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NFL's new sheriff is a no-nonsense gunslinger

By Ed Valentine
New NFL Sheriff, er Commissioner Roger Goodell has wasted no time letting NFL players know who is in charge and what he expects.

Goodell wants the off the field lawlessness that has become increasingly pervasive in the game to stop, and he has quickly shown that he will deal harshly with troublemakers.

• A year-long suspension for Pacman Jones.
• An eight-game suspension for the Bengals Chris Henry.
• An eight-game suspension for Tank Johnson.

Personally, I love what Goodell is doing. The NFL is the biggest empire in sports, and its biggest black eye right now is player behavior off the field.

Goodell is not only talking about cleaning it up, the way Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig has mostly given lip service to the steroid scandal, but he is taking decisive action.

He is hitting players where it hurts the most. Putting teeth in the new conduct policy he insisted on by hitting players where it hurts, taking them out of uniform and making sure they know their careers are in jeopardy when they screw up off the field.

"It is important that the NFL be represented consistently by outstanding people as well as great football players, coaches, and staff," Goodell said when the new conduct policy was announced. "We hold ourselves to higher standards of responsible conduct because of what it means to be part of the National Football League. We have long had policies and programs designed to encourage responsible behavior, and this policy is a further step in ensuring that everyone who is part of the NFL meets that standard."

I say it's about time. Your thoughts?

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