Awful: Roger Goodell Asks Fans to Side Against NFL Players
Leave it to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to end a thrilling NFL regular season on a sour, ugly note. As football fans, sports radio devotees, and chat-room obsessives gathered Monday to discuss the playoff seedings, Goodell issued an ill-timed letter laying out the state of negotiations with the NFL Players Association. Both sides are striving to secure a new collective bargaining agreement and avoid labor Armageddon, but based on Goodell's letter, that's where the similarities end.
In the letter, Goodell seems to be following a tried and true strategy: blame the union and sow resentment between the fans and the players they pay to watch. But in taking a closer look at his musty missive, Goodell also establishes himself as a stalking horse for a broader, systemic strategy being used by governors and captains of industry across the country. It’s a strategy that for all the focus-tested language has one end-goal: getting workers to work harder for less.
- First, blame the economy: Goodell writes: “Economic conditions… have changed dramatically inside and outside the NFL since 2006 when we negotiated the last CBA. A 10 percent unemployment rate hurts us all. Fans have limited budgets and rightly want the most for their money. I get it.” Does he get it? There is nothing about lowering prices for tickets, concessions, or parking. Instead he goes on to blame the greedy unions for making decent wages and benefits as the reason why there may be no football in 2011. As Goodell writes, “Yes, NFL players deserve to be paid well. Unfortunately, economic realities are forcing everyone to make tough choices and the NFL is no different.” This is the sporting version of something far broader and more pernicious as public sector workers are becoming the Willie Hortons of our economy. They have become the 2011 scapegoat of choice as politicians impose the coming austerity. AFSCME has even started a campaign called "No More Lies" to counter the myths of the greedy unionists destroying state budgets.
- Goodell goes on to lay out his vision for a brighter future. This brighter future includes players not only playing for less but also working more. As Goodell writes, “An enhanced season of 18 regular season and two preseason games would not add a single game for the players collectively, but would give fans more meaningful, high-quality football.” Then without irony and with no transition, Goodell leaps right into his deep care and concern for players’ health, writing, “Our emphasis on player health and safety is absolutely essential to the future of our game.” Yes, play longer but nothing is more essential than the health of the players. As Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward said in comments aimed at Goodell, "If you were so concerned about the safety, why are you adding two more games? They don't care about the safety of the game.... They’re hypocrites."
- Then Goodell goes after the salaries of rookies, calling for a “rookie pay scale.” He writes, “All we're asking for is a return to common sense in paying our rookies. Other leagues have done this and we can too.” This is also ridiculous if not immoral. Any sport where each play can be your last, should reject any notion of a pay scale. Players in this most violent of games should be able to make as much as the market will bear and not a penny less.
Goodell finally ends with some blather about wanting to achieve this kind of “forward looking CBA” and “protecting the integrity of the game.” But there is no integrity in Goodell’s vision: only the same blueprint for workers we are seeing across the country: work more, take less. I am sure that there are many who would read this with little sympathy for NFL players as workers. But please consider: a typical NFL career is three and a half years and as NFL player Scott Fujita said to me, “We’re the only business with a 100% injury rate.” The ratings for the NFL this season have never been higher and no one ever paid hundreds of dollars to see Jerry Jones stalk the sidelines.
But it’s even bigger than all of that. Goodell finishes this ill-timed screed by writing, “This is about more than a labor agreement. It's about the future of the NFL.” It’s also about the future of this country. We are living in a time of severe economic crisis. Whether the bosses or workers are made to pay for this crisis will be decided in battles large and small taking place around the country. But for all of these conflicts, there will be no greater stage or more amplified battleground than that between NFL owners and players. The vast majority of fans have a side in this fight. And it’s not with Roger Goodell.
[Dave Zirin is the author of “Bad Sports: How Owners are Ruining the Games we Love” (Scribner) and just made the new documentary “Not Just a Game.” Receive his column every week by emailing dave@edgeofsports.com. Contact him at edgeofsports@gmail.com.]
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Solution 15%
Now let’s say if Goodell’s commish job gets paid $500,000 per year, which in actuality is a handsome salary for a job in which you simultaneously get to enjoy a great life at the job. Because to say you hate your job now as the commish because of this justifiable pay cut, then why are you even there, ? Because certainly indeed, to make $10 million a year in guaranteed money, which is astronomically more than what most of the players make in guaranteed, is ridiculous and one could argue the Commish is trying to be bigger than the game; when in fact no one really cares about the commish…after all…has anyone ever seen anyone wear a commish jersey? Or is the Commish trading card worth anything? Or perhaps, does anybody’s kid say “daddy, mommy, I want to go watch the commish at the stadium!” …Of course not. So for the commish to make $10 million per year in salary, is trying to be bigger than the game. Therefore, half a million, plus the perks and bonuses, is well suitable for commish, and, OHHHHH…did I mention $500,000 is STILL HIGHER than NFL players minimum wage/base salary! Now that’s definitely fair for the commish.
