Roger Goodell is on the hot seat. By SSG Teddy Wade [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Recently, lots of people in the sports world have made really bad choices or done sub-par jobs. Danny Ferry got in trouble for statements he made. Roger Goodell sure didn’t handle the Ray Rice situation well. Three times. 

That these people acted in a wrong way is indisputable. My question is, where is the line that will cost people their job?

Let me put it this way.

The NBA that has shown some level of institutionally horrific judgment. Donald Sterling continued to own a franchise despite a history of racist abuses. Everybody knew what Sterling did and nobody called for anything to change until the “public” got mad and demanded change. Sure, the NBA has “banned” Sterling for life, but I’m note sure anything really changed inside the NBA’s culture beyond owners understanding they need to be more careful about who they talk to and who is taping them.

Atlanta Hawks’ General Manager Danny Ferry’s comments seemed like they came in the context of an acceptable level of discourse at high levels of the league. Owners recently sent a letter to commissioner Adam Silver to urge Ferry’s dismissal. While Ferry went out on an indefinite leave of absence today, Silver seems to have drawn a line, separating Sterling’s actions and Ferry’s. Ferry’s comments (whether or not he was just reading something someone else wrote) are a reflection of a culture the league at-best turns a blind eye to and at worst actively perpetuates. On the other hand, Sterling, ousted Hawks owner Bruce Levenson, and owners at large have been responsible for building that corrosive culture.

In the NFL, Roger Goodell is on the hottest of seats. Goodell has lost fan confidence at this point — his enforcement of rules neurotic at best. As commissioner, he has simultaneously infuriated players by coming down with an iron fist and incensed fans and the public with his leniency on other issues — like the Ray Rice situation.

The longer Goodell’s incompetence is tried in the court of 2014 social media public opinion, the closer he will become to being ousted from the head of the most powerful sports league in the nation.

In situations like this, I do believe in some subtlety, details, and context. It’s easy in this case to say Goodell was a buffoon who didn’t know what was going on in his organization. A week later, the Ravens and NFL are super easy to write about. The standard bashing of the idiots in the NBA is an easy thing too.

Here’s what isn’t easy — a real discussion about how to change the underlying culture that, on some level, accepted Ferry’s comments. What isn’t easy is a conversation about how the NBA’s culture, under decades of David Stern’s rule, turned a blind eye to Sterling’s craziness without finding a way to put a different ownership group in place.

What won’t be easy is a true discourse and dialogue about the violent culture in the NFL and how that relates to the behavior of its players off the field. What isn’t easy is a true exploration about how the culture and customs of the NFL as an organization need to really be changed, because simply changing commissioners is not the only part of the equation. Simply-put, a commissioner change in itself would do nothing to assure me that any of the systemic issues at the NFL are being addressed.

Even a more difficult question is where the line of no return is. Where do we think that a person can no longer be in a position of leadership in an organization or league? Where do we draw that line for the league’s rank and file? Is it in a different place than for the leaders?

At what point do we still, as fans, lose our belief in second chances or a person’s ability to change a culture? Do we think that people in leadership positions have much capacity for real, change — systemic and cultural? When is enough enough?

I’m not sure about the answers to all these questions. I’m not embedded in the nuanced specifics of the NFL’s investigations. I don’t have access to the back-rooms at NBA ownership meetings.

For me, the measuring tool for whether things have changed will be when I hear sincere public discourse and dialogue about the realities that have occurred and are taking place. Realities of crimes being swept under the rug. The reality that the organizational value of controlling the public relations message is more important than doing the right thing.

I’ll know we’re on the right track when I hear better plans and more real transparency in that context. Like I said before, I believe in context.

I needed to hide in my proverbial cave before entering back into the world of sports. The media’s recycled replay has stolen anything and everything fresh to talk about. For days I’ve thought about Super Bowl XLVII and come up with zilch. Nada.

I scratched on a lined sheet of paper a few ideas, but each fell flat.  Ray Lewis retiring was too obvious. Joe Flacco’s soon-be and well-earned mega contract was too recycled.  Jim Harbaugh’s over-conservatism on offense. Ah, now there’s a hard hitter, but it is too early to say if that’s really a problem yet.  And the next landing spot for Alex Smith is boring.

The media spinsters have stolen every crumb worth discussing from a football-related standpoint. ESPN is truly the evil empire. But Dan Patrick and his Fox Sports getaway aren’t void of such a name tag either.

When thinking back to what was ultimately a pretty damn good game between two brothers on opposing sidelines, I’m left dumbfounded at the obvious: the game seemed rigged. Yes, rigged—at least on some level it was.

When the lights went out it was a little too weird. Too cliche of a  story line. Like a classic horror spot on with the scene when the lights flicker and the down and out(the 49ers) are tested to their ultimate limit.

A league as pretentious as the celebrity driven NFL, in my opinion, is not far removed from making this sort of thing happen. Albeit it’s out-there to think so, sure. But absolutely impossible? I don’t think so.

Seventeen points were put up in a four minute stretch following the return of the lights, by a team that mustered only 6 in all of the first half. I timed that. It took me four minutes this morning to brush my teeth and tie my tie. By the time I put my shoes and socks on, it had gone from 4 minutes to 6, 7, maybe 8 or 9. In half the amount of time it took me to brush my teeth, tie my tie and put my shoes on, the 49ers offense magically unveiled 17 points on a defense playing out of their minds?

Give. Me. A. Break.

That was a storyline straight from the Goodell playbook. And it was well-timed. It was a strategic move attempting to draw back the league’s growing disenchanted fan base.  Super Bowl XLVII had the lowest rating in 7 years.

Yes, the lowest.

This means there is a chance for other popular leagues like Major League Baseball or the NBA to reclaim what once was a more equitable balance of American sports power.

Beyonce’s halftime show was… interesting. Maybe it should have had a rating on it though. By Beelover9481 (Beyoncé Knowles), via Wikimedia Commons

Inception, Leonardo Dicaprio, remember? Goodell needs a story to manipulate the masses, draw us back, make us live, eat and and pray the game of football, but it’s not working. The media has been muted on the issue. After all, they are more invested in the NFL’s success than anyone. We’re slowly, but surely, tiring of the league’s ridiculous rule changes and unlawful bounties.

And then there was Beyonce Z at halftime.  Oh God, her crotch grabs and tongue licks were enough to make a five year old dream about making love. And that’s just gross. I threw up in my mouth with each and every one of her ego-maniacal dance moves. I would have rather seen Meatloaf beat box half-naked in a pair of high heels. Her manifestation of what some people define to be music, was as bad if not worse than the infamous Janet Jackson nip-slip. Soft core porn has become a byproduct of an NFL clearly grasping at straws.

In 30 years, I believe, the NFL will cease to exist as we know it for a variety of reasons. It could be because of an alien invasion. Or simply people moving on. Some other steroid-hungry sport will come along and strike our fancy. Like Glass Eating. Ten wine glasses wins. Most blood determines league MVP.

Whether or not such a prediction is true, you can count on this. Tomorrow you will wake up, you will tune into ESPN and listen to whatever ESPN anchor spout the same nonchalant stupidity in a neverending diatribe of bafoonery. NFL, NFL, NFL. All NFL.

Turn the TV off. Have a conversation with yourself in the mirror. Discuss the implications of growing a beautiful beard (or not; or if you’re a lady, the implications of growing leg hair) and join James Harden in his ultimate quest.

There are a number of glorious beards in football too, after all.