The Super Bowl sideshow
The 360 is a feature designed to show you diverse perspectives on the day’s top stories.
Speed Read
What: Roger Goodell just can’t escape controversy – and he’s in hot water again just before the Super Bowl. The commissioner of the National Football League has presided over several high-profile blowups from domestic violence scandals, the CTE debate and protests after Colin Kaepernick first took a knee.
The latest brouhaha centers on a disputed “non-call” that likely cost the New Orleans Saints a spot in Sunday’s Super Bowl. Saints fans blew up after referees failed to flag a Los Angeles Rams player for pass interference on a key play late in the NFC title game. The Rams went on to win in overtime and advance to the Super Bowl in Atlanta to play against Tom Brady’s New England Patriots (watch it here in the Yahoo Sports app). Goodell this week finally addressed the controversy and admitted publicly that the referees botched the call — after nearly 11 days of silence.
Add to that, he’s also under fire for canceling a press conference with the Super Bowl halftime act Maroon 5 and for his alleged influence on Kaepernick’s unemployment. Kaepernick, a free agent, has filed a lawsuit alleging the NFL is blackballing him to appease President Trump, who was a vocal critic of players who kneeled during the national anthem at NFL games.
What’s next: A lot of uncertainty and a possible revision of the rules on instant replay. It’s used now only for plays called by referees. Goodell said the league might allow challenges in the future, but warned that league owners have not historically supported similar proposals.
As in dramas past, fans and critics are calling for Goodell’s ouster — or at least for changes in the way he operates. But as the NFL continues to turn a huge profit — $14 billion in 2017 — his $40 million-a-year job appears safe for now.
Perspectives
The referees messed up.
“The ending of the Saints-Rams NFC championship game is being decried around the country as highway robbery: brazen, indefensible, and, some even speculate, deliberate. The Saints players were robbed of an appearance at the Super Bowl. … There is no question that the no-call was an officiating crime.” — Michael Hecht, Tommy Faucheux and Gregory Rusovich, Times-Picayune
“I feel very badly for Louisiana because that was maybe the worst call I’ve ever seen.” — President Trump to the Daily Caller
“It seemed like it was about as obvious a call as there is to be made.” — Saints QB Drew Brees on Good Morning America
The no-call didn’t decide the game.
“In truth, a game the Saints had dominated for multiple quarters was squandered, not simply because of an official’s miscalculation, but because of their own inability to adjust, to regroup, to call better plays and to seize the moment.” — Kimberley A. Martin, Yahoo Sports
“This Saints-Rams thing isn’t that complicated, though, because this was like most NFL games: One officiating call usually doesn’t decide them. That non-call wasn’t the biggest factor in this one.” — Terence Moore, Forbes
“The Saints may have a legit gripe about the call, but they would be hard-pressed to call themselves the better team Sunday. Given an early opportunity to land a knockout punch, they instead settled for field goals. Then, over the final three quarters, they put together exactly one touchdown drive.” — Dan Wolken, USA Today
Goodell needs to change — or go.
“No one expects complete transparency from Goodell. But a little sincerity, a little humility, a little accountability would go a long way in letting fans know they’re not being taken for granted. Or, worse, taken for fools.” — Nancy Armour, USA Today
“Roger Goodell has two constituencies: you and the one he actually serves. In the past two weeks, he has let them both down. Fans want an explanation for the officiating debacle in New Orleans. Owners deserve a league that defends its integrity. Goodell easily could have done both. Unfortunately, his approach to crisis management is to get out in front of a crisis, then let it run him over.” — Michael Rosenberg, Sports Illustrated
Goodell isn’t going anywhere.
“If it defies logic that Goodell still has a job, that’s because we don’t understand the job he’s been hired to do. Clearly, the owners are thrilled with him. Last December, he signed a new five-year contract worth about $40 million a year including fat bonuses and incentives. To the owners, who really control the NFL, Goodell is worth every last penny. He’s a figurehead, the public face of NFL authority whose main objective is to keep those billions rolling in.” — Renée Graham, Boston Globe
“As this year’s Super Bowl between the Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots arrives, everything has changed. Ratings shot back up — even more so in the playoffs — quieting concerns about the league’s future. Exciting play on the field produced new stars and captivated fans.” — Andrew Beaton, Wall Street Journal
“At a reported $40 million a year, Goodell is the most expensive decoy NFL owners can buy. Forget about protecting the shield, he’s the NFL’s human shield.”— Jane McManus, New York Daily News
“I can’t believe the NFL’s ability to not just bounce back from major controversy, but thrive. Goodell’s goal of making the NFL a $25 billion-a-year industry by 2027 seems back on track.” — Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
There’s a dark cloud over this Super Bowl.
“Down in New Orleans (and beyond), they’re still insisting that this year’s Super Bowl is tainted. The cause is a horrendous call that, as tout le monde knows, sent the Los Angeles Rams rather than the New Orleans Saints to Atlanta for this Sunday’s Super Bowl against the New England Patriots.” — Stephen L. Carter, Bloomberg
“I’m not really sure why they’re bothering with a Super Bowl this year. … Will we really see the winner as the winner — or just as the charmed survivor of a grossly tarnished process? Be it the New England Patriots or the Los Angeles Rams, the team will have an asterisk after its name.” — Frank Bruni, New York Times
