Getting to the Root of James Harrison's Anger

by maryrose on Jul 20, 2011 5:28 PM EDT

Great stuff here from maryrose, who I'd say is well-qualified to speak on this subject as the commissioner of a noteworthy college conference. - Michael B. -

************

There are those who can eloquently speak their mind and those who are better off not speaking at all. While it is clear that James Harrison belongs a member of the latter, there was an undercurrent to his message that perhaps even he is not able to understand or articulate.

While Harrison went too far on several levels, it was interesting to hear numerous NFL players across the league joining Silverback in their disdain for Commissioner Roger Goodell. Their claim that Goodell is both judge and jury is spot on. The NFL (and all major sports leagues) is nothing more than a kangaroo court. The commissioner does what he wants when he wants, and if a player wants to appeal, guess who ends up deciding the appeal? How likely is it for a person to essentially admit he is wrong by reversing an earlier decision? The system is badly flawed and while Harrison may never become a member of the National Speakers Bureau, the reasons for his anger, not his words mind you, but his anger, are well justified.

The problem is that Roger Goodell is not really the commissioner of the NFL, though the title and job description may lead us to think as such. In reality, Mr. Goodell is the Executive Director of the NFL Owners, just as DeMaurice Smith is the Executive Director of the NFL Players. When these two football giants meet, represent, discuss or argue, each side represents their particular constituency. Neither is a "commissioner" above and apart from both the players and owners. Yet, one has the added misnomer of "commissioner" attached to his name as if he actually was such.

What the NFL (and other major sports leagues) needs is a real commissioner, one put in office by both the players and owners. I would suggest a system similar to the United States Congress. The Owners would be like the Senate, with each of the 32 clubs holding a block of 10 votes (320 total). The Players would be like the House of Representatives, controlling 320 individual votes, assigned as they saw fit, probably 10 players per team. The total 640 votes would be cast to hire and fire commissioners, while smaller joint committees could deal with matters such as salary, benefits, office operations, etc. If the players and owners were really a joint partnership as Goodell keeps saying, shouldn't this be the roof they live under?

Under this scenario, the Players would feel much more a part of the system instead of an army unto themselves. The trust level would skyrocket. Penalties and sanctions, while perhaps not always agreed with, would at least be accepted as fair and neutral. On a larger level, labor negotiations would run much smoother and probably with far less animosity. Instead of having a person claiming to represent the game while actually representing the Owners, you would have an added person who actually did represent the game on the whole. Moreover, said person, a real commissioner, would be disarming to both sides during disputes and negotiations. A real commissioner would magnetize both sides toward the middle instead of the current Hatfield-McCoy model.

I might not live long enough to see this model, but I can actually see it coming to fruition one day. And when (if) it does, people like James Harrison might not say what they say and feel what they feel. I don't condone Harrison's words - don't get me wrong here - but at the very root of his anger there is a story to be told. That story is a hated commissioner, paid by one side and not the other, who is not really a fair and impartial commissioner at all.

Tweet Comment 36 comments | Add comment | 4 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Um, maybe I'm being naive

but don’t players get a say in these sorts of things when they collectively bargain?

I like Turtles!

by RedTurtle on Jul 20, 2011 6:12 PM EDT reply actions

Sure

Just like you the fan have a say in how your team should be run.

Back on the Sweed train. Choo Choo!
"It’s easy to lie with statistics, but it’s easier to lie without them." -Fred Mosteller

by John Stephens on Jul 20, 2011 6:45 PM EDT up reply actions

If your a packers fan

that may be a legit statement

Players who should be in the Hall of Fame: Pat TIllman, Dwight White, Donnie Shell, L.C. Greenwood, Ray Guy, Steve Tasker, Jack Butler, Greg Lloyd, Andy Russell, Cris Carter, Kevin Greene, Curtis Martin, Willie Roaf, Andre Reed and Jerry Kramer
CM PUNK IS MY HERO
Canal Chronicles resident Steelers Fan

by WVPiratesfan on Jul 20, 2011 11:51 PM EDT up reply actions

I almost put in an exception for them in my sentence

Back on the Sweed train. Choo Choo!
"It’s easy to lie with statistics, but it’s easier to lie without them." -Fred Mosteller

by John Stephens on Jul 21, 2011 8:01 AM EDT up reply actions

isn't it the packer shareholders that get a say?

i thought they just have like 1000s of owners as compared to just one.

by kk99 on Jul 21, 2011 9:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Other commissioners have fined players

But not as harshly and arbitrarily as Goodell. The problem is that Goodell comes off as arrogant and hypocritical.

