NFL Owners: Bunker Mentality from the Penthouse

In Ken Burns' excellent documentary, The Roosevelts: An Intimate History, there's a telling segment that describes a revelation for future president Franklin D.

He's accompanying his future wife Eleanor to the low-rent district of New York City. She had taken a position doing volunteer work for underprivleged children and was escorting an ill little girl back to her home. Upon arrival and scanning the squalor, a visibly shaken Roosevelt remarked soon thereafter:

I didn't know people could live like this.

If only more 1%ers could figure that out firsthand.

One group doing all they can to make sure they don't is none other than the kajillionaires who own NFL teams.

Credit Mike Florio at Pro Football Talk for calling out Baltimore's Steve Bisciotti and Minnesota's Mark and Zygi Wilf for not having the cojones to face the hard questions being asked these days.

Instead, they send their minions to go all deer-in-headlights as they get the third degree on issues over which they have little or no input and absolutely no final say.

Do know the next press conference won't have the Radisson logo in the background.

The tax-exempt NFL is also getting its share of heat from DC, as another run will be made at its collective wallet on what can now only be described as general principles.

It's notable that this call is coming from both sides of the aisle. Who knew the NFL could unify Congress?

Even though this has the elements of a perfect storm, NFL owners are abiding by the conventional wisdom that all they need to do is keep their heads down and wait for something else drastic to happen to someone else in the world. In other words, they're counting on everything blowing over so they can get back to making kajillions and ignoring the great unwashed.

It's absolutely appalling that people live like that.