yordad
03-23-2009, 06:30 PM
DANA POINT, Calif. -- NFL commissioner Roger Goodell fielded questions from reporters Monday afternoon at the annual owners' meeting.
I had the chance to ask him about his talk last week with Buffalo Bills (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=buf) running back Marshawn Lynch (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=10456), who's facing a suspension for his Feb. 11 arrest in Culver City, Calif., on multiple gun charges and his subsequent plea bargain.
Goodell didn't give a hint about how severely Lynch would be punished, although a suspension is likely to start the season.
"I don't know anybody who likes to be disciplined," Goodell said. "I don't like issuing discipline. I would rather not be doing it. The reality is very clear that there are consequences for your actions, and when those actions reflect negatively on the NFL we're going to make sure there are negative consequences in hopes they don't happen again.
"But that doesn't consider what we've tried to do to help our players make better decisions. Our coaches and everyone else in the NFL, we're all held to a higher standard in the NFL, and Marshawn Lynch is included in that.
"I was very clear with Marshawn about that. I tried to understand the facts as he presented them to me. I asked a lot of questions. I was certainly clear of my thinking. I'll consider it and make a judgment at some point in the near future."
More (http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nflnation?tag=09%20owners%27%20meeting)
I had the chance to ask him about his talk last week with Buffalo Bills (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=buf) running back Marshawn Lynch (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=10456), who's facing a suspension for his Feb. 11 arrest in Culver City, Calif., on multiple gun charges and his subsequent plea bargain.
Goodell didn't give a hint about how severely Lynch would be punished, although a suspension is likely to start the season.
"I don't know anybody who likes to be disciplined," Goodell said. "I don't like issuing discipline. I would rather not be doing it. The reality is very clear that there are consequences for your actions, and when those actions reflect negatively on the NFL we're going to make sure there are negative consequences in hopes they don't happen again.
"But that doesn't consider what we've tried to do to help our players make better decisions. Our coaches and everyone else in the NFL, we're all held to a higher standard in the NFL, and Marshawn Lynch is included in that.
"I was very clear with Marshawn about that. I tried to understand the facts as he presented them to me. I asked a lot of questions. I was certainly clear of my thinking. I'll consider it and make a judgment at some point in the near future."
More (http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nflnation?tag=09%20owners%27%20meeting)