Joe Thomas Compares Roger Goodell to Vince McMahon, Isn't Totally Wrong

With Deflategate continuing inexorably, with a still indefinite resolution, the knives are continuing to come out at Roger Goodell. One unnamed owner has said it’s an “embarrassment” for the league. Browns offensive lineman Joe Thomas kind of concurs, but has a different spin on the whole thing — there’s no such thing as bad publicity, etc. Via ESPN’s Pat McManamon:

Thomas went on to applaud Tom Brady for challenging his suspension: “I’m glad that he’s fighting [it],” Thomas said. “Because it’s good for the game. It’s an entertainment business. It’s turning into the WWE really. It’s like the Vince McMahon stuff. Basically Goodell is like Vince McMahon.”

Thomas briefly touched on the main difference early in his quite-rational-actually comparison: Vince McMahon’s actions are orchestrated. Does Roger Goodell understand what he’s doing, or does he charge head-first into these silly, losing battles ignorant of the fallout? At some point, one would have to imagine that the ever-diminishing credibility of the league will hurt its bottom line, but since that obviously hasn’t happened yet Goodell remains insulated in clumsily and haphazardly wielding his power.