Joe Thomas compares NFL to WWE, Goodell to VinnieMac

[rabblerouser]

Browns left tackle Joe Thomas had an interesting take onTom Brady*and DeflateGate on Sunday when Cleveland-area reporters asked the eight-time Pro Bowler about it.

Per Pat McManamon of ESPN, Thomas likened the NFL to professional wresting and compared NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to WWE chairman Vince McMahon, saying the NFL is an “entertainment business” and that “basically, Goodell is Vince McMahon.”

That may not go over well with Goodell, but Thomas said the NFL set up a “sting operation” on Brady and ultimately gave him “the death penalty” for what Thomas said equated “to driving 66 [MPH] in a 65 zone.”

But Thomas said Goodell is making headlines and that “his predecessor did not act unreasonably” in dealing with such matters. Thomas sees football air pressure as a non-story but said he understands that everything is a story in today’s game.

“I’m not sure if [Goodell] realizes what he’s doing is brilliant, but what he’s doing is brilliant because he’s made the NFL relevant 365 [days] by having these outrageous, ridiculous witch hunts,” Thomas said. “It’s made the game more popular than ever and it’s become so much more of an entertainment business and it’s making so much money.

“That’s why I’m sure there’s plenty of people saying this is embarrassing for the league. But it’s an entertainment business when it comes right down to it. When the game gets eyeballs in newspapers and on TV, that’s what in the end is the goal for everyone. And that’s what this controversy is giving them.”

More of what Thomas said*is posted here*in McManamon’s blog.

http:// http://profootballtalk.nbcsp...vince-mcmahon/

[Amnorix]

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

bullshit

It doesn't matter at all if what you are saying is true or not. Go disrespect your boss and see what happens.

You realize that Thomas is an employee of the Cleveland Browns, NOT the NFL. That his bosses are the head coach of the Browns, who reports to the GM of the Browns, who reports to the owner of he Browns, who reports to NO ONE.

Goodell isn't Thomas's boss, directly or indirectly.

[TEX]

Originally Posted by cosmo20002

Dipshit and Dipshit, Jr. are back for another football season where they'll be glued to the TV and in game threads...all the while "knowing" that all the games they follow are fixed, with the winners of each game pre-determined.
Have they chosen the lucky Super Bowl winner yet, or do they wait until after the preseason to do that?

My guess is that the Colts will be the benefactor of a disproportionate amount of calls, and non-calls, this season. Lets see if I'm right.

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by Amnorix

You realize that Thomas is an employee of the Cleveland Browns, NOT the NFL. That his bosses are the head coach of the Browns, who reports to the GM of the Browns, who reports to the owner of he Browns, who reports to NO ONE.

Goodell isn't Thomas's boss, directly or indirectly.

So disingenuous.

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by Amnorix

Yeah, except (1) you're counting on very unreliable people to keep their mouth shut, which is STUPID, (2) the whole conspiracy involving a zillion different people thing is basically impossible, and (3) the rules are changing. You can't even beat your girlfriend/fiance/kid anymore without being publicly outed and paying a HUGE price in terms of suspensions, public image, and endorsements, right? RIGHT?

Your nonsense is nonsense.

ONLY if someone finds out about the videotape...otherwise Ray - Ray only had, what a 2 game suspension??

It wasn't until the video of him dragging his unconcious wife out of the elevator was made public, then he got the indefinite suspension...

Goodell saw the video and was fine with a slap on the wrist and total minimalization of the entire incident...until public outcry forced him to do something more severe.

AM I RIGHT??

[CleveSteve]

Just waiting for the 8-game suspension to come down.

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by loochy

Yeah, what? I didn't understand his response. It doesn't matter if what you say is true or not.

The only recourse Roger Goodell would have is to sue Joe Thomas for libel...because Joe Thomas isn't technically employed by Goodell.

But since what JT said is absolutely true, it's best for Goodell to just keep his trap shut and bury the story with something juicer for the public...just like a little microcosm of all political bukkakes.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by CleveSteve

Just waiting for the 8-game suspension to come down.

"We have this video of you beating your wife."

"That's not me. That's Ray Lewis beating a prostitute."

"Close enough."

[cosmo20002]

Originally Posted by Amnorix

Sure. You think Carroll and Bevell both took big piles of money to lose the Super Bowl?

And Lynch. Was he in on it? Did he purposefully fall down at the 1? Because if he didn't, the Seahawks probably win, right?

