NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent indicated in a recent interview with ESPN that the NFL Players Association is wasting valuable financial resources in challenging his boss, Roger Goodell, in court.
“Look at the amount of money being spent on legal fees for a handful of people,” the former NFL defensive back told ESPN. “It’s millions and millions of dollars, and we’ve got players that are hurting. We’ve got young men who don’t know how to identify a good financial adviser. Men are in transition who aren’t doing well, and yet $8-10 million a year is spent in court fees about who should make a decision on someone, who in some cases has committed a crime.”
That’s just the cutest thing ever.
Isn’t the NFL also wasting important money by hiring outside council to defend a commissioner that has clearly overstepped his authority by playing judge, jury and executioner? Though, some would argue it’s the union that gave Goodell this unparalleled power in collective bargaining back in 2011.
However, it’s rather ridiculous that an NFL executive would question what the union is doing to provide for its player when the league itself has numerous outstanding civil cases surrounding its handling of head injuries and concussions. That’s the epitome of the pot calling the kettle black.
Vincent continued:
“Somebody has to protect the integrity of the game,” the former NFLPA president said. “That’s my responsibility, to protect and preserve the competitive fairness of professional football. That’s why our game is so great, because we protect the integrity of the game.”
Of course, he’s bringing protecting the shield into the argument. That’s a double standard that is hard for most of us level-headed people to wrap our minds around.
This all stems from the union putting on a full-court press when it comes to Tom Brady’s appeal of a four-game suspension that was levied against him for his alleged role in Deflategate.
Apparently, the league would rather have its power go unchecked.
Photo: USA Today Sports