AP Source: Law enforcement official sent copy of Ray Rice tape to NFL executive in April

[slats]

How exactly did they think she wound up unconscious on the floor? The police report states exactly what was on the video. The new DV protocol is 6 games, so suspending him "indefinitely" is worse than that. Is the standard thrown out the window if the video is especially shocking? WHat convicted abuser Panther Chris Hardy did was as bad if not worse, but there is no video and he's playing Sunday.

I agree 100% about the video and it's inflammatory power. If Goodell had given Rice a six game suspension to begin with, I don't think the release of the video would've changed anything. It's the fact that he gave the slap on the wrist first, and was widely -correctly- criticized for it, that he used the opportunity of the video to correct his earlier mistake - and went too far the other way.

Would Chris Hardy be suspended right now, too, if there was video of his latest offense? That's an interesting question.

[Bugg]

I agree 100% about the video and it's inflammatory power. If Goodell had given Rice a six game suspension to begin with, I don't think the release of the video would've changed anything. It's the fact that he gave the slap on the wrist first, and was widely -correctly- criticized for it, that he used the opportunity of the video to correct his earlier mistake - and went too far the other way.

Would Chris Hardy be suspended right now, too, if there was video of his latest offense? That's an interesting question.

If Goodell had simply imposed 6 games under the new protocol without commenting in any way about the role of the video in his decision, none of this happens.The original police report is competely consistent with the video. The NFLPA has to be concerned that going forward punishment can be more or less depending on video proof, which is really no standard at all. There is no basis under the new standard to go from 6 games to indefinitely. 

 

Hardy should not be playing. North Carolina has an odd system where the judge trial conviction is then "appealed" by a jury tirlal. But right now he is a convicted abuser. His conduct is no more of less culpable because it was or was not captured on video. 

[RutgersJetFan]

Roger Goodell's downfall coming as the result of covering up a domestic abuse incident would be...awesome. It would be all sorts of awesome. For anyone that has ever loathed Goodell, it's like the Christmas gift you never knew you always wanted.

[PFSIKH]

Not to mention that exactly no one was clamoring for him to make himself the arbiter of justice for the league but he just bestowed that mantle upon himself. Then he goes on to do an completely awful job of it. 

 

To give an example at just how inept Goodell has been let's look at the part of the Ray Rice punishment that is being overshadowed by the tape scandal - he issues Rice a 2-game suspension, everyone goes nuts so he establishes a new "domestic violence policy" that calls for a 6-game suspension for a first offense followed by a lifetime ban for a second, the tape from the elevator gets released, Goodell changes Rice's suspension from 2 games to indefinite ignoring the policy he just announced 10 days earlier. 

 

The man is a walking cluster****. 

 

You did and all your pink hat bretheren.

 

Tags wielded a feather for a sword of justice. Ray Lewis was fined $250K for obstructing justuce and missed no games in a double homicide.

 

You wanted discipline. Well you got it.

[Lil Bit Special]

Less weird is law enforcement, who are and should be getting more sh1t than the NFL for giving Rice a cake deal, could be covering their asses. Could be trying to save face for not giving the NFL the video and to divert attention from all that want to know why they didn't press charges.

Then again, Atlantic City? They wouldn't ever do something this shady.

 

This explains why...  If we want a bigger impact, we need to toughen our laws.

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11495795/prosecutor-office-defends-ray-rice-decision

 

Prosecutor's office: Correct decision

 

The office in charge of deciding whether to prosecute former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice in a domestic abuse case defended its decision Tuesday.

"Mr. Rice received the same treatment by the criminal justice system in Atlantic County that any first-time offender has, in similar circumstances," Jay McKeen, a spokesman for the Atlantic County prosecutor's office, told ABC News.

"The decision was correct."

 

Late Tuesday, New Jersey Senate president Steve Sweeney called on acting attorney general John Hoffman to review the decision-making process in the Atlantic County prosecutor's office.  "This video and the violence it shows is extremely disturbing," he said in a statement. "It is a vivid reminder that domestic violence is a serious problem that can't be ignored and shouldn't be treated lightly."

