Time for the Rooneys to stand up

[Butch]

The bull crap has been going on long enough and it's time for someone to stand up and take the league to task on it's system for dishing out fines. This should have been done when the league did not levee a fine on Seattle for the helmet to helmet hit on Ben.

Stand up for your franchise QB, your team and your fanbase before something serious happens. I don't want to see the players becoming enforcers I want to see the ownership do that. Take the league to court for turning a blind eye at the atrocities that this team has had to put up with just because they voted against the CBA. If you lose then you lose but at least go down swinging.

It is high time the Rooney's and the players take the league to court and fight for the bull crap that is going on. Send a message or lose all respect from those around the league and your own fanbase. The Chief was a fighter now it's time for the sons to follow suit, I know I am not the only one who is sick of this crap.

[SteelerFanInStl]

I'm with ya! The Rooneys need to step up and let Goodell and the NFL know that this shit ends now!

[Mojouw]

The Rooney's as an owner on the employer side of the CBA. I do not believe they can sue the NFL on behalf of a player or players - which is what they would be doing in this case.

Who really needs to stand up is the NFLPA, but those guys are both stupid and feckless. So that will never happen.

[NCSteeler]

CBA only allows players to sue for wrong actions but not in action.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Butch]

Even if they can't take them to court then they need to stand up to him in a meeting and they need to encourage their players to fight. They stood up to him when he threatened to take draft picks away when tomlin stepped on the field and they won. It is time to summon go to hell again and let him know what they think of this bull crap.

[hawaiiansteeler]

it's like the NFL has never forgiven Ben for the Milledgeville incident and every NFL player since has carte blanche to hit Ben however and whenever they want.

[katmandu]

As a very longtime (1970) dedicated fan, I absolutely disgusted at the way fines are indiscriminately dished out.

Totally prejudicial when it comes to the Steelers. Any fan of ANY NFL team can clearly see this as well.

What can WE as fans do to get the Rooney's and NFL front office attention that we are fukkkking PISSED about this ?

[katmandu]

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=14378972&ex_cid=espnapi_internal

[MrPgh]

Not a chance it's happening. The Rooneys are too close to Goodell to turn on him.

[Craic]

As a very longtime (1970) dedicated fan, I absolutely disgusted at the way fines are indiscriminately dished out.

Totally prejudicial when it comes to the Steelers. Any fan of ANY NFL team can clearly see this as well.

What can WE as fans do to get the Rooney's and NFL front office attention that we are fukkkking PISSED about this ?

Get the majority of fans to not show up for games.

Of course, that'd get the team moved before it changed anything else.

[Texasteel]

Goodell is a complete piece of dog crap, and a sick dog at that. He doesn't ever try to hide his contempt for the Steelers. Rooney is gutless if he just sits back and says " Well, OK, thats all right." The Rooney name use to mean something in the NFL, now its just a bad punch line for the most corrupt commisioner the NFL has ever seen. If the Chief was still with us, I don't think he would make a phone call, or send an Email. He most likely would march straight into Goodell's office, and when he left there would be a bloody mess where Goodell use to be standing.

[katmandu]

Not a chance it's happening. The Rooneys are too close to Goodell to turn on him.If they are as close as you suggest then WHY don;t they pull him aside and say............... "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING ?? "

There has to be some reason (other than GOD-ell simply hating the Steelers) that he continues to make blatantly, prejudical calls ad rulings against the Steelers!

There HAS to be some kind of pay off or reward for GOD-ell to keep on doing this shit. PUBLICALLY.

[teegre]

The Rooneys were the only owners not to agree to giving Goodell full power.

They're not close. Goodell hates them... which explains the craziness of these non-fines for hits on BB.

[86WARD]

It's gotten to the point now where it's just blatant hat they are ignoring it. THREE times Ben has been hit, e last one with the intent to injure, and nothing has been done. No fines, no suspensions no anything to protect the QB...furthering the argument that the NFL only protects players named Peyton or Brady.

I'd like to think all of these conspiracy theories are just that, but the evidence with the lack of fines and lack of penalties on hits to Ben, the fines to the Steelers players for untucked shirts, faulty eye black, fighting...it's just outrageous. When was the last time a player got fined for an untucked shirt?? I forget what game it was, but I mentioned it some where here, the players were playing with untucked uniforms for a full quarter...at minimum...

[tube517]

The old man (Dan) was fined $25k in 2006 for criticizing officials. Also, in that same game, they did not fine the Falcon player for an ("apparent") helmet to helmet hit on (who else) Ben.

http://espn.go.com/espn/print?id=2641027

[steelreserve]

Nothing changes until Goodell is gone.

