12/22/24
March 20, 2006
Goodbye Paul.: One of the men that have made huge contributions to the NFL is now retiring. Paul Tagliabue, commissioner of the NFL is retiring after negotiating a very tough labor deal. The NFL will miss the leadership of the man who has overseen a massive stadium rebuilding plan that has replaced over two-thirds of the 32 teams stadiums.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia to football at 02:28 PM - 34 comments
He has been a great commissioner, and those are obviously very difficult to find. I hope he retires and teaches other commissioners the basics of not ruining a professional sports league. The one major gripe I have with him is the NFL's exclusive contract with a DirecTV instead of making NFL Ticket available for those of us with cable. I like Rich McKay. I could see him being a good commissioner.
posted by bperk at 02:39 PM on March 20, 2006
Way to leave on top, Paul. Let's hope the next guy can keep it going.
posted by stofer71 at 02:56 PM on March 20, 2006
I don't think that anyone can argue that Paul Tagliabue is leaving with quite a legacy Given you mean the opposite of what you said, I think you yourself could make this argument.
posted by yerfatma at 03:13 PM on March 20, 2006
bperk, I'm with you on the cable thing. Being a Dolphins fan in Pennsylvania, I get to see them maybe twice a year. I had satellite, but like cable there is so much unwanted garbage on it, I decided to get rid of it. I'd be willing to pay $10-$15 dollars a week to see the Phins on a service I already have. And I would guess there are many more fans that would too. No doubt Tagliabue has done a good job. The NFL is the class of the 4 major sports leagues in the U. S.
posted by PAPhinFan at 03:43 PM on March 20, 2006
He is going to leave some major shoes to be filled. I almost feel sorry for the next guy/girl to follow Paul.
posted by dbt302 at 03:51 PM on March 20, 2006
Not 100% on this but I'd say that football is about the only sport to stay ahead of NASCAR in terms of popularity. I think a lot of that had to do with Tagliabue keeping the players playing and the drugs (largely) out of the game. Godspeed Paul and thanks for football.
posted by timdawg at 03:59 PM on March 20, 2006
The owners should give the outgoing commissioner a great golden parachute. I haven't seen a chart on this, but my guess is that franchise values have at least doubled in his tenure, which has been greatly aided not just by the excellent TV deals but by the corporate welfare of getting states and municipalities to largely foot the bill on those 2/3 of new stadiums that were built during the Tagliabue era. And while Tagliabue himself may not have played a huge role in lobbying for public funds for those stadiums, by allowing the movement of teams (Rams to St. Louis, Raiders to Oakland, Oilers to Tenn, Browns to Baltimore -- which I realize hasn't only been done on his watch), it created a great deal of leverage for other teams in negotiating for new stadiums ("You don't want what happened to the Browns to happen to you, do you?"). By all accounts, him brokering this most recent labor deal is one of his crowning achievements; he is definitely going out on top. (Quasi-conspiracy theory/alternative explanation -- I bet he also didn't want to deal with the headache of what to do about the Saints.)
posted by holden at 04:07 PM on March 20, 2006
I have to also echo bperks thoughts on the NFL's exclusive contract with DirecTV it should also be available on Cable .
posted by livedawhile at 04:15 PM on March 20, 2006
You guys have also forgotten the 4 expansion teams that he brought in: 2 brand new teams and 2 replacement teams after he moved the original team out (brought back the Browns when the Ravens came and brought back the Oilers (Texans) when they left for Tennessee (Titans)). That helped spur the NFL's success in many different parts of the nation as well
posted by zachaweenus at 04:41 PM on March 20, 2006
As a long loyal Detroit Lions fan I hereby nominate Matt Millen for the job of commissioner,anything to get him out of town.
posted by Parbreaker at 04:42 PM on March 20, 2006
Im also with you cable watchers. From a diehard Raider fan on the east coast.
