The more that comes out about Jon Gruden’s ill-famed e-mail trail, the more it’s looking like the NFL used their knowledge of the e-mails to damage the Raiders and their former head coach at the worst possible time for the organization.
According to NBC Sports’ Mike Florio, the NFL has been sitting on Gruden’s e-mails since at least June and possibly longer:
“Why did the Raiders get emails about which the league had known for months during the regular season?
If this had come to a head in, January, owner Mark Davis could have hired a new coach who would have spent the offseason preparing to move forward. If the league had waited until after the current season ended, Davis could have replaced Gruden then. Instead, the delivery of the emails to the Raiders — coupled with the making of just enough of them public — forced the team’s hand.
Let that sink in. Per a source with knowledge of the timeline, Washington owner Daniel Snyder went to the league office at some point in June to have, essentially, a hearing regarding the punishment he’d receive. Present for the hearing were the Commissioner and a small handful of owners. By the time that meeting happened, the league (we’re told) definitely was aware of the Gruden emails.”
If Florio’s information is accurate (and there is obviously a good chance the league had Gruden’s e-mails much sooner), there is no ethical explanation for why the NFL chose to wait until October to take down Gruden – not to mention the Raiders.
Over the past two weeks, the Raiders have looked like a team distracted and if their season continues it’s downward spiral, it will be hard not to point to the news of Gruden’s e-mails as the turning point in the season. Gruden paid the price (and will continue to pay the price) for his e-mails, but the league seems to have wanted to take down the Raiders as much as Gruden – even though he wasn’t an employee of the team when the e-mails were sent.
Meanwhile, the Washington Football Team and it’s owner continue to skate by without any significant consequences from the league’s investigation into their “toxic” workplace culture. If the NFL is concealing anything comparable to Gruden’s e-mails about the WFT or themselves, there needs to be unprecedented league discipline. If it comes out that the league has damaging information on any other teams (or even themselves), it will give even more evidence for what many have been saying about the NFL for a long time:
They don’t care about the moral issues they claim to care about.
They do, however, hate missing an opportunity to dump on the Raiders.
twitter: @raidersbeat
The Raider Nation has always known that everyone hates on us, its nothing new. The team needs to win and tell the NFL front office to get F_ _ _ _ _. Gruden was wrong but he wasn’t the only one involved in those emails.
The NFL is an entity unto its own. Gruden’s remarks about Goodell were obviously enough to p.o. the commissioner. Ultimately, the team owners are responsible for themselves. That group is a good old boys club, most of the owners being wealthy and unlikely to give a rats *** about one team that gets screwed over. When it was announced that Mark had a 10 year $100 million contract with Chucky it seemed like a big mistake to me. I’m glad he’s gone, and hoping that Mayock can right the ship.
Every single person who condones this type of privacy invasion but does not reveal their own personal emails for public scrutiny is part of the hypocrisy that has destroyed America!
Bottom line Gruden sent all the emails. Its not important if league purposely delayed as means of sticking it 2 Raiders. If Gruden were a better person n not engaged in that kind of behavior league would have nothing 2 attack Raiders with.
All the blame should rest upon Gruden n Davis who really wishes his infatuated lover Gruden were still there. Blame Gruden for teams hard times for the way he has failed to live up 2 his contract n mysterious n undeserving reputation.
I have 2 wonder about our terrible owner who appoints Grudens bestie as interim n retains Mayock. More horrible decisions that will continue 2 prevent franchise from regaining glory.
Problem today is very few backbones in people today. What ever happen to the saying ( Sticks and Stones will Break My Bones but words will NEVER HURT ME). Goodell is a turd! And they way he and his minions decide who’s punished and who’s not is hypocritical. I can list a dozen player’s at least who have beaten or battered there wives and or girlfriends that get a suspension then eligible again in 1year REALLY! Hell Gruden wasn’t even employed by the Raiders, ESPN employed him at that time, yet you don’t here that.
I agree with DC
Every single person who condones this type of privacy invasion but does not reveal their own personal emails for public scrutiny is part of the hypocrisy that has destroyed America!
Goodall is the poster boy for the woke movement.what people said 10yrs ago should not be held against a person today.