1218 replies to this topic

[makoman]

It's seems that the NFL wants an indefinite suspension with a year minimum.The only good news is that this is a big headache and distraction for the Browns. He's only slated to make 1 million this year on his back loaded mega deal. So I think the Browns and Watson knew that the league would push for at least a year. I'm sticking with 8 games and perhaps a hefty fine after the NFL appeals.

I could see that. A year+ gets leaked, sabres start rattling about lawsuits, which I still think they'd lose but it gets the Bob Kraft incident and Daniel Snyder mess some more news time, they settle for 8 to 12.

[russsnyder]

Which is pretty crazy because it means the Browns knew and expected that Watson's contract would really be $230M for 4 years instead of 5. They even put language in the contract stating that Watson wouldn't lose any of his $45M bonus if he gets suspended.

The Browns/Watson contract situation coupled with the Watson suspension saga is psych ward worthy.I agree that it's crazy that he made out so well financially with the spectre of the suspension hanging over him.

Further, I can't blame Mayfield for feeling betrayed by the Browns.( I can see why the other NFL owners are pissed as well.) He plays a chunk of the season with one arm. He then gets pushed aside and the team pays a heavy price in draft picks, and gives a record extension to a guy who may miss the entire 2022 season to a suspension.

[Slidemaster]

The independent judge didn't say that he wasn't guilty. She actually said he was entirely guilty. She just also stated that the NFL's disciplinary measures had no precedent for any suspension Ober 6 games for this kind of action or accusation, so that's what he got.

She also insulted the NFL on top of it.

[russsnyder]

The independent judge didn't say that he wasn't guilty. She actually said he was entirely guilty. She just also stated that the NFL's disciplinary measures had no precedent for any suspension Ober 6 games for this kind of action or accusation, so that's what he got.

She also insulted the NFL on top of it.

Why would she suspend him if she didn't think he did anything wrong?

.

[Steve55]

Why would she suspend him if she didn't think he did anything wrong?

.

 

 

1st time offenders get a max of 6 games for sexual assault. Its in the rules.

[Steve55]

Any proof of this, or is this purely speculation? Pretty heavy accusation BTW.

 

 

There were stories on PFT about Hardin helping out the DA with the grand juries. They are supposedly good friends.

[russsnyder]

There were stories on PFT about Hardin helping out the DA with the grand juries. They are supposedly good friends.

Hardly any evidence of jury tampering in this case. I'll wait for the disbarment proceedings with baited breath.

[russsnyder]

1st time offenders get a max of 6 games for sexual assault. Its in the rules.

Right.

He did something wrong, or as slide said she found him guilty.

[Mackus]

1st time offenders get a max of 6 games for sexual assault. Its in the rules.

 

OK, so what does he get for offenses 2 thru 24?

[Hooded Viper]

The NFL had to appeal or else lose a significant amount of fans, particularly females. As a sidenote if you haven’t seen some of the spot on comments by Kyle Brandt you are missing out! Dude is taking a stand which is refreshing given he works for the leagues network!

[cprenegade]

I didn't think the NFL would appeal, even though I did think the punishment was light.

 

That said, if I were the NFLPA I would take whatever avenue I could to oppose this.  They were stupid for agreeing to a system which gives authority for a decision to an independent judge, yet allows an appeal to be decided by Goodell.  King Roger watches the proceedings for amusement and then gets to impose his decision anyway.   

 

He's appointed somebody else to hear the appeal, so it in no way should be biased towards what the King wants.  (That comes with a wink, wink and a nod) 

 

There is no conviction here, but even so I think Watson did deserve at least 10-12 games or a full year.  It's just this farce of a process that sucks.   

[cprenegade]

OK, so what does he get for offenses 2 thru 24?

 

Actually, nothing.  The NFL chose to only present 4 of the cases to the judge for consideration.  And they were treating any suspension as collective.  Same thing they did with Roethlisberger when he had two accusations against him.  

[makoman]

Apparently the NFL offered him 12 games and a fine of $8-10M and he turned it down.

https://www.cbssport...ear-per-report/

[ivanbalt]

The Browns/Watson contract situation coupled with the Watson suspension saga is psych ward worthy.I agree that it's crazy that he made out so well financially with the spectre of the suspension hanging over him.

