Let’s go to Fox’s quotage for Sunday. They have two shows worth of notes and quotes, from Fox NFL Kickoff and Fox NFL Sunday.
Here’s the stuff for you.
FOX NFL SUNDAY NOTES – 9/14/14
Moss to Fitzgerald on His Role in Arizona: ‘It’s the Changing of the Guard, Larry, so Understand What They are Doing’
Jimmy Johnson on Ray Rice’s Future: ‘I Really Believe that Ray Rice Will Never Ever Play Another Down of Football Because of It”
Howie Long on the NFL commissioner: ‘I, For One, Believe That Roger Goodell is an Honest Man’From FOX NFL KICKOFF on FOX Sports 1
FOX SPORTS 1 NFL insider Mike Garafolo on the nature of the investigation into the Ray Rice controversy by former FBI director Robert S. Mueller: “I am told the NFL wants this done as thoroughly, but as quickly as possible, because they want the findings released both to the owners and also to the fans to give the impression of transparency. One other note that I’ve been told is that if there is some kind of smoking gun that is uncovered that points the finger at Roger Goodell or some other top executive for some kind of gross negligence, it won’t be held until the end of the investigation, it will be brought to [John] Mara and [Art] Rooney [II] immediately, so they can act on it immediately.”
NFL on FOX rules analyst and former NFL Vice President of Officiating Mike Pereira on his former boss Roger Goodell: “The owners are going to support him with all of the money that he has raised for this league. I think I am wondering what he feels right now and to me what he is, he is embarrassed. He is a guy who fights for the truth; I know, I worked there. It was about truth and transparency; I was told that all the time with the clubs. It was, ‘Hey, if you made 10 [officiating] mistakes, tell them.’ He is a guy that fought for the truth, which is why I believe him still at this point, but he is embarrassed about what has happened within his organization.”
FOX SPORTS 1 football analyst Joel Klatt on teams that can least afford to start the season 0-2: “San Diego and Oakland better watch out, because if Kansas City were to lose to Denver, Denver would have a two-game lead two weeks into the season on the entire division. That would be almost insurmountable when you’re looking at No. 18 as your quarterback. And remember, only one team in the past five years has gone on to the playoffs since dropping to 0-2 and that was last year’s Carolina Panthers.”
FOX SPORTS 1 NFL analyst and six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Randy Moss on Larry Fitzgerald’s role in the Arizona Cardinals offense: “I think that when Michael Floyd came in, Larry was kind of disappointed in them for bringing this receiver in. The thing that Larry has to understand is that this is the changing of the guard; he has been there long enough, he has made his money and he has gained his fame. With Michael Floyd coming in, they are talking about moving Larry from the outside to the inside and putting him in the slot. On the outside he was being hit by the corners and maybe the safety, but being on the inside he is going to have to fight through linebackers, secondary defenders, so it’s going to be a little bit harder on Larry Fitzgerald, but I think he is up for the challenge. But like I said, it’s the changing of the guard, Larry, so understand what they are doing.”
NFL on FOX analyst Troy Aikman on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo’s struggles with turnovers in Week 1: “I think that last week obviously Tony Romo made some poor decisions and it cost his football team dearly. I would expect him to play a lot better today and I expect him to have a heck of a season this year. But, as far a systemic problem, I do believe that if you look back over the last few years that when they have gotten down close to the goal line in the red zone area, they have tended to then get away from the run and throw the football. Last week, 12 plays in the red zone and just one rushing play and this was when DeMarco Murray was averaging over five yards per carry. Whether that’s an issue from the coaching staff not making it mandatory to run the ball or it’s an audible that’s taking place at the line of scrimmage by Tony, either way it has to be fixed because it’s happened too many times, not just last week but in recent years.”
From FOX NFL SUNDAY on FOX
NFL on FOX Insider Jay Glazer opened the show by announcing that the Carolina Panthers had deactivated Pro Bowl defensive end Greg Hardy: “We start with the Carolina Panthers, where Greg Hardy who has already been convicted of domestic assault yet not suspended so far. This morning, Ron Rivera, his head coach, decided to deactivate Greg Hardy. I was told late last night also, by league sources, that this week the NFL is going to bring in some independent people to really figure out how to finally go after Greg Hardy and give him the proper, stiff discipline. Remember, he appealed [his conviction] and the NFL usually does not draw punishment until after the legal process.”
Glazer with an update on Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson in the wake of his indictment for child abuse: “Adrian is in Minnesota right now, but he is not going to be joining his team today. Tomorrow, however, team brass will meet to decide what to do with Adrian Peterson. I was told by two high-level executives in the NFL last night, that going forward, this will not be under the personal conduct policy, but instead they are going to look at it in a new domestic violence policy, which if after due process, if Adrian Peterson is found guilty, it will be a minimum of a six-game suspension.”
