Free Republic

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...

According to the report, the plaintiff changed her mind about filing the civil suit after watching the HBO “Real Sports” segment in which two of Watson’s accusers, Ashley Solis and Kyla Hayes, came forward and spoke with Soledad O’Brien about the alleged incidents. The two massage therapists talked about their alleged experiences with Watson in detail, with Solis saying Watson deliberately grabbed himself and “put his penis on my hand,” while Hayes said Watson kept intentionally touching her with his penis as she was trying to massage him. Meanwhile, Watson, who won’t face criminal charges after a grand jury in...