Goodell Flunks First Major Test
September 14th, 2007 | by Kevin Morris |
By Bernie Miklasz
Friday, Sep. 14 2007
I had great hopes for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. But with his remarkably lenient ruling on the Bill Belichick videotape cheating case, Goodell failed to take tough action.
And the timidity raises serious questions as to whether Goodell is willing to stand up to powerful NFL owners and iconic figures like Belichick.
Goodell has tried to be the law-and-order commissioner by coming down hard on players for their off-field conduct. But when Goodell had an opportunity to forcefully protect the competitive integrity of the game, and punish Belichick and the Patriots in a way that would have sent a resounding message to the fans, owners, coaches and players, The Commissioner eased up.
Goodell sent the wrong message instead: the league has double standards for imposing standards of conduct. If you are a player, who misbehaves away from an NFL stadium, Goodell will show no mercy. But if you are a powerful coach who works for an NFL-insider owner (Bob Kraft), and you get caught in the act of cheating in a way that directly corrupts the foundation of fair play in competition, then Goodell will cut you a break.
You don’t want to be Pacman Jones in Goodell’s league.
It’s much better to be Bill Belichick.
Say this for Goodell: he realizes who pays his salary. He works for the owners.
Fining Belichick $500,000, or about 12.5 percent of his coaching salary, really doesn’t amount to much because Belichick will recoup that, and then some, in his next contract.
Goodell also fined the Pats a quarter-million dollars (big deal) and will take a No. 1 draft choice away from the Patriots in the 2008 draft. But that’s only if they make the playoffs this season. If they don’t, then they have to sacrifice lesser picks (a second rounder and a third rounder).
So even when he seems to be bringing the hammer down, Goodell is actually hedging and is willing to soften the blow. Besides, New England has two No. 1 picks in its possession for the 2008 draft. Losing one is hardly debilitating.
The Patriots will be in the playoffs. Belichick will see to that, by any means necessary. If Goodell really wanted to punish Belichick, there was only one way to do it: ban Belichick from coaching. Suspend him for at least several games. That would impact the Patriots more severely than a fine or loss of a draft pick. By allowing Belichick to keep coaching without interruption, Goodell allows the Patriots to move forward through the final 15 regular-season games and postseason, slowed by no penalty. They’re whole. They are completely intact. Their season goals are unaffected. They still have everything they need to win a Super Bowl, and winning is everything to Belichick. Goodell gave Belichick the freedom to do the only thing that fulfills him, and that’s coach. Belichick can live with any other sanction.
Actually, Belichick will be able to use this to his advantage. Since he’ll be allowed to coach he can use this episode as maximum motivational material for his team. He will be able to spin this in team meetings that the NFL is out to get the Patriots. Belichick will cultivate an us-against-the-world mentality that usually works well with players. So in a roundabout way, Goodell did Belichick a favor.
When Goodell recently suspended Dallas assistant coach Wade Wilson for five games and fined him $100,000 for using the banned substance HGH to treat diabetes, Goodell made the statement that coaches must be held to a higher standard.
So let me see if I understand: if you take a substance (albeit illegal) to remedy a health concern in your private life away from football, that warrants a five-game suspension - but when Belichick ignores league warnings and arrogantly continues to cheat in a desire to rig games to his advantage, there’s no suspension? And that’s holding Belichick to a higher standard? How?
Unbelievable. Goodell is willing to bully a harmless NFL assistant, but he wouldn’t take on Belichick.
And Belichick’s reaction only served to make Goodell appear even weaker. Belichick basically gave Goodell a backhand slap by showing no repentance. Belichick issued a statement in which he said he was sorry - but not to those he victimized. Belichick also seemed to try to justify the cheating by chalking it up to a misinterpretation of the rules.
Goodell let Belichick off easy, and that only emboldened the coach to make a snotty statement and deflect the charges.
Maybe if Goodell tells Belichick he’s sorry, Belichick will send the Commissioner one of those famous hooded sweatshirts.
And as a reward for issuing a light sentence, maybe Belichick will even autograph the hoodie for Roger.
