Can Goodell's action be defended?

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

I believe Goodell is doing what any COO would do, doing what it takes to protect the integrity of the product. Left undisciplined, the natural tendency of many of the players would be to turn the NFL into the NBA of a few years ago, with thugs-a-plenty, or the NHL. I think viewership suffered in both instances when thugs roamed the land. In that sense, he's acting as a responsible agent of the owners.

The real challenge for Goodell and the owners is if, even after all this, players decide to ignore this warning shot across the bow. I don't think Goodell has anything else in his arsenal that would get the job done without creating a labor relations nuclear wasteland that would ultimately lower viewership - exactly what he was trying to avoid in the first place.

It's a difficult line to walk. Unfortunately for Ben, I think he is paying the price as the head on the pike to warn others to "stay away" from that kind of behaviour.

On second thought, maybe it's the best thing that could ever happen to Ben - a look from the edge into the abyss, and a then a fairy tale 2nd chance to change. Let's hope he takes it ...

[feltdizz]

Re: Can Goodell's action be defended?

Goodell isn't hurting viewership. The players who hurt the leagues image hurt viewership. Everyone screams they will sell tickets or stop watching but I think they are full of it. Even if they sell their ticketsall they are doing is giving another fan a chance to experience the game live.

Ben isn't a Goodell example... he is the latest NFL star to get punished for conduct unbecoming a football player. Hopefully he will stay away from places or women who will try to take advantage of the big target he has on his back

[ikestops85]

Re: Can Goodell's action be defended?

Goodell isn't hurting viewership. The players who hurt the leagues image hurt viewership. Everyone screams they will sell tickets or stop watching but I think they are full of it. Even if they sell their ticketsall they are doing is giving another fan a chance to experience the game live.

Ben isn't a Goodell example... he is the latest NFL star to get punished for conduct unbecoming a football player. Hopefully he will stay away from places or women who will try to take advantage of the big target he has on his back

I've never heard another person say they aren't going to watch a sport because the players are out of control. Did some say the NBA was filled with thugs? Hell yes ... but they watched anyway and attendance and tv viewership was never higher.

Football is the most popular sport in the country right now and the actions of Pac-man or TO or Brandon Marshall or Ben won't make a difference. What will take football down is if they have a work stoppage. Watching millionaires fight has a way of turning fans away. We put up with the outrageous ticket prices, PSL's, $8 beers, subsidized stadiums with our tax money, and so many commercials it's a wonder viewers don't fall asleep. Any type of strike or lockout will have the same affect on football that it did on baseball. Baseball was crippled for a number of years and still hasn't regained the popularity it once had. I hope this doesn't happen to football.

As for Goodell ... well I can only say I understand what he is trying to do so I will give him an A for effort but a D for execution. His penalties have been all over the board and have no consistency. He sweeps violations by ownerships under the carpet while he himself makes player conduct a media event.

Hawaiiansteel posted a great [url=http://www.planetsteelers.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11721]article[/url] by Joe Starkey on the subject. I feel Goodell has over-stepped his bounds on Ben's case and he also threaten Ben that if he fights the punishment he could make it more severe. To me that was a stupid thing to put in writing and that is my problem with Goodell. I don't think he is that bright.

[Sugar]

Re: Can Goodell's action be defended?

Goodell isn't hurting viewership. The players who hurt the leagues image hurt viewership. Everyone screams they will sell tickets or stop watching but I think they are full of it. Even if they sell their ticketsall they are doing is giving another fan a chance to experience the game live.

Ben isn't a Goodell example... he is the latest NFL star to get punished for conduct unbecoming a football player. Hopefully he will stay away from places or women who will try to take advantage of the big target he has on his back

I've never heard another person say they aren't going to watch a sport because the players are out of control. Did some say the NBA was filled with thugs? Hell yes ... but they watched anyway and attendance and tv viewership was never higher.

Football is the most popular sport in the country right now and the actions of Pac-man or TO or Brandon Marshall or Ben won't make a difference. What will take football down is if they have a work stoppage. Watching millionaires fight has a way of turning fans away. We put up with the outrageous ticket prices, PSL's, $8 beers, subsidized stadiums with our tax money, and so many commercials it's a wonder viewers don't fall asleep. Any type of strike or lockout will have the same affect on football that it did on baseball. Baseball was crippled for a number of years and still hasn't regained the popularity it once had. I hope this doesn't happen to football.

As for Goodell ... well I can only say I understand what he is trying to do so I will give him an A for effort but a D for execution. His penalties have been all over the board and have no consistency. He sweeps violations by ownerships under the carpet while he himself makes player conduct a media event.

Hawaiiansteel posted a great [url=http://www.planetsteelers.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11721]article[/url] by Joe Starkey on the subject. I feel Goodell has over-stepped his bounds on Ben's case and he also threaten Ben that if he fights the punishment he could make it more severe. To me that was a stupid thing to put in writing and that is my problem with Goodell. I don't think he is that bright.

