There are some times that I feel a bit unequipped, unprepared, and possibly unworthy of what we do here. Today was one of those days. It was quite a surprise when I received an email letting us know that NFL League Commissioner Roger Goodell was making himself available for a "no holds barred" interview along with chief negotiator Jeffery Pash.
Yours truly did not get a chance to have his question addressed, but many other questions were and they ranged from to the current labor dispute to stadium concerns. Check back later today for a more complete coverage of the interview.
On the importance of reaching out to bloggers:
RG: It’s the fans. We want the fans to understand we’re doing everything we can to try to reach an agreement that’s fair to the players, to the clubs and most importantly to make sure we can continue to deliver high quality football to our fans. That’s our number one priority. We have to get this collective bargaining agreement addressed in a responsible fashion and we have made a proposal that we think is responsible that meets what the players are looking for and what the clubs are looking for and would ensure that we can continue on with this great game. We want the fans to understand that and understand how hard we are working to try to get something done. And the frustration they are feeling is the frustration we are feeling by not successfully coming to a conclusion through negotiations. But they have decided to pursue another strategy – litigation. We think the best thing is to be at the table negotiating. And that’s what we are prepared to do.
Obviously, while there were no topics off limits, these guys are too smart to let anything slip or say something that would cause a stir, but knowing they consider a forum like this a good avenue to communicate to the fans is great to know.