[skinsguy]

Roger Goodell:

Thoughts? Well, I think he's done a good job so far. I certainly like the player conduct rules, because the players do need to clean up their act if they are to be role models to the fans that look up to them. And let's face it, whether if they like it or not, intended to be or not, they are viewed upon as role models, especially to the kids. So, I say kudos and job well done by Goodell in those respects.

I also like the ideas of making the game a bit safer to play in regards to concussions. Although, you can only take that so far before you really change the complexion of the game, and that is something I do not want to see. But, I am all for protecting the players health. But let's keep in mind that the game is and will always be a dangerous sport and injury is inevitable.

The 18 game thing? I realize that's a toss up. I don't really mind seeing two extra games, although I think they would also need to have an extra bye week thrown in there to help the players rest and recover from injuries. I have no idea if that is on the table or not.

I also remember reading the argument that expanding the active roster in order to balance the longer season would water down the product. While I don't necessarily agree or disagree with that, I do want to point to the Super Bowl champions, and how many of their starters they had lost during the season and even in the Super Bowl itself. Yet, they continued to improve throughout the season and caught fire in the playoffs. So, I'm not so sure I necessarily, completely, buy the water-downed product idea. But, I do understand why one would assume the quality would be less than what it is now.

And as far as the expansion thing to Europe, this is what I would propose:

Reinstate NFL Europe, but allow (with support by the NFL owners) those European teams to inherit the mascot names/logos that are used in the NFL. Now, I understand the ties that these mascot names have to their NFL cities and history, but we're talking about making a recognizable product based on the NFL successful in Europe. Personally, I would come closer to watching an NFL Europe game if the "Cowboys and Redskins" are playing each other, as opposed to the "Galaxy VS Fire". That's just me though. I mean, baseball does it, why can't the NFL do it? (Besides any legal ramifications.)

I would think of the Redskins' European team as their farm/minor league team. I realize that NFL teams sent some of their players to the European league in the past, but I'm talking about NFL teams having their own European team. This could possibly help the development of those "extra" players we would have to enlist onto the active roster, and then maybe the NFL product wouldn't seem so "water down?" Again, I might be way out in dreamland, but I believe that is the only way I would support the NFL truly expanding into the European countries. I think the travel for those teams who have to player over in Europe is already a killer for them. I would hate to think how hard that would be on a regular basis.