 

Rice was initially charged with assault by the Atlantic City police in the early hours of Feb. 15. But on March 27, an Atlantic City grand jury, presumably after watching all the Revel casino security camera videos, increased the charge to aggravated assault-bodily injury in the third degree and one count of simple assault. If convicted, Rice faced a penalty of three to five years in prison.

 

Rice's defense attorney, Michael J. Diamondstein of Philadelphia, then applied for pretrial intervention, a remedy that allows defendants to avoid conviction if they complete a court-ordered set of requirements. According to New Jersey's pretrial intervention website, PTI is a used in criminal cases that don't involve "violence" and for "victimless crimes."

Pretrial intervention for Rice was approved by PTI director Jill Houck and Atlantic County prosecutor Grace Dovell-Welch. And on May 20, New Jersey Superior Court Judge Michael A. Donio approved PTI for Rice at a hearing, according to court documents.

 

Houck, in an email, declined to comment. Dovell-Welch did not return messages. Judge Donio did not return messages.

 

Under the terms of PTI, Rice was ordered to take anger management counseling and be supervised, by a probationary period, for 12 months. A proof of participation was required by the court, the records show.  To enter the program, Rice paid the Superior Court of New Jersey a $125 enrollment fee for one year. He was ordered to attend and complete anger management counseling in Maryland.

 

According to a representative of the probation division, Rice has attended weekly counseling sessions prior to entering the program on May 20. The counselor, a licensed clinical therapist, confirmed Rice's continuing compliance with the program with a representative of the probation division Tuesday afternoon.  PTI is rarely used in aggravated assault cases in Atlantic County, several victims' rights advocates said Tuesday.

 

"I was stunned," said Donna D'Andrea, a legal advocate for The Women's Center, a domestic violence and sexual abuse help center in Linwood, NJ. "I'm outraged."

D'Andrea said in her nearly 30 years of experience, she cannot recall a single other aggravated assault case being resolved by pre-trial intervention.

"None of it makes any sense on why this was allowed," she said. "Usually, there is a plea deal to a lesser charge so the person is put into the system and can be monitored. They didn't do that here. None of it makes any sense why this was allowed to happen this way."

 

A colleague of D'Andrea, Erin O'Hanlon, the coordinator of community initiatives at The Women's Center, said, "I think the whole situation is very sad ... I am concerned that the only solution in this case was to release Ray Rice. Then you aren't helping anybody. You aren't helping Ray Rice, or Janay Palmer, and you are not helping the NFL change ...

"Sweeping this under the rug doesn't help anybody. If the system doesn't change, we'll be having this conversation again in 18 months or two years about another player."

Monday, acting Atlantic County prosecutor Jim McClain issued a statement saying that his office approved Rice's request for New Jersey's pretrial intervention program "after careful consideration of the information contained in Mr. Rice's application in light of all of the facts gathered during the investigation."

 

Sweeney said he's asking Hoffman to look at the process as well as the law allowing pretrial intervention and who can access it.

 

Also Tuesday, Vice President Joe Biden said violence against women is the ugliest form of violence there is. He's calling it a stain on America's national character that must be exposed and eliminated. Biden was speaking out at a ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act.

 

He also said that victims can't fully recover until there's a conviction. He said he'll convene a summit aimed at finding ways to allow survivors to sue their abusers in federal court. The Supreme Court struck down that provision of the Violence Against Women Act.

 

Earlier Tuesday, Biden told NBC that the NFL did the right thing by indefinitely suspending Rice.

 

 

Information from ESPN.com's Don Van Natta, Jr., ESPN Enterprise reporter Kelly Naqi, and The Associated Press is included in this report.

 

 

 

 

[JustInFudge]

Goodell is the one negotiating the $ with the networks, and then the split of that money with the players.

Goodell makes the owners a lot more than they'd have had with a commissioner who was just going through the motions.

That being said, I haven't found anyone yet that is saddened by Goodell's suddenly-shaky job security.

 

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that meeting isnt really much of a negotiation rather than a take it or leave scenario.  Of all his responsibilities, that is by far the easiest one.  

