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COMMISSIONER PAUL TAGLIABUE WITH ESPN'S CHRIS BERMAN Chris Berman: We had some histrionics, it was a week unlike many others, maybe any other going into the Draft for a lot of reasons so we'll go one by one. The Eli Manning situation, it got resolved, thank goodness, right? Was there any twisting by the Commissioner's office or did the teams just settle down and get everything done? COMMISSIONER TAGLIABUE: No, I think the two teams did a good job of representing themselves and protecting their interests. I think they both ended up with good situations. Chris Berman: Is it a situation where you were surprised it kind of came to this? It ended up not being a challenge to the system as it turned out, although a little bit and it's within the player's prerogative, but I'm sure the Manning family, and the way it boiled down, was kind of embarrassed by everything? COMMISSIONER TAGLIABUE: It gets a little awkward but I don't think it was any big deal when you look back on it. There was a little jockeying, and like I say, both teams ended up seeing where their interests were and I think both teams strengthened their teams rather clearly. Chris Berman: That was a challenge to the system, the Maurice Clarett case which went on and on, you've probably never seen, as a lawyer, seen a case to to two Supreme Court justices as fast as this. Were you surprised they ruled that way that quick or did you think, boy, we might have Clarett in this Draft? COMMISSIONER TAGLIABUE: Once the Court of Appeals entered the stay and told us last Monday that those players would not be in the Draft, and that if they changed their mind we would have a supplemental Draft, we felt that was the end of the matter and the Supreme Court would not get involved. Chris Berman: Why is it so important for the league to get that ruling? COMMISSIONER TAGLIABUE: I think the policy is very good for football players and everyone involved. It strikes a right balance, definitely. The policy is different from what we had 25 years ago; it's been modified and it's been working. Chris Berman: You had a challenge to that system and the system clearly, in the courts, you had Eli Manning challenging, although it turned out, the Terrell Owens situation, where he was traded to Baltimore, "I don't want to go" and it got cleaned up. But the challenges to the system in a short amount of time, does that concern you if, one, it is an accident; two, it's a trend; three, is it a problem? COMMISSIONER TAGLIABUE: I think the court case was one we were very confident about winning and then we hope we will win it. We think we will. The other two things, I think, are ordinary course transactions when you have a system that involves free agency and a salary cap. Chris Berman: The third thing, Paul, this week that's on everybody's mind and you addressed it beautifully with a moment of silence beforehand and a couple announcements, Pat Tillman, killed in action. The former Arizona Cardinal serving this country, going to a higher calling and being killed in action on Thursday. The Cardinals, no one will ever wear his No. 40 again, Arizona State has similarly retired his No. 42, you already have made any plans ‑‑ have you made a decision? COMMISSIONER TAGLIABUE: Yes, we will definitely do something. Because I think what Pat Tillman did, and the guys that he represents, are really quite unique. We have a lot of great football players in the league, what Pat and other young Americans are doing, standing up for their convictions and volunteering to go to the front lines and risk their lives, is a great thing. And the irony was about an hour after I heard about Pat's death yesterday, one of our employees sent me an e‑mail and said he was being activated as a National Guardsman going to Afghanistan and Iraq. These young men and women, as a nation, we owe them a deep debt of gratitude and we are going to make sure Pat and the other fallen heroes are well respected and remembered. Chris Berman: I know some of the players visited troops in the last year or so, you yourself are going over, maybe not on the front line but in Europe, is that something that maybe the league, which has done a good job, will step up more so and encourage more to participate in? COMMISSIONER TAGLIABUE: It's been a tradition for many, many years, NFL players going to foreign places and visiting the troops and supporting them or recognizing what they do. I'll be over in Germany in two weeks with Warrick Dunn and Todd Heap and Keith Brooking visiting the troops in Germany and we'll continue to do that. It's the least we can do. But for Pat Tillman, we'll speak with his family and try to do something special. Chris Berman: We feel like all of us, he's a member of everyone's family and that's even more than the NFL, certainly we feel like anyone that follows football and that's all over 50 states and the world, he was a member of our family. We've been happy to be a member of the NFL family now for 25 years in the Draft. I know you have the inside line on jerseys. But you don't have this one, I don't know if you've ever worn a No. 25, but this would be a thank‑you for letting us in your house for the NFL Draft for 25 years. May not be the flash and dash of some of the your jerseys, but that's yours. Thank you. COMMISSIONER TAGLIABUE: I appreciate it and I've got a little something for you here. Nobody circles the wagons around the Draft like ESPN, so I got a Buffalo Bills special jersey for you, No. 1, that's for circling the wagons around the Draft and also we've got the symbolic No. 25. Chris Berman: I feel like we should open a sporting good store. COMMISSIONER TAGLIABUE: Thanks to you and ESPN, not only on the Draft, but Sunday Night Football. |