Goodell won't be gone because the league is making money.

What I can't comprehend is how a group of sharp businessmen fails to recognize that the league's popularity is IN SPITE OF Goodell, not because of him. Forget the old cliche that the league would be doing just as well with a trained monkey in charge. It would be doing just as well with a wild monkey in charge.

[fansince'76]

What I can't comprehend is how a group of sharp businessmen fails to recognize that the league's popularity is IN SPITE OF Goodell, not because of him.

All I can figure is that because they are making money hand-over-fist as it is, they don't want to do anything to upset the apple cart, even if it means more than likely improving the product. I say more than likely as I guess they could always do worse, but I honestly don't see how. This dude is by far the worst NFL commissioner in my lifetime and is currently the worst commissioner of the 4 major sports by a country mile.

[Moose]

Exactly ! I said this in a another post. Ben, Tomlin, Rooney's and the front office need to grow some damn balls and raise a little hell. Go to the league and throw some shit at all of those douche bags there. You all know damn well that if this shit was happening to Marcia Brady and Bellycheat player's the patsies would be declaring war. Stand up for our player's dammit. Our guys get flagged and/or fined for everything and anything, and these pathetic ref's aren't calling anything. Stand up Tomlin and balless Rooney and act like you care about your player's health and future. This is why I'm watching more and more college football.

[Steelman]

Money is all these guys care about, and they're banking right now.

Goodell won't be gone until he's forced to retire or dies. Probably the latter.

[Hawkman]

The Rooneys were the only owners not to agree to giving Goodell full power.

They're not close. Goodell hates them... which explains the craziness of these non-fines for hits on BB.

This!

[BigNastyDefense]

At one point, the Rooneys and Goodell were close. Dan and/or Art II were a very big part of him becoming commissioner of the NFL.

But I believe that the relationship soured as Goodell and his minions put the Steelers in their cross hairs and ignored all the cheating done by the New England Patriots.

Not only did the only players to vote no on the current CBA played for the Steelers. The only owner(s) to vote against Goodell having complete power was Rooney.

And honestly, unless other owners were to back Dan and/or Art II, I don't think there's much they can do. They can complain. They can call Goodell. But unless other owners have their backs, nothing will change.

[tube517]

All I can figure is that because they are making money hand-over-fist as it is, they don't want to do anything to upset the apple cart, even if it means more than likely improving the product. I say more than likely as I guess they could always do worse, but I honestly don't see how. This dude is by far the worst NFL commissioner in my lifetime and is currently the worst commissioner of the 4 major sports by a country mile.

:iagree:

[Mojouw]

THe NFL has changed fundamentally at the ownership level. I do not think this is talked about enough. Almost all of the "old guard" owners that helped to found, grow, and protect the sport are gone. I believe, at this point, it is basically the Rooneys and the Maras with the Steelers and the Giants respectively. Oh, and for what it is worth the current worthless representative of Brown family in Cincy. No more Halas, Wilson, Hunt, etc. It is either "new" money owners or the second and third generation of old guard ownership families (Hunts and McCaskey come to mind). They see the NFL team as the ultimate rich person status symbol and a way to finance budding monetary empires.

What I am trying to say is that I do not believe many of the owners care about the league or the sport in general. They care about the performance of their team as a foundation for profit generation. The current commish has overseen a massive expansion of the league's profits and has curbed the power of the players, specifically limiting their slice of the revenue pie. That is all the new style ownership groups are going to care about.

[Rotorhead]

Even if the new owners are just in it for the money, they have to see they could be making this money with our without that moron as commissioner. They have to at least pay attention to the debacle that is the reffing situation (which is honestly hurting the sport more than anything). I mean really, how much could full-time refs cost? If you paid each of the working refs $100k/year and the back-ups $50k/year that would be chump change and after a couple years you would have a much improved product. Dedicated refs learning the rules in the off season, back-up refs in the wings for when the starting refs retire (also learning the rules). Just like the teams, the more they work together, the better they will be at consistency. Same for fines, put together a group of ppl (former players and maybe the back-up refs included, hell maybe a rep from each team to get their say in the process) to watch the tape and levee the fines as a group. It isn't that hard and would improve the show on the field.

[katmandu]

All I can figure is that because they are making money hand-over-fist as it is, they don't want to do anything to upset the apple cart, even if it means more than likely improving the product. I say more than likely as I guess they could always do worse, but I honestly don't see how. This dude is by far the worst NFL commissioner in my lifetime and is currently the worst commissioner of the 4 major sports by a country mile.Ya know it's the Politics within the NFL that is DESTROYING this game!

