Best of Yardbarker: Roger Goodell does what we all expected him to do

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It's NFL Conference Championship weekend, and given the four participants, you'd think all the talk would center around the final four quarterbacks. And sure, we've been gifted Aaron Rodgers family headlines, Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger praising one another, and Matt Ryan's MVP credentials.

However, perhaps no story has gotten more play than NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's decision to head to Atlanta for the second the straight week instead of facing the "Deflategate" music in New England. That choice had led to many proclaiming Roger Goodell is a coward, but then we knew that: "Why should anyone be surprised? This is a guy who took a 19-month Twitter break after the Ray Rice story exploded in September 2014."

Of course, we don't know 100 percent for a fact that Goodell is avoiding Foxborough simply to save himself from in-person ridicule. Maybe he was just picking the conference championship game to go to based on each city's signature cocktail and really loves peaches: "Surprising absolutely nobody, the cocktail representing the Atlanta Falcons goes heavy on the peach flavor."

Perhaps Goodell just needs to clarify why he continues to avoid the home of his league's most storied franchise during his tenure.

Speaking of making things clearer, we'd like a clarification, please, on why college basketball has not ditched the possession arrow yet: "Heck, Kentucky's program is all about preparing you for the NBA so why not have the league's jump ball rule?"

We aren't the only ones who could use some clarification either. The New York Knicks would like their questions answered as well, starting with Derrick Rose's inquiry with the NBA ref hotline: "We received your request and unfortunately, we are not allowed to give out 'absence notes' for your team. Even if we could, 'I needed space' is not an acceptable reason for missing a game."

Then there's the matter of Carmelo Anthony. Rumors have been swirling that some members of the organization would be thrilled to trade Melo, and it sounds like while Carmelo hopes to remain in New York, he isn't exactly thrilled with Phil Jackson or his cronies. Luckily for all parties involved, we lay out how the Knicks can move on from their superstar: "A 'Melo-Mike D'Antoni reunion would make for some drama in Houston, as would the spectacle of seeing a James Harden-led team trying to fit 'Melo into the system."

Good luck this weekend. Be safe, and enjoy the games.