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DEL.ICIO.USState of rookie commissioner low key, at ease
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Terence Moore
Miami — If Pete Rozelle and Paul Tagliabue were at one extreme when it comes to addressing the world, Roger Goodell was at the other.
Not that this is a bad thing.
Take Friday, for instance, when New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson failed to contain his glee at the Miami Beach Convention Center after the 47-year-old Goodell gave his first State of the NFL address. “I’m going to tell you, I thought it was excellent, because if I had been in his shoes, I would have been a little nervous, but he seemed to handle it just great,” said Benson, a 22-year veteran of these events, ranging from the famously smooth ways of Rozelle to Tagliabue, the condescending lawyer who always let you know he thought he was the smartest guy in the room.
In contrast to Goodell’s predecessors who ruled the NFL for a combined 46 years, Goodell was just Goodell. That means he was low key with a dose of firmness and confidence. This was the same guy who flooded Rozelle’s office with letters 25 years ago to become an administrative intern for the league. This also was the same guy who survived four other finalists after five ballots to be unanimously approved by acclamation of the owners.
Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney said after the speech, “We’ve had a lot of different personalities as commissioner, starting with Jim Thorpe. We’ve also had others like Joe Carr, Elmer Layden and Bert Bell before Pete [Rozelle] and Paul [Tagliabue] came along.”
Then Rooney searched his 74-year-old mind to say, “The advice I’ve always given to every commissioner is that, whatever you do, just be yourself.”
So, for 45 minutes, before thousands of reporters from around the universe, Goodell gave his view of life with ease. There were the serious questions. (Do you think the presence of two black coaches in the Super Bowl will lead to more black NFL coaches and executives? “Whether it’s coaching, [trying to apply] for an office or for anything associated with the NFL, we want to have a sophisticated process that is open and diverse that will find the best possible candidate.”). There also were the ridiculous questions. (What do you think of reports that Brett Favre isn’t retiring? “Brett hasn’t called me recently.”)
In the end, Goodell lacked the wit of Rozelle, who once called his archrival, Al Davis, “a charming rogue” during the State of the NFL address before Davis’ Oakland Raiders won a Super Bowl. Even so, Goodell was solid enough to keep his bosses grinning and nodding. Said Benson, watching Goodell shake hands on the podium, “I thought he was direct and to the point. He answered every question. He didn’t hesitate. I’m going up there to congratulate him.”
Well, Goodell wasn’t that good. There were times when you got the feeling that he never completed a course on public speaking. His voice was fine. So were his body gestures. It’s just that, whenever he answered questions to his right, he failed to speak into the microphone. “I guess we’ll have to work on that,” NFL spokesman Joe Browne said, jokingly.
The new guy also had this habit of disagreeing with the premises of questions that were perfectly legitimate.
Questioner: Given the immense popularity of the league, do you see that these problems that seem to come in droves this year, chipping away at the league’s image to where it gets to be — I don’t know if crisis would be the right word — but where it gets to be a major problem?
Goodell: “I see it differently. I don’t see [these problems] coming in droves.”
Oh, really? The Cincinnati Bengals just had their ninth player arrested in the last nine months. That qualifies as “droves,” but Goodell is still learning.
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By Bill
February 2, 2007 10:32 PM | Link to this
I was wondering if you might be able to help me find one of my former players from Chattahoochee High School. His name is Chris Bradwell, he was an all-state defensive lineman who went to Florida State (after a stint at Hargrave) then was kicked off the team there. I went and saw him play last year in Texas when the Northeast Mississippi CC he was playing for played a game there. I know he was at Troy State at the beginning of the year, when he got arrested and kicked off the team. I was hoping somehow you might be able to help me find him. I know it might sound hard to believe, but he is really (at least he was)sweet kid. I appreciate any information you might be able to pass on.