[Jet Nut]

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that meeting isnt really much of a negotiation rather than a take it or leave scenario.  Of all his responsibilities, that is by far the easiest one.

Hard to argue against the money he's put in the owners pocket. They make more now through revenue the ever before and their franchises are worth more than ever. The Bills just sold for 2xs what the Jets sold for.

Whether it's how he leads the negotiations with networks and cable PPV etc or the increased interest in the game, either by luck or through his actions the league prints money today.

[Sperm Edwards]

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that meeting isnt really much of a negotiation rather than a take it or leave scenario.  Of all his responsibilities, that is by far the easiest one.  

 

Well that is a tactic of the negotiation. And part of any gamble (bluff or otherwise) is having the other side believe your hole card is an ace. Easy to say it's easy now that we know the outcome. 

 

If he says take it or leave it, but his body language (or actual language) comes across as wishy-washy, or if he's such a dick about it that it's obvious this is a front, then maybe it takes longer for the NFLPA to come back to the table with major concessions. Not saying any of this is so, but two people conveying the same information don't necessarily get the same results.

 

Other than making money for the owners - more than they'd have otherwise made with a (purportedly) "lesser" individual in this regard, what does Goodell do to warrant his gargantuan compensation? Announce draft picks? Suspend players or coaches if they're bad? Make appearances & shake hands in luxury/owners' boxes a couple dozen times per year?

 

Of all the things the owners demonstrate, it's that they don't want to just give up money they don't have to give up. So whether it's $44M or $70M or whatever his compensation is, I'm quite sure they could find someone for less than 10% of that.  Yet they're paying him more in 1 year than he should make in 2 decades. I don't believe that such a huge pile of cash (every year) is just something the owners simply overlooked.

[Klecko73isGod]

 

Well that is a tactic of the negotiation. And part of any gamble (bluff or otherwise) is having the other side believe your hole card is an ace. Easy to say it's easy now that we know the outcome. 

 

If he says take it or leave it, but his body language (or actual language) comes across as wishy-washy, or if he's such a dick about it that it's obvious this is a front, then maybe it takes longer for the NFLPA to come back to the table with major concessions. Not saying any of this is so, but two people conveying the same information don't necessarily get the same results.

 

Other than making money for the owners - more than they'd have otherwise made with a (purportedly) "lesser" individual in this regard, what does Goodell do to warrant his gargantuan compensation? Announce draft picks? Suspend players or coaches if they're bad? Make appearances & shake hands in luxury/owners' boxes a couple dozen times per year?

 

Of all the things the owners demonstrate, it's that they don't want to just give up money they don't have to give up. So whether it's $44M or $70M or whatever his compensation is, I'm quite sure they could find someone for less than 10% of that.  Yet they're paying him more in 1 year than he should make in 2 decades. I don't believe that such a huge pile of cash (every year) is just something the owners simply overlooked.

 

 

If you break it down by team, $70 million comes down to $2.19 million per team. Every team in the league probably has at least 25 guys on their payroll, not counting front office and coaching staff getting paid at least that much.

 

So while $70 million without context seems like a large number. When you consider that he is costing each owner barely 2% of the salary cap it suddenly doesn't look like all that much. 

 

Just sayin'. 

 

If you're right and its $44 million, he's only costing them $1.38 million each. 

[Bugg]

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that meeting isnt really much of a negotiation rather than a take it or leave scenario.  Of all his responsibilities, that is by far the easiest one.  

Condi Rice can do that easily. And she would do a better overall job anyway.

[JustInFudge]

Hard to argue against the money he's put in the owners pocket. They make more now through revenue the ever before and their franchises are worth more than ever. The Bills just sold for 2xs what the Jets sold for.

Whether it's how he leads the negotiations with networks and cable PPV etc or the increased interest in the game, either by luck or through his actions the league prints money today.

 

I'm not denying he's making them money...but I dont see a cable deal that tough of a negotiation.  Its probably the easiest meeting he has all year. Here's our price, take or we move along.  These networks are making a killing too.  The NFL is the most highly rated programs they show probably all year long.