What good is it if you PISS OFF your customers (us....the FANS) just for your OWN gain. Reminds me of a certain Governor that closed off the busiest bridge in the country just for HIS own gain.

I don't know about you but I'm about sick and tired of this BS.

We (the fans) NEED to find away to express our intense displeasure of the prejudicial judgements coming down from the NFL offices. I am NOT just talking about us Steeler fans. I'm talking any fans of the NFL.

We need to find away to protest.... LOUDLY ! Not going to games and not buying NFL merchandise is obviously the MOST effective way (hit them in the pocket book) but you and I know that ain't gonna happen. Besides WTH to Billionaires care about temporarily losing a few million dollars here and there. Not going to change their behavior and/or lifestyle. That's for damn sure.

Perhaps we can come up with a chant/phrase or something...... ??

I dunno....

Maybe 60,000 Steeler fans (inside Heinze field) screaming in unison .....(right after the National Anthem) ..... "Goodell Sucks! Goodell Sucks !" while holding up signs saying.. Goodell Sucks! All LIVE on National TV ! We can only wish.......

[tube517]

Maybe 60,000 Steeler fans (inside Heinze field) screaming in unison .....(right after the National Anthem) ..... "Goodell Sucks! Goodell Sucks !" while holding up signs saying.. Goodell Sucks! All LIVE on National TV ! We can only wish.......

He gets booed anytime he gets introduced anywhere. At the draft, he will find the nearest veteran and introduce them with some fake, insincere "salute" to deflect the boos.

[steel striker]

It really gets old that it's open season on Ben and, every other QB gets those calls. You can't tell me that Ben is treated the same because, we all know better! Like Gary said Goodell is the wrost sports commish of all time.

[zulater]

If the Steelers "stand up" to Goodell and the league none of us will ever know about it until long after the fact if at all. And if they do it will be subtle and low key. It's not the Rooney way to call attention to themseves. They are team players, and the NFL is their team even if they might currently be perplexed by some of the league's actions. They will never go rogue. They don't want to be considered a modern day Al Davis. I do think enough has happened that they are quietly forming a strategy to protect their franchise qb. They will find the right time to ask pointed questions to the right people and try to get rationale explanations to what the league is thinking and attempt to get future assurances that Ben and all league qb's will be afforded the same protection that Brady, Manning, Brees and Rodgers are extended. Will it work? Probably not. But if Goodell gets challenged somewhere down the road he may find the Rooney's no longer are in his corner. I'm sure while many of you will see what I'm saying is likely true you still will feel this is an inadequate response. And maybe it is? I'm not arguing that one way or the other. .Just in the end don't expect some over the top angry public explosion by the Steelers. If you really feel that has a chance to happen I have to ask you what in the history of the Rooney's and this team would make you think so?

The best thing the Steelers can do with this is use this as an us against the world boulder sized chip on the shoulder. Of this I'm fairly certain Tomlin and his staff are already getting great mileage out of it. Nothing shoves it up the leagues collective asses quite like to keep winning until they hand out the Lombardi Trophy.

[Craic]

The best thing the Steelers can do with this is use this as an us against the world boulder sized chip on the shoulder. Of this I'm fairly certain Tomlin and his staff are already getting great mileage out of it. Nothing shoves it up the leagues collective asses quite like to keep winning until they hand out the Lombardi Trophy.

This.

I can't help but think the league has given the Steelers the best help available by doing that very thing. Imagine the discussions the O line are having this week about protecting Ben. Imagine what the D is saying concerning self-refereeing and making sure the other teams realize there's no free shots on Ben.

Yeah, I'm not sure I want to be Denver this week. Couldn't have happened at a better time.

[smokin3000gt]

This whole thing will definitely fire the defense up and the rest will rally around Ben. Someone said it in another thread and I don't remember who but I can see the team acting as enforcers. You saw the bungles dropping like flies last week. I pity the next fool that takes a cheap shot.

