Senator Arlen Specter has impeccable timing. Apparently, today was as good a day as any to announce that he would haul NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in front of the Judiciary Committee to explain why the league destroyed all the evidence related to Patriotgate.
The New York Times broke the story hours before Goodell was to give his State of the NFL speech. Unsurprisingly, many of the questions were about his newly scheduled trip to Washington, D.C.
And although I think the practice of destroying materials used in an investigation invites all sorts of ethical questions, it's worth remembering that everybody has an agenda. For Goodell, it's to protect the billion-dollar industry that the National Football League has become; for Specter, it's to appease one of his biggest political contributors under the guise of "doing the right thing." This isn't the first time Specter has voiced his concerns about the NFL's antitrust exempt status. From Dec., 2006:
A law that allows the National Football League to sign lucrative television contracts on behalf of all 32 teams should be repealed ... Specter said at a Senate hearing Thursday.As one observant FanHouse commenter pointed out, Comcast cable is based in Pennsylvania and has contributed a few bucks to Specter's Senate race. In fact, during the last election cycle, Comcast ponied up $101,750 to his campaign, the Senator's second largest contributor after Blank Rome LLP. So, yeah, I'd say Specter has good reason to make some noise on this issue.
Specter said he would introduce a bill in the new Congress that would repeal the NFL's antitrust exemption under the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961.
He claimed that he wasn't afraid to tackle the commercially and politically powerful NFL. "I think I'll have a lot of company, and that is the football fans of America, who are being gouged," he added after chairing a hearing on sports-programming issues.
But here's the thing: this has very little to do with Patriotgate and, as said observant commenter pointed out, everything to do with getting "Comcast a piece of Sunday Ticket and/or better negotiating leverage with NFL Network."
This is no way absolves Goodell for his decision to destroy the evidence (he explains why he did it here; that excuse wouldn't pass the laugh test if this were an inside-the-beltway scandal), but it speaks to the larger point: while Specter's intentions might seem noble, it's not about the evidence; it's about placating a big campaign contributor (Goodell certainly knows this, but chose not to address it today). Since Comcast cares more about airing football games than about how teams might unfairly go about winning them, I suspect that's what the hearing will focus on.
By the way, yes, Congress should have better things to do with their time. But they don't. Gridlock is the ultimate checks-and-balances tool and with the Republicans in the White House and the Democrats controlling Congress, Specter has time to take on pet projects. So here we are. All because two billion-dollar industries want to make more money. Luckily, the consumer rarely gets screwed in such circumstances.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
2-01-2008 @ 5:25PM
jtschmidt19 said...
Ummmm...Why shouldnt Sunday Ticket be available on every cable and satellite system. Canadians get Sunday Ticket on cable, but we Americans who pay for the goddam stadiums and buy the tickets and all the merchandise have to get DTV to get Sun Ticket. It is completely ridiculous. Many of us live in highrises or dont have SW sky exposure to get DTV. I am glad that someone is wiling to speak up.
just because you a-hole journalists get to go to games for free and have cable and satellite and get to write it off as part of your job, does not mean that the rest of little guys dont have an issue with the current SunTicket and DTV situations
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2-01-2008 @ 5:28PM
jeremy.cantell said...
It may be true that Spectre has his (and Comcast's) own agenda here, but it is also true that anyone that can't receive a signal from DirecTV's satellite is SOL when it comes to seeing games. I live in NJ and am forced to watch the Eagles, Giants, and Jets on a regular basis, three teams I can't stand. Unfortunately my house can not receive the satellite feed. Give me Sunday Ticket!
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2-01-2008 @ 6:59PM
truth said...
Imagine that. A Public Servant sent to the Senate by the people to do their work, is getting between two rich Organizations with an agenda to basically extort one. His lone crux being alleged inappropriate behavior and a lack of trust. After the Authoritative figure in that league took action, THEN got rid of the offending material.
Don't courts suppress evidence? Don't they disallow certain "evidence" in Court due to certain complexities?
In the meantime idiotic Americans are gobbling this up and not seeing a huge problem with.
You are putting these people in Office. Then the Rich Corporations are paying them off so they'll give them the oppurtunity to gouge you and your'e ok with it just as long as you can see a few Football games?
A fool and his money are soon parted.
