Yes, Roger Goodell, as a matter of fact, I am questioning Robert Mueller’s integrity.
Yours is gone, Roger. Long gone. Way gone. But sad to say, so is Mueller’s.
Everybody watching the NFL should question Mueller’s integrity, which disappeared when he accepted the invitation to investigate Goodell’s horrible handling of the Ray Rice case.
During Goodell’s embarrassingly disingenuous and empty news conference Friday, Mueller’s name and mission came up in terms of conflict of interest.
Mueller, a former FBI director, works for a law firm that has represented the NFL, specifically negotiating a broadcast deal. Mueller’s firm also has worked for two NFL teams, the Cowboys and Redskins, in cases against the NFL.
This is a clear conflict of interest. Even the appearance of conflict of interest is a conflict of interest. Even a pinhead lawyer like Goodell could make that argument in court.
But yet, Goodell played the righteous indignation card, which is the first and last act of a loser.
Goodell cited what he believes is Mueller’s credibility. In the middle of his righteously indignant hissyfit, Goodell declared Mueller the longest-serving FBI director, which might come as news to the family of J. Edgar Hoover. If Goodell could be wrong about something that simple, then credibility is challenged on the rest of it, as even a pinhead lawyer like Goodell could argue.
When asked if he understood why the appearance of conflict of interest tainted the league, Goodell fired back at the reporter that she was questioning Mueller’s integrity.
The correct answer should’ve been yes. The correct answer today certainly is yes. Mueller’s integrity is done simply because he agreed to accept the investigation in this light and under the circumstances involved.
Mueller should know better. A trained investigator would immediately recognize the conflict and be suspicious. A man of integrity would say no or recuse himself right now. Mueller’s connections to the league will taint his investigation. Mueller’s work will suffer further against the backdrop of being assisted by two NFL owners.
This is an independent investigation?
No, this is continued hubris by the NFL and a bad decision by a respected former FBI director.
We expect this from the NFL. We expect this kind of arrogance. It is one of the league’s four major food groups.
But Mueller ought to know better. Mueller ought to act smarter. Given these obvious conflicts, his conclusions will carry unacceptable doubt. Unnecessary doubt.
I can understand why the embattled Goodell would hire someone with whom the NFL is cozy. I can’t understand why Mueller would say yes and expect to maintain his credibility.
Why should we believe his conclusions any more than we believe those from a league led by a commissioner who already has lied about his handling of the case where Rice slugged his then-fiancee unconscious?
The Rice case grows more despicable with each report that fills in details of the way Goodell and the Ravens conspired to protect a domestic abuser. I don’t know about you, but I get angrier as this farce proceeds. I can’t say, however, that I’m surprised.
Goodell and the Ravens lost their credibility a while ago. They continually reinforce the idea that the NFL’s top three priorities are money, winning and not giving Congress a reason to lift the league’s anti-trust exemption.
Further down on the list are concern for the safety of women and children, ending its players’ savagely abusive acts, and maintaining national credibility. Those niggling issues come somewhere after choosing a team to appear on “Hard Knocks,” I believe.
And remember, your Bears, a franchise principally owned by a woman, were the first to come out publicly in support of Goodell and his ability to lead.