posted by wvu1fan at 04:48 PM on March 20, 2006
As a long loyal Detroit Lions fan I hereby nominate Matt Millen for the job of commissioner,anything to get him out of town. I was always surprised someone hired Matt Millen for a front office job in the first place. The Lions have about five guys going for the starting QB job now, so if they can successfully interchange parts from each and make one decent quarterback, they'll be on their way. Oh yeah, back to the point: Tagliabue did a good job. Maybe he can take some time now to mentor Bud Selig.
posted by dyams at 05:07 PM on March 20, 2006
I believe the fundamental differenc between Mr Taglibue and thatSelig slug is that Paul is not a former team owner
posted by Parbreaker at 05:18 PM on March 20, 2006
DirecTV paid the NFL $3.5 billion/5 years for the rights to exclusively broadcast it's NFL Sunday Ticket Package. The current deal runs through 2010. Cable won't have a chance until the 2011 season and then only if Directv does not outbid everyone again. You cable guys have to get Directv.
posted by Termite at 05:39 PM on March 20, 2006
former? noo.. he still own's the team...he's got people running it in his absense..baseball needs another commish,somebody,like a retired judge,to govern the game,in the best interests of baseball,not the at the whims, of the owners puppet strings...at least paul was trying to be fair with the players&owners..
posted by ktown at 05:51 PM on March 20, 2006
ktown -- the sale of the Brewers from the Selig family and other investors to Mark Attanasio was completed in January of 2005. And Bud got a premium price for a small-market club because of the stadium he was able to build with public funds.
posted by holden at 05:54 PM on March 20, 2006
I'm not one of the people who believes that fans are better off after 16 years of Tagliabue than we were after Rozelle. I miss the days when several dynasties were around at the same time and often clashed in the playoffs, as the Steelers, Cowboys and 49ers did in the '70s and early '80s.
posted by rcade at 05:55 PM on March 20, 2006
I've been a DirecTV costumer for over ten years. I subscribed so that I could catch all of the Raider games. Living in Illinois I wouldn't get to see very many otherwise. I think it's been well worth it. The price has almost doubled over those years though, I expect it to be over $200 this year to watch all 16 games, but I guess that's better than paying the price of tickets.
posted by stanr85 at 05:58 PM on March 20, 2006
I never thought Bud Selig was lower than excretement until I listened to him testify before Congress.This man is a closet politician.
posted by Parbreaker at 06:01 PM on March 20, 2006
One thing I can say about the game is that the salary cap has changed the game of football for the better. Nobody knows who will make it to the SuperBowl. Every team has a chance to get quality players and the power houses of the old days are almost a thing of the past. If baseball adopted the same concept it would make it much more interesting, I think everybody gets tired of seeing the same old teams in the playoffs and the World Series every year, I know I do.
posted by stanr85 at 06:04 PM on March 20, 2006
There is more difference between Tagliabue and Selig than an ownership issue. Selig is just not a very good communicator/leader. Did anyone see the interview between Selig and Jon Miller at the WBC Game in San Diego over the weekend? Selig was almost non-responsive. Miller had to drag responses out of him. Selig also has an intellect and character deficit when compared to Tags. Rozelle and Tagliabue-both were fine commissioners.
posted by Termite at 06:08 PM on March 20, 2006
Is this discussion about Pauls legacy or DirectTV. I can't tell. Some people are praising Tagliabue, some are bitching about DirectTV. Let's give the man some credit and talk about his career rather than the one deal he made that cable watchers are pissed about.
posted by sublime4390116 at 06:19 PM on March 20, 2006
Like it or not DirecTV is a big part of Tagliabue's legacy. Some folks like the deal and some don't. If anyone wants to read just praise filled posts they should probably find another forum. I have learned that Spofi posters will disect and offer more that you ever imagined about any and all FPP's. If this bothers you you may want to get on a bulletin board at Baskin Robbins.