Then these same people argue that they hope the NFL does not go the way of Pay-per-view.
Get these damn Lobbyist out of the freaking political system!!!!
You people are idiots. The fact this man is doing this and getting away with it is a travesty. This Country is going down fast.
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2-01-2008 @ 7:38PM
jake holman said...
Pull their exemption, the NFL is nothing more than an extension of the WWE anyway, if not already being controlled by the mob. The NFL has cheated its way into irrelevance.
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2-02-2008 @ 10:18AM
Ed said...
truth: When evidence is suppressed or disallowed, it is not used when deciding guilty or not guilty; and despite being used or not, it's not destroyed. Further, in a court of law there is not one person to act as judge, jury, and executioner as in the situation of Goodell and the NFL.
The major issue in this is that Goodell was the only person to view the evidence, and promptly destroyed it afterwards - that's what's raising questions.
I'll leave you with that. I wouldn't want to keep your from your anarchist group websites.
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2-02-2008 @ 10:19AM
buccs19 said...
jtschmidt19:
I don't know where you heard that Canadians get Sunday Ticket on cable but its wrong. We have to get a digital cable connection and purchase the entire sports package to get it. On top of that it is only available through one tv provider per region. In short my cable bill would almost double if I got Sunday Ticket.
Besides that, I'm sure the people of Pennsylvania have much greater concerns than this. How can bash the NFL for gouging its fans when he is wasting their tax dollars on meaningless crusades such as this.
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2-02-2008 @ 11:37AM
Spleeve said...
CORRECTED POST:
I agree with Ed (#5)... while we are here, I think Sean Salisbury is in bed with Robert Kraft and Belichick. He is totally, insanely "in love" with the Patriots. He wears his emotions on his sleeve. Weird!
Back to PatriotGate. I think we are all curious as to the scope of what else the Patriots did and I think after the Superbowl, we're all going to find out via the information Matt Walsh has. It's very compelling and could cause the integrity of the NFL to implode on itself. Roger Goodell is involved in a cover-up and it's possible that Robert Kraft paid Goodell to sweep everything under the rug.
Here's a must read link: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/01/sports/football/01nfl.html?_r=4&pagewanted=1&ref=sports&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
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2-02-2008 @ 11:37AM
Spleeve said...
I agree with Ed (#5)... while we are here, I think Sean Salisbury is in bed with Robert Kraft and Belichick. He is totally, insanely "in love" with the Patriots. He wears his emotions on his sleeve. Weird!
Back to PatriotGate. I think we are all curious as to the scope of what else the Patriots did and I think after the Superbowl, we're all going to find out via the information Matt Walsh has. It's very compelling and could cause the interity of the BFL to implode on itself. Roger Goodell is involved in a cover-up and it's possible that Robert Kraft paid Goodell to sweep everything under the rug.
Here's a must read link: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/01/sports/football/01nfl.html?_r=4&pagewanted=1&ref=sports&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
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2-02-2008 @ 3:23PM
truth said...
First of Ed...In a court of law you are trying people for criminal activity. This was not criminal. IT WAS A RULES VIOLATION!!!!!!
Secondly, this is not the NFL predeterminng the outcome of games. This is ONE team trying to gain an advantage by going too far in filming the other team. Congress has NO jurisdiction in this matter. NONE!!!!
Why does'nt the Authorities get involved when a Hockey player beats the crap out of another on the Ice? There's laws against that! Why wasn't Tyson arrested for biting a piece of Hollifield's ear? There's laws against that.
There is no law against taping a practice or signs being stolen. The collection of teams select a Commissioner who is entrusted with dealing with rules violations by these teams. What he says goes. When he investigates what a team does in breaking the rules, he can render whatever judgement he feels necessary and only has to answer to the people who employ him. The NFL can decide tomorrow that each team is responsible for protecting themselves from others taping or stealing signs and Congress can say nothing.
There was nothing but the Patriots stealing signs on that tape. In this day and age everyone wants to know everything...That does not mean it is their right to know. He saw the tapes, felt they went to far, executed his right to discipline, and got rid of them.
Just because the Public WANTS to know does not mean they have to know.