 

I think Goodell's success from a revenue perspective has little do with him and more to do with the demand for NFL Football.  Goodell didnt event Fantasy Football, which has increased the sports popularity through the roof.  The increase of coverage really more so comes from the social media and 24/7 networks where the demand for instant news is like we've never seen before.  Again, nothing Goodell did...just happens to be he's the commish during this day in age.

 

 

Well that is a tactic of the negotiation. And part of any gamble (bluff or otherwise) is having the other side believe your hole card is an ace. Easy to say it's easy now that we know the outcome. 

 

If he says take it or leave it, but his body language (or actual language) comes across as wishy-washy, or if he's such a dick about it that it's obvious this is a front, then maybe it takes longer for the NFLPA to come back to the table with major concessions. Not saying any of this is so, but two people conveying the same information don't necessarily get the same results.

 

Other than making money for the owners - more than they'd have otherwise made with a (purportedly) "lesser" individual in this regard, what does Goodell do to warrant his gargantuan compensation? Announce draft picks? Suspend players or coaches if they're bad? Make appearances & shake hands in luxury/owners' boxes a couple dozen times per year?

 

Of all the things the owners demonstrate, it's that they don't want to just give up money they don't have to give up. So whether it's $44M or $70M or whatever his compensation is, I'm quite sure they could find someone for less than 10% of that.  Yet they're paying him more in 1 year than he should make in 2 decades. I don't believe that such a huge pile of cash (every year) is just something the owners simply overlooked.

 

 

I couldnt write out the job description of a commmish.  I really dont know what they do behind the scenes beyond what we see.  I just dont see that contract negotiation being a tough one.  Seems pretty cut and dry but I dont know...I just listen to Dan Patrick and he said those meeting arent negotiations around money...the money is take or leave it.  The negotiations come more from the who, what and when in terms of the actual broadcast. 

[Sperm Edwards]

If you break it down by team, $70 million comes down to $2.19 million per team. Every team in the league probably has at least 25 guys on their payroll, not counting front office and coaching staff getting paid at least that much.

 

So while $70 million without context seems like a large number. When you consider that he is costing each owner barely 2% of the salary cap it suddenly doesn't look like all that much. 

 

Just sayin'. 

 

If you're right and its $44 million, he's only costing them $1.38 million each. 

 

Yeah, except if he does nothing except make appearances it should be closer to $0.19M than $2.19M per team, and pay the $2M/year difference to the players...or even back into their own pockets. That is what the owners would do, unless these owners think he's providing at least that much value.

 

And breaking it down to per team for this 1 year like that makes it look like much less than it is. Goodell doesn't get that only in 1 year and then he works for free. In 10 years at this level, it's over $20M per team. The fact that they also have many other, higher expenses is irrelevant. No one just gives away $20M over a decade unless there's good reason (i.e. they feel they make that $20M back, and then some, by virtue of having Goodell instead of someone else as the commissioner).

[Sperm Edwards]

 

I couldnt write out the job description of a commmish.  I really dont know what they do behind the scenes beyond what we see.  I just dont see that contract negotiation being a tough one.  Seems pretty cut and dry but I dont know...I just listen to Dan Patrick and he said those meeting arent negotiations around money...the money is take or leave it.  The negotiations come more from the who, what and when in terms of the actual broadcast. 

 

OK, Goodell does nothing at all and the owners pay him over half a billion dollars over a decade. That makes much more sense.

[Klecko73isGod]

Yeah, except if he does nothing except make appearances it should be closer to $0.19M than $2.19M per team, and pay the $2M/year difference to the players...or even back into their own pockets. That is what the owners would do, unless these owners think he's providing at least that much value.

 

And breaking it down to per team for this 1 year like that makes it look like much less than it is. Goodell doesn't get that only in 1 year and then he works for free. In 10 years at this level, it's over $20M per team. The fact that they also have many other, higher expenses is irrelevant. No one just gives away $20M over a decade unless there's good reason (i.e. they feel they make that $20M back, and then some, by virtue of having Goodell instead of someone else as the commissioner).

