It's time to act, Rog

Memo to Roger Goodell:

It’s time to start acting like you’re the big cheese of the most powerful sports league on the planet.

It’s time to start acting like you really care about what’s going on in that league.

It’s time to stop your Gestapo tactics of censoring players, coaches and executives when it comes to commenting on the officiating of your games.

It’s time you stepped in and did something you should have done a month ago. Maybe even two months ago.

It’s time, for crying out loud, to step in and bring to an end this foolish lockout of your officials. Only you can do it.

I can’t speak for anyone else, but I’m sick and tired of listening to you and your minions tell us the scabs, er replacement officials, are doing a good job.

No they are not. And you know it. You’re just too stubborn to admit it.

The officials’ union says it is unwilling to come to the negotiating table. The owners say the same. Through you, of course. You are their spokesman, which automatically makes you a prejudiced observer.

It’s a pissing match to see which side blinks first.

And who loses? The fans, that constituency that helps pay your enormous salary. And the players, who are getting away with just about anything on the field short of felonious assault.

Some fans don’t care who officiates games until one of them screws up and costs their team a game.

You threaten team owners and players and team execs with fines if they speak negatively about the shabby officiating for a product that deserves much better.

And right now, you sit in your plush office or fly in your private plane to league destinations to represent the National Football League when you feel the need to get out.

Are you proud of what you’ve seen thus far this season? You’ve been around long enough and seen enough professional football to know that these poor scabs are ruining the product.

There is only one man who can right this wrong. You’ll find him by looking in the mirror each morning.

It’s time, Rog, to get both sides in a room, lock the door, limit their food supply and instruct them not to leave until an agreement is reached. If it takes more than a day, so be it.

Do not let them out of the room under any circumstances short of a bathroom break.. They’ll come to an agreement soon enough.

They used to do it that way back in the old days. Sometimes resorting to old tactics works.

What have you got to lose? Absolutely nothing.

Get off your duff, stop playing fast and loose with the truth and earn your keep. Make the NFL whole again. Make both sides blink and declare each the winner.

If you can do that, the biggest winners will be the fans.

If you don’t, that’ll send a big, fat message to those fans that says you don’t really give a rat’s hind flanks about them.