When Roger Goodell became commissioner of the NFL I had mixed feelings, but I felt like a wait and see approach was appropriate. He did not handle the Patriots video tape infraction well (no matter whose side you were on) but perhaps a pass was necessary, given the stickiness of the situation. I liked some of the rules that he chose to enforce, such as ones that took some of the ridiculous thuggery (Pac-man) and escalating TD celebrations (Sharpies anyone), out of the game, but I'm now convinced that he has lost his mind.
On November 30th when the Patriots played the Steelers, Ryan Clark layed out Wes Welker after a ball was knocked down. It was a illegal (and cheap) hit as Welker was "pulling up" because the ball was no where near him, and Clark and the Steelers were assessed a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty as a result of the play. When "fine day" arrived the following week, everyone was amazed that Clark did not receive even a penny's fine.
Fast forward a couple of weeks later and after a (unfortunately rare) TD catch, Ben Watson briefly puts the ball beneath his jersey to mimic a pregnancy, to acknowledge his pregnant wife. He is given a penalty during the game, and a substantial fine the following week ($10,000, i think).
Then in the Patriots game last Sunday against the Cardinals, the same Wes Welker, who barely survived the aforementioned hit, catches a TD (as he is wont to do) and proceeds to do a spontaneous snow angel. This innocuous celebration is flagged 15 yards during the game, much to some people's amazement. But people had pretty much moved on, until word came down today that Welker would also receive a $10,000 fine!
Seriously, a ten grand fine for doing what a million kids do every freakin day in playgrounds and back yards across America. H wasn't showing anyone up, just having a little fun. And Welker, who is from the Southwest, and formerly played on the west coast and Miami probably has not had too many opportunities to play in the snow like this. And to top it all off the same week, Ellis of the Jets, in a petulant display, hurls an ice boulder into the stands and is hit with the same fine. The same amount for potentially maiming paying fans as for doing a snow angel??
I am sure that other people have things to say about their own favorite teams, but I know more about what happens to my local team. I don't have as much problem with the rules per se, but I would like to see them make some kind of sense. How can anyone have faith in Goodell to effectively run the entire NFL when this absurdity is occurring.