 

I think you're wrong. This is a league where owners fire coaches with guaranteed contracts and pay the guy twice that amount to sit at home. 

[JustInFudge]

OK, Goodell does nothing at all and the owners pay him over half a billion dollars over a decade. That makes much more sense.

 

How did you get that from my post?  I just said, I have no clue what he does behind the scenes.  I'm confident its not an easy job.  I'm just commenting on one aspect of his job that doesnt seem very challenging and supporting it by referencing someone who claims he's been in those meetings and the money portion isnt much of a conversation.  Its what else comes along with it when the true negotiations begin.

[Klecko73isGod]

I have no clue what he does behind the scenes

 

 

[Sperm Edwards]

I think you're wrong. This is a league where owners fire coaches with guaranteed contracts and pay the guy twice that amount to sit at home.

They do that to buy a winner (or that's the idea anyway). Owners that do this feel they are getting something for their money. They don't pay someone to sit at home unless they feel their reward (even if that reward is ego or bragging rights) outweighs the price of paying someone to NOT play or coach for them.

 

How did you get that from my post?  I just said, I have no clue what he does behind the scenes.  I'm confident its not an easy job.  I'm just commenting on one aspect of his job that doesnt seem very challenging and supporting it by referencing someone who claims he's been in those meetings and the money portion isnt much of a conversation.  Its what else comes along with it when the true negotiations begin.

 

It's the parts of the job that makes them so much of their income. The 2 big ones: TV contracts and the CBA. Those are the things that make these franchises worth so much even if they don't draw dick in the stands and have only modest luxury box income.

 

What is it anyone thinks is worthy of anywhere near the compensation he's getting, if not for a very active role in these 2 enormous moneymakers? And it has to be a role that would cause them to make so much less if a lesser-compensated (lesser-competent) person was filling this role.

[Klecko73isGod]

They do that to buy a winner (or that's the idea anyway). Owners that do this feel they are getting something for their money. They don't pay someone to sit at home unless they feel their reward (even if that reward is ego or bragging rights) outweighs the price of paying someone to NOT play or coach for them.

 

 

Meh.... to most of these owners $2.19 million is a 2nd string middle linebacker. $1.38 million is a punter. 

 

I think you are overestimating how valuable they really feel he is. 

[Jet Nut]

I'm not denying he's making them money...but I dont see a cable deal that tough of a negotiation. Its probably the easiest meeting he has all year. Here's our price, take or we move along. These networks are making a killing too. The NFL is the most highly rated programs they show probably all year long.

I think Goodell's success from a revenue perspective has little do with him and more to do with the demand for NFL Football. Goodell didnt event Fantasy Football, which has increased the sports popularity through the roof. The increase of coverage really more so comes from the social media and 24/7 networks where the demand for instant news is like we've never seen before. Again, nothing Goodell did...just happens to be he's the commish during this day in age.

I couldnt write out the job description of a commmish. I really dont know what they do behind the scenes beyond what we see. I just dont see that contract negotiation being a tough one. Seems pretty cut and dry but I dont know...I just listen to Dan Patrick and he said those meeting arent negotiations around money...the money is take or leave it. The negotiations come more from the who, what and when in terms of the actual broadcast.

I find it hard to believe that all he does is show up, put out a piece of paper with a dollar figure on it and the networks pony up. I would think there's more to the job than just this. Don't think owners will shell out 70 mil for a job I would gladly do at 1/10 that.

He has to get some credit for the growth and popularity of the game. It all goes hand in hand, tv, merchandising, etc etc all put tons of money in the owners and players mouths

[slats]

I'm not denying he's making them money...but I dont see a cable deal that tough of a negotiation.  Its probably the easiest meeting he has all year. Here's our price, take or we move along.  These networks are making a killing too.  The NFL is the most highly rated programs they show probably all year long.

The networks generally lose money on the NFL, despite what they charge for ads, because the contract is so damn expensive. The networks do get great ratings, though, which they generally use to promote their own programming. There's that and the prestige. It can't be super-easy to sell a commodity when the buyer knows they're losing money on it. But that's how big the NFL has gotten, that they feel they can now charge top name acts to appear at halftime of their premier event.

