Every Friday during Super Bowl week, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell gives his annual state of the league address.
Standing before a massive media throng, the silky, smooth Goodell weaved a verbal tapestry as he was peppered with a barrage of questions regarding the health of the most successful sports league in North America.
Goodell isn't quite the "Teflon Don" that Paul Tagliabue was, but he totally commands a room when he walks up to the podium.
In the words of Bill Clinton, the theme to this year’s state of the league address was simple: it's the economy stupid.
The New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings and San Diego Chargers have expiring stadium leases looming in the next few years. In addition, both the Oakland Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers need new stadiums. The NFL is pushing for a joint stadium to be built in the Bay Area to serve both franchises.
The only problem is with the American economy struggling like it is, finding $1 billion to build a stadium isn’t easy.
Goodell made what I thought was a brilliant point while he was being grilled about the economy in North America. He said the NFL, and sports in general, are an "invaluable escape for society" in these tough times.
He's right.
When everything is crumbling all around you, the one thing you can always count on is the NFL and the Super Bowl.
The other hot button issue on the agenda was the NFL's overtime rule. It has gotten to the point that the team that wins the coin toss in overtime almost always wins the game. There were also many questions abut the NFL's collective bargaining agreement and the possibility of a work stoppage during the 2011 season.
Goodell also addressed the Bills in Toronto series and the future of the NFL in Canada. He did say that he met with the series organizers and the Bills earlier in the week to formulate a plan to help make it more of a success. This will include lowering ticket prices, a painfully necessary move to reflect the struggling North American economy. Because of the struggling economy, Buffalo's management needs that money from the Bills in Toronto series now, more than ever before.
There may be a few less media in attendance than usual this year and they may have cancelled the Playboy party, but the Super Bowl is still the biggest sporting event in North America.
Goodell pointed out that salary cap will go up again for the 2009 season to a whopping $123 million dollars. I'm no financial expert, but that doesn't sound like a league that's in any kind of serious trouble.
Saturday on Connected, we will re-cap the announcement of the latest NFL's Hall of Fame inductees.
Former Pittsburgh Steeler and Connected NFL analyst Rod Woodson is a lock to get the nod.
