Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft were involved in a fiery exchange Tuesday over discussions about a potential new contract for commissioner Roger Goodell, sources told ESPN’s Seth Wickersham.
The exchange came amid NFL owners voting 31-1 to allow the compensation committee to begin negotiations on a new deal for Goodell.
Jones, who was the only owner to vote against the measure, reportedly told Kraft, “Don’t f— with me” after the latter joined the other owners in the vote. Kraft responded with, “Excuse me?” before Jones followed up with, “Don’t mess with me.”
The Cowboys owner’s disagreement over a new deal for the commissioner is due to the structure of compensation, Wickersham adds. Jones is reportedly troubled that bonuses in the commissioner’s future deal won’t be tied to clear financial goals.
Jones was at the forefront of an effort that saw Goodell’s previous contract structure pivot from salary-based to mainly bonus-oriented.
Goodell, who’s under contract through 2024, reportedly was paid nearly $128 million over the last two fiscal years. His income was aided by bonuses triggered by settling media contracts and the new 10-year collective bargaining agreement.
Hook has quickly become one of the hottest young stars in AEW. His fellow Team Taz members Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs recently spoke with ComicBook.com and say what fans see on-screen is basically the same Hook they see when cameras aren’t rolling.
Starks recalled it was difficult early on to convince some in AEW to embrace Hook’s unique charisma.
“I remember when he first started with us back in Jacksonville,” Starks said. “A lot of people didn’t get him. A lot of people did not understand him or couldn’t figure out what [he] was about. And I’ll never forget being like, ‘Hey if you wanna wear a hood on TV, you should do it. Just try it, just do it.’ And his dad [Taz] was like, ‘No, he’s gotta show his face.’ [I said] ‘No, just let him do it. Let’s see what happens.’ So it’s cool to see it take off the way it has.
“And obviously, we are very proud to see how far he’s come,” Starks continued. “Especially from when he first started to where it is now. The Team Taz group has been through a lot, quite a bit. And where we’re at right now is not where we want to be, but it’s way better than where we were. So I’m glad and I’m proud to see where he’s at, and he’s awesome.”
The members of Team Taz do not receive as much attention as other young stars in AEW. MJF, Sammy Guevara, Darby Allin, and Jungle Boy have been labeled the “Four Pillars of AEW”. Powerhouse Hobbs thinks it’s a matter of time before he, Starks, and Hook are included in that conversation.
“We rewrite things,” Hobbs said. “So I personally feel, when (Starks) and I came into AEW, it was during the pandemic era. We got signed about a month apart from each other. I feel that there are doubters out there and I feel every time he steps in the ring and I step in the ring, we change things up, we open everyone’s eyes. Things will change.”
“To me, the whole pillar talk is hilarious in a sense, because it’s so self-indulgent,” Starks added. “It’s nothing that was bestowed upon them. That was just something that came from them. So I usually don’t think about it in that regard. Like, ‘I’m not included in this.’ Who cares? Because to me, I’m gonna be much bigger than whatever the pillar is.
“I’m gonna be much bigger than wrestling, in a sense. And so, I find it so funny. The conversation is so hilarious because nine times out of 10, ‘Well, don’t forget this, and this, and this.’ And yeah, don’t forget, y’all, don’t forget. So I don’t mind it too much. I don’t really try to keep it as a chip on my shoulder, but it is hilarious.”
There was reportedly a heated backstage argument at Sunday’s WWENXT “Takeover: In Your House” event.
WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels, who works behind-the-scenes with the NXT brand, reportedly got into a heated debate with another WWE producer before Takeover hit the air, according to Fightful Select.
The debate had to do with current events in the United States. It was noted that the other producer claimed that everyone already gets treated the same in the country, which didn’t sit well with Michaels. An upset Michaels reportedly responded with an explanation on inequality and systemic racism in America. Michaels was said to be professional in the debate, but he was angry.
It sounds like this was not done in front of a large group of people as most wrestlers didn’t find out until Monday.
The un-named producer and Michaels continued to work the rest of the show together after the argument.
The Ottawa Senators fired CEO Jim Little less than two months after he was hired, the team announced Wednesday in a statement on Canada Newswire.
“The decision was made as a result of conduct inconsistent with the core values of the Ottawa Senators and the National Hockey League. Mr. Little’s departure is effective immediately,” the statement read.
Little released a statement later Wednesday that attributed his dismissal to using “very strong language” in a phone argument with Senators owner Eugene Melnyk on Feb. 14. Little said they were discussing his approach to the job.
Little joined the team on Jan. 10. His role was focused on business strategy, with an emphasis on trying to boost attendance at Canadian Tire Centre.
“Frankly, over the last few years there have been some areas where – as every company goes through – you lose sight of the customer. My first and foremost job is to get the customer back,” Little told TSN’s Ian Mendes in February.
Prior to working for the Senators, Little held positions with Shaw Communications, Royal Bank of Canada, and Bombardier.
The Senators will begin their search for a replacement immediately.
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