Is Roger Goodell guilty of NEPotism?

[AvengerRam]

I've got to ask: is Roger Goodell guilty of NEPotism (the NEP, of course, standing for New England Patriots)?

He has demonstrated the ability to take firm and severe action against players who have strayed: Tank Johnson, Pacman Jones, Michael Vick. For that, he has been, and should have been, praised.

At first, it seemed like he was taking the same approach with Belichick and the Patriots after "Spygate I." Now, however, a different conclusion can be reached. At this point, there seem to be more questions than answers. Did he know about the allegations regarding Super Bowl 36 back in September? Why has the league not contacted Matt Walsh to find out what he knows? Why has the league not contacted ex-Patriot players who might be willing to talk? Why did he destroy the evidence of the Jets Spygate incident?

Goodell has only one shot at this. If he does not act quickly and decisively, many (myself included) will perceive a double-standard:

Bad behaving players = severe action.
Golden team tarnished = sweep under the rug.

And, on top of that... there is a 700 pound gorilla in the room that nobody (at least nobody I've heard or read) is talking about... yet. How long is it before someone assigns a racial angle to this?

I am certainly not one to automatically presume that every disparity is motivated by race, but when you look at it at face value... the players who have been suspended sure look different from the leaders of the Patriots.

Does that mean that Goodell is racist?

No.

Does that mean some might accuse him, and by extension, the league of acting with a racial bias? That could very well occur. And, in situations like this, the appearance of impropriety is often indistinguishable from an actual improper motive.

This is it, Roger. This is your historically significant moment. Do the right thing by conducting a thorough and impartial investigation, and you will make your mark preserving the best sports league in the world.

If you ignore this... you may damage the league more than you know.

[Drew]

its easier to bring down an individual than an entire franchise,the NFL`s profile wordwide is higher than its ever been and altho its not down to the pats, it has coincided with their "golden" era so Goodell probably thinks it is and therefore doesn`t want to bring it down,regardless of what is right or wrong!

[renrawtruk]

I think it's clear that this is actually not about the Patriots or tarnishing the "golden team". This is about tarnishing the integrity of the league. So far, the NFL has been squeeky clean compared to baseball and the NBA. They punish players severly who do not walk the straight and narrow.

Goodall doesn't want to dig any deeper because if they find more dirt, it just means that the last 6 years of the NFL has been a farse. If the Pats are not legit, then the league is a joke. And anyone who's paycheck is loosely tied to the NFL, like the commentators on Fox, CBS, NBC, and ESPN (and especially the NFL channel), would be doing the entire league harm to make a big deal of this.

So everyone is tucking it under the rug, and Belichik just got his hand slapped, and Tom Brady will not have to stand before a judge, because this would be bad press for the 10 billion dollar jugernaut that is the NFL.

Goodall probably is extremely pissed that the Pats cheated, but his hands are tied, he has to help make this go away, while portraying that he's taking a firm stand.

[allrams11]

Thank GOD! I have been saying that ever since he gave them that measly fine and took away a draft pick. Then when the reports about cheating came out from the Eagles (SuperBowl), Lions (last game of last season), the Steelers (two years ago), and now the Rams (SuperBowl), I thought for sure he would investigate and regret his decision to destroy the tapes and notes. However, Goodell, loving his girlfriend (the Pats), still has not investigated anything. This man is a worse leader than George W. Bush.

[RamsFanSam]

If Jesse Jackson was an NFL "Superfan", there would have already been claims of racial bias. Do I personally believe that there was favortism? Yes. Due to race? No.
The Pats have been America's "Golden Boys" since the 2001 season. The media helped this along, playing on the country's patriotism after 9/11. Personally, I believe that some of the refs favored the Pats, because penalizing the 'Patriots' was like penalizing the USA in their eyes.

Did the Pats cheat? According to Goodell, yes. More than once? According to the members of this site (and many others) , yes. Did the team recieve an appropriate punishment? No.

Honestly, if there weren't so many eyes watching the Pats for evidence of cheating, I think they would have won the Super Bowl this year - by CHEATING.

Goodell shouldn't care if an admission of knowledge of cheating in SB 36 tarnishes his image. Failure to admit such knowledge, should it be proven (or even strongly implied) at a later date, will do much more harm to the NFL. Admitting guilt now would be like admitting you stole from the cookie jar. Getting caught later on would be like a video showing him robbing a store being broadcast on national TV.

CUT HIS FREAKIN HEAD OFF!!

[MoonJoe]

I was think the same thought AV. He also reminds me of a mobster at this point. He "destroys" some evidence then says "I will investigate if there is evidence that points me in that direction". WHAT!?

[Chris58]

Great analysis AV. The potential for the race card is there, though I want to believe that is not a component in this affair. Goodell has to be careful that his failure to act ends up putting him in the ranks of another irrelevant sports commissioner, Bud Selieg.