Well folks, after a much needed break The GBU crew is back. I know so many people missed us and all the encouraging emails to start writing early this year have been nice. So, after reading all three of them, we are back! There aren’t any games going on right now, but the here at GBU central we have an issue that has brought the spell checker to life once again. Join me now as Steeljake attempts to prove he can type something besides swear words…
Thanks for the warm welcome, I will be sure to remember that when I am making out the payroll this week. This first installment of the GBU will only include the Ugly, but not to fear more will be forthcoming in the weeks to come. I know so many of you are just on pins and needles for us to return. So without further adue…
The Ugly
- Roger Goodell conditionally reinstates Michael Vick
Well, it would seem that Michael Vick is all ready to rejoin the NFL and make Madden fun for the cheesiest of the cheesers after 2 long years. Well that is until the commissioner got all butt hurt. Instead of heading into camp ready to play right away, Vick may have to wait until untill week 6 to actaully step foot on the field and even at 6 weeks into the season, he may not even be able to play then. No this wasn't a typo, this actaully happned, just watch ESPN for 10 seconds they won't shut up about it.
What Roger Goodell has done with not allowing Michael Vick to play right away has destroyed any goodwill the players union and he had. When the personal conduct policy was written with the help of Gene Upsahw and the players they wanted to clean up the game. By allowing the commissioner to suspend people for 'integrity of the game' issues they gave him ultimate power. Up until now he has not abused this. He has suspended such great upstanding players as Adam 'Pacman' Jones, and Chris Henry. legal issues resolved or not, those guys got what they deserved.
People like to point out that Leonard Little killed someone and didn’t even get a whole year out. While this is true, that happened outside of this new personal conduct policy and not under this commissioner. I am willing to bet that if that had happened while this policy was in effect and this man was in charge, Mr. Little would still be looking for a chance to play ball.
Mike Vick's situation is completely different from Pacman and Chris Henry. Yes, Vick did horrible unspeakable things. Yes, he is a piece of shit and deserves to be stripped of all his means to do those horrid acts. Yes, he lied, to both Goodell and Arthur Blank. All that is true, there can be no denying it, these are facts, and not some made up stuff by a Panthers fan. But guess what? Vick spent 18 months in a federal prison, not county jail people, actual butt rape prison. Mike lost all his money and is currently in bankruptcy court with more than 20 million dollars in debt. He most likely will never get another endorsement deal as long as he lives. The law decided he was guilty and the law punished him. Now that his prison sentence has been served and the legal system is satisfied, he can attempt to move on right? Wrong.
Goodell, under the guise of what he says is right for Michael Vick, has deemed it necessary to pile on. Whether good 'ol Roger is personally butt hurt that Vick lied to him, or he is just out to prove he is bigger than the U.S. legal system, commissioner Goodell has basically suspended Vick for up to 6 games. In doing so he has guaranteed that even less teams than before will want to even look at Vick without knowing if he will ever be reinstated fully. How bad is it when Terrell Owens sounds like the voice of reason?
This is what can happen when absolute power is given to one man with no checks and balances. The intent of the players and Mr. Upshaw was not to have Rodger become this all powerful czar with ultimate control over players. The idea was that these young knuckle heads were running around acting like morons and making the NFL look bad. The point was to clean up the image, to let people know that even these newly minted millionaires had to answer to someone. Now, the plan has backfired. Goodell in his infinite wisdom has made him and the league look heartless and petty. The attempt by the commissioner to save face has not only back fired with the public, but has raised a thousand other issues and in time when the collective bargaining agreement is to be renegotiated, this could spell trouble for the league on a much higher level than just public relations. If you add in the implication that Goodell is a white man presiding over a mostly black constituency you have the potential for a situation that could make the baseball strike look like a beer between friends. This whole thing smacks of a personal hurt being avenged by Goodell for Vick lying to him about his involvement in the dog fighting operation.
I am not saying that what Michael Vick did was OK or that since he served his time is it gone and forgotten. He will forever be known as a man who killed dogs for no other reason than because he could. He could get back in the NFL and put up numbers that make Joe Montana look like Ryan Leaf, but at his hall of fame induction there will still be people protesting over the dog fighting. All that being said, Mike has paid his debt to society. He has served his time. He still has a long way to go to get back to within sniffing distance of where he once was, but he deserves the chance to get a shot at it, without the commissioner telling him what is best for him now. The league could have just given him a zero tolerance, they could have said 'If you even spit on the sidewalk your done' and that would have been fine. The league gets to stay tough and Vick gets to make it or not on his own. Instead Goodell has chosen to flex his muscle, and in doing so he may have doomed the NFL to a fate much worse than a PR nightmare he was hoping to avoid.
Well folks, that's all we have for now, more to come as we inch closer to football season, but until then...
