Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

It’s not everyday Raider Nation gets to share the same space as the most powerful man in football but that’s what will take place tonight as the commish does the Black Hole. Roger Goodell will be on hand for tonight’s contest against Denver where he’ll participate in a pregame forum with Howie Long and John Elway.

No doubt Goodell will be taking a good look at the stadium situation in Oakland while onsite. Quiet as kept there is a storm brewing in the East Bay. With the 49ers slated to enter new digs the Raiders are next on the docket for NFL modernization. Whether that means getting a renovation in Oakland or a new home in Los Angeles remains to be seen.

What else remains to be seen is how Goodell plans on handling any possible relocation of franchises. Clearly the NFL wants football in Los Angeles. But getting a team or two there will require offending a few fan bases out there. Will Raider Nation be just such a fan base? Time will tell.

Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

So long as the Raiders are in Oakland they’ll always be rumored to return to Los Angeles. If they ever do make the move back to SoCal’s brightest beacon then the same rumors will spark for a return to the Bay. Such is the nature of football’s most infamous franchise.

Of course now that there are two bids to build stadiums in L.A. the odds of the NFL reintroducing itself to the Los Angeles market are greater then they’ve been since the Raiders and Rams left SoCal.

We’ve already outlined all reasons why the Raiders are likely to remain in the Bay but there was one factor I didn’t consider – the all powerful lord of football. I’m speaking, of course, of Roger Goodell.

Over the course of the last year, when the L.A. stadium development deals have really gained momentum, Goodell has made sure to keep his most profitable and untapped market under thumb. The league office has done everything it can to ensure two stadiums will be built in L.A. and now they’re trying to really get things going by opening the door to get two teams into said stadiums.

Goodell recently unveiled his L.A. doctrine proclaiming open season on relocation to Los Angeles.

Any franchise interested in relocating there for the 2013 season must apply between Jan. 1 and Feb. 15 of that year, and prove it has exhausted all attempts to remain in its current location. No plans are yet in place if no teams apply for 2013.

So there you have it. Goodell has thrown down the gauntlet and any team wishing to make the move to L.A. must meet his approval. Something tells me this is step that would have been avoided if Al Davis were still around. No way is Davis going to do anything on the league’s terms. Up to his last days Davis was still claiming to have a piece of the L.A. market.

But that’s Goodell for you. He’s become the bully of the football world and there isn’t an owner with enough cojones to stand up to him. These days the NFL ownership club is comprised of a bunch of yes men eager to do Goodell’s bidding.

Davis on the other hand was still as defiant as ever. The Raiders were the only team to abstain from voting on the new CBA and they were the only team handing out bloated contracts on the eve of the lockout. You get the picture.

So in the grand scheme of things the Raiders moving to L.A. is still a possibility. The difference this time is that should Mark Davis make the move he’ll be doing so on the commissioner’s terms. No telling how much of his father’s nature rubbed off on Mark Davis. But if he’s learned anything for his dad it’s to do things your own way. This new age of the cookie cutter NFL owner is already tired a played out. Here’s hoping Mark Davis does what is best for the franchise and not the NFL. Even if that means bringing the Raiders back to Los Angeles.

Nov 10, 2011; San Diego, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey (85) reacts during the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. The Raiders defeated the Chargers 24-17. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

After all it was the players who approved a new collective bargaining agreement that has put the GOD in Goodell. In his newfound role of judge, jury and executioner Goodell jumped all over Bountygate punishing the New Orleans Saints without any concern for silly details like facts and accuracy.

Of course even before Goodell was appointed Lord of Professional Football he already made it clear that the code of conduct was not to be violated and those who do will face his wrath. From Pacman Jones making it rain on his own parade in Vegas to Ben Roethlisberger blowing up $1-beer night in Georgia, Goodell acted swiftly without waiting for any court ruling to force his hand.

So naturally you’ve got to wonder what the future holds for Darrius Heyward-Bey and Rolando McClain.

For McClain a suspension seems all but imminent. He’s already been convicted once and if his re-trial goes the same way then the third strike will surely come for the office of the commissioner. McClain was fortunate to avoid suspension after his initial arrest but rest assured Goodell won’t allow for anyone facing jail time to play and collect pay.

Now as for DHB and the DUI he caught the story could be much different.

Currently Heyward-Bey is due back in court on July 23^rd. Of course his case could be erased as DHB’s lawyer, Ivan Golde, is taking the Ryan Braun defense. Golde is already playing the technicality card in hopes of getting the case thrown out due to some “procedural issues” in the nature of how Heyward-Bey’s arrest was handled.

That might work fine and well in a court where arguments are heard by individuals sworn to the letter of the law. But in the court of Goodell, where rules are made up on the fly and change more often than Mr. Rodgers, the Braun defense means nothing.

Golde cites the fact that DHB’s blood-alcohol level came out at two different levels in varying tests. Never mind that both results were over the legal limit. In the kangaroo court of the NFL that’s more than enough to justify suspension.

So the question is can DHB avoid suspension even if he ducks a conviction?

The simple answer is we’ll have to wait and see. Goodell has shown patience in allowing the McClain case to play itself out even though there is plenty of reason to believe his time is coming. As for DHB there’s just no telling what Goodell will do.

Either way the reality is the Raiders could be without two key players at some point in time. Even if they avoid the long arm of the law they won’t be out of Goodell’s reach. And as part of the union that allowed Goodell to do as he feels they’ve got no one to blame but themselves.