[JustInFudge]

They do that to buy a winner (or that's the idea anyway). Owners that do this feel they are getting something for their money. They don't pay someone to sit at home unless they feel their reward (even if that reward is ego or bragging rights) outweighs the price of paying someone to NOT play or coach for them.

 

 

It's the parts of the job that makes them so much of their income. The 2 big ones: TV contracts and the CBA. Those are the things that make these franchises worth so much even if they don't draw dick in the stands and have only modest luxury box income.

 

What is it anyone thinks is worthy of anywhere near the compensation he's getting, if not for a very active role in these 2 enormous moneymakers? And it has to be a role that would cause them to make so much less if a lesser-compensated (lesser-competent) person was filling this role.

 

 

I find it hard to believe that all he does is show up, put out a piece of paper with a dollar figure on it and the networks pony up. I would think there's more to the job than just this. Don't think owners will shell out 70 mil for a job I would gladly do at 1/10 that.

 

I get it.  Just dont know what leverage the networks have.  Doesnt seem like much.  Its one of the most in demand products that they air.  Back when I used to sell booze, it was a take it or leave it scenario.  I had a product, they needed to sell to survive, and the stores literally had zero room to negotiate with me...are you not going to carry Jack Daniels and Bacardi if you're a liquor store?  Of course you are...Obviously these networks have other programs they can show, but its not the NFL, just like its not Jack or Bacardi (which they probably made the least amount on).

 

And again, I have no F'ing clue what the guy does or what those meetings look like.  Dan Patrick said he was there in those meetings and the money is basically a take it or leave it scenario with little bargaining power for the networks.  Hence why I said, I dont see that being a tough meeting for the Commish..  

[Klecko73isGod]

The networks generally lose money on the NFL, despite what they charge for ads, because the contract is so damn expensive. The networks do get great ratings, though, which they generally use to promote their own programming. There's that and the prestige. It can't be super-easy to sell a commodity when the buyer knows they're losing money on it. But that's how big the NFL has gotten, that they feel they can now charge top name acts to appear at halftime of their premier event.

 

I've never bought into this concept that the networks actually lose money. 

 

No one is giving up billions of dollars for prestige. These are all publicly traded companies. I think they may cook the books to make it look like they lose money. 

 

Plus if they are using the ratings to promote their lineups, which in turns drives up the ratings for those shows which allows them to charge higher advertising rates then they are making money. 

 

This notion that the networks are actually losing money is utter nonsense. 

[Klecko73isGod]

I find it hard to believe that all he does is show up, put out a piece of paper with a dollar figure on it and the networks pony up. I would think there's more to the job than just this. Don't think owners will shell out 70 mil for a job I would gladly do at 1/10 that.

He has to get some credit for the growth and popularity of the game. It all goes hand in hand, tv, merchandising, etc etc all put tons of money in the owners and players mouths

 

Well seeing as he took over as commissioner in 2006 when the league was already far and away the most popular in this country with a huge merchandising arm I don't know how much credit you can really give him. 

 

Rozelle and Tags deserve the lions share of the credit. They took it from baseball's little brother to number 1. Goodell merely built off of what was already established. 

[RutgersJetFan]

Well seeing as he took over as commissioner in 2006 when the league was already far and away the most popular in this country with a huge merchandising arm I don't know how much credit you can really give him. 

 

Rozelle and Tags deserve the lions share of the credit. They took it from baseball's little brother to number 1. Goodell merely built off of what was already established. 

 

Give League of Denial a read. Tagliabue was just as much of a sh*t as Goodell has been. The whole league really, shameful.

[Klecko73isGod]

Give League of Denial a read. Tagliabue was just as much of a sh*t as Goodell has been. The whole league really, shameful.

 

I'm not saying they he wasn't. I am merely saying that he deserves more credit for building the league up than Goodell. 

[jack48]

I am still fuming about big Rog destroying the Spygate tapes. Do not care one bit what happens to him, although I doubt he gets the ax.

