Instead, the Vick dogfighting brouhaha is so emotional and so complicated that it’s probably more suited to a commissioner who has been on the job for many years. But it isn’t being dealt with by somebody like that. It fell into the lap of a rookie. And there’s no easy way out. The ramifications of any decision Goodell makes will be felt for many years, especially in and around Atlanta.

Ultimately, it’s Vick’s fault. But Goodell is the lawman, and high noon is approaching. You can tell because the PETA protesters below his office keep reminding him.

Stern no doubt is wrestling with incredible guilt. “Could I have done more?” he probably asks. Tim Donaghy, the referee who allegedly liked to gamble on games and who allegedly had friends that wore black shirts, white ties and wraparound sunglasses and had names like Tony “The Shovel” and Bobby Cheech, might indeed be a lone wolf. He might be an isolated case.

Yet there are reports that the NBA raised some eyebrows about Donaghy’s behavior as long as one year ago (although Stern denies that). Even if he acted alone, should the league have allowed him to continue working games — if it knew that long ago?

Slideshow   The Week in Sports Pictures A kayaker flips out, a racehorse eyes the Triple Crown and more. more photos

Stern probably is tormented by the measures he didn’t take to ensure that the league’s integrity remains intact. Now he’s paying for those lapses in leadership.

Selig? Forget about it. He’s been a basket case ever since the Mark McGwire-Sammy Sosa home run chase of Roger Maris’ single-season record of 61 homers. Just about everybody knew something wasn’t quite right. But Selig didn’t act. Instead, he celebrated, both too afraid to rock the boat and ruin everybody’s fun, and also too cowed by the players’ union. Now he has to look in the mirror, and see failure.

These three obviously are looking at a lot of sessions together.

What the sports world doesn’t need is for their therapist to one day say, “Guys, we have a new member of the group. Say hello to Gary. He works in hockey.”