posted by Termite at 06:38 PM on March 20, 2006
Why isn't that a valid topic? The DirecTV deal seems pretty bright. It fosters competition and new outlets and brings in direct revenue. Plus, if people are willing to drop $200 on it every year, the sport's commish must be doing something right.
posted by yerfatma at 06:40 PM on March 20, 2006
I miss the days when several dynasties were around at the same time and often clashed in the playoffs, as the Steelers, Cowboys and 49ers did in the '70s and early '80s. Rcade you make a very good point and I agree that it is sad that there are pretty much no more dynasties. I think that will never change because of free agency. However, with exceptions to the most incompetent teams and owners (I mean you William Clay Ford!), I think free agency has given every team a chance to get better and compete for a Super Bowl ring (such as the Rams and the Colts).
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 06:50 PM on March 20, 2006
I for one am happy with my team's coverage on cable, but I live in the same state as my home team, so no problems. The TV issue is a valid one to make here as football is such a TV oriented game. Tagliabue and Rozelle have had what I would call an almost immeasurable impact on how we as fans watch pro sports that I think some of us fans would be lost without his innovative thinking. And free agency certainly helped my Seahawks finally get to the Super Bowl. Stern and Selig would do well to emulate the 'Bue.
posted by THX-1138 at 07:24 PM on March 20, 2006
The biggest joke in pro sports is Paul Tagliabue. His leadership is only as strong as the major market owners.
posted by mustang71 at 07:40 PM on March 20, 2006
Tagliabue has done nothing but great things for the NFL, but maybe not as great for the average joe fan. He's built an empire that continues to grow in popularity, but I'm scared that the dollar signs are going to ruin it in the long run. The non-DirecTv guys have a valid bitch. It sucks that you have to pay hundreds of dollars to watch the team that you love. I myself don't have that problem, since I am in my teams area. But I am forced to have DirecTv because the friggin' cable guys won't run a line down my road so I can steal it! Starting next year, MNF is on ESPN. If you're an average joe fan who can't afford/can't get cable or satellite, you're screwed. His legacy has many high points and he has helped the NFL tremendously, but in the end, it all comes down to your average joe fan base. So, to quote the words of my ex-wife,
"Bye-Bye, Sumbitch!"
posted by wingnut4life at 08:56 PM on March 20, 2006
ron wolf for commissioner
posted by zepp70 at 09:05 PM on March 20, 2006
Paul Tagliabue has done an incredible job with the NFL, and made it the premiere sports league, certainly in America and probably in the world, as well. The Super Bowl is the biggest entertainment event in the world. The NFL is easily the best sports league, lacking the noted labor difficulties crippling the other big three. Tags has done all this, and has also made the league the most competitive and the most exciting at the same time. Job well done, Mr. Tagliabue.
posted by Bonkers at 12:09 AM on March 21, 2006
The Super Bowl is the biggest entertainment event in the world. And also one of the most boring (generally). The NFL is easily the best sports league, lacking the noted labor difficulties crippling the other big three. Barely. Tags has done all this, and has also made the league the most competitive and the most exciting at the same time. Job well done, Definitely a matter of opinion. I'd much rather watch the old NFL than the new one.
posted by justgary at 12:17 AM on March 21, 2006
I've been a DirecTV costumer for over ten years. So, how does that job pay, anyway?
posted by The_Black_Hand at 05:07 AM on March 21, 2006
Secretary of State Rice not likely to pursue 'dream job'
I don't know, that gap in her teeth would make Strahan proud...
posted by wingnut4life at 07:58 AM on March 21, 2006
I don't think that anyone can argue that Paul Tagliabue is leaving with quite a legacy. He just negotiated a labor deal preserving the NFL as we know it for at least some time and as said in the article, has overseen a massive stadium rebuilding program. I think that it is good that he still is staying on with the NFL as an advisor, which is honoring his contract. His leadership should be good for the NFL in the coming years. I am interested to find out who will replace him though.