Paul Tagliabue

On a professional level, I will never forget that time as an executive with the Packers, as we were scheduled to play the Giants a few miles from Ground Zero that weekend.

The biggest hurdle the NFL owners and players faced in their recent negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement was a failure to establish a "meeting of the minds." Why not dispense with the lawyers and hash it out face-to-face?

Of all of Upshaw's many legacies and accomplishments, the most lasting may be the enduring impact of his negotiation of the 2006 Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NFLPA and the NFL.

The NFC Championship was decided with a coin toss, a kickoff return, a pass interference penalty and a field goal, which helped fuel the current vigorous debate about overtime rules.

The Rooney Rule is being applied today in a manner that conflicts with the objective established over 20 years ago.

David Stern has taken a page from Roger Goodell with the indefinite suspension of Gilbert Arenas from the NBA and the Washington Wizards after Arenas brought guns into the Wizards' locker room.

This weekend, the NFL Commissioner announced a major change in football policy: when a player sustains a concussion, he will now be required to seek advice from an "independent" neurologist.