Disappointment In Goodell’s Press Conference, Payton Coped With Ice Cream & Netflix, TV Producer Fired For Brady Cheater Reference
FOOTBALL
No one seemed particularly pleased with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s annual pre-Super Bowl press conference. Goodell claimed the league addressed the botched Saints call in the championship game immediately (although it’s not clear how they addressed the issue). Many were also disappointed in how Goodell dealt with the issue of why a large number of musicians (who are still upset with the NFL for how they’ve been dealing with Colin Kaepernick and the issues of social injustice) turned down the opportunity to play at the Super Bowl halftime show. Rihanna, for one, refused to take the stage. One reporter, Nancy Armour, summed up the feeling in the room, “No one expects complete transparency from Goodell. But a little sincerity, a little humility, a little accountability would go a long way in letting fans know they’re not being taken for granted. Or, worse, taken for fools.”
On Wednesday, New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton also addressed the blown call preventing his team from making Super Bowl LIII. He said, “Much like normal people, I sat and probably didn’t come out of my room. I ate Jeni’s ice cream and watched Netflix for three straight days. There’s certain vices you gravitate to. For me, it’s probably sugar.”
While Goodell isn’t acting quickly concerning NFL issues, a Pittsburgh station took only minutes to fire a TV producer, Michael Talek, for writing “Known Cheater”, a reference to Deflategate, in the chyron underneath Tom Brady’s graphic. According to Talek, “it’s Pittsburgh, we hate the Patriots, we hate Tom Brady, so it was a little win for fans.” Friends of Talek set up a GoFundMe page to keep him afloat while he’s looking for a new job.
