Roger Goodell needs to be fired
In other news, water is wet.
October 16, 2014
In a normal work environment, it’s fair to say that there are a few obvious standards that employees should be held to. Repeated lying, laziness and an overall lack of understanding of the task at hand all constitute grounds for dismissal. These commonplace rules raise one simple question: why does NFL commissioner Roger Goodell still have a job?
Goodell has displayed dishonesty, laziness, incompetence and more in his tenure as commissioner of the NFL, and his recent mess only further concretes this sentiment. Goodell’s cover-up of Ray Rice’s vicious assault against his wife may be the most egregious use of power in NFL history. In July, Goodell suspended Rice a paltry two games for domestic abuse against his wife, despite a video that clearly showed Rice dragging his wife’s unconscious body out of a casino elevator. Only after the video evidence was released three months later that showed Rice actually punching and knocking out his wife did the NFL take a tough stance against Rice.
NFL officials claimed that they had never seen this video, a statement in which multiple Associated Press articles have refuted. Goodell now finds himself in a world of trouble. Whether he ever saw the video of Rice’s knockout punch is debatable, but his despicable lack of action initially against Rice shows that Goodell and the NFL do not take issues such as domestic abuse seriously.
Rice’s case was not the only offense either, as Carolina Panthers’ star Greg Hardy played the first game this year despite accusations of throwing his girlfriend on a “futon of rifles” and threatening to kill her. San Francisco 49er’s player Ray McDonald has also been accused of domestic violence, yet he has still played in every game this season. Not to mention Minnesota Vikings’ star Adrian Peterson, who initially escaped punishment from the league after allegations of child abuse. Only after some big companies threatened to drop their sponsorships did any punishment occur.
If you think you could have done a better job than Goodell has done so far, you aren’t wrong. Goodell’s actions clearly indicate a willingness to look the other way for star players, and they also show a complete disrespect for women. His main concern is making a profit, which in today’s NFL is not enough. Goodell needs to be responsible for his actions and be replaced, just like any other incompetent employee in America.