Hot topics in the NFL

By Joanne Korth
Published September 7, 2007

Roger Goodell has been commissioner for little more than a year, but it has been quite a year. Several controversial issues have put the league on the hot seat, and Goodell has spent plenty of time answering questions and issuing statements.

Now that Dave Moore gets paid to share his thoughts (as the new analyst on Bucs radio broadcasts) rather than catch footballs, we decided to ask the former union representative and veteran of 15 seasons about five issues.

Conduct

Player conduct was an issue for the league last season, long before "Pacman" Jones went to a Las Vegas strip club and Michael Vick pleaded guilty to federal dogfighting charges. Goodell is taking a hard-line stance, sometimes announcing suspensions before players have their day in court. According to Goodell, the league's image is at stake.

Moore says

"I think you've always had conduct issues. Now people don't let celebrities do the things they've done in the past. And it's not just in football. You see it with Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton. You see it all around now that they're not special like people used to make them. Whether players realize it or not, there are a whole lot of people watching them. They say, 'I don't want to be a role model.' That's not your choice. If you're there, you are a role model whether you want to be or not. I think that's the message Commissioner Goodell is trying to get across; that if you're going to be a part of this league, then you need to conduct yourself in a certain way. Whether that will be effective, I don't know. Players come from all walks of life."

Concussions

Football is a rough sport. Players get hurt, and concussions are becoming more frequent. The recent deaths of several former players have prompted discussions about the possible long-term effects of multiple concussions. Goodell has recommended the league investigate.

Moore says

"In the old days, you didn't hear much about concussions. But guys didn't have a face mask, so, obviously, you didn't go in there face first. You tackled with the shoulder, more rugby style. Now the equipment has gotten better, the padding and the helmet. But all that enables guys to do is have more violent impacts. If they engineer a better helmet, they're just going to hit harder. So you're always going to have the problem. They used to have to take my helmet to stop me from going back in. There's no way to measure a concussion. There's different degrees: what they call a ding, a concussion and knocked out, where you're not sure what the plays are. It's going to be a hard thing to measure, but it's good that they're trying to address it and gather some kind of data."

Retired player benefits

Over the past two years, retired players have spoken out about the lack of adequate pension and disability benefits provided by the union. A group of Hall of Famers created a nonprofit corporation to raise money. Retired players say the union does not invest enough in the program.

Moore says

"In defense of the union, they've gone back the last couple times the collective bargaining agreement has been extended and raised the benefits. It's the only sports league that's ever done that. Now the pension in the NFL is very poor. If you compare my pension to a guy who played 15 years in Major League Baseball, it's laughable. But it's a combination of things. You're trying to take care of the guys here now because it wasn't in 1967 that there was an $11-billion TV contract. There's so many players. It's a topic at every union meeting. They try to find answers for it. Yes, there probably is enough money to go back and take care of all of the retired players. But then again, it's from 2000-07 where the majority of that money came from. Back then, you were getting 10,000 people a game, not 70,000. There needs to be a solution. You want to be a sport that takes care of its guys. But it is a sport where the day you become a starter is the day they start looking to replace you."

The preseason

The current schedule includes four preseason games and 16 regular-season games. The price for tickets is the same. There is growing sentiment among fans that charging full price for a preseason game is wrong because starters see minimal action. Also, players are becoming more vocal about wanting the preseason to be shorter because of the increased risk of injury.

Moore says

"I think preseason tickets should be discounted. You're not getting the team's best effort, the best play calling, the best players on the field. Basically, you're watching tryouts. It's like going to watch (training) camp. As for the number of games, where you are in your career dictates how many preseason games you need. If you're a veteran and you come back as a starter, you only need two games. But if you're a young guy trying to make an impression, or a draftee, you need four games to get ready to play. That's where it's up to the coaches to get their players ready and protect them at the same time."

Rookie contracts

Several members of the 2007 draft class became the highest-paid players at their position. Signing bonuses are astronomical, and holdouts are back in fashion. The NFL has a rookie salary pool but not a pay scale.

Moore says

"I played 15 years, and I started at a few different positions. And there's a guy that's never played an NFL game who probably made more in his bonus than I made in my career. But that's the way the game has gone, and it's what makes the game popular. You can't be mad at him for making all that money. You can be mad at the system for rewarding somebody who hasn't done anything yet. I'd like to see a rookie pay scale. I agree that the No. 1 pick should be the highest and work your way down from there. But it needs to be more regulated and capped. Rather than string the contracts out to five years, make them two. And at that point, give them what is considered a rookie contract now. Then the money can go back to the veteran players who have been there."

[Last modified September 5, 2007, 12:26:04]