So now what have you is this….
Jeff Pash’s $1 million per year salary for applying and consulting his law and negotiations knowledge for the NFL, in conjunction with Goodell’s $500,000 a year salary for his highly stressful (lol) Commissioner job, equals $1.5 million per year. That’s a savings of $13.5 from the $15 million waaaaaaay overpaid salaries on behalf of both Goodell and Pash. So now you take this $13.5 million of ridiculously overpaid salary money over the course of 11 years and that gives you $148 million towards the $1 billion they want this year…BOOM…there’s 15% of a major NFL Lockout issue, which is the $1 billion over the top money the owners want, solved, and justifiably so!! And indeed, I know the players would agree with this.
Lastly, and a final message to the players and the NFLPA, beware how quickly and swiftly, without any delay, Goodell’s $10 million and Pash’s $5 million salary get restored once the NFL Lockout is over, much like the insanely inflated gas prices were, and still are, in our ever so freedom of a nation.
Thanks for your patronage. Til next time…be safe and God Bless…E
Solution 15%....
The Commissioner's salary
A.) Ruling the NFL…sounds real stressful Raj ehh?
B.) Commish can do his job waaaaaaaaaaay after the prime age of NFL athletes and for a longer time, and as a matter of fact, its currently happening, without worrying about any concussions, torn ACLs, broken limbs, broken ribs, seeing stars after a hit, being targets of police and society, GETTING FINED, working in cold weather or the rain or snow, etc. etc.
C.) Eating the finest foods and staying in the most luxurious hotels…whewwww…more stress?
D.) Schmoozing with coaches, owners, fans, media , corporate sponsors, etc….hmmmm…rough life I tell ya!
E.) Imposing barbaric and sometimes questionable and arguable fines that many players themselves have been vocal about the inconsistencies of them….rough job imposing fines Raj?
F.) Traveling around to NFL cities and watching games and meeting celebrities….whewwwwww…sounds stressful Raj….maybe one of Ms. Jen Sterger’s friends can give you a massage to relieve that stress?
G.) Being on national TV for the NFL draft and announcing draft picks and meeting future NFL stars….again, sounds like more stress Raj? Ehhh?
H.) Interrogating coaches and players when incidents happen….sounds rough raj!! lol
I.) Enjoy working in a magnificent office in the heart of New York City? Sounds like poverty huh?
J.) Watching reruns of games to impose the actual fines and spot other issues and situations….hmmm…sounds like another tough job requirement.
K.) Being a politician and liaison between the owners and (NFLPA) players…I could see some stress here because I’m sure there’s some lying and jargon going on to the extent where you got to keep your tracks covered. But still…for $10 million a year? Now lets take a closer look at some of the elements behind an NFL’s player’s money and salary…
A.) At any given moment you could die instantly at your place of work. Now thats stressful!!
B.) At any given moment you could sustain a serious injury, torn knee ligament, concussion, etc. Now thats stressful!
C.) At times, you may not see your family, kids, and wife for weeks, or even months. Stress or no stress?
D.) Money is NOT guaranteed!!!
E.) At any given moment you could lose your roster spot, or job. Or speaking in contract terms…get released, and therefore no more money unless you have certain accrued seasons to qualify!
F.) Pressure to win and produce at basically any cost of a player’s health and body
G.) Pressure to win and produce during any type of weather situation. Meanwhile, the Commissioner has a nice high-tech air conditioned, and heated, climate-controlled office(s) with everything at his disposal.
H.) At any given moment you could be paralyzed for life.
I.) Even though the average NFL player makes way less than the Commissioner, the commish’s life is more private, and the player’s life is under way more scrutiny, in which at the end of the day costs the player more in courts, fines, and lawyer fees.
J.) Fines and suspensions from the Commish, which costs more money for the players. How funny is that, a commish who never played the game, is ruling players who know how to play the game at the HIGHEST level known to mankind…what a crazy world we live in!
K.) Nobody fines the commish on his dress code, but he has the right to fine players for their uniform code.