I don’t know that the NFL needs to become quite so democratic. As Turtle mentioned, the players do have some recourse through CBA negotiations. I thought that they were going to push for some restrictions on the commissioners’ powers during this round of negotiations. Maybe they did. If not, they should have.

by WolfpackSteelersFan on Jul 20, 2011 6:46 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

the owners might give players ownership and/or a less dictatorial commish

if the players are willing to take much lower salaries with a major part of their pay contingent upon profits and revenue growth. goodell is doing what the owners want, players need to start complaining about the owners, not goodell. goodell is just putting in the discipline that the owners decided was what was needed.

by kk99 on Jul 21, 2011 9:20 PM EDT up reply actions

I like the idea

Of creating a governing structure like that

by barnerburner on Jul 20, 2011 6:54 PM EDT reply actions

the owners will never agree to an "elected" commish

that could put their business interests in jeopardy and at the end of the day they have the gold and they make the rules. that’s the basis for our business system, players are confused, they think they own the NFL. i believe they asked for an independent appeals panel where they could get relief from goodell. but you know that board would still be hired by the owners, they are not letting de smith on the board as the deciding vote.

i have never heard of a company where employees get to choose upper management. closest thing to this is electing your union boss, that is the extent of the power that employees are likely to get.

by kk99 on Jul 20, 2011 6:55 PM EDT reply actions

This is exactly why

there is conflict. The players understand that the without them, the owners have nothing. It’s not like the owners can fire all the players and get hundreds of others to take their place, or slowly push them out like another business. At the same time, the players know that without the owners, they have no livlihood.

They both also understand that without an agreement, they will forfeit bucket loads of cash. The players want to change the business model, and the owners are resisting. Unfortunately, fairness and capitalism do not mix.

by IronJake on Jul 21, 2011 11:00 AM EDT up reply actions

no doubt

the nfl is a mixed socialist-capitalist-oligopoly business model. BUT if you cut away all the bullshit the owners still make the rules. unless the players are willing to go out and get investors and start their own league you will always have less power than the owners.

that’s just the way life works, life is not fair. unfortunately, starting a new football league is very complicated and you need tremendous capital and time to build the league. the USFL could have survived had they not tried to grow so fast and guys (like Trump) f*cked it all up.

by kk99 on Jul 21, 2011 9:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Well, Not Really

This is NOT how life works. This is how life works with capitalism. Capitalism is not fair, and failures and abuses are inherent to the system, just like failures and abuses are inherent to communism. Socialism is another matter. We made the choice to accept the abuses, and look the other way. This is social engineering.

This confusion is what creates the dumbshit arguments over healthcare, and other things our government distracts us from, but his is a football blog, so I’ll leave it alone.

It is true however, that the owners make the rules, just like the airlines make over $3 billion for checked bags, and discourage you from carrying on.

by IronJake on Jul 22, 2011 10:16 AM EDT up reply actions

i should have said this is how life works in america

if you don’t have access to capital to form your own organization and take the inherent risks, then you will never have anywhere near equal power. in this country ownership is power as long as you are successful at it.

by kk99 on Jul 22, 2011 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Except....

States don’t routinely trade representatives. Though it might be a good idea…

by JohnCarter1982 on Jul 20, 2011 7:51 PM EDT reply actions

Astute Observation

Excellent work. Your argument/explanation of Harrison’s anger has a lot of merit, but I do not recall that Tagilabue or Rozelle ever inspired such indignation.

I think its the arbitrary way in which Goodell has applied his power. He was Mr. Get Tough, which I liked.

That included suspending an assistant coach (Wade Wilson) for an illegal substance.

Yet when a coach gets caught red handed illegally taping another team’s signals? He gets a slap on the wrist and doesn’t miss a day of work.

Harrison gets flagged for late hits, in the same game where Bills defenders take several seconds longer to hit Ben, and they don’t get hit. (Thanks to Neal Coolong for doing that research last year.)

But again, I see your basic point.

I also think your idea for reforming that is interesting. As someone who teaches political science I am not sure I would structure the selection process quite as you do, but I agree that the players do need a voice.

by Hombre de Acero on Jul 20, 2011 10:51 PM EDT reply actions

I think that James Harrison watches too much WWE

And thinks it is cool to treat Goodell like heels treat Jim McMahon. It’s not that he doesn’t have a reason to be angry. I think that this is just his way of dealing with his anger at authority – putting on a heel show for his friends, teammates or (perhaps foolishly) for this reporter.

by prophicide on Jul 21, 2011 2:22 AM EDT reply actions

I like it.

That is all.

