On NFL.Com now.

Is there no end to this mans meddling???????

I've put a comment on there.

He won't take any notice of it though.

Would love to know what is going through this mans head.

I'm Philip Alty and I'm 😣

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000110396/article/roger-goodell-nfl-considering-expanding-playoffs 

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well I hate the idea of expansion but I know his thinking. It is money. More from tv and more at the gate. The first and second place teams that are now getting a bye are certainly teams that will sell out those games.

So much for player safety being paramount.

A couple of interesting things could happen. The bye teams won't get that 2 week lull (assuming most clinch rest their starters in week 17 plus the normal playoff bye week.) so they will have a better chance of winning their opening and second round games. The flip side would be a pretty good team that struggled be it injury or just unlucky breaks would make the playoffs and maybe they would get hot and roll in the championship game or even SB. Luck would prob be a huge factor for a 7th or 8th seed to knock off a 1 or 2 seed.

but I still hate it. This ain't the NHL or NBA.

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Sure is starting to come off like he's desperate to make his mark on the NFL as Commissioner.

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The contradictions that are the Commish.

Player safety and reducing the impacts of hits is vital to the game.

vs.

Lets add more games, thus more hits along the way, to the league.


It isn't about fan value, it isn't that the fans are screaming we need more. It is the concept that the owners think they can squeeze more green blood from the stone.

Never mind they are neutering the game in the process of the current slate of games. Creating rule to promote more scoring; and when the defenses adjust.. add more layers of rules to promote scoring. Making the hit zone an unrealistic target more and more by the week because they are getting bent over backwards in litigation.

Yet, adding more games to the slate seems to be the importance?

Reality is... the owners know they are going to get spanked in court very soon and don't want a dip in the bottom line of their cash flow, so why not take more off the backs of fans and the TV networks.

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Do you all not realize that the Commish doesn't have control of these ideas? He is just the one who steps in front of the mic. Extending playoffs, eliminating kicks. These are all ideas of the Owners, and competition commitee.

Now as for the idea, I don't like the idea of sub 500 teams getting into the play offs. But I do like there not being a bye for anybody. If they could say, up to 8 teams make the play offs from each conference, 4 divisional winners, and 4 wildcards. IF the wild card teams have a 500 or better record. If not a bye would happen from the top seed down. Which would have happened in 04 in the NFC. Only 7 teams were above 500.

It would require the same amount of weeks.

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Considering all the talk about how teams often come out flat after the bye, I could stand to see it go away especially since it's meant as a reward for the top two seeds in each conference, not a punishment. But we don't need more teams in the playoffs.

But the Commish himself is suppose to be a more of a neutral party that acts unbiased for the betterment of the game. One that balances the owners wishes with the needs of the players and clubs and work effectively with the Union.

We know that isn't reality, it has been hammered home, but the position is not suppose to be just a mouthpiece for the owners. To me.. that is all he has become. Nothing more.

Read through Tagliabue's findings and press release from Tuesday.. the not so subtle reading of the tea leaves suggest that Goodell has lost sight of his overall scope of duties and that it bleeds through that he either can't or refuses to be impartial in league matters. Many of us have commented as such over the past couple of years.

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The Peter Principle lives.

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Half the league in the playoffs...what a joke.

Talk of expanding the league when there isn't even enough QB's to go around as it is. Let's just water down the competition some more with another team like the Jaguars and whoever the hell else can't fill their stadium or ever field a decent team.

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Not exactly true, and irrelevant on this topic. The Commish does not make these rules changes.

If it comes to dispute between a player and team, or between two teams, the commish is to be impartial and according the the leagues rules and by laws. But in this case and most of the cases where he gets the blame, he doesn't have the power.

Like the player and officials lockouts. The commish could not prevent, or resolve them, even though he was blamed for them happening. It was his job to negotiate for the Owners. Not to be impartial. He could negotiate a perfect set of conditions, but he doesn't get a vote to approve the agreement. Rules changes, he doesn't make them. That is the competition committe and ownership. Sure he gives his opinion, but doesn't get a vote. When they pass a rule that says, a QB can't be hit in the head, it is the commishes job to make sure the rules are enforced.

Tagliabue's decision was PR. I suspect he thinks the commish went to far in punishment, but also that punishment was warranted. But it was not Goodells job to be impartial, it was his job to act in what he thought was the best interest of the game

I personally think he has gone to far with fines as of late, and with his punishment of bountygate. And will criticize him for that. But not for something he doesn't control just because he is the face in front of the mic.

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