Even though no one is going to the stadium to watch Jeff Pash, and certainly nobody’s kid is going to wear a Jeff Pash jersey, at least Jeff Pash is an attorney and sacrificed himself to go to law school and graduate, and certainly indeed there is a price tag on that. However, he’s still never strapped a helmet on or set foot on a football field, and his job comes with NO life expectancy shortages or violence attached. And furthermore, he could be an attorney for the NFL well into his life as there is really no age limit to concluding a career as an NFL attorney. BUT $5 MILLION A YEAR??? Thats’s ridiculous! I say it’s more like a handsome $1 million dollars a year, plus perks and bonuses, for NFL attorney, and cut his pay by $4 million.
“Hey Pash, $1 million is still 2.5X more than the President of the USA makes. In addition, $1 million per year is more than what 90% of attorneys make WORLDWIDE! And this is with the NFL. And certainly, by all means, it’s a WHOLE lot more than what most NFL players are GUARANTEED to make per year and that come WITH life expectancy shortages and violence attached.”
So $1 million for Pash is reasonably fair, and this ALL comes to him with NO life expectancy shortages and NO violence attached.
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Solution for 15%...
Moreover, it’s conceivable to logically conclude based on the evidence, that Goodell and Pash obviously both believe that cleaning the NFL out of $15 million dollars per year on behalf of salary for themselves, that comes without any life expectancy shortages or any major health deterrence attached, is justifiable and righteous by all means deemed necessary. However, bargaining, arguing, and manipulating to cut into players money, which is earned on behalf of serious life expectancy shortages and major health consequences attached therewith, is justifiable and righteous by all means deemed necessary. And for those who are aware of what NFL players REALLY make and aren’t subdued by fairy-tale media jargon, all comprehend very well that most NFL players don’t even make or see throughout their entire NFL career, what Goodell and Pash make collectively in ONE YEAR, and again, that comes without life expectancy shortages and major health deterrences attached therewith. But yet, its justifiable in the eyes of Goodell and Pash to shave into players well-earned money and not their money.
Let’s take a closer look hereinbelow at some of what’s involved with Goodell’s salary of $10 million PER YEAR…YES…$10 million dollars per year…WOW!!…for what? Can somebody justify this? Goodell can you at least? …Or let me guess…this can’t be disclosed either right? Well, I’ll tell you what…your job is no secret, and more so, it’s really not that hard to figure out quite honestly. –NFL commissioner is basically a politician, hybrid judge, and a CIA agent all wrapped up in one human being without ANY life expectancy shortages or any major health consequences attached therewith…other than maybe clogged arteries from all the fried calamari, fried shrimp, and New York cheesecake the Commish eats during the many many lavish dinners the Commish gets to enjoy as part of that $10 million stressful salary. Keep in mind, Roger rules the NFL, without having ever playing football…
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It was a mild sunny day in the middle of October of 2008, weeks before the pivotal election to decide the next President of the United States of America between Republican-John “Master of Manipulation” McCain and Democrat-Barack Saddam Hussein Obama, when suddenly, regular gas prices were $1.25 – $1.40 per gallon throughout the country after an elongated period of a wallet suffering $3 -$4 a gallon for gas under then President at the time George “the destroyer of the USA and mankind” Walker Bush.
When this situation happened, I sat back and said, “Wow, what a political psychological stunt to try and sway the minds of people in a certain direction, when knowingly, the button-pushers (Republicans & Big Oil) behind this stunt, knew very well they will eventually recover and continue their greedy ways once they have their pre-meditated way conquered in a candid camera political moment (2008 election).”
And so, Republicans and their Big Oil friends were trying every last possible thing they can to hook and condition Americans’ minds off the high prices of gas and the gas money hustling they were unjustifiably imposing onto the American people; in a dictatorship like fashion; that had scarred and become a dark cloud on the Republicans position leading up to the 2008-Election, to vote Republican AGAIN in sequence to the destroyer of mankind –George W. Bush.
Nevertheless, the stunt failed. And consequently, as we all know by now, Barack Saddam Hussein Obama won, and subsequently from that point on gas prices were immediately on the rise again. And soon thereafter, his infamous “change we can believe in” plan, another political psychological stunt to condition the American minds, also miserably failed.
