ESPN analyst Bill Simmons didn't hold his feelings back Monday about NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the Ray Rice TMZ elevator tape. Simmons blasted Goodell for being a liar and threatened to go public if ESPN tried to discipline him for his remarks.
There was no holding back in Monday's "BS Report" podcast when Simmons spoke about Goodell and whether the league had seen the TMZ elevator tape of Rice striking his then fiancée, Janay Palmer.
"I just think not enough is being made out of the fact that they knew about the tape and they knew what was on it," Simmons said Monday on his podcast, via Business Insider. "Goodell, if he didn't know what was on that tape, he's a liar. I'm just saying it. He is lying. I think that dude is lying. If you put him up on a lie detector test that guy would fail.
"For all these people to pretend they didn't know is such f------ b-------. It really is - it's such f------ b-------. And for him to go in that press conference and pretend otherwise, I was so insulted. I really was. ...
"The best point that a lot of people have made about this is this is exactly why he fined and suspended (New Orleans Saints coach) Sean Payton for a season (for Bountygate). Sean Payton was like, 'I didn't know.' (Goodell) was like, 'Well ignorance (is not an excuse)' and suspended him for a year.
"This is the same exact situation and it's worse, because he knew and he's a liar."
ESPN has been accused before of having a cozy relationship with the NFL, which gives the World Wide Leader exclusive rights to broadcast Monday Night Football.
Simmons, seemingly anticipating an ESPN executive contacting him and telling him not to jeopardize the network's relationship with the league, followed his Goodell rant with a warning to his employer.
"I really hope somebody calls me or emails me and says I'm in trouble for anything I say about Roger Goodell. Because if one person says that to me, I'm going public," Simmons said. "You leave me alone. The commissioner's a liar and I get to talk about that on my podcast ... Please, call me and say I'm in trouble. I dare you."
