http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-s...ell-have-conflict-of-interest--183607818.html
Shutdown Corner
Was Richard Sherman right, does Roger Goodell have conflict of interest?
By Frank Schwab
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, in his unique way, put the deflate-gate situation in a different context.
Does NFL commissioner Roger Goodell have a conflict of interest?
Sherman's comment was the result of a photo with Patriots owner Robert Kraft and Goodell at Kraft's house before the AFC championship game, but a new GQ article on Goodell brings a lot of new perspective to the forefront.
The GQ article, which is a strongly reported and fair look at the commissioner and his "season from hell," begins with a story from its sources about how Kraft set up Goodell's CBS interview in September that stood as Goodell's only on-camera comments on the Ray Rice situation until a news conference on Sept. 19. GQ said Kraft had called CBS CEO Leslie Moonves and they agreed Goodell should be interviewed by CBS, and the interviewer should be a woman, to air in the days before CBS' "Thursday Night Football" package had its first game. Along with giving us insight into the back-room workings of the NFL and its corporate partners, it shows how much sway Kraft has with Goodell.
As GQ pointed out, Kraft was one of the strongest defenders of giving Goodell a salary of more than $44 million in 2013. Even if that doesn't matter at all in deflate-gate – no punishment has been given out, the NFL hasn't said anything meaningful on the investigation and Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said the NFL hasn't even questioned him yet – it's fair for people like Sherman to put the puzzle together and wonder.
Kraft also lobbied other owners to put out public statements of support for Goodell when he was being criticized for his handling of the Ray Rice domestic violence controversy, the GQ story said.
"Kraft was one of Goodell's closest confidants among the NFL's thirty-two owners, and his fiercest advocate and defender," GQ wrote. "So large is Kraft's sway with Goodell that one veteran NFL executive likes to call him 'the assistant commissioner.'"
Does any of this matter? Even if his relationship with Kraft, Kraft's unwavering support when Goodell was being ripped publicly and Kraft defending the $44 million salary Goodell makes means nothing in terms of deflate-gate punishment, the public perception is there. And it's not just a thing said by Sherman to get headlines.
"It's also an open secret in league circles that some owners, especially Woody Johnson of the Jets, resent the preferential treatment Goodell is perceived to extend to his inner circle," GQ wrote.
The NFL owners picked Goodell and he works for them, so everyone should realize there's an inherent conflict the commissioner has. But if he would give some teams an easier time because of relationships he has with owners is a more problematic subject.
The relationship between Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti and Goodell came under scrutiny as it became apparent Rice got a too-lenient suspension of two games this past offseason. It was enough that Bisciotti had to refute many claims from an ESPN.com article about his friendship with Goodell on the Ravens web site. Bisciotti claimed he wasn't "good friends" with Goodell as portrayed and he didn't play as much golf with Goodell as ESPN said. The perception that Goodell might have helped out a friend in the Rice situation persists, however.
Seeing all that Kraft has done for Goodell, Sherman might not be the only person taking a closer look at whether Goodell is compromised in the deflate-gate situation.
Shutdown Corner
Was Richard Sherman right, does Roger Goodell have conflict of interest?
By Frank Schwab
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, in his unique way, put the deflate-gate situation in a different context.
Does NFL commissioner Roger Goodell have a conflict of interest?
Sherman's comment was the result of a photo with Patriots owner Robert Kraft and Goodell at Kraft's house before the AFC championship game, but a new GQ article on Goodell brings a lot of new perspective to the forefront.
The GQ article, which is a strongly reported and fair look at the commissioner and his "season from hell," begins with a story from its sources about how Kraft set up Goodell's CBS interview in September that stood as Goodell's only on-camera comments on the Ray Rice situation until a news conference on Sept. 19. GQ said Kraft had called CBS CEO Leslie Moonves and they agreed Goodell should be interviewed by CBS, and the interviewer should be a woman, to air in the days before CBS' "Thursday Night Football" package had its first game. Along with giving us insight into the back-room workings of the NFL and its corporate partners, it shows how much sway Kraft has with Goodell.
As GQ pointed out, Kraft was one of the strongest defenders of giving Goodell a salary of more than $44 million in 2013. Even if that doesn't matter at all in deflate-gate – no punishment has been given out, the NFL hasn't said anything meaningful on the investigation and Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said the NFL hasn't even questioned him yet – it's fair for people like Sherman to put the puzzle together and wonder.
Kraft also lobbied other owners to put out public statements of support for Goodell when he was being criticized for his handling of the Ray Rice domestic violence controversy, the GQ story said.
"Kraft was one of Goodell's closest confidants among the NFL's thirty-two owners, and his fiercest advocate and defender," GQ wrote. "So large is Kraft's sway with Goodell that one veteran NFL executive likes to call him 'the assistant commissioner.'"
Does any of this matter? Even if his relationship with Kraft, Kraft's unwavering support when Goodell was being ripped publicly and Kraft defending the $44 million salary Goodell makes means nothing in terms of deflate-gate punishment, the public perception is there. And it's not just a thing said by Sherman to get headlines.
"It's also an open secret in league circles that some owners, especially Woody Johnson of the Jets, resent the preferential treatment Goodell is perceived to extend to his inner circle," GQ wrote.
The NFL owners picked Goodell and he works for them, so everyone should realize there's an inherent conflict the commissioner has. But if he would give some teams an easier time because of relationships he has with owners is a more problematic subject.
The relationship between Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti and Goodell came under scrutiny as it became apparent Rice got a too-lenient suspension of two games this past offseason. It was enough that Bisciotti had to refute many claims from an ESPN.com article about his friendship with Goodell on the Ravens web site. Bisciotti claimed he wasn't "good friends" with Goodell as portrayed and he didn't play as much golf with Goodell as ESPN said. The perception that Goodell might have helped out a friend in the Rice situation persists, however.
Seeing all that Kraft has done for Goodell, Sherman might not be the only person taking a closer look at whether Goodell is compromised in the deflate-gate situation.