"I personally don't subscribe to that hocus-pocus. What happened in the other games will have no bearing on the outcome of this game. Each individual performance stands on its own. We're not buying into that."

Mike Tomlin - When asked about beating the Ravens three times in one season in 2008-2009 season.

by MDSTEELERSFAN on Jul 21, 2011 10:28 AM EDT reply actions

What the NFL (and other major sports leagues) needs is a real commissioner, one put in office by both the players and owners. I would suggest a system similar to the United States Congress.

Brilliant. Agree on all levels.

Flacco's first 3 years vs. Brady's, Manning's and Brees' first 3 years

Flacco threw for just 21 fewer passing yards than Brady and tossed four fewer interceptions. Flacco threw for 1,655 more yards than Brees, two more touchdowns and four fewer picks. Manning, who averaged 88 more passes per season, threw for way more yards and touchdowns than Flacco, but also tossed 24 more interceptions.

by Mr MaLoR on Jul 21, 2011 1:12 PM EDT reply actions

Gee if it was working in Washington I might agree.

And they’ve had over 200 years to work out the details.

If you buy a foreign made product you give money to a person who will not be buying an American made product that you get paid to make. Think about it next time you're at the store.

by SNW on Jul 21, 2011 1:23 PM EDT reply actions

Great points, MR ...

Too bad the owners won’t ever agree to that. I have no problem with the NFL trying to police some of the headhunting in the NFL. But what they did last year was arbitrary and capricious. We will begin to fine players money for hits we deem to be too violent without first sitting down and talking to teams to show them what we define as legal and illegal hits. And we’re not going to give you a period of time to adjust to thi. We will start taking your money now. Godell fined James Harrision $100,000 and Deebo had no means to appeal to a higher authority to say this is unfair. I mean, how un-American is that?

Here’s hoping that Deebo channels that anger into having another Defensive Player of the year type of season. The Steelers have better depth at OLB now than at any other time under Tomlin, so hopefully he’ll get more breaks and be healthier when the playoffs roll around.

by datruth4life2.0 on Jul 21, 2011 2:43 PM EDT reply actions

Nicely done.

Let’s dig up Pete Rozelle. I’m almost positive he could do a better (read: fair and equitable) job than Goodell…

Just once I'd like someone to call me "Sir," without adding, "You're making a scene."

by YankeeCarp on Jul 21, 2011 3:53 PM EDT reply actions

That's a really good point

Being “punished” by a person that you would view shouldn’t be in charge, and having to actually serve that out, that’s just going to piss a guy off and generally cause the inverse of what is supposed to happen.

"We're going to do all we can to get this team right, to go after that national championship" - Devon Still

by ICEICETHATGUY13 on Jul 21, 2011 8:55 PM EDT reply actions

players need to channel their anger at the owners, not goodell

goodell is just doing their bidding and he is just carrying out their dictates. that’s the problem, the owners are pulling the wool over their eyes. if the owners did not agree with goodell’s actions they would fire him or warn him to pull in the reins.

the owners are master manipulators and PR wizards, you don’t have net wealth between $200mm and $18 billion if you don’t know how to “do business.” hardly ever do i hear that these owners are pricks because they don’t have the balls to punish their own players that is why they have goodell to do it.

by kk99 on Jul 21, 2011 9:34 PM EDT up reply actions

A fine poast

I like this idea a hell of a lot.

Its an absolute abortion of a system when the ’’Commisioner’’ is also the head of the owners who are greedier and more corrupt than the players group (notice I said more)

Obviously Goodell’s job depends on the Owners, who have the money. They clearly decide who’s in charge and why not put a guy who has their best interests in mind? It’s a real mess because it leaves the players on an uneven playing field.

by Mechem on Jul 22, 2011 1:37 AM EDT reply actions

unfortunately, when was an employee/employer relationship ever on a fair field? never

i would say never in the history of employment has an employee group had equal power as management. the NFLPA might be the closest thing to an employee group that actually has real power.

by kk99 on Jul 22, 2011 2:08 AM EDT reply actions

National Speakers Bureau

Maryrose,

We’ll be the judge of that.

Brian Palmer, President
National Speakers Bureau

by Brian Palmer on Jul 22, 2011 8:30 AM EDT reply actions

Nice of you to chime in Mr. Palmer

But you better not spend too much time “judging” the candidacy of James Harrison into your fiefdom. Your fine Bureau will take a hard nosedive if you promote our beloved Deebo to speak under your auspice.

Thoughtful discussion with a sense of history

by maryrose on Jul 22, 2011 11:32 AM EDT up reply actions

My tounge is now out of my cheek maryrose

We do take great care and consider input like yours.