[jack48]

Why is sports talk radio spending more time on this story (and stuff like the Redskins name change, etc.) than actual discussion of sports?

 

Why is the weak punishment of Ray Rice from the NFL a bigger story than the weak punishment of Ray Rice by the criminal justice system?

Well, because it is an area in which they possess zero expertise, almost no sensitivity, and it presents an opportunity to GET somebody.

[Klecko73isGod]

And now the latest twist in this crazy ****in' story(link includes video)

 

http://deadspin.com/bill-polian-disagrees-with-bill-polians-insider-opinion-1633593081

 

Former NFL executive Bill Polian was brought onto SportsCenter this morning to give some insight into the NFL's bungling of the Ray Rice situation. He was specifically asked if he, as someone who has worked in the NFL office, thought it was possible for an NFL executive to have obtained a copy of the tape showing Ray Rice knocking out his then-fiancée in an elevator, as was reported by the AP yesterday, and not have shown that tape to Roger Goodell or any other NFL execs.

The video above is Polian's answer to that question, which aired on SportsCenter at 10:47 a.m. Here is a transcription of what he said:

It is very puzzling to me. As a matter of fact, I worked as a vice president in the NFL office in 1993, with respect to football operations. I know how the office works, I've physically been there—it was a different building, not the one they're in now—but it's very difficult for me to understand how that could happen. Especially when you're in a situation that is as high-profile as that particular incident is. It's puzzling, and I have as many questions as everyone else. It's outside my area of expertise. For all the years that I was in the NFL, NFL security, and the NFL's ability to protect its integrity, the so-called "protection of the shield," was unmatched in American business. Forget about sports—in American business. I mean, you did not step out of line in the NFL, and if you did, there was an unwritten rule that when you were called into the office—and met with someone who was the commissioner or there at the behest of the commissioner—that you better come clean, that you better tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. And if you work in the office, you better be on top of the details. The office was there to make sure that the clubs, the players, the reputation of the NFL reamined unsullied. That goes back to the 1960's with the administration of Pete Rozelle. So this is totally, totally out of character for what I know of the NFL office.

That segment ended up getting cut short, perhaps due to a technical mishap, and so Polian was brought back on the air at 11:08 a.m., at which point he was asked the exact same question by Chris McKendry.

 

And here is a transcription:

Well it can happen. It's a very large organization, much larger than when I served in the league office, maybe much larger by a factor of 10. When you have a large, bureaucratic organization, which that is, and there are some that think it is too large, very honestly. Things can slip through the cracks. Someone can make a value judgement who has no right to make that judgement. The CEO, who is in effect Roger Goodell, doesn't get all the information he needs all the time. That's a fact of life in bureaucracies. In this case, we'll find out what happened, and they'll absolutely, they being the NFL and Roger, will have to take steps to make sure it never happens again.

So, what the hell happened here? In the first segment, Polian makes the NFL out to be the East German Stasi, where a low-level executive wouldn't dare hide pertinent information from his or her superiors for fear of swift and merciless retribution. But then here comes Polian 20 minutes later, describing the NFL offices as a run-of-the-mill bureaucracy where of course vital pieces of information could fall through the cracks.

Bill Polian either has a hard time maintaining consistent opinions for longer than 20 minutes at a time, or something spooked him into softening his answer during that second go-round. If we assume the first answer to be the truest one, you can probably guess what that something might have been.

[Larz]

they are already picking out a scapegoat.  some poor jr executive schlub is going down for roger

[JetsFanInDenver]

they are already picking out a scapegoat.  some poor jr executive schlub is going down for roger

 

with a great retirement package and bullet proof non disclosure agreement.

[Jet Nut]

Well seeing as he took over as commissioner in 2006 when the league was already far and away the most popular in this country with a huge merchandising arm I don't know how much credit you can really give him. 

 

Rozelle and Tags deserve the lions share of the credit. They took it from baseball's little brother to number 1. Goodell merely built off of what was already established.

Well every year it's popularity grows. The game today is more popular than it was under others, it's too simple to give others credit and say he did nothing.