Each week sports reporters Matthew Lambert and Sam Thiel will face off on a hot topic in sports. The world of sports is changing quickly and constantly, but we want to slow it down and take a better look at the juiciest gossip, scandal, rumor or issue that is making headlines this week. Lambert and Thiel will take different sides and battle it out, telling you why you they are right.
This week’s topic: Deflategate scandal
On Sept. 3rd New York Judge Richard Berman ruled in favor of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, ending his four-game suspension for his alleged role in the Deflategate scandal. This week, Matthew Lambert and Sam Thiel voice their opinions about Roger Goodell’s actions as commissioner. Let’s talk about it… (Recap by Sam Thiel)
Sam Thiel/Winonan
Roger Goodell has endured a lot as NFL Commissioner. Since becoming the league’s top man in 2006, Goodell has handled numerous scandals such as Bountygate, Spygate and most recently, Deflategate.
Deflategate occurred after reports surfaced about the air pressure in the footballs being used during the AFC Championship game between the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots.
In May, Goodell suspended Patriots quarterback Tom Brady for the first four games of the 2015 NFL season, for his part in the alleged scandal. The scandal was moved to federal court and on Sept. 3, Judge Richard Berman reversed Brady’s suspension on the grounds that “…the requisites of fairness and due process” were missing, according to the NFL.
Goodell has screwed up, multiple times. As a result, my trust level with Goodell has gone down immensely. His actions and the way he has handled these scandals throughout the last few years have been inexplicable.
But he has done a few memorable things as commissioner. He restored the Pro Bowl Game’s integrity and what it means to be a Pro Bowler. He’s made tremendous progress with the number of concussions in the game, which has become arguably the number one problem in sports. Finally, Goodell has expanded the aspect of international appeal in the NFL.
Despite all of these good things, unfortunately for Goodell, the bad things have outweighed the good. Goodell needs to walk away from the game before he does something regrettable and ends up ruining the image of football forever.
Matthew Lambert/Winonan
Another day, another Roger Goodell mishap. After Deflategate was settled in court with Tom Brady able to play in the season opener, this mishap is a little larger than his usual problems. For example, putting together the worst CBA deal in NFL history, the handling of domestic abuse, Bountygate and Spygate. Ironically, Spygate has a strong relation to the latest escapade.
For those unaware what Spygate is, Eric Mangini, the former coach of the New York Jets, accused the Patriots of spying on their practices. After finding clear cut evidence that the Patriots organization and head coach Bill Belichick did spy on them, the NFL decided to only hand out fines to both Belichick and the Patriots while also taking their first-round pick for that years draft.
Goodell was then rumored to have been trying to help his friend, Patriots owner Rober Kraft, by only giving out a minimal fine. With Kraft turning the other way and the NFL taking hits on a weekly basis, Goodell’s days are numbered.
I’ve never been a fan of Goodell. He makes an outrageous amount of money and hires crooked “independent investigators.”
The NFL spent more time investigating the Super Bowl champs for deflating footballs in the AFC championship game than they have for all of the violence cases last season.
At the end of it all, no one will remember the ball boys deflating the footballs. No one will remember how long it took to hand down the ruling. No one will remember Tom Brady for being linked to deflating footballs rather for being a Hall of Fame underdog who made the Patriots a contender every year he played in the NFL.
What I will remember are the ridiculous suspensions and a commissioner who cared more about himself than the league he served. It’s time to give up Goodell. Resign while you still have the chance.
