holding, etc then perhaps they should also review the results of those penalties and asses which ones should in fact reward a fresh set of downs. If this preseason is any indication on how the regular season will be this game may become unwatchable. It's also inconsistent from team to team, player to player, and even within a game. Personally if there is going to be more laundry on the field then perhaps looking to allowing some drive/game changing penalties to be challengeable. IMHO these miss calls on key plays that change momentum, or kill it are every bit as impactful to the game's outcome as watching super slow motion to see if a receiver's foot touched the out of bounds line on a TD catch, or when the ball came out on a fumble, etc.

 

Overall I'd say since he took over the quality of the game has lessened and certain aspects of the game have become an out right joke. It's clear his goal is higher scoring games because he sees that as making the game more appealing to new audiences. Those of us who are old school and appreciate the drama, and excitement of a hard fought lower scoring game. What he's turning this game into is a more like arena league. I for one can only stomach so much of that.