I am bothered by this. This feels like when there were rumors that the NBA draft was rigged to get Ewing to NY. I don't necessarily believe that happened but the effect is the same. It destroys one of the basic tenants of competition, that of a level playing field. Now obviously things are never going to be perfectly level. Athletes would generally rather play in Miami than Buffalo, for example, but there are things that can be controlled, like the allocation of players. All teams should be operating under the same rules and the commissioner should not be steering players.
If I'm the Commish, that in and of itself would be reason enough to steer him towards the Iggles. I see nothing wrong with that. I'm not a Vick fan, neither of his football prowess nor of his personal life choices, but that organization is one of the top 2-3 (maybe NE and Pitts as others) for developing or in this case, re-developing players. There is stability there, the ownership is strong...nothing wrong at all with this revelation....In fact, kudos to the Commish/league for recognizing that where this kid made his comeback would have a lot to do with how well that comeback worked and how successful it might have been...
Again, in this case, I think it was a good move and a smart move by the league. This is a player that could have polarized the fans under different circumstances. That would NOT have been good for the league. As always, his play on the field seems to have negated the bad vibes of his heinous crimes...but he might not have been as successful elsewhere...and that would have been bad for the league.
How many fans tuned into any televised game with Michael Vick in it? Sure, they lost out on short-term profit. There are many other things you have to look at though, mainly the value of the team. The Buffalo Bills are worth $900M+. The overall popularity of the league will drive that up a lot more than some jersey sales.
And as several have said, the bottom line is Vick made the choice himself. He was the one who stood to gain or lose the most. Advice from the league, other coaches or GMs, etc...doesn't matter now since it apparently has been the best choice for him....and the Iggles....and the league...
For me, Vick will always be a POS scum. My opinion of him will never change. He is one person that I do wish bad, bad things would happen to. Goddamn I hate that phucing cu*t.
While I agree that Vick in Philly was better for the league, the commissioner steering players is not good for the league. If I were an owner (not Philly's) who wanted Vick, I would be pissed. I'd be damn sure to make every effort to remove Goodell whenever is contract is up or I may try even sooner. Every sport is based on the concept of fairness. When I stopped watching basketball for several years, it was b/c it felt like the refs controlled everything and the stars got all the subjective calls. It just offended my sense of fairness enough that the game wasn't as much fun to watch. I've heard the same complaint from many basketball fans that never came back. I wouldn't say this rises to that level for me, but I'm also a much bigger football fan. If I were a Buffalo fan and I had wanted Vick, this might make me feel like the league is slanted against Buffalo. The sense of fairness is essential in sports for many people. You take that away from the sport and you'll lose a percentage of them.
So if Vick is the common denominator, and it is all relative, then the popularity increase of the league would be the same whether he played in BUF, CIN, or PHI with the excitement he delivers. Disregarding money altogether, CIN and BUF are still victims if Goddell influenced Vick's decsions because both teams could have had a top QB and maybe become annual playoff teams. That in itself is reason enough to wrong Goddell IMO.
Goodell didn't force Vick to go anywhere. The pros and cons of each team were there without influence of Goodell. He suggested one of a few options Assface was already considering based on those facts.
They are only victims if their owners have an issue. Regardless, assuming he would have been successful on those teams is a very big assumption that I disagree with. EDIT: Further, there could have been plenty of NFL owners that were pushing for Vick not to go to a team like BUF or CIN. We have -0- information regarding any owners feelings regarding this.
Maybe not successful right away, but they'd have the biggest piece, a franchise QB. I think we've been looking for one for over a decade. Who knows what they'd be capable of with Vick? We have varying opinions but you can't dismiss the potential for these teams to become much better. And as an owner, yeah, I would have a problem with that and I don't think I'm in the minority.
Plax doesn't need mentoring. Yes, the guy made a stupid mistake, but if I remember correctly been a pretty upstanding player nearly his entire career. Vick is a worthless pile of **** and he should have never been let back into the NFL.
Agreed, but no one is talking in certainties, we are all speculating. But you do get a good sense of someone's position. Personally, I think it is unethical for the commish to get involved. Other owners, that is fine. That is called healthy competition.
I don't. Actually, maybe I do. With our O-Line play I bet he would have ran more and maybe had his damn neck snapped.
I am not sure I understand. There is no police. Goodell is an employee of the owners. Again, I have a hard time seeing Goodell bending over a bunch of billionaires.
Goodell can legally and ethically give advice to owners, players, ball boys, cheerleaders, or whomever else is an employee of the NFL. Unless he told Vick, "It's Philly or nowhere for you!", then I have no problems with this.
So for Goddell to be reprimanded, hypothetically of course, for any wrongful action at all, how does that occur? Who handles the case? I'm not being sarcastic, I really don't know the procedure.
that is your emotion talking....I get it, but last year Miami pass pro was decent, he would have balled....this year is going to be a long year pass pro wise...
I don't think its unethical at all. You are looking at this only out of the prism of on-field success. There were many more elements here. Half the people on this board said they wouldn't support Vick if he ever became a Dolphin. The guy was radioactive.
It's true that I wouldn't want him on our team even if he was a good QB, but he's not a good QB. He exceled in Philly because ALL QB's excel there. However, just like he was figured out by NFL teams before he went to prison, he will be figuered out again and he will start putting up his 50% comp rate games and end up hurt.
What's the problem here. I don't see one. Goodell probably looked at Philly, then Cinci and Buffalo. Which one has the steadiest FO and coaching staff. As if Cincy needed any more criminals over there. They are the Bengals.
Half of any team's fan base wouldn't support Vick. Didn't you see the protest outside of Eagle camp? Yes it could be PETA traveling but still, to this day I bet half of Eagle fans don't like the guy, but he is tolerated why? Because of on-field success.
Bottom line is he's a grown *** man. He doesn't need Goodell's advice. It only leaves the door open for critcisms of supplication and conflict of interest; even if it was a case of kindness.
Exactly, which is why the NFL needed to ensure Vick didn't fail on the field. Him not being successful would have just kept his past at the forefront.
My only hope, is that when Laurie has gotten everything he can out of Vick, that he either electrocutes him or holds his head underwater or even strings him up and beaten until his death. That would be fair.
The fact that the NFL, it's media allies and Michael Vick are beginning to roll out with a heavy white wash campaign...shows that what Michael Vick said and implied originally about Goodell steering him toward Philadelphia, would indeed be a BIG problem if true. The cat's out of the bag, but the spin cycle is a pretty strong one and there's no paper evidence so nothing will come of it. Suffice it to say the Commissioner stepping in and steering a free agent on which team to sign with is a HUGE problem if it is allowed to happen. Hopefully everyone raises up an unpleasant enough stink about this, even if it does die down with no action taken, that Goodell will not overstep himself again in this manner.
Or it proves that people are making this bigger than it is and they're simply trying to calm it down.