Congress and Politicians break the Law all the time....How many times does it become Public knowledge? They take donations from persons they should not. How many times have you seen them go after their own? Please, this is ludicrous. Specter is just a shill for Comcast and you dopes are so screwed up in your priorities you are caught up in the frenzy and will not stop and think.
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2-02-2008 @ 7:09PM
Ed said...
truth: Keep in mind you compared this to a court case, not me.
In the case of hockey fights and Tyson biting Holyfield, neither is cheating to win a fight. In hockey you can be put in the penalty box, and in boxing you lose the fight - but in both cases there aren't circumstances that scream out "cover up" as in this situation.
As for Specter's intent, it matters not. He may have his own adgenda, but that doesn't make Roger Goodell any more right or less accountable - and the situation isn't so much that no one else got to see what was on the tapes. It's more that he promptly destroyed them afterwards. That reeks of "there's too much here that would destroy one of our biggest money makers". Congress' involvement is justified based on all the money that is spent on the NFL by Americans who are promised a fair contest, while Goodell's actions give cause to think that in some cases it might not be so fair.
You are a perfect example of why this situation is so messed up: You never saw the tapes, same as me and everyone else talking about it, but you're more than willing to just accept what Goodell tells you was on it. Why you're so critical of Specter, Congress, and the American Government yet you're accepting the word of a business man as gold is beyond me.
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2-02-2008 @ 7:18PM
Dr.J said...
Wow! This really causes a true football fan (who is pulling for his team to win without cheating) to question the actions of the Patriots and the commissioner. If the charges are correct, and one must assume that they are since the evidence was destroyed, it is a blight on the NFL, but more importantly, it is cause for fans to question the credence of the Patriot's undefeated season. These allegations seem to establishes a pattern by this franchise to win by dubious methods. Can you imagine Tony Dungy or Lovey Smith stooping this low ? If the Patriots win the Superbowl, there will lingering thoughts about the authenticity of a "perfect" season. If there was cheating, it is an imperfect record.
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2-02-2008 @ 7:34PM
truth said...
LOL...Ed, you miss the point. Understandable since most people who are arguing the merits of this Senator's position are blinded.
"In the case of hockey fights and Tyson biting Holyfield, neither is cheating to win a fight. In hockey you can be put in the penalty box, and in boxing you lose the fight".
And in the NFL when you cheat the Comissioner fines you as he sees fit or may even dock you a draft pick. That's the rule. Cheating in Sport is not a federal offense. Nor is it grounds to bring the Comissioner, who disciplined the offender, into a Senate hearing because he did not share with you what took place.
Biting a man's ear of is assault. Punching another man till he is down is also assault. The law allows it in Sport...so why bring a Comissioner into a Senate hearing for something that happened on the Sports arena that has nothing to do with breaking any kind of law?
If I enter into a contract with you, met the contract and you decided to discard the contract....Are you liable to be brought before the law?
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2-02-2008 @ 7:44PM
Zoe Henricksen said...
NFL football should be available to ALL fans everywhere! The "ticket" should NOT apply to only those who can afford it!
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2-02-2008 @ 7:45PM
Zoe Henricksen said...
Back in 1996, when I learned that I could get "The Ticket," I signed up with DirectTV. At that time, the cost was $139 for the "Ticket." NOW I believe it's $229! When a company has a "corner on the market," it can charge ANYTHING! I continue to PAY, however, because I LOVE the NFL! It's sad that ALL fans don't have the ability to access the "ticket."
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2-02-2008 @ 9:18PM
Tom Kach said...
There ya go folks...I think Roger Goodell's word is law. You can bash the Pats all you want. It aint gonna change a thing. Suck it up people, the Pats are the best there ever was or ever will be.
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2-02-2008 @ 9:22PM
Tom Kach said...
Also..to all Pats fans...quit wasting your time explaining to these people what the Pats did. They're obviously thick headed and just can accept the fact that it isnt their team. They wont listen anyway. They know everything about football but nothing about the NFL.
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2-02-2008 @ 9:44PM
jakeholman said...
Just further evidence that the NFL is rigged and probably has been for quite some time. Time for a class action lawsuit by the fans to recoup their losses, i.e., monies spent on a bogus product put out by a corrupt organization.
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2-03-2008 @ 12:24AM
Tom said...
