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NFL | Tagliabue to retire
Mon, 20 Mar 2006 09:40:28 -0800

ESPNews reports NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue will retire in July.

Great commissioner. I'm looking forward to him handling the next draft.

Can't deny the success the league has had under his watch, I still think Jim Finks got a raw deal by not being named commisioner in 1989.

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Tagliabue, 65, to retire as NFL commissioner in July
March 20, 2006
CBS SportsLine.com wire reports

NEW YORK -- Paul Tagliabue will retire as commissioner of the National Football League in July after more than 16 years, the NFL announced Monday.

The 65-year-old Tagliabue has led the pro gridiron league since 1989, when he succeeded Pete Rozelle, and last year signed a two-year contract extension to complete the television and labor deals.

The television contract was negotiated in April 2005 and a labor deal was agreed to 12 days ago, finishing the most arduous negotiations since the league and union agreed on a free agency-salary cap deal in 1992.

"I believe that now is a positive time to make the transition to a new commissioner," Tagliabue said in a statement.

Roger Goodell, the NFL's chief operating officer, and Atlanta Falcons general manager Rich McKay are the two leading candidates to succeed Tagliabue. Baltimore Ravens president Dick Cass is considered to have an outside chance.

"We have a collective bargaining extension in place, long-term television contracts, and have undertaken many other strong elements in league and club operations," Tagliabue said. "I am honored to have been commissioner since late 1989 and to have been heavily involved with the league, its owners, clubs, coaches, players, fans and media since 1969."

Tagliabue's term will be remembered most for labor peace following strikes in 1982 and 1987. His close relationship with Gene Upshaw, the union's executive director, finally led to a long-term agreement after five years without a contract.

But the bargaining was hard this time, with three straight deadline extensions needed. The agreement avoided the prospect of entering free agency this year with the possibility of no salary cap in 2007.

He also oversaw a massive stadium building program. More than two-thirds of the NFL's 32 teams are either playing in or building stadiums that didn't exist when he took over as commissioner in 1989.

Before becoming commissioner, Tagliabue was a league lawyer who spent much of that time as the NFL's representative and unofficial lobbyist in Washington.

I'd kill to have Tags job as league lawyer. Would be an awesome job.

Tags will go down is history as a great commissioner, I especially liked the way he handled the Saints after Katrina, without him who knows if the Saints play in 06 in Louisiana.
Jim Finks would have also made one hell of a commissioner.

This is a sad day for the NFL. Here's a guy that spent 16 years as the commissioner of the league, and while the NBA, MLB, and NHL were all going on strike and having nasty feuds, Tagliabue was able to thwart all kinds of problems and just let all of the fans get what they wanted, to watch football.

Remembering an earlier article speculating on his retirement... He's going to stay on as a "Special Consultant to the Commisioner". i.e. groom his replacement. That's going to be great, especially if he can get the new guy to understand the need to stand up to the owners. I love Tags, I think he's done an amazing job and I hate to see him go.

Another thing to think about is that Tags really pressure Benson to stay in New Orleans. Now with him gone, it seems like the guy who Benson respected isn't there anymore to keep him in line and keep the team in Louisiana. Anybody else think his retirement could have some ramifications in the future?

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I'm with ya on that one Deuce. I think this could come back to bite us in the arse. Tags didn't want to be the one to let the Saints leave New Orleans and he knew he was going to retire and just put it off for the next fool.

But remember the next guy is not going to want to come in and have an entire region hate the NFL so it might not be bad at all.