The teams have landed and the “trash talk” begins, by no one else except Richard Sherman, but this time it was directed at NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
Sunday, shortly after the Seahawks’ arrival in Arizona, Sherman said he didn’t believe the Patriots would be punished if they were found to have adjusted the air pressure in 11 footballs prior to last Sunday’s AFC Championship Game.
Sherman spoke about a photo in which Roger Goodell was at a party at Kraft’s house the night prior to the AFC Championship Game, one in which was posted to the Patriots’ official Twitter account.
Sherman told the media “Will they be punished? Probably not, not as long as Robert Kraft and Roger Goodell are still taking pictures at their respective homes.”
He continued “You talk about conflict of interest. As long as that happens, it won’t affect them at all. Nothing will stop them.”
Carroll was asked Monday if he would speak to Sherman about that comment and whether or not he believed Sherman has correctly described the relationship between Kraft and Goodell.
One has to question the remarks of only a few of the Seahawks and ask it this will take it’s toll on the field in Arizona during Super Bowl 49.”
Carol told the media “Well, first off I think they were on the air, he said them out loud, so, that is what he said.”
He continued “Richard has an outlook that Richard owns and he had opinion about something.”
Carol wasn’t short of words and carried on “I don’t think he knows the commissioner and Mr. Kraft very well, I don’t think they have a long-standing relationship, but he has an opinion and he expressed it.”
Pete Carroll was asked about the comments made by Sherman and added that “he would speak to Sherman about the assessment, he didn’t believe it would alter Sherman’s outlook on the matter.
“Whether I talk to him or not, he’s still going to have his opinion,” Carroll said. “And we actually talk about most everything that is spoken, eventually that’ll come up. We won’t share with you how that comes out and all, but we will talk about stuff. We always have.”
Then asked if he believed Sherman was correct Carroll chuckled and said: “I don’t know that, it’s Richard’s opinion, that’s the easy part of all this.”
In addition to this off colour remark Carroll also has to deal with running back Marshawn Lynch, who again has been fined, this time for obscene gestures made during games this season as well as not fulfilling the league’s media policy.
“You have to wonder how Carroll deals with his players that simply seem that they above the NFL, the Team and the City of Seattle.
I’ll just tell you it’s no different than when I talk to other players about other issues that he has to address with some, never mind what the League thinks of these comments.
We have a great understanding on our team that allows us to talk about what we need to talk about. But I’ll say this and I’ll say it again, we still celebrated the uniqueness of our players.”
Either way, once the trash talk is over, we’ll see who get’s the last laugh?
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:12228863
