It was a nervous Roger Goodell that ended the owners’ meeting.

Goodell Pressed

Note: NNR preview of the NBA season with David Kay will be up on https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/ tonight after 10 PM. Tomorrow after Moo at 5 PM Samantha and I will preview the Browns Steelers game on our podcast.

You could literally watch the beads of sweat form on the slightly challenged hair line of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell as he addressed the media after the fall owners’ meeting. His voice was irregular and he sucked on his bottled water often.

Goodell should be nervous. He has not been having a very good year. The Ray Rice debacle started his fall from grace. Then there was Tape-Gate. What everyone wanted to know was what did he know and when did he see the elevator tape. Then back to back came the Greg Hardy and Adrian Peterson issues.

Instead of making a hard call on those problems, Goodell kicked the can down the street by putting both on double secret probation. By preventing them from playing while they go through the judicial process, Goodell has opened himself and the league up to more problems in the future. Even if they both are found guilty, the issue of double jeopardy will be brought up. Read more at FryingPanSports

The Vikings and Panthers may have given their suspended players a gift.

Both the Vikings and Panthers suspended their players involved in spouse or child abuse for last weeks game. Now both teams have declared their active for the week 3 games.

But here is the rub. By suspending RB Adrian Peterson and DE Greg Hardy the teams have taken action against them for their off field issues. Now the NFLPA can claim that because the two were suspended for a game, any additional suspension would be double jeopardy which is prohibited in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. That could prohibit the team or league from taking any additional action against the two players on the same issue.

So far the NFLPA has not shown a great deal of guts in challenging the league on suspensions. It will be interesting to see how these latest issues turn out. I suspect that the NFLPA will back off again. But time will tell.

That is what I think. Tell us what you think by commenting here or tweeting me @NNRonDSN.

NOTE: News, Notes and Rumors podcast are on hold until the site is fixed. Thanks for your support and patients.

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and Read more at FryingPanSports

News, Notes & Rumors for 07/18/14

NNR

Monday on NNR we will present the results of my Browns Season Simulation. Please join us at 6 PM EDT on or https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/.

News:

Saints TE Jimmy Graham got his money. He is a first round pick in any fantasy draft.

Browns WR Josh Gordon did not help his cause with a 2nd legal issue since he appealed his indefinite suspension. Both issues show he has major issues. After failing a test for weed, he was caught speeding with a friend smoking pot. Then he was arrested for DUI. At this point I doubt he can stay clean for a year to qualify for reinstatement. He may never play again.

49er RT Alex Boone says he won’t attend training camp unless he gets a new deal. The way he played in 2013 he should be more than happy with his salary. He missed way too many blocks to get a raise.

Flying J/Pilot President Jimmy Haslam signed an agreement with the fed. It will cost the company 92 million dollars. All Browns fans should buy as much gas as possible because Haslam needs the money.

Panthers DE Greg Hardy was found guilty of assaulting a female and … Read more at FryingPanSports

Who SHOULD the Browns draft?

Browns

The first round of the Draft is Thursday so it is time for my “fearless” predictions of what the Browns won’t do in the draft.

Round 1: No. 7 overall There has been some talk about the Browns trading with the 49ers for their 13th & 17th picks. The value of this pick is 1500. The 13+17 equal 2100. To do the deal the Browns would have to give their 2nd pick (#38 520) and their last pick in the 3rd (#92 132). They would likely get an early 5th round back as part of the deal. In short, I doubt this deal gets made.

Another rumor is that they would trade up to 5 and give the Chiefs 7 and #72 in the third round. I don’t like this deal because I don’t see that much difference between Berry and Thomas. I would take Thomas and save the 3rd round choice.

S Earl Thomas Texas The Browns need a FS badly. It is looking like KC will take Berry or Thomas at 5 and if they pass on him the Seahawks might grab one or the other at 6. If Berry is there, they would take him. However on … Read more at FryingPanSports

Who stood out at the East West Shrine game?

s

For this article I ignored the potential draft position of the players and rated their performance on the field on game day. Let me say up front that I do not agree with the “experts” that watch the practices and leave on game day. In my years of coaching, I have seen a lot of guys that looked like Tarzan in practice but when the pressure was on in a game they played like Jane.

Blair White WR Michigan State 14 points (4th round)

Blair gets open, has very good hands, and can adjust to bad balls (because he has had so much experience with bad QBs). He was a 4th or 5th projection before the EW game but with a very solid game he has moved into the 4th. The one question about him is speed. He is projected to run a 4.52. At 6-1 200 lbs, that is just OK. If he gets under 4.5 he could get into the 3rd.

Rahim Alem DE Louisiana State 13 pts (3rd)

Alem is 6-3 and 262. That is too light for a starting DE in the pros. He doesn’t really look like he can put on another 30 pounds and … Read more at FryingPanSports