Ryan Clark rips Goodell

[Krawnka 282]

Gotta say, I agree with most of what he said here. Tag was a fairly silent commish, and football was great...just let them play the game.

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82137357/article/goodell-steelers-lb-harrison-wont-be-punished-for-comments?module=HP11_headline_stack

 

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told NFL Network on Wednesday that he doesn't plan to punish James Harrison for derogatory comments the Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker leveled at him in a recent magazine interview.

 

But the final decision on any action taken against Harrison might not be Goodell's to make. Among the issues still being negotiated by the NFL and its players Wednesday was the power Goodell holds over player discipline and the appeals process. Currently, the commissioner has final say on the length and severity of all fines and suspensions levied under the league's personal-conduct policy.

 

Steelers safety Ryan Clark, Harrison's teammate, told The Associated Press that he believes Goodell is too involved in the process.

 

"How often did you hear (former commissioner) Paul Tagliabue's name throughout the season?" Clark said. "I think (Goodell has) decided to make himself a major part of this game. I don't know if he had some type of high school dreams or Pop Warner dreams of being an NFL football player, but he's made himself the NFL. He is the most popular -- or infamous -- commissioner in sports right now, you know? Maybe that's what he wanted to be. We know he doesn't work for us, he doesn't work with us."

 

Clark added that Steelers players likely will not vote to ratify the new collective bargaining agreement unless Goodell's power is limited when it comes to fines or suspensions.

 

"He wants to do it his way -- the same way that he has taken over most of this game," Clark said of Goodell.

 

Clark took issue when asked if he had spoken to Steelers president Art Rooney II about lobbying Goodell on the players' behalf.

 

"I'm talking about the commissioner -- not my owner," Clark said. "Our owner is a good owner."

 

The line of questioning ultimately led to Clark becoming agitated with the reporter who asked it, a Pittsburgh radio talk-show host. The two exchanged words and stood chest-to-chest before team personnel and players broke it up.

 

The Steelers have been one of the most-fined teams in the league, particularly Harrison, who accrued $100,000 in fines last season. Steelers players have been vocal about what they perceive as unfair treatment by the NFL.

 

"We feel like someone else should be on there; there should be some ... type of way -- actually someone who's not on the NFL payroll," Clark said. "A big issue, for us, especially, as a team, is Roger Goodell ... being judge, jury and appeals system."

 

Goodell doesn't see it that way.

 

"We have a personal-conduct policy that's developed with the players that's part of our negotiations. It's important to the players in the league as well as the clubs," Goodell told NFL Network's Scott Hanson during a stop at Carolina Panthers training camp. "I think it's one of the reasons why we continue to have the reputation that we have, which we're going to conduct ourselves the right way and reflect well on what we do and the people who play this game and the fans who deserve that respect. So we're going to continue to make sure we do things the right way on and off the field."

 

Goodell took questions from fans for about 45 minutes, ranging from whether or not the new rules on safety make the game too soft. One fan asked if Goodell was open to surrendering his disciplinary power to a committee, as Clark and some other players have suggested.

 

"I'm not going to hand off the brand the reputation of the NFL to somebody who is not associated with the NFL," Goodell said. "I promise you that."

 

Goodell also said the league began negotiating with Time-Warner Cable to include the NFL Network as part of its system's programing. Goodell said the league had reached a new deal with Charter Communications and hoped to broaden the network's distribution beyond its current 62 million homes.

 

"You'll be happy to know that we're in negotiations today with Time Warner," Goodell said. "We're trying to get that done. We believe it's good for fans and it's good for Time Warner."

 

As for the ongoing CBA negotiations, Goodell said he doesn't see any reason for fans to worry.

 

"They don't need to be concerned about it," he said. "We'll get it done."

[JetsFan4Life 542]

The best part of this is where it says he stood chest to chest with a reporter.

[Vin+ 3,121]

Can someone other than a member of the Steelers complain about Goodell? Thanks.

[Packers Dynasty 2010 116]

Does Goodell seem too strict at times or make some stupid rules like no good TD celebrations? Yes but he is doing the right thing in my opinion. Look at how many NFL greats have died from brain damage or others suffer from depression and other mental disorders, it's very depressing to see these NFL greats drop before they even hit 70 in some cases. Him being strict about helmet to helmet hits is what the league needs.

Edited August 4, 2011 by Packers Dynasty 2010

[FSUViking 184]

Tags was a fucking pussy who let players get away with everything and anything. That's why these idiots "liked" him. For all you young 'ens that wonder why Leonard Little was still playing when Goodell was bringing down the hammer on guys like Plaxico, Vick, and Stallworth......ask Tags. Little killed a woman under his watch.

 

This Pittsburgh Steelers vs Roger Goodell feud is getting fucking old. Go play in the CFL if you don't like it.

Edited August 4, 2011 by FSUViking

[Jayrus 51]

Same old story, same old Steelers. They're just pissed the league won't let them do whatever the fuck they want anymore. They have to actually play REAL football instead of just crippling the other team. I personally hope these Steeler morons keep running their mouths until they get ejected from the league and the entire Steelers regime goes down in flames.

[SteelersNation36 128]

Same old story, same old Steelers. They're just pissed the league won't let them do whatever the fuck they want anymore. They have to actually play REAL football instead of just crippling the other team. I personally hope these Steeler morons keep running their mouths until they get ejected from the league and the entire Steelers regime goes down in flames.

 

What exactly is REAL football? Please inform me!

[Guest Durant4MVP]

Pittsburgh players are starting to come off like a bunch of whiny asses now. They got a player who HASN'T complained yet? If you're so disgruntled with the rules then fucking do something about it besides whine to people who have no influence on CBA negotiations.

[SteelersNation36 128]

Pittsburgh players are starting to come off like a bunch of whiny asses now. They got a player who HASN'T complained yet? If you're so disgruntled with the rules then fucking do something about it besides whine to people who have no influence on CBA negotiations.

 

Honestly the only two players who have whined about Goodell's rule changes are Clark and Harrison. Troy has made comments about them in the past but a lot of players not on the steelers did too when all this first changed, Clark and Harrison need to just play and get over the rule changes.

[Jayrus 51]

Really? -Repping me and calling me names because I called out the Steelers for the brainless thugs they are? How hard is "wrap up and take down instead of slamming your helmet into people" to get into your defenses thick skulls? The league isn't targeting the Steelers, the Steelers are bringing the league's wrath down on themselves by running their mouths and refusing to even pretend to adjust to the new rules. so suffice it to say the rest of us don't exactly feel any pity for you.

[SteelersNation36 128]

lol must of been rep thing by zack.

Edited August 5, 2011 by SteelersNation36

[Jayrus 51]

I meant someone who -repped me and left an insult in the message. Probably wasn't you then. Don't care who it was though. Not the topic of this thread anyway. Steelers need to just shut up and play by the new rules, then the league will stop harrassing them.

[әightninә. 39]

Under/Over; One month before another Steelers player bitches about Roger Goodell.

 

 

Seriously, you get paid millions of dollars to play a game, quit complaining. Sure, Goodell is a shit commissioner, but there's a season. You agreed to play. It's not like you're being forced.

[FSUViking 184]

Under/Over; One month before another Steelers player bitches about Roger Goodell.

 

 

Seriously, you get paid millions of dollars to play a game, quit complaining. Sure, Goodell is a shit commissioner, but there's a season. You agreed to play. It's not like you're being forced.

 

Under. Way under. I fully expect another vagina full of sand before the weekend ends.