Roger Goodell’s inconsistency issuing penalties is tainting his tenure as NFL commissioner

I know it is about time I allowed my repressed hatred of Roger Goodell to pass, but the commissioner just continues to act in ways that leave me and so many other NFL fans scratching their heads.

All of you out there in Steeler nation are obviously well aware of the “sensitivity” Goodell has shown Steeler players when dealing with fines and suspensions. The commissioner has not hesitated to suspend Steeler players, fine Steeler players, or use players in the Steelers organization as examples for what is wrong to do in the league.

But on Saturday, when the commissioner had a chance to show that he was not biased toward any team, and that all he was interested in was making sure the NFL had a no nonsense policy for everyone, he epically failed.

Maybe Goodell was too busy handing out $20K fines to the Lions “bad boy” defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh to realize what he has done, but Goodell’s apathy toward Tampa Bay Bucs cornerback Aqib Talib is downright pathetic.

Talib is currently facing charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon stemming from an incident where he and his mother shot at a man who was said to be in an argument with Talib’s sister.

Talib’s trial is set for March 2012, and the NFL has said it could revisit the matter pending the outcome of the case. What is the NFL going to do, suspend Talib after he is sentenced to 10 years in prison? This type of “flip-flop” sentencing is really earning Goodell a bad rap, and is really having me rethink whether I still denounce what James Harrison had to say about Goodell in that now infamous article.

To make matters worse, it is not as though Talib was a model citizen before this shooting had occurred. In fact, he had been suspended by the league before due to violating the league’s personal conduct policy.

So let me get something straight…….a man who has been suspended from the NFL due to prior infractions, and is now dealing with and assault with a deadly weapon charge will not have any repercussions to start out the 2011 season. As Keyshawn Johnson would say on Monday Night Countdown…..c’mon man!!!!

I do not mean to place a personal attack on Talib, in fact I thought he was going to be a standout player ever since I saw him years ago on the NFL network show “Hey Rookie, Welcome to the NFL.” I just do not understand the commissioners reasoning behind his disciplinary actions. The new CBA has allowed Goodell to have full disclosure over league fines and penalties, and I feel the commissioner has become drunk with power. There is no consistency with Goodell’s sanctions, and therefore he can not be trusted. Maybe Goodell was hurt by some of the things Harrison had to say about him in that article and he wants to show he is not some tyrant trying to suspend any player in the league. I’m not buying it……Goodell needs to figure out a blueprint to handing down fines and punishments, and he must stick to it. The man suspended Roethlisberger for four games AFTER all of Ben charges had been dropped. Now he chooses to do nothing to a player who is awaiting trial on a gun crime that he clearly committed.

I don’t want this article to turn into an argument over whether Big Ben should have been suspended, or whether you like Ben as a person…..that is not what this is about. I just wanted to show that I believe the commissioner has let the power of running the NFL go to his head, and that is a scary thought to see unfold.