Posted on 07/22/2022 7:22:23 AM PDT by DIRTYSECRET
The NFL, if it were being candid, would say it would prefer that the ruling come on Friday afternoon. The NFL Players Association likely would feel the same way. If, as some believe, Watson won’t get the kind of significant punishment that many had believed he’d experience, the league and the union have a shared interest in trying to reduce the backlash from fans and media over the perception that Watson didn’t get the kind of punishment that many believe he deserves.
The Browns, as we’ve reported, are bracing for eight games. A person with knowledge of the submissions made by the parties has suggested a range of two to eight games. By Friday afternoon, the answer finally may arrive.
Subject, of course, to an appeal by either side to Commissioner Roger Goodell — unless Judge Robinson’s decides that there should be no discipline
(Excerpt) Read more at profootballtalk.nbcsports.com ...
There is a precedent. Remember Russell Wilson’s interception in the Super Bowl. The Seahawks should have handed the ball off to Marshawn Lynch, the best player on the field. Instead they wanted Wilson to be the ‘face’ of the victory. Lynch? He’s as pretty as Al Sharpton.
Calvin Ridley a WR with the Atlanta Falcons was suspended for all of last year for gambling on football, supposedly he wagered $1500 total, yet the NFL encourages gambling allowing owners to take financial interests in companies like Draftkings and Fanduel..
The popularity of the NFL has a team located in Las Vegas, a large portion of their appeal is based on gambling, the league is totally hypocritical when it comes to passing out punishment.
There’s more. It’s really a black thing. Too many end up living down to the level of what’s expected of them. Think Michael Vick. QB is a position where the leadership required makes them more of management-type employees. The do-your-own-thing is not good when all this money is being guaranteed. Is the QB in Arizona-going down the same road?
The NFL is punting. Let the judge handle it-cowardly. They’re off the hook when it comes to backlash. They know it’s the black athlete who butters their bread and this will not be the last tightrope they will walk on.
Ridley-nipped in the bud. Naive young player. Think Pete Rose and the Black Sox scandal.
Watson’s BIG problem:
Tony Buzbee
But has Watson had a trial? If the accusations are credible enough he should be held in jail, given a speedy trial, then be punished or let free. This holding a person's life in limbo without a trial should not be supported by freedom loving Americans.
I hate it when colleges do it to Christian and conservative students over false accusations without a trial. And I hate it when institutions like the NFL does it to a player without a trial. Even if the accusations turn out to be true, when a major entity like the NFL (major in the lives of the players) acts like this before a trail it does nothing but encourage future people to cry wolf hoping for settlements. It then bleeds out into other institutions (even non football related or non-sports related institutions will have more false accusations slung at people who might give a payoff to settle to have their lives restored).
I don’t think anyone is accusing DeShaun Watson of a crime, he was sued by 20-25 women who were all brought in to give him massages, allegedly Watson took liberties with the women who all sued him civilly.
The Houston Texans were also part of the suit, the Texans recently settled their part of the lawsuits. Watson has also settled all the lawsuits.
Watson was held out all of last year by the Texans pending the outcome of all the lawsuits filed by the women.
Now that all the lawsuits have been settled, the NFL is trying to decide what type of punishment they are going to dish out to Watson.
The judge involved in this case was brought in to be an impartial arbitrator to decide the punishment.
It’s all about image. The nfl has to protect its image.
Do you want to walk around with a team jersey on that has the name of a sex addict on the back? Do you want your sons to?
And then there is the Trevor Bauer case. MLB suspends him for two full years because of the accusations of one woman. Watson has had about 24 accusations thrown at him and we’re looking at a max of eight games. Doesn’t seem fair. But this is 2022.
Did he rape anyone? Seems to me he just showed some massage therapists his schlong. Al Gore did the same thing, and then groped her, and chased her around his hotel room. No conseqences at all professionally (Tipper left him). He is still on the board of mega-zillion$ NGOs earnings megubux.
Sadly, when they come into the NFL they get a training session from NFL security & legal during rookie camp about these kinds of threats & issues. They’re told they are now a target and given practical suggestions for staying out of trouble. Teams get updates every year in spring drills. Most teams have additional sessions from the team’s security people.
Some listen, some don’t.
Learn or burn.
“...Watson won’t get the kind of significant punishment that many had believed he’d experience...”
What’d he do?
But Watson ... man, over 20 accusers all with similar stories and some of them are gross. How can give him less than a full season? But I'll bet they will. Because he's a star and the NFL really doesn't care about player behavior except for PR value. If the PR hit from suspending a guy is worse than the PR hit for him being a scumbag then he gets nothing. See Tyreek Hill for reference.
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