RIP Paul Tagliabue

[2muchcoffeeman]

Ex-NFL commissioner Tagliabue dies at age 84

 

[Deskgrunt50]

Tags is generally considered to be a good commissioner by most, yeah? Oversaw tremendous growth as the NFL became the juggernaut of the American sports landscape.

He definitely started with a great foundation from Rozelle.

Most of the head injury downplay/coverup has been under Goodell, I think. But wonder how much they knew under Tagliabue.

 

[maumann]

His memorial will start in Los Angeles, move to St. Louis and then finish in Los Angeles. Needless to say, Browns and Oilers fans are not welcome.

 

[tapintoamerica]

His memorial will start in Los Angeles, move to St. Louis and then finish in Los Angeles.

It’ll bypass Baltimore but make a stop in Jacksonville.

 

[BTExpress]

I hear Tagliabue's name, my mind immediately goes to the $1 (trebled* to $3) awarded to the USFL in its antitrust suit.

*why do they always use the British word?

 

[Batman]

It’ll bypass Baltimore but make a stop in Jacksonville.

They just announced they're moving Cleveland's memorial to Baltimore, but have given Cleveland a make-up date for 2029.

 

[dixiehack]

He did stand up for Saints fans when Tom Benson was ready to crate up the whole operation and ship it to San Antonio right after Katrina.

 

[UNCGrad]

Agree with all the sentiments already posted. Might be an argument his guidance through USFL case was more important to future league growth than anything he did as commissioner.

 

[Sam Mills 51]

Agree with all the sentiments already posted. Might be an argument his guidance through USFL case was more important to future league growth than anything he did as commissioner.

Well, keep in mind ... for whatever negative came with him - and there's no denying what is there - that he kept one guy from backdooring his way into NFL ownership with that case against the USFL ...

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

In retrospect, that would have been better than the alternative.

 

[DanOregon]

As the former league counsel, as Goodell was, I'm sure there is more "dirty work" in that job than commissioner. Perhaps his greatest impact was being the reason Goodell pushed for the "Special Class" of HOF inductees, because Tagliabue wasn't getting in under the regular rules.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

His memorial will start in Los Angeles, move to St. Louis and then finish in Los Angeles. Needless to say, Browns and Oilers fans are not welcome.

With another stop in Oakland after briefly slowing down in Irwindale.

 

[nickp]

The NFL has had just 3 commissioners in the past 65 years THAT is the essence of league stability

 

[Baron Scicluna]

The first edition of SI after 9/11 had a really good story of Tagliabue breaking down the thought process of the league cancelling the games that week. As I recall, it was Dan Rooney who told Tagliabue to not make the same mistake that Rozelle did after the JFK assassination.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

The first edition of SI after 9/11 had a really good story of Tagliabue breaking down the thought process of the league cancelling the games that week. As I recall, it was Dan Rooney who told Tagliabue to not make the same mistake that Rozelle did after the JFK assassination.

My recollection may be colored by my locale, but I'm pretty sure Tagliabue was ready to play until the Jets and Giants said **** you, we're not playing, we'll forfeit if we have to.

 

[Sam Mills 51]

With another stop in Oakland after briefly slowing down in Irwindale.

How many lawsuits will Al Davis throw at Tagliabue in the afterlife?

 

[HanSenSE]

The first edition of SI after 9/11 had a really good story of Tagliabue breaking down the thought process of the league cancelling the games that week. As I recall, it was Dan Rooney who told Tagliabue to not make the same mistake that Rozelle did after the JFK assassination.

That and the planes being grounded.

 

[MileHigh]

That and the planes being grounded.

Yup. No flights for nearly two weeks. Games weren't canceled. Just pushed back to the end of the year. No week off between conference title games and Super Bowl.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

My recollection may be colored by my locale, but I'm pretty sure Tagliabue was ready to play until the Jets and Giants said **** you, we're not playing, we'll forfeit if we have to.

Yeah, that was part of the thought process. Apparently, Tagliabue at first thought about not having the Jets, Giants, Steelers and Washington’s team play, then as more people kept telling him that he really needed to just postpone everything, that he finally listened.

 

[dixiehack]

In retrospect, that would have been better than the alternative.

I used to think this but in retrospect he absolutely would have run for POTUS while owning an NFL team. That team was never going to be the Generals though, at least not at the Meadowlands.