Carroll only made the call. You're forgetting Russell Wilson had to be in on it also--he threw the ball. Carroll's decision to throw the Super Bowl could have been ruined if Wilson makes a good throw, or if a hole opened and he tries to run it in. Maybe the offensive line was in on it too?

Yeah, Wilson was probably in on throwing the game...the guy who won't even **** his hot girlfriend because they aren't married and that would be a sin.

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

"We have this video of you beating your wife."

"That's not me. That's Ray Lewis beating a prostitute."

"Close enough."

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by cosmo20002

Carroll only made the call. You're forgetting Russell Wilson had to be in on it also--he threw the ball.

Yeah, Wilson was probably in on throwing the game...the guy who won't even **** his hot girlfriend because they aren't married and that would be a sin.

Nah, it was just a stupid call that didn't work. I do think Carroll threw the game by not handing the ball to Lynch (!!!???) And there are a few players who know that the games are rigged, just like there are a lot of people who work at the stadiums and are in the offices who know it's rigged, and they've said so.

I didn't want to believe it at first - I LOVE football, and the Chiefs were such a huge part of my life...but as the evidence stacked up, and I talked to a few (now former) employees in the aftermath of the Pioli housecleaning, put 2+2 together and found out that it was more than former employees' sour grapes - there's something to it.

From then on, it's all been deductive reasoning, logic, and cognitive recourse that have presented me with the evidence that has been under my nose the whole time. If you're constantly wowed by the product, you aren't looking for the 'man behind the curtains,; pulling the strings', so to speak. It's called "suspension of disbelief"...and for many people, when presented with something that goes against what you believe to be true, it causes what is known as "cognitive dissonance", as you try to come up with ANYTHING you can to dispute the evidence that is directly in front of your face that the NFL is absolutely as rigged as the WWE.

[NJChiefsFan]

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

So disingenuous.

I don't think it was. Calling out his owner would put him in a more accurate analogy of what you are trying for. And even then it's not always true. There are plenty of employees in plenty of companies that get leeway because of their value. To be honest, in a lot of spots, I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

Now I'm not trying to say that athletes and celebrities don't play different rules at times. I just don't think this is a good example.

[King_Chief_Fan]

so they are both faked and fixed?

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by NJChiefsFan

I don't think it was. Calling out his owner would put him in a more accurate analogy of what you are trying for. And even then it's not always true. There are plenty of employees in plenty of companies that get leeway because of their value. To be honest, in a lot of spots, I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

Now I'm not trying to say that athletes and celebrities don't play different rules at times. I just don't think this is a good example.

Who makes the rules?
Who governs the game?
Who disciplines players/coaches that break rules?
Who decides where/when/who games are played?

Goodell is the representative of the group of owners who are in charge.

He insulted that representative and should get suspended until he makes a public apology.

You want to dance around and make shit up, go ahead, it's still bullshit.

employee at McDonalds insults the entire company he still getting fired


I swear people will defend teh NFL players to the death. They can do whatever they want.

no rules for players ... ever

[Brock]

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

Who makes the rules?
Who governs the game?
Who disciplines players/coaches that break rules?
Who decides where/when/who games are played?

Goodell is the representative of the group of owners who are in charge.

He insulted that representative and should get suspended until he makes a public apology.

You want to dance around and make shit up, go ahead, it's still bullshit.

employee at McDonalds insults the entire company he still getting fired


I swear people will defend teh NFL players to the death. They can do whatever they want.

no rules for players ... ever

Comparing a perennial pro bowl football player to a mcdonald's employee.

ladies and gentlemen, I give you Laz. Dumbest mother****er ever to shit behind a pair of shoes.

[Amnorix]

Originally Posted by Brock

Comparing a perennial pro bowl football player to a mcdonald's employee.

ladies and gentlemen, I give you Laz. Dumbest mother****er ever to shit behind a pair of shoes.

Joe Thomas:

8 Years in the NFL. Never missed a single SNAP. Not a game, a SNAP.
8 Pro Bowls
5 1st team All Pros, 2 2nd team All Pros.
Ranked in the top 28 top NFL players for the last three years

But if he says boo about Goodell, he'd be fired. Yeah, that makes sense.

Put aside his contract, and the salary cap ramifications of cutting him, and the fact that some other team would immediately snap him up anyway, in Laz's world, the Browns should cut him for saying something bad about the Commish.

Only in LazLand...