Free agent RB Ray Rice has a lot at stake at his appeal hearing in two weeks, but "ultimately not as much" as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, whose "hold on the most powerful and lucrative executive position in American sports could be in jeopardy," according to Gary Myers of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. If it "turns out Goodell has not been telling the truth about what he knew and when he knew it, then that could cost him" his job. A source said, "If they catch him in a lie, that could be a problem. But Roger is not a liar.” Rice's appeal takes place Nov. 5-6 in N.Y. under former U.S. District Court Judge Barbara Jones. But Myers cites sources as saying that it is "possible the NFL will look to settle the case with a reduced suspension before it even gets to Jones." Rice's attorney Peter Ginsberg, along with NFL Outside Counsel Jeffrey Kessler, "will be questioning Goodell when he takes the stand under oath." NFL attorneys are "going to have Goodell well-prepared and surely will step in if they object to a line of questioning" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/24). Dallas Morning News columnist Tim Cowlishaw said Goodell is probably going to "say the same things that he's been saying," but it will "look bad if he says, 'I don't need to go be part of this hearing.'" Cowlishaw: "He's got to go put in his two cents." Columnist Kevin Blackistone called it "critical" that Goodell testify, as he is the "judge, he's the jury, he's the appeals judge when it comes to these sorts of matters in the NFL." Blackistone: "I would be bothered if he wasn't being called to testify because this happened on his watch. This is something that he thought long and hard about before rendering several different decisions on this very matter." N.Y. Daily News' Frank Isola: "It's going to be his word against Ray Rice's word. This is going to get very messy. I think they should have tried to reach some type of settlement" ("Around The Horn," ESPN, 10/23).
MORE RISK THAN REWARD: USA TODAY's Jarrett Bell writes there "seems to be more risk in play than reward" for Goodell. Bell: "No doubt, the benefits can still be substantial for Goodell if the hearing, combined with the findings from the Robert Mueller investigation, confirm his version of events with his credibility hanging in the balance." But "widespread support voiced by NFL owners, his bosses, could waver with new revelations" (
USA TODAY, 10/24). ESPN's Jason Whitlock said Goodell testifying is "very big, and it’s why Roger Goodell should have never gotten involved with crime and punishment" (
"PTI," ESPN, 10/23). ESPN's Dan Le Batard said, "He'll get out there and he'll be uncomfortable and we'll take his words and use them against him and we'll all enjoy watching it. But it's not going to cost him his job, and at this point, nothing's a big deal until it costs him his job." ESPN's Bomani Jones added, "You do have to appreciate that this is the rare time that Roger Goodell has to answer to someone. What's been so difficult for us ... is to try to figure out what was going on with Roger Goodell because he only had to answer to the owners truly so we can never get much out of him" (
"Highly Questionable," ESPN2, 10/23).
RICE'S WIFE TO TESTIFY: FOXSPORTS.com's Mike Garafolo cited sources as saying that Rice's wife, Janay, "likely will testify during the grievance hearing." As part of her testimony, Janay Rice will "offer her account of the meeting she and Ray had with Goodell before Goodell's initial two-game suspension of Rice." Her testimony "will be voluntary" (
FOXSPORTS.com, 10/23).
