I'm getting tired of the vilification of Roger Goodell

It seems like its "in vogue" for the players (and their insufferable leader, DeMaurice Smith) to portray Roger Goodell as some sort of evil dictator.

Please.

Let's review.

Goodell's power (which the players now want to call a "judge, jury and executioner" role) is the product of the CBA. The CBA is a contract that the players agreed to. If they wanted a different system of review, they should have negotiated different terms. Instead, they act as if it is a shock that Goodell has the power to make decisions regarding player discipline.

Equally laughable is the notion that players like Jonathan Vilma and Scott Fujita are innocent victims in this process. Let's be clear here... there is no reasonable dispute that a bounty program existed. Gregg Williams has admitted that it existed. Clearly, it was not Williams on the field trying to injure opposing players. Thus, if Vilma and Fujita are innocent, who were the culprits?

The question that the public should be asking is... what does Goodell stand to gain from all of this? The players and D.Smith would have the world believe that he is just an evil despot who sits on his throne laughing as he ruins the careers of poor, oppressed NFL players. Really? That's the reason?

Obviously, Goodell's job is to safeguard the game. He could not allow the NFL to get the reputation as a league that tolerates deliberate attempts to injure players. To address the matter, he investigated, and handed down penalties to those found to be the worst offenders. Nobody should be surprised by any of this.

So, say what you will about Goodell's PR prowess (or lack thereof). In the end, I prefer his methods to an "inmates running the asylum" approach.

You are so right on this Av... the players had a chance to set things up differently.

For the most part I like Drew Brees, but to see him yesterday saying things like "they have not proven that there was money changing hands in a pay-to-injure scheme"It makes me laugh. I'm sure there is no paper trail of money being paid. But when players say things like this I loose respect. Just say nothing you will be better off. Especially coming from a QB that was not going to get blown up after a play for a few bucks! Just shut up already!

The players are continuing their trend from last year of sounding like completely selfish brats.

Glad to see there is sense in these forums regarding Goodell's stature as a commissioner. The biggest hypocrisy of these players is that they complain about the penalties and fines of big hits and yet they continue their bickering after suffering the post-traumatic effects of injury (mental damages of the brain) and demand compensation for it despite being paid big bucks. He's keeping safety a #1 concern for the league.