Seems like there’s plenty of excitement about a quote that was never supposed to have been printed. Or a quote that was misquoted?
If you didn’t hear, Peter King of Sports Illustrated in his Monday Morning QB article put a quote that during his investigation into the charges of sexual assault made against QB Ben Roethlisberger in March that commissioner Roger Goodell said “I bet two dozen [Steeler] players … Not one, not a single player, went to his defense. It wasn’t personal in a sense, but all kinds of stories like, ‘He won’t sign my jersey.’ ”
King later reported that he had assumed Goodell meant Steelers players and inserted the brackets. Goodell told King on Monday that he did not. The interview took place January 7th but was published Monday.
Right away Goodell claimed he never meant Steelers players, and today at media day Roethlsiberger was asked about it, and said he was hit with it after the team got off the plane Monday.
At the end of the media session, King was seen talking to Roethlisberger one-on-one, and it looked as if he was stating an apology about the misunderstanding that made it sound like the Steelers players were not behind their franchise QB.
“I talked to the commissioner this morning and that’s what he said, that it wasn’t something he expected to be said this week,” Rooney said. “And he was asked about all the things he did and was trying to get some background on how he approaches his decisions.
“It wasn’t like he was trying to take a shot at Ben or anything like that. He was talking about sort of what his thought process went on nine months ago.”
Rooney did not think it would have an effect on the Steelers players this week.
“You know what, I think for Ben and our players, that’s all kind of ancient history at this point. I think they’ll all have to answer questions today but I don’t think it will be a distraction. They’re expecting to get a couple of questions, there’s no surprise to it.”
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Geri Sommerfeld
February 2, 2011 at 12:16 am
Why can’t they just let it go. Every article about the Steelers brings up why Ben sat out those first few games. It’s ancient history – drop it!!!!!!
DrGeorge
February 2, 2011 at 10:09 am
No matter how the principals try to ‘spin’ this story, the timing of this quote, on the eve of the Super Bowl, is suspect. Either P. King or R. Goodell, or both, seems intent on creating dissension among the Steelers players. Whether Goodell was misquoted or whether King jumped the gun and printed the article early “in error”, the comment made by Goodell, so long after the event and immediately prior to the Super Bowl, suggests a troubling lack of judgment and lack of media savvy, if not actual bias against the Steelers. Why would the NFL commissioner even agree to such an interview at this time?
If the Steelers win, this incident will be forgotten. But after the way Harrison was openly targeted in mid-season and given special scrutiny by the referees, presumably at Goodell’s behest, what the public does not need is a renewed suspicion that Goodell might be trying to sabotage the Steelers on the eve of the NFL’s biggest event. The very public way in which the Rothlisberger scandal was mishandled underscores Goodell’s heavy-handed exercise of his office, particularly where Steelers are involved. Goodell seemed far more intent on aggrandizing himself than defusing a volatile situation.
I said before that I felt the team owners should seriously examine the power of Goodell to act as judge, jury, and executioner in assessing fines and interpreting rules. I now suggest that they reconsider his continued tenure as Commissioner. Goodell has not been good for pro football. For confirmation, consider the illustrious tenure of his predecessor: Paul Tagliabue never conducted himself in this way. The NFL deserves better.
mark
February 2, 2011 at 4:45 pm
DrGeorge, I have been championing that cause for the entire year! Too bad we have no input on such matters! I have said all season that this commissioner has abused his power in such a self-righteous way, that you cannot blame anyone for feeling the Steelers were/are targeted.Heavy-handed is one way of describing this, but having the power he wields can be described as despotic! The league as an entity,(owners,players,even union) HAVE to wonder about 1 person having so much leverage and conducting himself the way he has. Like you said, Tagliabue,Roselle were hardly ever in the middle of such outcry. It seems like this idiot wants to put his personal mark on the game as if he is the story and not the players and coaches. What a shame it would be if the minions of his office actually determine the league champion and not the players. With a lock-out looming, this Super Bowl may be the last of its kind. I mean,the league is changing, the rules are changing, the contracts are changing, etc.. If the league goes into the off-season with a bitter taste after the Super Bowl who knows what we will expect when football resumes?