[Butch]

If the Steelers "stand up" to Goodell and the league none of us will ever know about it until long after the fact if at all. And if they do it will be subtle and low key. It's not the Rooney way to call attention to themseves. They are team players, and the NFL is their team even if they might currently be perplexed by some of the league's actions. They will never go rogue. They don't want to be considered a modern day Al Davis. I do think enough has happened that they are quietly forming a strategy to protect their franchise qb. They will find the right time to ask pointed questions to the right people and try to get rationale explanations to what the league is thinking and attempt to get future assurances that Ben and all league qb's will be afforded the same protection that Brady, Manning, Brees and Rodgers are extended. Will it work? Probably not. But if Goodell gets challenged somewhere down the road he may find the Rooney's no longer are in his corner. I'm sure while many of you will see what I'm saying is likely true you still will feel this is an inadequate response. And maybe it is? I'm not arguing that one way or the other. .Just in the end don't expect some over the top angry public explosion by the Steelers. If you really feel that has a chance to happen I have to ask you what in the history of the Rooney's and this team would make you think so?

The best thing the Steelers can do with this is use this as an us against the world boulder sized chip on the shoulder. Of this I'm fairly certain Tomlin and his staff are already getting great mileage out of it. Nothing shoves it up the leagues collective asses quite like to keep winning until they hand out the Lombardi Trophy.

The Rooney's stood up to Go to hell when he tried to hold a high draft choice over our heads just a few years back. They need to do the same on the issue of Ben and the rest of the team having to take hits. I don't know that it will happen but it is high time to call the media's attention to it and it's time to make go to hell face the music.

As for the Al Davis crap it's already happening, he broke up our ownership, fines our players and turns a blind eye to any infraction that other teams do onto our players so what are the consequences if they stand up to him now?

As for the "Us against the world" you can bet your bippy they are going to use that.

[zulater]

The Rooney's stood up to Go to hell when he tried to hold a high draft choice over our heads just a few years back. They need to do the same on the issue of Ben and the rest of the team having to take hits. I don't know that it will happen but it is high time to call the media's attention to it and it's time to make go to hell face the music.

As for the Al Davis crap it's already happening, he broke up our ownership, fines our players and turns a blind eye to any infraction that other teams do onto our players so what are the consequences if they stand up to him now?

As for the "Us against the world" you can bet your bippy they are going to use that.

Yeah they did stand up to him about the draft choice. But they did it behind the scenes. They didn't release noisy press releases demanding the league do this or that. Again I'm not saying they take this lying down. I'm just saying when they do get around to it it will be low key and subtle and you'll never know exactly when and how it happened.

[ALLD]

Send Goodell to Syria.

[Butch]

Yeah they did stand up to him about the draft choice. But they did it behind the scenes. They didn't release noisy press releases demanding the league do this or that. Again I'm not saying they take this lying down. I'm just saying when they do get around to it it will be low key and subtle and you'll never know exactly when and how it happened.

I hear ya Zu and all I am saying is they need to go about it the same way. It did come out in the press prior to go to hell relenting, so lets handle it like that again.

- - - Updated - - -


Send Goodell to Syria.

I say we strap him to a bomb and let him do his best Slim Pickens imitation over Isis.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlSQAZEp3PA

[86WARD]

The Rooneys won't stand up. When have they ever stood up and caused "controversy"? Rooney Rule?

[katmandu]

This whole thing will definitely fire the defense up and the rest will rally around Ben. Someone said it in another thread and I don't remember who but I can see the team acting as enforcers. You saw the bungles dropping like flies last week. I pity the next fool that takes a cheap shot.Like Craic said, could not have happened at a better time!

[JKLTO]

it's like the NFL has never forgiven Ben for the Milledgeville incident and every NFL player since has carte blanche to hit Ben however and whenever they want.

Quoted for Truth. I've long suspected that this has been the case. It used to seem more than a little conspiratorial to believe that this was actually happening. Not so this year. Seems rather obvious to me what the league's message is: "Go ahead and maim or kill the rapist QB from Pittsburgh, because we certainly won't be watching!"

[Craic]

Quoted for Truth. I've long suspected that this has been the case. It used to seem more than a little conspiratorial to believe that this was actually happening. Not so this year. Seems rather obvious to me what the league's message is: "Go ahead and maim or kill the rapist QB from Pittsburgh, because we certainly won't be watching!"

Well, seeing as Burfict did get fined for the incident, I doubt it.

[zulater]

Ever consider Shefter's initial report was right, and the league wasn't going to fine Burflic? But public outcry and possibly even a little back room arm twisting arm by the Rooney's got them to reconsider?

[NCSteeler]

Ever consider Shefter's initial report was right, and the league wasn't going to fine Burflic? But public outcry and possibly even a little back room arm twisting arm by the Rooney's got them to reconsider?

I fully believe many of these reports are balloons floated by the league and when the response comes in they make the real decision

[86WARD]

Ever consider Shefter's initial report was right, and the league wasn't going to fine Burflic? But public outcry and possibly even a little back room arm twisting arm by the Rooney's got them to reconsider?