We got a kick out of your reference. Thank you.

Brian Palmer
www.NationalSpeakers.com

by Brian Palmer on Jul 22, 2011 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions

It's a business...not a government

I like the ideas presented in this article, however, it will NEVER happen so it is pointless. Afterall, the NFL is first, and foremost a business run by business men (owners). The players are merely well compensated employees. Why would the owners ever give an equal say to the employees on how their business is run?!? James Harrison is an employee…a disgruntled one, but an employee nonetheless. If he doesn’t like the decisions made by the league, then go find another league to play in. Oh right…there isn’t another league that would allow him to get paid as much, feed his enormous ego, and allow him to voice his displeasure similarly to the NFL. Do you really think if James Harrison was in the CFL anyone would give a crap what he has to say? My philospohy is to not complain unless your prepared to do something about it. James Harrison is complaining for the sake of complaining because he is in no position to do anything about it. Do we remember how all this got started in the first place? James Harrison had repeatedly delivered high, vicious hits to defenseless players in an attempt to (in his own words) “hurt” them and got pissed off because the NFL determined he was in the wrong.

by John1106 on Jul 22, 2011 2:04 PM EDT reply actions

My thoughts, pretty much, exactly.

Also if the controlling parties in the NFL were set up like a government, it would take forever to get anything done.

If they don’t want to have one ruling commissioner, they should have a board of 7 people where majority rules.

The writer formerly known as This White Man Can Jump; Powah Stached; Bear Killer; Da Dude; The Other Bambino; TJ Dropped The Season; Harbaugh Is My Co-Pilot; Billick's Alter Ego; Mr. Poopy Pants.

by El.Dude on Jul 24, 2011 10:27 AM EDT up reply actions

i agree but harrison is upset and rightly so about his unfair fines

BUT that never gives you the right to make personal attacks on someone in your organization. this is something you just don’t do, attack the rep of the owner of your company.

at the end of the day, owners wouldn’t have to have a heavy handed commisioner if the players didn’t get into all kinds of trouble. it’s only a natural reaction from the owners based on public perception.

by kk99 on Jul 22, 2011 4:07 PM EDT reply actions

Power corrupts and absolute power ABSOLUTELY corrupts. The fines imposed last year had nothing to do with players being in “all kinds of trouble”… they were an unprecedented means of flexing the muscle of the office of Commissioner and knowing that any and all appeals merely go back to the jackass that imposed the fine in the first place. Seems to me I remember there being an arbitrator to hear appeals in other sports…. and why not the NFL.

HERE WE GO STEELERS!
"Our Father, who art in Pittsburgh, Football be thy game. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, at Heinz Field as it is in Heaven. Give us this day, a stellar D and forgive us our bogus fines, as we (sorta) forgive Goodell who trespasses against us. And lead us not into defeat, but deliver us a Victory. For thine is The Steelers, the power and glory of climbing the STAIRWAY TO 7."

by 1BlkGldFan on Jul 23, 2011 6:14 PM EDT up reply actions

they are probably going to get an appeal board for goodell's decisions

but that can’t be negotiated on until the players re-certify their union. but at the end of the day, that board is going to be chosen by the owners so it will never be fair.

let’s be real here, it’s the owners pulling the puppet strings on goodell so they don’t have to be the bad guys. it works perfectly, they make the decisions but goodell takes all the heat. if the players really want to get to the bottom of it then they need to attack the owners who hired and strongly support goodell.

by kk99 on Jul 25, 2011 6:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Did anyone actually read the Men's Journal article?

I did this past weekend and quite honestly it wasn’t as bad as I expected based on the gasps and oh’s from “media sources.” Much of what was printed weren’t “quotes” from Harrison; but more of an overview of the journalists impression.

I absolutely believe that James Harrison “hates and has no respect for” the current Commissioner… Gotta tell ya… I wouldn’t waste a good bucket of water on him if he were on fire either.

by 1BlkGldFan on Jul 23, 2011 6:08 PM EDT reply actions

Sigh

Pittsburgh Steelers fan - nuff said.
Miami Hurricanes fan - nuff said.
Georgetown Hoyas fan - nuff said.
Cleveland Cavaliers fan - um yeah, about that...

by StoneColdSteel on Jul 25, 2011 11:07 PM EDT reply actions

Leave this man alone.

Please

Pittsburgh Steelers fan - nuff said.
Miami Hurricanes fan - nuff said.
Georgetown Hoyas fan - nuff said.
Cleveland Cavaliers fan - um yeah, about that...

by StoneColdSteel on Jul 25, 2011 11:08 PM EDT reply actions