Stance on Goodell

[broncolee]

he just isnt a very good commissioner. all h cares about is the financial side of the nfl.

The safety of players affects the financial side of the NFL.

He has a responsibility to reduce the liability of the NFL.

He could probably tweak things to address this issue better but he has to reduce the NFL's exposure to lawsuits.

It's bad enough that former players are already suing. He has to prevent future lawsuits from happening.

The NFL is so big that only the NFL can take down the NFL and one way for that to happen is suffer bad PR over a long time regarding the safety of the game.

If they don't improve the safety of the game, mothers will eventually refuse to let their sons play the game.

[Bronco_Armada]

Goodell is hurting the nature of the game.

Goodell is doing what he has to do to protect his position, owners, players and the league.

Once upon a time college football was almost banned because it was too dangerous.

If comes the time where you start to see a lot of retired player with brain damage to any degree more than likely you will start to see a government intervention to protect the safety of the players or ban it all together. More or less this whole issue of excessive safety is a preemptive strike.

His decisions are to prevent public backlash, high paid, high profile players who make teams and the league money and lawsuits. It's a catch 22.

http://www.theodoreroosevelt.org/kidscorner/football.htm

http://www.leatherhelmetillus.com/forward_pass.html

http://symonsez.wordpress.com/2010/10/10/when-a-president-threatened-to-abolish-football-in-the-united-states/

[Oilersfan34]

So easy to fix the issue.

Adopt the Rugby tackling rule.

In rugby it is ILLEGAL to not attempt to wrap an opponent when making a tackle. No shoulder charges (if its bad enough it will get you kicked out of the game) are allowed either is just slamming into a player.

Or take face masks away from the players. You want to make someone tackle the right way....make sure they dont have their face protected. That will eliminate smashing headlong into another human being.

The problem is the "safety" you feel when your head is encased in plastic.

[RockyMtnConvert]

Many people (fans) believe that Roger Goodell is ruining the game, by fining and suspending players for illegal hits. The cliche statement, as it goes, is "IT'S FOOTBALL!"

I'll be the first to say that I was on this bandwagon a year or two ago, but recently, I started thinking to myself: Is Goodell not doing what's RIGHT for the game? There have been numerous lawsuits against the NFL by former players whom suffered multiple concussions and weren't given proper treatment, leaving them with permanent damage.

How would you feel if your Grandchild's name slipped your mind and you couldn't remember momentarily? How would you feel if you got migranes in the middle of the night because you were okay'ed by the medical staff to go back in the game?

Goodell is taking care of these players, and I think it's time for the fans to appreciate that.

There is now research and scientific evidence to suggest blows to head cause irrepreable harm to the brain... with that evidence in hand, Goodell would be almost negligent to do nothing to try and mitigate the head hits and putting players back in the game before they are medical able to do so.

It is still a brutal sport, a shoulder to the chest, for me, it just as good a viscious hit with the crown of the helmet...

[BroncoooJohnson]

So easy to fix the issue.

Adopt the Rugby tackling rule.

In rugby it is ILLEGAL to not attempt to wrap an opponent when making a tackle. No shoulder charges (if its bad enough it will get you kicked out of the game) are allowed either is just slamming into a player.

Or take face masks away from the players. You want to make someone tackle the right way....make sure they dont have their face protected. That will eliminate smashing headlong into another human being.

The problem is the "safety" you feel when your head is encased in plastic.

Not a good rule, IMO. If you want to shoulder bump (really damn hard) your opponent, you should be able to if there is no head contact.

Joe Pa suggested the face mask rule, but that does nothing to prevent concussions when somebody DOES get hit in the face, by a shoulder pad, knee, or anything else, it just enforces a rule. But you already stated this, so no argument here.

[LSIGRAD09]

I like Mr. Goodell.

Sure, football isn't necessarily as hard core and brutal as it used to be, but if you look at some of the guys nowadays, they are messed up.

I accept the argument that guys today are bigger, faster, and stronger, that has to be accounted for, otherwise, guys would get killed.

There are still plenty of big hits to be had.
(Some rules are extravagant...such as nearly brushing a top QB's knee...)

Game is not broken right now, Goodell is doing fine, imho.

[uncoalum]

I am not a fan of Goodell. I don't think he is doing what is best for the game. I think he just power hungry and that is all he cares about. But I also do not like David Stern or Bud Selig. I think both of them have also ruined their respective games and are nothing but power-hungry egos.

I think it is time for all major sports to make a change at commissioner.

[theMileHighGuy]

Big hits were a big part of what made football great, and think about pump up videos. Soon they are going to have highlights of guys doing form tackles.

Hey, if we can get those videos to our secondary I'm all for it!

Goodell has his and the NFL's best interests in mind. The safety rules are to ensure the star players stay on the field, and that's it.

[JW7]

Hey, if we can get those videos to our secondary I'm all for it!

Goodell has his and the NFL's best interests in mind. The safety rules are to ensure the star players stay on the field, and that's it.

I disagree. Steve Young is the only player that comes to mind when thinking about hard hits ending a career. I guess Aikman as well. Goodell only cares about what is going to make the NFL the most money. Hard hits are going to happen regardless of what infractions Goodell hands down. It's the nature of the game. Helmet to helmet hits will always happen. The only way to ensure a safer game is to put flags around the players waists and change the game to 7 on 7 drills. Players are too fast and play too hard to avoid vicious hits. His ploy to try and make the game "safer" is only to cover up his real motives of adding two more games thus increasing revenue.