#FREEPORTNOY pic.twitter.com/uIihHMoW6p
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) February 4, 2019
Barstool Sports’ feud with the NFL continues as Dave Portnoy was arrested and physically dragged out of Super Bowl 53.
The NFL had a bad week. The drama of player movement in the NBA was front page news everywhere. Super Bowl 53 was an anti-climactic snoozefest with the New England Patriots emerging victoriously again.
And of course, the NFL and Roger Goodell’s feud with Barstool Sports and Dave Portnoy took another ugly turn. After being kicked out of media day, Portnoy was banned from the game.
That didn’t stop him from attending anyway. Portnoy was dragged out of the game by security and arrested. The video of the incident shows Portnoy’s noodle legs hanging as he’s brought out.
Barstool Sports’ Tom Scibelli (aka Tommy Smokes) released a statement following Portnoy’s arrest.
“For Immediate Release:
Our fearless leader David S. Portnoy was violently apprehended by authorities at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta during Super Bowl LIII.
Portnoy, who was unfairly banned from the stadium by Fuhrer Goodell, bravely attended the game anyway to make a stand for what’s right.
During halftime, a few of Goodell’s cronies manhandled Portnoy and dragged him out of the stadium. Portnoy went limp, but they continued to drag him out and rudely gave him a wedgie. It appears that Portnoy, who once shot a -4 at Shinnecock, sustained brutal injuries. It was a disgusting display of police brutality.
Portnoy was then seen being escorted through the corridors in handcuffs. He’s been taken to the stadium jail. We will forever remember the tremendous display of courage he showed tonight. Forget ‘Brady. Belichick. Portnoy.’ It’s now … ‘Gandhi. Mandela. Portnoy.’
Go Patriots. We have no further comment at this time.”
https://twitter.com/mgoldy100/status/1092230819626799105
BAD BOY FOR LIFE @stoolpresidente #FREEPORTNOY pic.twitter.com/gFAxDZuAm4
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) February 4, 2019
“Because he's not our hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector. A dark knight.” #FREEPORTNOY @stoolpresidente pic.twitter.com/KCtB9mQV5l
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) February 4, 2019
Obviously, that statement is completely tongue-in-cheek. Barstool and Portnoy knew exactly what they were doing and once again, they are snagging free press from the NFL trying to take a stand against them.
Portnoy is playing chess while Goodell is playing checkers.
This feud stretches back long before Super Bowl 53. Portnoy and three members of Barstool (Hank Lockwood, John Feitelberg, and Paul Gulczynski) were arrested after protesting Deflategate and staging a sit-in at the NFL’s headquarters in New York.
The feud has continued to snowball from that point and Portnoy’s arrest was only the latest in the longstanding beef between El Presidente and Goodell. There’s one thing we know for sure though: This won’t be the last chapter in this longstanding rivalry.