Is Roger Goodell Good For the NFL?

Personally I think more padding is just window dressing and doesn't do much to prevent head injuries. You could wrap guys in bubble wrap, but if they crash into each other with enough force the brain is going to get jarred no matter what you do. So the most logical thing to do is reduce (or eventually eliminate) some of the plays where the highest speed collisions take place.

I am surprised they don't make mouth guards mandatory though. I know in high school we had to wear them. I'm not sure what research says about them reducing head injuries though. I think I remember reading the conclusions are mixed.

Studies I read regarding mouthguards about ten years ago were inconclusive with regard to their ability to mitigate concussions. However, there were no data to suggest that using a mouthguard increased the likelihood of a concussion. So, high schools in most places mandated their use.

From safety perspective: Yes

From fan perspective: No


We as fans don't care about the players safety. We just want to be entertained.

Eh, I care about players safety and agree with say the horsecollar rule. But the kickoff rule is flat out horrible because your messing with the strategy of the game way too much. Kickoffs help a team get back in the game and give advantages to the dynamic of how certain teams are built. U have essentially killed a dynamic of the game you cant make up for. Guys are going to get hurt period in this game.

Something else i care about when in regards to fan safety is:

a) Im not trying to get shot in a parking lot of a stadium

b) Im not trying to test the law of Darwin survival of the fittest while attending a game in reference to the fights

Where the f*ck is the Commish on this?

Yet - - he manages to keep his job...


How can he possibly do that? Does he have some mass hypnotic powers over all of the owners and the players union and only you are immune to them?

Again I believe the question posed by the op and what I am answering to (and what most besides you are answering to) is “is roger goodell for the nfl…. the sport” not is he good for the business. Roger was elected by the owners, his interests are intrinsically in line with the owners. Theres very little players or the players union, or as smootsmack pointed out the fans can do, to remove him from power.

So again sure he may be fabulous for the business side of the NFL but in my opinion, humble and somehow immune and irrelevant to his power, think hes bad for the nfl…. the sport. I would also go as far to say that most players, formers players, coaches and fans also think his modifying of the game is also bad for the sport.

Again I believe the question posed by the op and what I am answering to (and what most besides you are answering to) is “is roger goodell for the nfl…. the sport” not is he good for the business. Roger was elected by the owners, his interests are intrinsically in line with the owners. Theres very little players or the players union, or as smootsmack pointed out the fans can do, to remove him from power.

So again sure he may be fabulous for the business side of the NFL but in my opinion, humble and somehow immune and irrelevant to his power, think hes bad for the nfl…. the sport. I would also go as far to say that most players, formers players, coaches and fans also think his modifying of the game is also bad for the sport.

You do understand that Roger Goodell does not - - and cannot - - change any NFL game rules by himself. Not a single one...

Any and all chages to the rules come from a process that includes the Rules Committee (made up of owners, coaches and - - at least in the past - - former players too), followed by approvals of 3/4 of the owners and a concurrence by the NFLPA. There is probably some input here from game officials too regarding the ability to enforce any proposed rule change but I honestly do not know if that is a formal part of the process or just some kind of advisory note from the officials.

So, with regard to his "modifying the game" (your words) by changing the rules of the game to the detriment of the game - - - he didn't do it because he couldn't do it even if he wanted to.

As to how badly most of the players and former players hate him, the current players had their chance to show that about a month ago. They had to vote on the new CBA and in that CBA they would have to live with Roger Goodell as the arbiter of their behavior for the next ten years. Yet the current players voted OVERWHELMINGLY in favor of the CBA - - keeping this guy you assert they hate in charge of them. Or maybe you think that the players were too focused on the "business matters" to worry about how much they dislike the Commish in that vote... If that is the case, then maybe the emphasis that the owners and players have put on "business matters" might convince you as a fan that the "business matters" are pretty damned important...

As to how much the coaches hate him for meddling with the game, it is a highly prized and prestigious assignment for a coach to named to the Rules Committee - - where that coach gets to work with folks in the NFL Front Office including the Commish. I do not know of a single coach in the history of the Rules Committee who has begged off because the Commish was a hateful figure.

