TheOak

A different perspective:

The NFL was founded by businessmen to make money.

Not by fans of the game who wanted to see football flourish first and foremost. If the model for the NFL would have not been profitable there would be no NFL.

Roger acted the way he did (i'm presuming under a directive) to have something to fight against the one thing that stands to suck all of the profit out of the NFL.. Concussion law suits.

Here is the wash... It was at any cost, except financial. Black eye... damaged name... none of that effects profitability in the end. No matter how mad fans get at Goodell, they will still support their team, buy tickets, buy jerseys, etc. This was a minimal financial risk for the reward of having something to show a judge and jury that the NFL is doing everything it can to make the game safer.

We the fans have been suckerpunched... We took the bait.... We hate Goodell but not football or our teams... Goodell was the sacrificial lamb and he is taking all of the anger.. AS DESIGNED.

burningmetal

I'm not sure if this was a reply to my post above, but if it is, there is one central point I was making, and it tells why I disagree with you here. I understood that in your original post you were implying that the owners wanted Roger to save them money. But I'm saying he failed to do so.

What you are saying, is that because fans will still go to, and watch games, that no harm has been done. I agree that fans will still be there, but that is not remotely what I was referring to. I'm talking specifically about the retirees lawsuit. We all know, regardless if anyone put him up to it, that Roger's witch hunt had everything to do with grand standing toward that lawsuit.

But he has effectively humiliated himself and the league, with how everything turned out, and so no image of morality or caring about player safety has truly been established. They are no better, and probably considerably worse off then they were before in their case against the retired players now. Mission failed. That is my point.

If I had a nickel for every time I heard that, the NFL would fine and suspend me.