Do you guys remember when I was the commissioner of the NFL? Yeah, me neither, but don't tell the people that emailed me thinking I was Roger Goodell around a decade ago.
It was 2009, and Michael Vick was on the verge of being released from prison after being convicted of financing a dogfighting conspiracy. I had a small business in sports memorabilia and was writing on several very small blogs that I owned. Through a domain acquisition company and a little luck, I was able to acquire the domain name rogergoodell.com, which I still own to this day (if you go to rogergoodell.com you will land on my Scorum blog).
Due to some combination of my blogging efforts and ownership of rogergoodell.com, I began receiving emails from fans for a 1-2 month span. Since it was the hot topic at the time, the majority of these emails were about Michael Vick's potential of returning to the NFL after serving time in prison. The emails ranged from being in support of Vick to swearing to never watch another NFL game if he was reinstated.
Although this controversy is long behind us, I thought I would share the emails I received with you. I will also expand on one of the emails I received from a young man about a proposed new calculation for QB rating, which was very interesting.
Fan Emails to Roger Goodell About Michael Vick's Possible Reinstatement to the NFL, and one on another player facing legal troubles:
O.K. Michael Vick did something bad. He got caught. The legal system prescribed punishment for him and is served it. Now, does everyone else have to extract a pound of flesh from the man? NFL players are committing assault; beating up their significant others; being arrested for DUI; doing drugs; etc, and they continue to play football. Michael Vick is convicted of dog fighting and abuse of dogs and he is being punished FOR LIFE. Others who have done damage to PEOPLE keep playing! If Michael Vick has learned from his experience in prison – and I’d bet it has made an impression on him – then maybe you could find a bit of forgiveness and reinstate him. It may be a weak comparison but think about when you did something wrong as a child and you parents punished you. What if they never stopped punishing you for that infraction? What if they were STILL punishing you? When is enough?" -- Blaine
Dear Roger Goodell,
I am writing to you about Michael Vick, and the possibility of him playing professional football for the NFL in the future. It is my understanding that you are considering reinstating Michael Vick to the NFL following his release from prison. I strongly urge you to ban Michael Vick from the NFL- PERMANENTLY! NFL players are our Nations heroes, with millions of children watching games and aspiring to be just like their favorite players. Please consider the message that you will be sending to our nations youth! Michael Vick had his opportunity to live the good life, but he threw it away quite carelessly. It is time to let some new talent into the game, rather than letting him return. I am a huge football fan, and watching rookies like Felix Jones walk onto the field is a testiment to the fact that there is more than enough talent out there, just waiting to be discovered. If you do reinstate Michael Vick to the NFL, I will boycott the NFL and all of their
sponsors, and urge everyone I can to do the same. I have started a petition to submit to you when the time is right. But I can tell you that in just 2 weeks, It has generated more than 4000 signatures of people that are willing to do the same. I can assure you that I will not stop with this petition, and will be at the frontlines protesting every game he will ever play in, and I guarantee that there will be tens of thousands of people there with me. Instead of reinstating him and marking the NFL with this awful stigma, think of all of the fans that you will be driving away from football. Please please please think of the fans!!!
Thank you so much for your time, Mr. Goodell.
Sincerely, Caroline B
Roger Goodell
I am a die hard football fan of 30 years but if you bring back Michel Vick I am done with the NFL.
All the money & prestiege this man had and he had to resort to fighting dogs he should never be allowed in the public eye ever."
Thanks, John
Sir:
I have been trying to find Roger Goodell 's e-mail address and never quite made it ,
but maybe you would forward this e-mail??....
I've been waiting for the commissioner to act on Denver's Branden Marshall's bad behavior since his arrest earlier this year but nothing so far. He was suspended last year one game but that was nothing to him ??
now he's in the pickle again--
these young guys with all that money don't care about anything except themselves..
How about eight (8) games' suspension and a possible trade from Denver.
And of course no money for those games missed??????
Thank you for your consideration of this matter,
-- Wayne A.
Dear Roger Goodell, I have heard there is a possibility that Mr. Vick may be reinstated to the NFL after his release from prison. As a dog lover I strongly urge you to ban Mr. Vick from the NFL permanently. Any person who would condone the fighting of dogs for money or pleasure is a disgusting individual and not worthy of playing professional sports. I have been a football fan for more than 30 years and I love the sport, but, I love dogs more and if Mr. Vick is reinstated I promise to never watch NFL footbal again.-- Morley S
I read the most recent letters from fans on you website and agree with them wholeheartedly. Please do not reinstate Michael Vick. I loathe what he did and will forever hate any team low enough to take him back, and in fact might just stop watching football altogether if he plays in the NFL.
I've been a fan of football for as long as I can remember - it was one of the things I loved to do with my father even when I was 5 years old. The NFL and the fans deserve a whole lot better than scumbags like Vick.
Thanks for your time.
Heather
Can you see how being the commissioner of a major sport would be difficult? Sure, we would all love to earn their paycheck, but the flood of thousands of emails, threats, and suggestions would be difficult to stomach even with a large team on your side unless you just ignore the fans that love your sport.
Note: I have no affiliation to Roger Goodell and I was not pretending to be him at any time.
I'd love to hear your thoughts about these emails below.
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