Goodell's Punishment of Saints Just Right

A lot of unfair criticism has been sent Roger Goodell’s way the past few weeks due to the idiocy exhibited by the New Orleans Saints organization. To me, all of this criticism is extremely unfair and needs to be brought to a halt. The NFL commissioner has the toughest job in sports hands down. In recent years, Goodell has had to deal with Brett Favre’s never-ending debate on whether or not to retire, Michael Vick’s dog fighting incident, the lockout, and now the Saints bounty system. With so many people to deal with and keep in check, don’t criticize Goodell for the job he’s done, whether you think he could do better or not.

As I watched SportsCenter last week, there was a segment that was set in New Orleans where the fans were being asked about the punishment handed out by the NFL. Immediately people said that it was a joke and that Goodell was being much too harsh for something that, to these particular fans, wasn’t that big of a deal. Not that big of a deal? Come on, New Orleans. Paying players to cause bodily harm and potentially end another man’s career is not only bush league, but morally wrong as well. Through all the interviews I’ve heard on this subject, the best line was said by Arian Foster. The Texans running back said that injury could not only end a man’s career, but also take away his income which would in turn take food out of his family’s mouths. That to me was as eye-opening as anything I had heard. How would you like to be a kid and see your dad come home in the prime of his football career, only to tell you that his career was over? Then, a few months later, you find that the man responsible for hurting your dad was in another city, counting through the $50,000 he made from causing that injury. I know that the situation never turned that serious, but don’t ever overlook how serious this bounty system could have turned out to be.

I also think that the Saints players’ reactions were out of line. For guys to say that it was a ridiculous punishment and that they “need an explanation for all of this” makes me doubt humanity as a whole. I know you never want to lose your coaches, I get that. But there comes a time when you have to grow up and accept responsibility. That bounty system was wrong and I would hope the players on the Saints know it. Accept the suspensions and fines, get through this season, and try to play the game with passion rather than an incentive for money.

If you ask me, Roger Goodell was spot-on with his punishment. Suspending the coaches, Payton without pay and Williams indefinitely, is admirable. In today’s world, superstars or coaches are treated lightly, or never even disciplined. To see Goodell put his foot down is something that gives me hope that maybe sports aren’t so dishonest and biased after all. It’s also nice to see the commissioner doing his job, rather than shying away from this situation and being intimidated by the criticism that has come his way. I tip my hat to Roger Goodell and, as a fan, am thankful that he’s doing the right thing. You have my support, commissioner.