Mr. Goodell,
I have been an NFL fan my entire life and wanted badly to play football in high school. But girls weren't allowed to play so my football experience was left to being the QB of the powder puff team and watching Detroit Lions football on Sundays with my grandpa. As a Lions fan, you can imagine how difficult it has been at times to stick with my beloved team.
When you were announced as the new commissioner, I was pleased, mainly because I believed you would be true to your words regarding making the NFL better and not condoning violence and criminal behavior.
So imagine my disappointment when I read your comments regarding Rush Limbaugh. Here is a man who loves football passionately, like millions of Americans, and dedicates time every week on his highly popular show to discuss the sport. He is also a man who is passionately convicted to his beliefs and isn’t afraid to share those beliefs on the airwaves.
Yet, you as well as NFL players and owners, chose to believe completely false information from members of the media. Not a single quote regarding slavery can be attributed to him. No source for the quote can be found other than a blogger who made it up, and it somehow found its way into a wiki where those with political agendas of their own used completely false information for a political witch hunt.
When I read your words regarding divisive remarks not being welcomed, I couldn’t believe these words were coming from the man who promised one thing as a new commissioner but has done something completely different. You allowed an animal torturer back in the NFL. You allowed a man directly involved in the permanent paralysis of another human being back into the NFL. When an NFL player hits a woman, you turn the other cheek. When a player uses incendiary remarks, like Donavan McNabb calling Kevin Curtis ‘white lightning’, or a certain Jacksonville Jaguar calls arresting officers ‘honkies’ and threatens to do things to his wife and daughter, you look the other way.
The actions of these men, and I use that term very loosely, are completely heinous, criminal, unacceptable, and unfortunately, rewarded by you and the NFL. It doesn’t matter that they do wrong, you will give them a second chance and sometimes even a third and fourth.
You even allow an extremely hateful political commentator named Keith Olberman give color commentary on Sunday night NFL games, never once considering the absolutely disgusting comments he’s made about women and those who disagree with him.
But you didn’t even give Rush one chance. You never gave him the opportunity defend himself to you or members of the NFL. You convicted him over words while the actions of 308 players who’ve been arrested since 2000 get second chances.
They say actions speak louder than words. In this case, it is not only glaringly obvious, but it’s also just plain wrong.
I believed your words when you promised to get tough on NFL players. To witness the hypocrisy of your own words and actions has been a severe disappointment. Now, I will speak with action, and forego NFL football from this day forward.
You may view that as extreme, maybe even laughable. But it is a principled stand, one that you have failed to take.
Grandpa would have been proud.
(If you insert the Cleveland Browns' name in there instead of the Lions, it could be me).
What's the e-mail address for Goodell? I need to vent a bit.........I am FURIOUS.
(except you forgot to congratulate Goodell on his retirement, and to welcome Commissioner Al Sharpton to the NFL)
BTTT!!!!
Bravo!