advertisement

O’Donnell: Goodell leaves ‘em laughing with Bears’ stadium comments

A LOT OF SOLID-BOLD BUSINESS LEADERS have comfortable power alleys.

They make statements within those boundaries that command and stir.

Roger Goodell instead has a benign alley, where seldom is heard a discouraging word and the yellow flags are not cloudy all day.

THAT WAS THE CASE again Monday in New Orleans, when the extremely well-paid NFL commissioner moused through a variety of topics during his annual Super Bowl Week media session.

His No. 1 goal once again was to sustain the potent and illusory aspects of the show business combine he oversees — with appropriate tale-spin.

BUT WHEN HE TOUCHED UPON the lack of progress in the crawl of the Chicago Bears toward a new stadium, he drew little but chortles and guffaws from Bourbon Street to Northwest Highway.

“I think the process that they're going through is very positive,” Goodell said. “They're speaking to everybody about their needs as well as community needs and where they can find a stadium that would be suitable.”

He referred to the slo-mo shuffle as being “very thoughtful.”

IF GOODELL WAS SPEAKING in unassailable truths, he would have noted that a strong case can be made that in all its dreary dimensions, calendar year 2024 was the most retardant in the 105-year history of the franchise.

The on-field product quickly devolved from promising to putrid.

The front office has been fragmented from collegial to cutthroat.

The team's imaging in the Arlington Heights-Palatine-Rolling Meadows corridor is in a tailspin.

THE ONGOING INDECISION about stadium placement — rolling nowhere since a purchase agreement with Churchill Downs Inc. was announced in September 2021 — is one thing.

Now of equal weight is the fact that Kevin Warren and crew spent months bullying three local school boards for tax breaks and still has made no commitment to the Arlington Park site.

THE MEMBERS OF THOSE BOARDS apparently were operating under the old-school presumption that the $6.4 billion corporation would want to arrive on the 326 abandoned racetrack acres at least initially posing as good neighbors.

So much for civic-side illusions.

GOODELL'S CURRENT NFL CONTRACT runs through March 2027. It's estimated that in the final year of the potentate deal, his total compensation could touch $88M.

For that the best he can do is benignly satirical stadium standup in The Big Easy?

STREET-BEATIN': Finally some game-week money brotherly shoving Jalen Hurts and the Eagles down from 1 ½ to 1-point underdogs in Super Bowl 59. Two years ago vs. KC, PHL got hammered late and went off as 2 ½-point favorites (and that was pre-Saquon Barkley). They then died like the eagle in SB 57, taking the opening kickoff 75 yards in 11 plays for a 7-0 lead but eventually losing 38-35. …

Major caveat for that distrustful counter-Chiefs crowd: In his last 23 games as a starter — regular-season and playoffs — Patrick Mahomes is 22-1. That percentage surpasses even The Michael Jordan Golden Archangel Standard. (With both getting the helpful timeliness of megastar calls.) …

NCAA men's basketball worth appointment viewing (even if it's midnight DVR): St. John's at UConn Friday (7 p.m., Fox). Rick Pitino — age 72 — has been orchestrating like a man keenly aware of the sands of time. His Red Storm has “Elite Eight” written all over it. Danny Hurley's Huskies counter with their own visions of a national three-peat. They looked invincible paddling host Marquette Saturday night …

Glenview's very own Courtney Cronin continues to hold her own with the reportorial sharks at ESPN. The Indiana University alum has also been a recurring presence on the network's “Around The Horn.” That's the fading afternoon franchise slated to conclude an uneven 22-year run later this summer. (Its core concept was flawed — too unwieldy.) …

The WM Phoenix Open tees off its raucous four-day run Thursday (Golf Channel and CBS). As GC reporter Kira K. Dixon advised, “The players who sign up for this tournament know what they've signed up for.” Scottsdale snowbird Dave Lundstedt says it's one of the greatest spectacles in American sports. …

Dread-line of the week, in the Dallas Morning News: “Nightmare scenario: Luka Doncic's trade to the Lakers should make Mavericks fans sick.” Full truth, as the Bulls learned the expensive way with Zach LaVine, high-priced unpredictables can destroy an NBA culture. One beneficiary of the swap should be new Mav Max Christie (Rolling Meadows High), who continues to build a solid pro foundation. …

Sharp analysis of the LaVine castoff by the Daily Herald's indefatigable Mike McGraw. The main idea that one blunder leads to another is a franchise tradition that goes back to when Dick Motta dealt Clifford Ray and a No. 1 pick to title-bound Golden State for the aged-out Nate Thurmond. (Ray was critical to the Warriors' 1975 Finals charge over the Bulls the following spring.) …

And Dan Patrick, to bad-roll Charles Barkley on The Mound's upcoming Super Bowl weekend in Las Vegas: “Why don't you not bet and just give the money to charity?”

Jim O'Donnell's Sports and Media column appears each week on Sunday and Wednesday. Reach him at jimodonnelldh@yahoo.com. All communications may be considered for publication.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.