Peter King's lengthy profile of Goodell

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1181467/index.htm#

When's the last time King wrote something this long for the magazine?

A bit of an ass-sniffing piece, but an OK read.

 

Who cares? I can't stop looking at your avatar.

 

Agreed. Who is that?

That is disappointing that SI would give that profile to PK. I'm not a big basher, I read the Monday morning QB and even enjoy the travel parts. But he is an insider who also gets paid handsomely by the league's TV partner, and part of being an NFL insider is that you only give out the info the NFL wants out. Compromises the whole effort on a guy who, as the lockout goes on, will be a very controversial subject.

 

SI has enough strong writers that, even if Peter King isn't compromised at all in his coverage of the league or in the writing of this story, the magazine/Web site should have wanted to avoid the appearance or suspicion that it might be. Agree with LTL -- someone else should have written a lengthy Goodell piece.

 

King mentioned in MMQB that it was his longest piece ever for SI.

I bet Goodell requested him.

His must also be on NFL PR dept payroll. I am not sure I've ever read a disparaging remark from PK on the NFL.

Funny that he screwed up a quote from Goodell and had to issue correction/ apology.

 

Kinda looks like the crazy chick from Rescue Me.

 

Natalie Dormer. Played Anne Boleyn in The Tudors.

I agree Goodell probably asked for King. Clearly an effort to paint him in the best possible light before the shit really starts to hit the fan, and there was backlash against this commissioner even before the labor strife became a focal point.

 

Strongly, strongly agree. Have said the same about Tom Verducci. Cannot believe - absolutely cannot believe - that he gets a paycheck from MLB Network.

 

I have to agree with everyone quoted above, including Sonner, except for the part where Whitman can't believe Verducci gets paid by MLB Network. I see little difference in him working for MLB Network and anyone working for ESPN's broadcast crews who writes for ESPN.com or the Magazine.

Verducci and King are valuable for their knowledge of the leagues they cover. I take no issue with Verducci or King doing season previews or draft stories or other things where their insider knowledge is crucial. But a story like this needed to be done by a writer without a vested interest. That's not even to point out that Sports Illustrated has better writers.

I would have loved to see Gary Smith spend a month trailing Goodell and really get inside what makes the commissioner tick, though I'm sure Goodell and his PR department would have had none of that.

 

It's too bad that SI gassed Jeff Mcgregor. Given his cynical eye for the NFL, he would have been perfect.

 

Maybe the Washington Post can hire Jay Carney to cover the White House while we're at it. After all, he's an insider, right?

Does independence mean nothing any more?