Now, you might be asking yourself, what on earth does this scenario hereinabove have to do with, the 15% of the billion dollar extra overhead for the owners’ problem being solved under the current NFL lockout for a new CBA? Well, it’s quite simple, Roger Goodell and Jeff Pash, NFL Commissioner & NFL attorney respectively, are not only taking a page out from Goodell’s politician family handbook by directing political psychological stunts during this NFL Lockout, but likewise they are carbon-copying the Republican pre-2008 Election Day strategy by dropping their helium filled salaries to $1 during this candid camera moment of the NFL lockout, in order to condition the public, and most importantly, to condition the players’ (NFLPA) thinking towards the way they want their minds to sway in order to ensure, as best as possible, all their calculated measures of their negotiations strategy come to fruition henceforth. And by putting their astronomical combined salaries of $15 million per year in hindsight and dropping them to $1, it will allow for no forefront distractions or gossip of what they’re making and hustling the NFL out of during the Lockout’s candid camera moments lifespan. But meanwhile, Goodell and Pash know very well, that once the lockout has passed by and the smoke clears, their combined astronomical $15 million per year salary will regain traction, unharmed, into their bank accounts again; much like what happened with the recovery of the astronomical gas prices once the candid camera moment of the 2008-Election passed by.
It’s Rolaid’s-relief style funny, how never once played football NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and lead NFL attorney Jeff Pash, are quick to discuss reaching into the players pockets, but don’t want to discuss reaching into their own pockets and slashing their own POST NFL Lockout salary pay and benefits within the scope for a new CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement). Additionally, they claim the old CBA that the owners opted out of has the owners/franchises losing money in which they don’t even want to provide exclusive and undeniable proof for. Furthermore, what’s even funnier and likewise mind-boggling is, both Goodell and Pash want to argue for the owners on behalf of the $1 billion more off the top that they should get; and that players should play MORE games (18), which in turn increases injury risk, establishes 2 more chances for Goodell’s trademarked fines (tough job it is Roger imposing fines on players…I’m just wondering is there any concussion risk here sitting behind a desk levying fines?), more revenue for owners, and less opportunity for diamonds in the rough to showcase their skills; but meanwhile, Goodell and Pash KEEP making THEIR salary without taking anything away from it and which is ALL guaranteed, and which oh by the way, Goodell’s and Pash’s salary comes without serious health sacrifices and life expectancy shortages. Is that ridiculous or what?
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The NFL is not a career ... it's a game. These players come from college with degrees that preopare them for life after football. That's the way it's intended to be.
Use a rookie salary cap. Control ridiculous wages.
Let them play their 3 1/2 years playing this great game, grab a chunk of cash and then move on with their careers like the rest of the world.
To contact Goodell? Phone #, snailmail address, e-mail addy, fax, tweet, facebook.....anything?
He's being run like a puppet by a few of the big-market owners. He and they don't understand the concept of "league" - Pete Rozelle was a master at that, and at helping the individuals owners understand that strength came from making sure all clubs were strong and successful. Paul Tagliabue followed well in his footsteps. Yes, they also ran into some labor headaches, issues with the union (see 1982 and 1987 for the most notable examples), but they learned how to work things out (aided greatly by Gene Upshaw - it's a shame the players don't have someone like this now running the NFLPA - DeMaurice Smith is a good match for Goodell, they're a great combination to ruin the game) and built a level of trust and confidence between the players and the teams. What they built is eroding now under Goodell's care, and a couple decades from now, when we look back, we'll see how much the NFL has degraded under his watch.
Who is there to speak for the fans who are ultimately the ones who fund that operation? Goodell....what a laugh. The players.....don't see it.
Sure the economy is in the tank. I for one am currently unemployed. The games I made it to were on the mercy of cheerleaders and other fans who KNOW I represent. And OUR team's owner increased ticket prices. And I'll bet another is in the works IF they agree on the contract.....they "have to make the $$$$ to pay the parties involved"! Meanwhile US FANS get screwed AGAIN. WE need a fan union! F U N FansunitedNFL on facebook. Let's do this!
Never in the history of professional football has the NFL extended its formerly honorable position to that of judge, jury, and executioner. We fans are sick and tired of figureheads interceding after a ball game to assess fines on players, suspend players who have really not been convicted of a crime , allow players who are known gun carriers and criminals to participate in the sport of football. The outcome of many games has been placed in the hands of those who have been so far removed from the game ( because of never having walked the walk or talked the talk). In brief sissies who should be wearing dresses are trying to demean the sport of football. Get your asses out on the field, pass the ball, carry the ball, tackle someone..Suit up! Get down and dirty!
Risk your life and limb every game. Come down from your ivory tower and realize the American people do not need Communistic Legislation from the NFL!
WELL PUT....good work whoever you are