NFL on FOX crew reaction to the Rice controversy and the handling of it by the NFL:
NFL on FOX analyst Michael Strahan on the overall handling of this case:“I think the Ray Rice case has been handled wrong from the start. Wrong from the D.A., because it should have been prosecuted as a felony, wrong from the NFL because of the two-game suspension without probably looking deeper into what they should have done. And Roger Goodell, since he has been the commissioner, he has been criticized for being too tough, whether it was Sean Payton, on all of these things he has been so tough. Knowing him, I very seriously doubt that he would have gone lightly had he seen this tape and that’s why it’s hard for me to believe that he had seen this tape ahead of time. But I think this is not an epidemic that is just football or just sports, this is an epidemic that affects everybody.”
NFL on FOX analyst Terry Bradshaw on the investigation being headed by Mueller:“The problem is, there is a huge public perception and the perception is that since these are all football people, all connected to the NFL, that of course the findings are going to go in favor of Roger Goodell and the NFL. The public, the majority of those polled, say, ‘You have something to hide from us.’ It’s unfortunate that’s the case and it’s unfortunate that we have to spend time and it’s unfortunate that these are obviously are real things that happen in our society.”
NFL on FOX analyst Jimmy Johnson on Rice’s future: “Some horrible mistakes were made and we know that. I really believe that Ray Rice will never ever play another down of football because of it.”
NFL on FOX analyst Howie Long on questions about Goodell’s integrity: “I think really the sequence of events throughout the course of the week leaves more questions than answers. The D.A. in Atlantic City, how the Ravens handled it, how the NFL handled it and there is a question of Roger Goodell’s honesty in this situation. I, for one, believe that Roger Goodell is an honest man and I, for one, believe that he went into this Ray Rice situation with the best of intentions. Despite the best of intentions, though, they got it wrong, as you mentioned, with the two-game suspension initially. A stronger message had to be sent that this is unacceptable, video or no video.”
NFL on FOX host Curt Menefee on the public not knowing players as people: “We’re taking Roger Goodell’s word – and there is no reason not to – that he didn’t see this video tape. Roger Goodell apparently took Ray Rice’s word and Ray Rice had a stellar image before. I think one thing we’ve all learned this week is that we don’t know these people. We may root for them as fans and as media and we think we know them, but you don’t know what goes on in anybody’s house and what they’ve got behind closed doors, no matter what their public image is.”
NFL on FOX sideline reporter and FOX SPORTS senior correspondent Pam Oliver:“I worry about his wife and I think about her a lot. Victims tend to support their abuser and that’s frankly what Ray Rice is, he’s an abuser. And that’s what I think women can take from this: put yourself in her position and maybe think about her more than you think about Ray Rice.”
USA Today columnist Christine Brennan on where this ranks among controversies faced by the NFL: “You can make a case that this is the worst controversy to ever hit the National Football League. And I do think people will look at it in a different light. They’ll still watch, they’ll still cheer, they’ll still love their team, but I think they are going to be much less forgiving of those athletes who do these terrible things and I think that will change the face of this game at least at some level, forever.”
Strahan on both the offensive and defensive struggles of the New York Giants in their first game: “Defensively, they had trouble covering Calvin Johnson. This week, they get Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd. The pass rush wasn’t there, not to level they wanted. And there’s no [Carson] Palmer today, but still you’ve got to get to the other quarterback because if you sit back there long enough, Terry Bradshaw could come out of retirement and complete some passes. But offensively was really the concern because of the new offense. The offensive line still looks like they are out of sync and cannot protect Eli Manning. This is supposed to be a quick-pass offense and your quarterback is still under duress. Is this an offense for Eli Manning?”
Bradshaw answered that question with his take on the fit of Manning in the new scheme: “I don’t think so at all. This is a West Coast offense, this is a quick-set offense and Ben McAdoo is the new offensive coordinator. Where did he come from? Let’s try the Green Bay Packers. Who was his quarterback? Aaron Rodgers, who is far more athletic than Eli Manning has ever been. He is totally not comfortable in this offense. Howie likes to say a round peg in a square hole, this is not his offense. I just don’t think this offense fits Eli Manning.”
Johnson on the new and improved Detroit Lions: ““You look at Detroit in the past few years: undisciplined, very talented – but no structure. Scott Linehan, who was the offensive coordinator for Detroit a year ago, said, ‘We are going for home runs, we are not going for singles.’ Well, this team hasn’t won a playoff since 1991 and now I think Jim Caldwell brings in discipline. They are better conditioned, they have more structure and what did [Matthew] Stafford do a week ago? He was 10-for-15 on third downs. He completed the football, he converted the third downs, they didn’t have the penalties and I think they are a better football team. I think right now, they are a legitimate contender.”
Long on the Seattle Seahawks repeating as Super Bowl champions and the ascension of quarterback Russell Wilson: “It’s hard to put history in perspective as its happening, but the Seattle Seahawks, given the talent level they have, the hunger they obviously have, they have a unique opportunity to win back-to-back Super Bowls. They’ll ride the coattails of that defense, but I think the key for this football team is Russell Wilson. With another year of experience, I believe he is going to take the next step and I think he is going to be one of the top five quarterbacks in the league.”
And we’ll move to CBS next.
