Legwold: 'Da Commish' plays it tough

Published March 30, 2007 at midnight

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Folks should have seen it coming in February. Those folks who wondered if the youthful-looking son of a former U.S. senator could roll up his sleeves and mix it up with old- guard owners and new-age problems as the NFL's commissioner.

But they should have known when Roger Goodell fired the first real salvo of what was to come at the annual commissioner's address two days before the Super Bowl.

He was asked a question about Hall of Famer Mike Ditka's criticisms about league policy, criticisms Goodell obviously thought were off base, when he fired back with a very un-Paul Tagliabue-like response.

"That's why he's 'Da Coach' and I'm 'Da Commish,' " Goodell said.

"Da Commish" has quickly and decisively carved his own path, and, at the top of his docket, Goodell is baring his teeth on players' conduct.

He said he has had enough of arrests, bad pub and what he considers a few players dragging down the reputation of the group.

And Tuesday, when Titans cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones and Bengals receiver Chris Henry - two of the players who have created the most headlines the past two seasons - have to sit in front of Goodell on his Park Avenue turf, they will see just how much he means business.

"It's part of a number of hearings I've had with players and coaches who are potentially facing disciplinary action, to get their perspective, to get the understanding, so I can look them in the eye and make it clear how important this is to the league," Goodell said. "And help me make a better decision."

The decision is, within 10 days or so, expected to be lengthy suspensions for the two - possibly as much as one year in the worst-case scenario - and Goodell said he also will be ready to trot out a swifter, tougher league-wide discipline policy before the April 28-29 draft.

The reason? Because he is expected to suspend players, and he wants teams to be able to adjust for that in the draft.

"We're not trying to send a signal here; we're not trying to make an example of people," Goodell said. "We're trying to do what is necessary to protect the integrity of the National Football League. That's our objective here."

Several team executives said Goodell went as far as to hand out "rap sheets" for each team at the league meetings this week, outlining which players ran afoul of the law from those organizations in recent months.

Clearly, it is the signature issue early in his tenure and clearly, he has the attention of those who do business in the league.

"He's right; it's a big deal," Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs said. "To be truthful, I think people are tired of getting up in the morning and reading about it in the papers. (The new policy) has got to be strong. (Arrests) cast everybody in a bad light. And generally, if you give a guy three shots, he's going to take two of them."

When it's over

Broncos coach Mike Shanahan was the one who sat in front of Jerry Rice as the 2005 training camp drew to a close and told the likely future Hall of Famer he couldn't guarantee Rice would be in uniform on game day and that Rice needed to decide if he could live with that.

Rice took a couple of days to think about it and then retired.

And last week, it was Shanahan who told Courtney Brown, a player universally liked and respected, it was time to think about life after football after a string of injuries that have included several knee surgeries.

"I told him if he was my son, I'd tell him not to play," Shanahan said. "He's got bone on bone. I think he'll be able to do everything a normal person does for the rest of his life, but he comes back again after what he's been going through the last five years, eventually, you can't walk any more. . . .

"Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't. But he's going to be a very successful guy because he works his butt off."

Brown did not play in the 2006 season after having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee during training camp, then a more serious microfracture surgery on the knee at the Steadman-Hawkins Clinic in October.

It was the fourth surgery Brown has had on the knee, his second microfracture procedure. The other was in 2002.

He missed 33 games in his Browns career with foot, shoulder, arm, neck and knee injuries. He missed 17 games in two seasons with the Broncos with elbow and knee injuries and was held out of another because the Broncos had clinched their playoff position.

"Courtney's a great guy; unfortunately, he had injuries," Broncos owner Pat Bowlen said. "I felt sorry for Courtney because I think he really, really wanted to play. He wasn't a guy who just wanted to sit around the training room and collect a paycheck."

Message gets through

NFL vice president of officiating Mike Pereira said he has told officials that when it comes to late hits on the quarterback, "when in doubt, it's roughing the passer." Defenders have gotten the message, as evidenced by the decline in the number of roughing-the-passer penalties.

Year Penalties

2004......135

2005......127

2006......106

legwoldj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2359

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