Imagine the gossip at Roger Goodell’s oceanside Prout’s Neck palace’s summer cocktail parties.
Is the NFL commissioner sitting in a corner by himself, stewing over speculation he’s an overly-paranoid big baby looking to take over network coverage that he can’t stand?
That might be the case, judging from the criticism he’s getting for allegedly trying to strong-arm ESPN’s gridiron coverage.
But since we haven’t been invited (yet) to eavesdrop at his $12.8 million Scarborough mansion, we can only imagine.
“Pending regulatory approval (which seems to be hardly a given), the NFL eventually will own 10 percent of ESPN,” NBC Sports is reporting.
“That dynamic has raised obvious concerns that the NFL will parlay its partial ownership into the potential airing of grievances about ESPN’s coverage of the league.”
“As a result, the powers-that-be are trying to ease the worries of ESPN reporters and analysts who fear being micromanaged by The Shield.
“Most recently, that resulted in (according to FrontOfficeSports.com) Goodell communicating with ESPN employees at a town-hall meeting via a recorded message.
“Per the report, ‘Goodell emphasized to ESPN employees that the league would not get involved in the network’s journalism.’”
NBC’s sports analysts (who like us haven’t yet been invited to Roger’s cocktail parties) aren’t buying it.
“It’s naive to think the NFL will say nothing if/when someone on the ESPN payroll says something that someone at the league office doesn’t like,” according to the NBC guys.
Alas, all we can do is peek in the windows to get a bead on Roger’s stewing quotient.
Maybe we’ll catch a glimpse of his wife, former Portland TV (WCSH) gal Jane Skinner, trying to soothe Roger by pouring him another one.
“Honey, it’s going to be OK. Soon we’ll own ESPN and we – not them – will manage the TV coverage.”