Senator Spector should be thanked big time. Now all of us in NE will have another grumpy old man with nothing to do and no relevance to the real world to mock for a year or so. What a worthless piece of dump. What a great embarrassment to the good people of
Pennsylvania.
We will deal with him after the Pats victory tomorrow.
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2-03-2008 @ 12:18PM
hoya 71 said...
Comcast Cable is the second largest contributor to "Senator Spectre". Comcast cable is based in Pennsylvania and has contributed a few bucks to Spectre's Senate race. In fact, during the last election cycle, Comcast ponied up $101,750 to his campaign, the Senator's second largest contributor after Blank Rome LLP.
FOLLOW THE MONEY!! Comcast Cable is in a huge war with the NFL network for broadcasting rights. Why bring up some voodoo senate investigation 3 days before the superbowl?
Let us also remember that in 2005 he was yammering about how the Eagles' handled the T.O. non-playing and his leaving. Then he backed off. Showboat.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10250504/
Senator backs off threat of probe of T.O. issues
Senate Judiciary Committee doesn't have time, Specter saysHaraz N. Ghanbari
Nov. 29, 2005
PHILADELPHIA - Sen. Arlen Specter backed off a threat to have a Senate subcommittee investigate whether the NFL and the Philadelphia Eagles violated antitrust laws in their handling of Terrell Owens.
Specter, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Tuesday that he talked to lawyers in the Department of Justice about the issue.
Follow The Money! SPECTRE (SPecial Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion) is a fictional terrorist organization featured in the British James Bond novels by Ian Fleming, the films based on those novels, and James Bond video games. Led by evil genius and supervillain Ernst Stavro Blofeld, the organization first formally appeared in the novel Thunderball and in the movie Dr. No.
Deep Throat: No, heh, but it's touching. Forget the myths the media's created about the White House. The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.
Bob Woodward: Hunt's come in from the cold. Supposedly he's got a lawyer with $25,000 in a brown paper bag.
Deep Throat: Follow the money.
Bob Woodward: What do you mean? Where?
Deep Throat: Oh, I can't tell you that.
Bob Woodward: But you could tell me that.
Deep Throat: No, I have to do this my way. You tell me what you know, and I'll confirm. I'll keep you in the right direction if I can, but that's all. Just... follow the money.
Reply
2-03-2008 @ 12:39PM
mjdsixteen said...
Comcast Cable is the second largest contributor to "Senator Spectre". Comcast cable is based in Pennsylvania and has contributed a few bucks to Spectre's Senate race. In fact, during the last election cycle, Comcast ponied up $101,750 to his campaign, the Senator's second largest contributor after Blank Rome LLP.
FOLLOW THE MONEY!! Comcast Cable is in a huge war with the NFL network for broadcasting rights. Why bring up some voodoo senate investigation 3 days before the superbowl?
Let us also remember that in 2005 he was yammering about how the Eagles' handled the T.O. non-playing and his leaving. Then he backed off. Showboat.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10250504/
Senator backs off threat of probe of T.O. issues
Senate Judiciary Committee doesn't have time, Specter saysHaraz N. Ghanbari
Nov. 29, 2005
PHILADELPHIA - Sen. Arlen Specter backed off a threat to have a Senate subcommittee investigate whether the NFL and the Philadelphia Eagles violated antitrust laws in their handling of Terrell Owens.
Specter, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Tuesday that he talked to lawyers in the Department of Justice about the issue.
Follow The Money! SPECTRE (SPecial Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion) is a fictional terrorist organization featured in the British James Bond novels by Ian Fleming, the films based on those novels, and James Bond video games. Led by evil genius and supervillain Ernst Stavro Blofeld, the organization first formally appeared in the novel Thunderball and in the movie Dr. No.
Deep Throat: No, heh, but it's touching. Forget the myths the media's created about the White House. The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.
Bob Woodward: Hunt's come in from the cold. Supposedly he's got a lawyer with $25,000 in a brown paper bag.
Deep Throat: Follow the money.
Bob Woodward: What do you mean? Where?
Deep Throat: Oh, I can't tell you that.
Bob Woodward: But you could tell me that.
Deep Throat: No, I have to do this my way. You tell me what you know, and I'll confirm. I'll keep you in the right direction if I can, but that's all. Just... follow the money.
Reply