Friday, February 5, 2016

Roger Goodell doesn't give great explanation for lack of PSI data

It still doesn't make much sense why the NFL, which spent all last offseason acting like psi levels in a football was a pillar to the integrity of the game, didn't seem to care much about it this past season.
Goodell was asked about the league's startling admission that it didn't keep any data on football inflation at his annual media conference on the Friday before the Super Bowl. The league announced new policies and procedures to make sure footballs were legally inflated, after the long and overblown deflate-gate controversy with the New England Patriots. Goodell danced around giving a reason for the incredible discrepancy between the NFL's actions last offseason over psi and its general malaise over the issue during this season. Goodell reiterated that the NFL made limited spot checks and found no violations.
"The intent of what we were doing was not a research project," Goodell said. "It was to make sure our policies were followed."
Goodell often talks about transparency, but there was almost none throughout this issue.
"We don't disclose all the specifics on that because it's meant as a deterrent," Goodell said. "If you tell everybody how many times you're checking and which games you're checking, it's not much of a deterrent. It's a deterrent when they think they may be checked."
Considering the disagreements about the science of how balls can naturally deflate in certain weather conditions, it's surprising the NFL wouldn't want to research something that it took so seriously last offseason.
The NFL's heavy-handed reaction to deflate-gate was brought up again with comparisons to how the league handled Al Jazeera's report that Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning's wife had human-growth hormone sent to her, compared to the way it attacked Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Goodell was asked why the league doesn't seem to be pursuing the allegations against Manning with the same public gusto it had for deflate-gate, and Goodell replied, "We are."
"We take every allegation of violations of our policies and procedures, particularly when it relates to safety, very seriously," Goodell said. "When these allegations first came up we immediately began our own investigation. We were making sure we were working with the other sports involved, with WADA, the World Anti-Doping Association, to make sure we were getting all the information."
The league is investigating the Manning allegations, but Goodell said there is no independent investigation ongoing by the league. He said the league is continuing to work with the other sports leagues involved and WADA on the allegations.
"If we feel that [an independent investigation] is necessary at some point, we may do that. At this point we don’t," Goodell said.
Goodell wouldn't discuss the NFL's appeal of a federal judge's ruling vacating Brady's four-game suspension, but he said the appeal is still ongoing.
"I’m not focused on it right now and I won’t speculate on what we’ll do based on the outcome," Goodell said.
(Reuters)
Other highlights from Friday's news conference:

• The NFL had one team relocate this season, with the Rams moving from St. Louis to Los Angeles, but Goodell said he hopes no other teams move.  The San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders are candidates to move because they aren't happy with their stadium situations, but Goodell hopes something can be worked out in those cities.
"It’s very much a priority for us," Goodell said. "We want to work to keep our teams where they are. Relocation is a difficult process. That’s true in St. Louis, where we have a number of great fans, but from a business standpoint it becomes a reality."
Goodell said he was pleased that Chargers owner Dean Spanos said he'll stay in San Diego for 2016 and hopefully much longer.
"I think it’s great Dean Spanos and his family said they want to make it work in San Diego," Goodell said. "We’ll do everything we can to support that. The same is true for [Raiders owner] Mark Davis."
Goodell said he talked to Missouri Governor Jay Nixon shortly after the Rams' move was announced and said he'd be open to speaking to Nixon in the future about the possibility of St. Louis getting another team.

 

• The Pro Bowl seems to be in danger. Last week's game wasn't very competitive and Goodell wasn't happy.  "I was disappointed with what I saw on Sunday," Goodell said.
Goodell said some changes helped, but he didn't see that in last week's Pro Bowl. He said that the league will discuss changing the format of the Pro Bowl.
"I think it's very important to have a stage in which you celebrate our great players and what they can do on and off the field," Goodell said. "We may have to think about that differently than we have in the past.
"If it's not quality, if it's not real competition we can be proud of, we have to do something different."
• Goodell made it official: The NFL will hold a game in Mexico next season. The Houston Texans will take on the Oakland Raiders in Mexico City at Estadio Azteca on Nov. 21. It will be on "Monday Night Football," the first time an international game will be on Monday night.
"We are excited to be back," Goodell said. "We believe it will be a tremendous success."
Goodell also was excited about the NFL's presence in England and said more games there are possible in the future.
"It's a balancing act, with our schedule," Goodell said.
 
• Goodell doesn't think the league's policy on marijuana use will change soon. He said he has discussed it with medical personnel and they don't recommend a change.
"They have opposed that," Goodell said. "We’re not restricted by the state laws, it’s an NFL policy, and we believe it’s the right policy.
"I don’t foresee a change in that, especially in the short-term."

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