All comments, questions, hate mail, marriage proposals and death threats are welcome, but as always please remember…
This is only my opinion and that and $5.00 at Gamestop will get you your very own Madden ‘10 demo code so you can stop begging strangers for theirs. Tune in next time when we will hear Roger Goodell say…
“What do you mean Terrell Owens sounded smarter than me?"
email us here
Thanks for the warm welcome, I will be sure to remember that when I am making out the payroll this week. This first installment of the GBU will only include the Ugly, but not to fear more will be forthcoming in the weeks to come. I know so many of you are just on pins and needles for us to return. So without further adue…
The Ugly
- Roger Goodell conditionally reinstates Michael Vick
Well, it would seem that Michael Vick is all ready to rejoin the NFL and make Madden fun for the cheesiest of the cheesers after 2 long years. Well that is until the commissioner got all butt hurt. Instead of heading into camp ready to play right away, Vick may have to wait until untill week 6 to actaully step foot on the field and even at 6 weeks into the season, he may not even be able to play then. No this wasn't a typo, this actaully happned, just watch ESPN for 10 seconds they won't shut up about it.
What Roger Goodell has done with not allowing Michael Vick to play right away has destroyed any goodwill the players union and he had. When the personal conduct policy was written with the help of Gene Upsahw and the players they wanted to clean up the game. By allowing the commissioner to suspend people for 'integrity of the game' issues they gave him ultimate power. Up until now he has not abused this. He has suspended such great upstanding players as Adam 'Pacman' Jones, and Chris Henry. legal issues resolved or not, those guys got what they deserved.
People like to point out that Leonard Little killed someone and didn’t even get a whole year out. While this is true, that happened outside of this new personal conduct policy and not under this commissioner. I am willing to bet that if that had happened while this policy was in effect and this man was in charge, Mr. Little would still be looking for a chance to play ball.
Mike Vick's situation is completely different from Pacman and Chris Henry. Yes, Vick did horrible unspeakable things. Yes, he is a piece of shit and deserves to be stripped of all his means to do those horrid acts. Yes, he lied, to both Goodell and Arthur Blank. All that is true, there can be no denying it, these are facts, and not some made up stuff by a Panthers fan. But guess what? Vick spent 18 months in a federal prison, not county jail people, actual butt rape prison. Mike lost all his money and is currently in bankruptcy court with more than 20 million dollars in debt. He most likely will never get another endorsement deal as long as he lives. The law decided he was guilty and the law punished him. Now that his prison sentence has been served and the legal system is satisfied, he can attempt to move on right? Wrong.
Goodell, under the guise of what he says is right for Michael Vick, has deemed it necessary to pile on. Whether good 'ol Roger is personally butt hurt that Vick lied to him, or he is just out to prove he is bigger than the U.S. legal system, commissioner Goodell has basically suspended Vick for up to 6 games. In doing so he has guaranteed that even less teams than before will want to even look at Vick without knowing if he will ever be reinstated fully. How bad is it when Terrell Owens sounds like the voice of reason?
This is what can happen when absolute power is given to one man with no checks and balances. The intent of the players and Mr. Upshaw was not to have Rodger become this all powerful czar with ultimate control over players. The idea was that these young knuckle heads were running around acting like morons and making the NFL look bad. The point was to clean up the image, to let people know that even these newly minted millionaires had to answer to someone. Now, the plan has backfired. Goodell in his infinite wisdom has made him and the league look heartless and petty. The attempt by the commissioner to save face has not only back fired with the public, but has raised a thousand other issues and in time when the collective bargaining agreement is to be renegotiated, this could spell trouble for the league on a much higher level than just public relations. If you add in the implication that Goodell is a white man presiding over a mostly black constituency you have the potential for a situation that could make the baseball strike look like a beer between friends. This whole thing smacks of a personal hurt being avenged by Goodell for Vick lying to him about his involvement in the dog fighting operation.
I am not saying that what Michael Vick did was OK or that since he served his time is it gone and forgotten. He will forever be known as a man who killed dogs for no other reason than because he could. He could get back in the NFL and put up numbers that make Joe Montana look like Ryan Leaf, but at his hall of fame induction there will still be people protesting over the dog fighting. All that being said, Mike has paid his debt to society. He has served his time. He still has a long way to go to get back to within sniffing distance of where he once was, but he deserves the chance to get a shot at it, without the commissioner telling him what is best for him now. The league could have just given him a zero tolerance, they could have said 'If you even spit on the sidewalk your done' and that would have been fine. The league gets to stay tough and Vick gets to make it or not on his own. Instead Goodell has chosen to flex his muscle, and in doing so he may have doomed the NFL to a fate much worse than a PR nightmare he was hoping to avoid.
Well folks, that's all we have for now, more to come as we inch closer to football season, but until then...
All comments, questions, hate mail, marriage proposals and death threats are welcome, but as always please remember…
This is only my opinion and that and $5.00 at Gamestop will get you your very own Madden ‘10 demo code so you can stop begging strangers for theirs. Tune in next time when we will hear Roger Goodell say…
“What do you mean Terrell Owens sounded smarter than me?"
email us here
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