Roger Goodell is NOT the person to blame for changing any rule in the NFL just as he is NOT the person to blame for the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008. If you want to blame him for taking a hard line on enforcing rules that have been on the books for a long time and exacting more stern punishments for such violations, you can do that if you want. But that is a far more narrow set of indictments than you have been handing out here.

I think sportscurmudgeon is Roger Goodell. Haha, just kidding -- I don't think I've seen such a dogged defense of any player, coach, owner etc. on this board.

I think sportscurmudgeon is Roger Goodell. Haha, just kidding -- I don't think I've seen such a dogged defense of any player, coach, owner etc. on this board.

Trust me. I could only wish that for one year of my life that I would have made the salary that Roger Goodell makes each and every year.

Trust me. I could only wish that for one year of my life that I would have made the salary that Roger Goodell makes each and every year.

I wish, in the course of my life, I made as much as Goodell makes in a year

THey shoulda tabled that KO rule until im dead.

You do understand that Roger Goodell does not - - and cannot - - change any NFL game rules by himself. Not a single one...

Any and all chages to the rules come from a process that includes the Rules Committee (made up of owners, coaches and - - at least in the past - - former players too), followed by approvals of 3/4 of the owners and a concurrence by the NFLPA. There is probably some input here from game officials too regarding the ability to enforce any proposed rule change but I honestly do not know if that is a formal part of the process or just some kind of advisory note from the officials.

So, with regard to his "modifying the game" (your words) by changing the rules of the game to the detriment of the game - - - he didn't do it because he couldn't do it even if he wanted to.

As to how badly most of the players and former players hate him, the current players had their chance to show that about a month ago. They had to vote on the new CBA and in that CBA they would have to live with Roger Goodell as the arbiter of their behavior for the next ten years. Yet the current players voted OVERWHELMINGLY in favor of the CBA - - keeping this guy you assert they hate in charge of them. Or maybe you think that the players were too focused on the "business matters" to worry about how much they dislike the Commish in that vote... If that is the case, then maybe the emphasis that the owners and players have put on "business matters" might convince you as a fan that the "business matters" are pretty damned important...

As to how much the coaches hate him for meddling with the game, it is a highly prized and prestigious assignment for a coach to named to the Rules Committee - - where that coach gets to work with folks in the NFL Front Office including the Commish. I do not know of a single coach in the history of the Rules Committee who has begged off because the Commish was a hateful figure.

Roger Goodell is NOT the person to blame for changing any rule in the NFL just as he is NOT the person to blame for the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008. If you want to blame him for taking a hard line on enforcing rules that have been on the books for a long time and exacting more stern punishments for such violations, you can do that if you want. But that is a far more narrow set of indictments than you have been handing out here.

Honestly I don’t believe you when you say the NFLPA has to issue a concurrence to “all changes to the rules”. So the NFLPA effectively has presidential veto powers for any and all rule changes? Do you have anything to back that up? But regardless if they do or not as a union the NFLPA’s entertainment/profit seeking goals should be in concert with the NFL’s. A unions job is to protect its constituents not protect the integrity of the game, that job falls on the commissioner of the sport.

Whats up with all this hating (or hatting) Goodell stuff?. I don’t hate anyone, brah. Hate him or love him Goodell is still the one to blame for rule changes in my opinion. Hes the commissioner of the sport. The Rules Committee is making policies through his direction. Goodell has championed all these player safety rules, they are coming from him. If youre saying the disconnect of Roger Goodell and rules in the NFL is comparable to the disconnect to the Lehman collapse then you’ve gone full retard. I don’t know how else to put it.

All im saying is that Roger has, imho, been bad for the NFL as the clear representative of professional football. I think protecting players is just as important as protecting the integrity of the game. I don’t hate Rog or anyone else. I think seeking changes in the protection of players through better safety gear and requirements should be paramount to modifying rules of the game. I think Tagliabue was a better commissioner then Roger and prefer the way he left the game to the changes made since. I guess I just really like the sport of football, but don’t get me wrong I also love entertainment….

Goodell: I don’t want to take away the toughness of the game | ProFootballTalk (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/09/06/goodell-i-dont-want-to-take-away-the-toughness-of-the-game/)

Huh?