The new NFL sheriff, Roger Goodell, was scoring points early and often as the head honcho of the NFL. He vowed that there would be no more bullshit from the players and, so it seemed, from coaches with larceny in their hearts.
But it hasn’t taken long to have the spectre of politics enter the NFL’s handling of the charges leveled against the Pats and their coach, charges stemming from the frustration of Senator Arlen Specter.
According to reports, Specter feels the NFL has been stonewalling him and his staff in efforts to get to the bottom of this controversy. He has also implied that the NFL may never get around to questioning Matt Walsh, the deep throat key witness and former Pats video assistant.
The Commish, on the other hand stated that the NFL was moving towards an agreement with Walsh that would immunize Walsh from litigation. ”My suspicion is that they’re going to put enough conditions on it so that he won’t talk,” Specter, a Republican from Pennsylvania, told ESPN.com. “If they had wanted Walsh to talk, it would have been done a long time ago. They are not helped by keeping him on ice, unless they intend to [permanently] keep him on ice.” If the league gains Walsh’s cooperation, Specter said he wants to be present when Walsh is questioned “because a witness’ testimony can be shaded or molded by who questions him first.” Walsh, employed by the Patriots from 1996 to 2003, has suggested that he has information, perhaps even materials, about the Patriots’ video practices that could be potentially damaging.
NFL spokesperson Greg Aiello said the league respectfully disagrees with Specter. “We have offered Mr. Walsh’s attorney assurances that are fully responsive to his concerns,” Aiello said. “And we have not heard back from him. … We very much want to speak to [Walsh].” As of Friday night, however, the league and Walsh’s attorney had not reached an agreement.
But the Senator has said that both the Pats and the Jets have refused to cooperate with the investigation.
So here we are, the almighty NFL has fought the Vegas hotels when they tried to throw Super Bowl parties using their feeds. They forced ESPN to take their not so pretty picture of football players soap opera off the air. They have gone head to head with the cable companies in their quest to get the NFL Network included with little cost. They have essentially driven NFL Films into obscurity and they have made it virtually impossible for programs such as Inside the NFL on HBO to stay on the air and compete with the likes of Jamie Duke.
What the Fuck?
The NFL is no longer a little league with a sense of community. The NFL is now a powerful and hungry corporate monster that looks out only for its own . Sounds strangely like corporate greed doesn’t it? Stay with it Senator Spectre, the government may be the only entity powerful enough to rock their boat and make them accountable.
Because no one and nothing else seems to be able to.
