Roger Goodell is a controversial figure - but is not afraid to face the cameras

When it comes to sport, in fact, America get quite a lot right.

That’s because those who run the most high-profile sports here are held to account and given nowhere to hide.

Last week in Houston NFL commissioner Roger Goodell faced the world’s media ahead of Super Bowl LI in Houston.

For those who don’t know, it is an annual tradition ahead of American Football’s showpiece game.

Goodell brought the press conference, otherwise known as his ‘State of the League address’ forward by 48 hours.

There was a reason for this. He didn’t want issues raised during the event to overshadow the main one in town between the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons at the NRG Stadium.

In other words, he knows all too well that what comes out of his mouth will make headlines across the nation, whether good or bad.

Like Trump, Goodell divides opinion. Since becoming the most powerful man in American sport he has earned himself a legion of critics due to his controversial attitude towards discipline on and off the pitch.

He introduced a new code of conduct, has fined and suspended some of the game’s biggest stars and coaches, makes no apologies for this and isn’t afraid to hammer poster-boys like Tom Brady.

He doesn’t hold back but he doesn’t hide either. It’s safe to assume there would have been a thousand places he would have rather been than standing in Houston Convention Centre’s ‘George Bush Grand Ballroom’ facing the music and 500 members of the media.

Dressed smartly but without a tie, the car salesman lookalike stood on the podium like a lamb to the slaughter.

There was no briefing before hand. No pulling people to one side to make it clear certain topics were off limits.

In other words, it was a proper press conference in which people demanded answers about the issues of the sport from the person who runs it. It’s not called the ‘State of the League address’ for nothing.

Things are different in America. The media are regarded as important instead of irrelevant nuisances. They are treated with respect and considered vital to the progress and future of the sport.

Instead of regarding having to talk to the media on a par with sticking pins in their eyes like most footballers and administrators do in England, their American counterparts embrace it.

Roy Hodgson was forced to do a press conference after an abysmal EURO 2016

So wouldn’t it make sense for someone like FA chief executive Martin Glenn or chairman Greg Clark to hold a similar press conference ahead of the FA Cup final, for example?

Supporters deserve to know what is going on in their beloved game and not least because the FA’s failure to reform it is to be debated in the House of Commons next week after a motion of ‘no confidence’ in the governing body.

The Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee will examine whether the FA can “comply fully with its duties”.

When Roy Hodgson resigned as England boss last summer he had to be bullied into holding a press conference following the shambolic defeat to Iceland.

Glenn joined him, but hated every minute of it, talking in rambling soundbites and struggling to give straight answers to genuine questions before retreating to a safer place where he felt less vulnerable.

Just imagine Glenn having to stand in Goodell’s shoes? It would be a car crash but that’s the whole point.

People with great power should be put in vulnerable situations from time to time and if it proves too overwhelming for them then they’re in the wrong job.

Full credit to Goodell. He’s known as ‘Rodger the Dodger’ but he did what he had to do.

He put himself up there on stage to be shot at and the powers that run English football should take note, show some bottle and follow his example.

It won’t happen of course, but if it did then the man on the street might have more respect for them.

And respect is something English football has been sadly lacking for longer than most people care to remember.

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TIGER WOODS is still struggling to overcome his physical pain, but the mental torture is in danger of lasting forever.

Woods has returned to competitive golf for the first time in 16 months following back, neck and knee problems.

But the fallen giant is discovering that having iconic status in the game guarantees nothing. He’s now living in the world of mere mortals.

The 14-time Major champion missed his first cut since coming back and then withdrew from the Desert Classic in Dubai due to back spasms.

Rumours he put his back out bending down to pick up his appearance cash are wide of the mark but the fact remains that he is a sad shadow of his former self and his fans are living a world of nostalgia.

By my reckoning, he’s had six different swings and is now paying the price for how hard he hit the ball when he first burst on the scene.

Woods has returned to a game that has left him behind. There is a new breed of player in town, one which is younger, fitter, less intimidated and, dare we say it, better than him.

Roger Federer has proved that even the golden oldies can have one last moment in the sun with his thrilling win at the Australian Open.

Woods is big mates with Federer and will take inspiration from what happened in Melbourne.

But Federer has a handful of rivals to overcome to win a tennis tournament and Woods must get the better of more than 100 if he wants to triumph again. The odds are not in his favour.

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THOSE who think journalists are dishonest should consider what veteran American scribe Art Spander did last week.

He picked up the wrong bag at a media event, one that belonged to Atlanta Falcons attacking coach Kyle Shanahan and happened to contain all his tactical notes ahead of the Super Bowl.

Like Sir Alex Ferguson would have done had this happened to him before of a Champions League final, Shanahan went into utter panic.

But he didn’t have to, because Spander duly returned it to him immediately once he realised what had happened, without even taking a peek.

If that doesn’t get him an exclusive interview nothing will and Shanahan is poised to take charge of the San Fransisco 49rs, where Spander lives.

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THE JANUARY transfer window has come and gone with a whimper, but it wasn’t a total washout.

That’s because it hoodwinked the regional news website ‘Get Reading’ into believing the Championship outfit were about to sign a Cameroon striker named after a sex toy.

Yermas Dildo was ‘deadly in the box’ apparently with a goal record of 76 goals in 93 games and was even trumpeted on a live blog.

Talk about a top drawer signing. It was never going to happen, but it was still the most entertaining thing to happen all month.

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MARCO Silva doesn’t want to be compared to Jose Mourinho but he might not have much choice at this rate.

The Portuguese was mocked when Hull appointed him a month ago but whose laughing now?

Marco Silva has won all four home games he has been in charge of

In the space of a week Silva has taken four points from two games against Manchester United and Liverpool, as well as beating United in the second leg of the EFL Cup final, albeit to no avail.

But he has offered the Tigers genuine hope of survival where there once seemed none and for once, the club’s useless owners have got something right.

But avoiding relegation will create another problem, because Silva would be a manager in demand.

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BRITISH Lions coach Warren Gatland is either foolish or accepts England are the best team in the Six Nations.

He chose to snub the chance to watch the reigning champions during the opening weekend of the tournament, opting to cast his eye over Wales, Ireland and Scotland instead.

Does he know which England stars he is going to pick already?

They are expected to form the bulk of the team to take on New Zealand this summer, so wouldn’t it make more sense to watch them as often as possible?

CC

CHELSEA might have one hand on the Premier League trophy following their dismantling of Arsenal on Saturday but the other end of the table is a relegation dogfight.

A look at the latest odds sees Sunderland as favourites for the drop with 188BET offering just 1/4 on David Moyes’ men.

Hull and Crystal Palace also have it all to do and are both odds-on at 1/2 and 9/10 but there are others who can throw the bottom three a lifeline.

Middlesbrough are 5/4 for an immediate return to The Championship and although Swansea are 6/4 to end their stay up new boss Paul Clement ssems to have them going in the right direction.

But contrast champions Leicester are on their way to joining those teams with just two wins out of 14 and are 3/1 to go down and become the worst team to defend their title since Ipswich in 1962.

For those looking at bigger odds could Southampton be shock relegation victims? The Saints, still a huge 66/1 with 188BET to go down, have lost six of their last seven and face a huge problem plugging the centre of their defence following the loss of Jose Fonte and Virgil Van Dijk.