Well stated!

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Re: Can Goodell's action be defended?

I believe that Goodell was walking a fine line with this suspension, and that it was handled differently than any other.

First off, you had the team owner say before the punishment was handed down that he is consulting with the commissioner on it. You also had complete contrition from both the player and the owner.

IMO This was as much a team suspension as a league one. They worked together and kept Ben in the loop along the way to hand down a penalty that nobody involved fought.

I also find it quite funny that they word the suspension as "a 6 game suspension that may be reduced to 4" as opposed to "a 4 game suspension to be reviewed following mandatory counseling".

[Northern_Blitz]

Re: Can Goodell's action be defended?

I believe that Goodell was walking a fine line with this suspension, and that it was handled differently than any other.

First off, you had the team owner say before the punishment was handed down that he is consulting with the commissioner on it. You also had complete contrition from both the player and the owner.

IMO This was as much a team suspension as a league one. They worked together and kept Ben in the loop along the way to hand down a penalty that nobody involved fought.

I also find it quite funny that they word the suspension as "a 6 game suspension that may be reduced to 4" as opposed to "a 4 game suspension to be reviewed following mandatory counseling".

The Rooneys said that they were going to suspend him if the NFL didn't. Seems like they are OK with 4-6 games, so I don't think it's unreasonable to say that they would have given him 4 (team max). I think Peter King said that the Steelers wanted it to be done by the league because the most the team could give him was 4, so I think if left to them it would have been the max.

This way, Goodell has made it so that Ben's attonement will be very public (by lowering the suspension to 4 games). Reducing the suspension will make the league and the team look stern but reasonable. And it will help Ben to rebuild his image. And, the suspension won't be longer that what I believe the Rooneys would have given him anyway.

[feltdizz]

Re: Can Goodell's action be defended?

Goodell isn't hurting viewership. The players who hurt the leagues image hurt viewership. Everyone screams they will sell tickets or stop watching but I think they are full of it. Even if they sell their ticketsall they are doing is giving another fan a chance to experience the game live.

Ben isn't a Goodell example... he is the latest NFL star to get punished for conduct unbecoming a football player. Hopefully he will stay away from places or women who will try to take advantage of the big target he has on his back

I've never heard another person say they aren't going to watch a sport because the players are out of control. Did some say the NBA was filled with thugs? Hell yes ... but they watched anyway and attendance and tv viewership was never higher.

Football is the most popular sport in the country right now and the actions of Pac-man or TO or Brandon Marshall or Ben won't make a difference. What will take football down is if they have a work stoppage. Watching millionaires fight has a way of turning fans away. We put up with the outrageous ticket prices, PSL's, $8 beers, subsidized stadiums with our tax money, and so many commercials it's a wonder viewers don't fall asleep. Any type of strike or lockout will have the same affect on football that it did on baseball. Baseball was crippled for a number of years and still hasn't regained the popularity it once had. I hope this doesn't happen to football.

As for Goodell ... well I can only say I understand what he is trying to do so I will give him an A for effort but a D for execution. His penalties have been all over the board and have no consistency. He sweeps violations by ownerships under the carpet while he himself makes player conduct a media event.

Hawaiiansteel posted a great [url=http://www.planetsteelers.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11721]article[/url] by Joe Starkey on the subject. I feel Goodell has over-stepped his bounds on Ben's case and he also threaten Ben that if he fights the punishment he could make it more severe. To me that was a stupid thing to put in writing and that is my problem with Goodell. I don't think he is that bright.

NBA viewership is down and guys are pulling guns on each other in the locker room and fighting fans in the stands. The NBA is a prime example of how players got out of control...
now you have automatic suspensions if a player takes 3 steps off the bench during a fight.

You are free to feel Goodell overstepped his boundaries but did you hear the goons at the NFL draft? "Here we go steelers, she said no!!!"

I'm not saying Ben is guilty of rape... but Ben is guilty of poor judgement that put his name in the news 2 offseasons in a row and both involved women and sexual accusations.

We don't have to like the suspension but I don't think Goodell is randomly handing out a suspension to Ben because he is a Steeler. Most intelligent posters on here knew regardless of charges or conviction a suspension was coming because Ben brought negative media to the NFL and he isn't some no name guy... he is one of the top 10 faces of the NFL.

As far as coaches and owner punishments... who cares? While we want to believe if makes a difference no amount of money or drafts picks will have an instant impact on a team like a player suspension and it won't give fans the blood they think they deserve. Draft picks being taken away could hurt a team "the next year" but if that team trades up they are right back where they started.

I think player suspensions is a fair argument but coaches and owners? Not going to have the same impact IMO..