We’ve heard quite a few NFL players voice mixed opinions about the power that current NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell, holds. Judge, jury and executioner have even been used on more than one occasion. Unfortunately, for Goodell, this assessment is accurate when you take in to account his neglect for a built-in “check and balance” system. The Commissioner currently will assign a committee to investigate the actions of players, where he then assesses the evidence provided and then delivers what he deems an appropriate punishment. Who are coaches and players supposed to appeal to when they do not agree with the sanctions that they face? Oh yeah, the guy that delivered them in the first place. I don’t know if this confuses the rest of Sports Nation, but I know it leaves me scratching my head.
Meanwhile, Goodell takes it upon himself to convince the Miami Dolphins that they needed to upgrade Sun Life’s Stadium from its current state so that the stadium could have a chance of hosting a Super Bowl. Goodell would go on to suggest to Rick Scott, current Florida Governor, that, “a new stadium would send a strong message to owners preparing to vote on the next two Super Bowls.” Is that so Roger? Why did Sun Life Stadium get to host the Super Bowl in 2010 and suddenly they aren’t good enough to host another unless there are $400 million in upgrades? Roger, I don’t know if you’ve been paying attention to the news in South Florida over the past five years, but taxpayers really aren’t all that excited about spending more money on stadium upgrades after being duped in to paying for the Marlins new home. To make matters worse, Dolphins CEO Mike Dee went on to say, “We will not put our own money into our own stadium, and since the taxpayers won’t pay for it, we’ll threaten to move.” Hey Mike, I have a suggestion – GROW UP!
Despite the immaturity of a 49 year old CEO and a Commissioner that thinks he’s the Godfather, the Dolphins may have some hope in the form of the NFL’s G-4 Stadium Loan Program. Since publicly financed stadiums are hardly the most popular topic in South Florida at the moment, I think this could be a more viable option for the Dolphins to consider. That is, once Mike Dee removes his head from his ass and quits telling people “that the lack of renovations or a new stadium could jeopardize the team’s future in the city.” It feels more like a conciliation prize, but at least Stephen Ross’ stance is, “Let the voters vote and decide. This is a tremendous economic impact to Miami-Dade County and we’re just asking to allow the voters to vote.”
I’m sorry South Florida, but you deserve better than this. Maybe one day the politicians will wake up and quit treating you like puppets. In the meantime, go enjoy the sun and sand! Football season is right around the corner!
Related articles
- Dolphins CEO: Team’s future in South Florida ‘bleak’ (cbssports.com)
- What Now For Dolphins And Sun Life? (miami.cbslocal.com)
- CEO: Dolphins won’t pay for stadium fixes (espn.go.com)
- Are Dolphins a candidate for relocation? (espn.go.com)
- Miami Dolphins don’t plan to invest in Sun Life Stadium (miamiherald.com)
- Stadium decision hurts Miami’s Super Bowl chances (bnd.com)
- Miami’s Super Bowl Loss Could Be Big Boost Other Cities (miami.cbslocal.com)
- Dead (huffingtonpost.com)
- Dolphins future in Miami? (thephinsider.com)
dcfriedland 
When owners (CEO’s) threaten the fans, the best way to show them is to hurt them in their wallet. If fans were to not show up for say the preseason games or even the first game of the season…that proves a point MONETARILY! Hurt them in the wallet, and then they will ‘hopefully’ see the light. Another way is to NOT upgrade your Dolphin attire. You don’t need the new logo or jersey to prove you are a fan, but buying the new merchandise adds more dollars to the Dolphin franchise. In this day and age, you really get a better viewing experience at home in front of your LCD, LED, and/or Smart TV, and you don’t have to worry about idiot fans as well. When all is said and done fans control the game. If they don’t go to the game, or watch on TV, the NFL will lose advertising dollars. BUT realistically, people are too stupid to care about the bigger picture or boycotting to prove a point, as some scumbag will say they don’t care as they are the ULTIMATE ‘Phin fan.They don’t understand that their shortsightedness would actually undermine the other fans, and will end up costing the whole community more in the long run.