I don't buy that the Rooneys would say anything. When was the last Ike they stood up,for anything against the league? I can't recall...

[zulater]

I don't buy that the Rooneys would say anything. When was the last Ike they stood up,for anything against the league? I can't recall...

They wouldn't exactly have had to make it public. They've probably done a lot of things over the years we don't know about.

[86WARD]

I'm sure they've handled some business behind closed doors. But I don't know...on a spectrum of "Company Man" being 1 and "Mark Cuban" being 10...I'd probably put them at 2, maybe 3 based on outside observation? Doesn't seem like they ever want to ruffle feathers. I can't recall if they stuck up for James Harrison when he was a "target"? It's not a bad thing, I guess, but it doesn't give a public perception that they have any balls to confront the league. But then again, they aren't really an "in your face type ownership".

[Mojouw]

I'm sure they've handled some business behind closed doors. But I don't know...on a spectrum of "Company Man" being 1 and "Mark Cuban" being 10...I'd probably put them at 2, maybe 3 based on outside observation? Doesn't seem like they ever want to ruffle feathers. I can't recall if they stuck up for James Harrison when he was a "target"? It's not a bad thing, I guess, but it doesn't give a public perception that they have any balls to confront the league. But then again, they aren't really an "in your face type ownership".

The Rooney's are old school. They might regularly go tell Goodell or the league to go to hell, but you are never going to hear about it. This isn't an Al Davis or Jerry Jones situation. They do not want any publicity. They do not believe in airing dirty laundry in the public/media. The Rooney's rarely want press and credit when they do something good. Look at how they treated Sean Spence for instance. If that had been another franchise, this is all we would be hearing about.

Being that is the case, they certainly are not going to hold a press conference to tell everyone about how they stuck it to the league. The Rooneys are one of the families that built the NFL. They basically invented the concept of "protecting the shield". Everything will be behind closed doors.

[zulater]

The Rooney's are old school. They might regularly go tell Goodell or the league to go to hell, but you are never going to hear about it. This isn't an Al Davis or Jerry Jones situation. They do not want any publicity. They do not believe in airing dirty laundry in the public/media. The Rooney's rarely want press and credit when they do something good. Look at how they treated Sean Spence for instance. If that had been another franchise, this is all we would be hearing about.

Being that is the case, they certainly are not going to hold a press conference to tell everyone about how they stuck it to the league. The Rooneys are one of the families that built the NFL. They basically invented the concept of "protecting the shield". Everything will be behind closed doors.

Nailed it!

[tube517]

678752633394495489

[86WARD]

The Rooney's are old school. They might regularly go tell Goodell or the league to go to hell, but you are never going to hear about it. This isn't an Al Davis or Jerry Jones situation. They do not want any publicity. They do not believe in airing dirty laundry in the public/media. The Rooney's rarely want press and credit when they do something good. Look at how they treated Sean Spence for instance. If that had been another franchise, this is all we would be hearing about.

Being that is the case, they certainly are not going to hold a press conference to tell everyone about how they stuck it to the league. The Rooneys are one of the families that built the NFL. They basically invented the concept of "protecting the shield". Everything will be behind closed doors.

I don't buy all of it.

[Steel Peon]

it's like the NFL has never forgiven Ben for the Milledgeville incident and every NFL player since has carte blanche to hit Ben however and whenever they want.
After all these years it looks like a pattern to me.

[HollywoodSteel]

After all these years it looks like a pattern to me.

I think, first and foremost we need to remember that almost every human is guilty of at least some conformation bias. We also tend to think that most infuriating acts of injustice against us are due to someone's malice. In the case of Ben and the Steelers, a factor that could be playing into this is that we hear more from football fans than we do from owners and NFL execs. If I'm going to make assumptions (and I am because it's part of the fun) I'm going to first look at incentives. The Steelers and their owners are highly regarded on the inside because of many things, but an obvious one is that they are a smallish market team that is hugely popular. This is a really big deal when it comes to TV deals and overall profits. So there's no incentive for malice from the NFL, but there is also no incentive for fairness or justice either. But the NFL is way more likely to want everyone to forget about Ben's suspension and mainly to forget the word '"rape."

I see all the uncalled hits on Ben too, and aside from bad luck, I think there could be some unconscious bias amongst refs, but only because Ben rarely cries for the flag and they are used to QBs doing that if there was an infraction. There could be a few other things like that in play, but no reason to assume malice. Only because there's no incentive for it that I can see.