Further, I can't blame Mayfield for feeling betrayed by the Browns.( I can see why the other NFL owners are pissed as well.) He plays a chunk of the season with one arm. He then gets pushed aside and the team pays a heavy price in draft picks, and gives a record extension to a guy who may miss the entire 2022 season to a suspension.

Truly mind boggling considering the previous year they actually won a playoff game with Mayfield and gave KC a pretty good fight on the road.

[cprenegade]

I think this could get ugly.  Watson's group has said if anything is added to his suspension, they will take it to court.  Not sure what basis they have.  They have also made it clear they will play the race card.  They are going to bring up Ben Roethlisberger's 6 game suspension as a precedent.  Roethlisberger was never charged with any crime, but the two accusations were of forcible rape or rape attempts.

 

Watson's charges were from more women, but none of them were of any violent rape attempts.  They were all of coercion and intimidation.  He was never charged either.  The NFLPA believes the process was fair.   The punishment was in line with what the NFL has done in the past.  

 

If King Roger seeks to punish Deshaun Watson for an entire season, the NFLPA is going to ask why a black QB is being punished more than a white QB when neither was actually charged with any crimes.   I think they have a point.  

[Mackus]

A wrong decision to hand out a lenient penalty from 10+ years ago before there was an official policy shouldn't be what the league has to be beholden to.  Not sure how strictly a court would force the NFL to lean on precedent that may not have any relevance anymore.  Maybe a lot, but I'd be disappointed, as I think we've all moved towards taking these sorts of things more seriously rather than sweeping under the rug.  

 

I'm not lawyer, but I also don't think the PA has much of a court case since they've already agreed that the league can hand out suspension it deems fit.  If they wanted to fight this, when the CBA was reworked was the time.  Its settled already and the league is working within that agreement.  Is on the NFLPA that they agreed to this system.

[makoman]

I read this idea elsewhere, not sure if it's completely accurate but it seems to make sense.

 

Assume Goodell ups it to 1 year. Watson can take it and lose his 2022 base salary of $1.035M.

 

Or he can fight it in court. There's no way it's decided this year during the season, courts are not fast. Probably next spring at best. So he likely is permitted to play this year while it is being decided. Now he is putting his $46M 2023 salary at risk. Seems like there is no way it is reduced below 6 games on appeal, given all the findings that Judge Robinson made. Even 6 games, 6/18, is now over $15M in game checks in 2023. 

 

I don't see how he could argue that the suspension would apply to the 2022 game checks where he actually played and earned them, and not the 2023 game checks where he had to sit. So I don't see how he can possibly challenge this unless Goodell does something weird like try and make it indefinite. Or unless, for some reason, they let him serve 6 games now and then just let him play and count the excess for appeal purposes, but that would be really weird.

[Mackus]

I can't think of a recent example, but would a court Stay a yearlong suspension from Goodell on appeal and allow him to play (either Week 1 or Week 7) when they could just uphold it and then just have Cleveland reimburse him the missed pay if the ultimate result is that it's shortened or overturned?

 

The pay is the tangible damage, not the actual playing, right?  Specifically for Watson.  The Browns might want him to play to benefit from the performance, but they wouldn't be a party to the lawsuit against the league.

[makoman]

Yeah I don't know. The only comparison I know is that baseball players always keep playing while they appeal, but it may depend on the CBA or what Watson actually asks for (I assume Goodell's decision would be final under the CBA and then Watson would have to ask the court for an injunction to stay pending his appeal/challenge to the process or whatever it is officially).

 

Brady came to mind, but I guess he got to play during the deflategate saga because he actually won in district court just before the 2015 season, he lost later at the court of appeals during the 2016 offseason then sat for 4 games in 2016.

[Mackus]

Brady is a good example, I didn't recall his timeline. I guess they stayed the suspension until it was resolved in that case.

This is different than playing through an appeal. The appeal would be over in this scenario, settled by Gooddell or a lackey to a suspension of a year or 12 games or whatever it is. And then the NFLPA and Watson would be suing in actual courts to get the whole thing overturned or reduced under some argument that it wasn't handled according to the CBA I guess.