Washington Post NFL reporter Mark Maske smelled opportunity in Attorney General Eric Holder's announced resignation on Thursday. He wrote a commentary in the Sports section demanding Holder be hired as the NFL's czar of player discipline. Because apparently he is all about ethics.
Holder would apparently restore public confidence with his alleged traits of transparency and respect for adversaries to the sports world. the headline was "Could Holder be of help?" That's much milder than Maske's fervent wishes:
Here is one bit of unsolicited advice for the NFL: Hire Eric H. Holder Jr. and put him in charge of all off-field player discipline.
Do it as soon as possible.
And hope that it helps to restore the public’s trust and confidence in the sport’s ability to deal with players’ off-field misbehavior.
Holder is expected to resign as attorney general of the United States, making him available to help with the NFL’s current rash of off-field incidents. He is to remain at the Department of Justice until his successor is found. But that can be worked around.
Holder undoubtedly will have options for what to do next. But the NFL pays well. Commissioner Roger Goodell was paid $44.2 million in 2012, the last year for which the league’s annual tax filing is available. The NFL certainly could make Holder an offer he couldn’t refuse.
The title — deputy commissioner, assistant commissioner, special assistant to the commissioner, NFL discipline czar — wouldn’t matter.
While the idea has been dismissed as unlikely, Maske pointed out Holder has professional connections to the league: “He was appointed by Goodell in 2007 to conduct the league’s investigation of Michael Vick’s involvement in a dogfighting operation. Holder formerly worked at the firm Covington & Burling. That’s where Paul Tagliabue worked before becoming Goodell’s predecessor as commissioner. It’s where Jeff Pash, the NFL’s chief counsel, worked. It’s where Gregg Levy, the league’s chief outside counsel, works.”
If NFL players need discipline for illegal gun-running to Mexico, Holder might have some real on-the-job experience....well, not in establishing employee discipline.
