How could I forget to post my op-ed this week on HLNTV.com regarding Goodell’s silence during the referee lockout? I was passionate about this issue because even if Goodell is only a spokesperson for the owners during the lockout he wasn’t even doing that. Goodell spoke only through VP Ray Anderson, memos, statements, and his favorite mode of communication–fines.

In fact, right before a deal was reached, Anderson had an op-ed published in USA Today. I didn’t understand why Goodell couldn’t at least sign his name to an op-ed on the subject.

I really think Goodell needs a new title — the word commissioner makes it seem as though Goodell does what’s good for the game. And that when he’s in the room with the owners, the game, the fans, players, coaches, and refs have an advocate in the room. The reality is none of us do. When Goodell meets with the owners no one else has a voice in that room besides the owners, apparently. Goodell is just owned.

Check out my piece criticizing the Commissioners lack of leadership here.

Now that the lockout is over Goodell had plenty to say yesterday but much of it only reflected why he probably stayed silent in the first place. A lot of things he says simply aren’t helpful. One thing that stuck out to me is when he said he didn’t watch the last play in the Seahawks/Packers game closely enough to give his own opinion.

But the commissioner has power to over turn. A power that the league said in a statement he wasn’t going to use. But if he didn’t watch the play closely enough, how can he know whether or not to use his authority to over turn? How can you decide NOT to use an authority on a situation you haven’t seen? And if you don’t need to see it to make a decision, why release a statement explaining what happened?