Here is the text of her ruling:
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2022/08/In-re-Deshaun-Watson.pdf
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2022/08/In-re-Deshaun-Watson.pdf
I’d forgotten the Browns backloaded his contract so he wouldn’t lose too much money being suspended for a bit for sexually assaulting a couple dozen women.
Really is a shame that the Browns didn't trade for Tyreek so that I could consolidate all of my NFL player hatred.I’d forgotten the Browns backloaded his contract so he wouldn’t lose too much money being suspended for a bit for sexually assaulting a couple dozen women.
So the arbiter only considered 4 cases which were investigated by the league. Well, that certainly helps put some context around the decision. I'm not saying that it justifies is, but it definitely makes it easier to argue that the case isn't unprecedented when you're not talking Cosby levels of assault.Here is the text of her ruling:
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2022/08/In-re-Deshaun-Watson.pdf
Last season's missed games were factored in. Vindicated. Sue Robinson: "Although Mr. Watson did not play during the 2021 season, the Commissioner declined to put him on administrative leave under which any games missed would be credited against any suspension later imposed."
This is exactly what the NFL wants people to think. "We passed this off to a completely independent third party! Our hands are clean!"I agree 6 is not sufficient (and I've expressed my feelings on Watson previously) but this is coming from a neutral arbitrator and former federal judge - this isn't the NFL coming up with this number. Roger can now impose whatever he wants on appeal if the NFL decides to appeal now that Judge Robinson found a violation.
I just have a nagging suspicion that the league let the Browns know prior to a trade what a punishment would look like for Watson. I have such a hard time imagining any team - even the Browns - are committing 5 years and a quarter of a billion to Watson without having some kind of idea what the league was going to do.
The league gives him 8 games, the Browns know that trading and signing a franchise QB for 5 years is worth the 8 games, and everyone wins. Texans get a boatload of picks, league gets another franchise QB to sell tickets, Browns get a franchise QB.
The only losers are the women who were raped.
My recollection is that Big Ben and Elliot (6 games each) are the only two players to be suspended without criminal charges relating to the personal conduct policy. Winston, Hunt, Ward, and a few others were suspended without convictions, but the charges were created and then dropped.
Suspending Watson for a full year despite a grand jury declining to indict would be 3x longer than any "comparable" cases, and would be another lengthy legal battle (that the NFL would win) that the league has no interest in.
If he gets a full season, I'd be shocked. Barring any further changes, I'm still guessing 8 games. Gives them the appearance of a hard line - "longest suspension without a criminal indictment!" - and everyone goes on their merry way.
Again. Unless you were fucking raped.
The league doesn't feel any responsibility when it's players step out of line. And maybe they shouldnt. We have a criminal justice system in place to punish individuals. But how this played out?But in the eyes of the legal system, Watson has done nothing illegal. At least not worth indicating him for. The NFL won't care if it's one woman or 100. They can look at him as innocent and proceed accordingly.
With no smoking gun or criminal charges, I see no reason why the league would make a moral stand now. Yeah, Kareem Hunt was one incident, but he was also undeniably guilty based on the video we all saw of him stomping on a woman's head. There's a non-zero chance that Tyreek Hill ends up killing his fucking wife or kid, and the league couldn't give a shit.
Watson lines their wallets significantly more than either of them.
6 is the same vicinity as 4. Im disgusted. Outside of one text chat with friends from out of state and a text chat with younger cousins, both of which are pretty Patriots-centric, it would be easy for me to tear away. And yes, I kind of realize how absurd that sounds, but especially with my younger cousins it's a pretty great way to stay connected.If he gets within the same vicinity as the amount of games Brady got for delflategate I have a feeling that will be the last straw for me and Ill be breaking up with the NFL.
This sums it up exceptionally well.Disgusting? Yes. Embarrassing? Yes. Surprised? Unequivocally not.
It is fucked that that term got through the layers of PR review one would expect that statement to have gone through.Is it just me or does use of the word "triggered" there come off as incredibly condescending? Like a MAGA complaining about safe spaces. Maybe instead of triggered you should use the word "assaulted". There were many people assaulted.
Rape used to require a separate force element in many jurisdictions. If a survivor “froze” or didn’t fight back or the rapist didn’t need to use physical force to carry out the rape, there’d often be non-guilty verdicts or charges not even brought. Eventually, judges and legislators mostly determined that the touching or penetration in and of itself could satisfy the “force” requirement. So, maybe this is some vestigial bullshit like when Trump’s lawyer hand waived his alleged rape of Ivana by saying you can’t rape your wife, which was the law through most of Anglo-American jurisprudence.BTW did Judge Robinson coin a new term in “non-violent sexual assault”?
Well, they had already taken Chiefs’s asshole #2, Kareem Hunt.Really is a shame that the Browns didn't trade for Tyreek so that I could consolidate all of my NFL player hatred.
Assaults.Probably mentioned upthread, so sorry, but 4 games for suspicion of deflating football 6 games for sexual assault?
More than a score of assaults.Probably mentioned upthread, so sorry, but 4 games for suspicion of deflating football 6 games for sexual assault?
Not if the whole point is to coerce them into doing something they don’t want to.Isn't there an easier way to meet women for Star NFL QBs?
Exactly. I've mentioned it in this thread, not only are there easier ways to meet women, if what you want is a massage therapist who is going to give you an extra special ending, there are easy ways of finding literally hundreds of women who are willing to do that as well. The whole point for sexual predators like Watson is getting someone to do something they aren't willing to do. It's fucking gross.Not if the whole point is to coerce them into doing something they don’t want to.
For better or for worse the bolded is what Bob Kraft was accused of doing. While there are a lot of complications with trafficking and whatnot to that, what Watson is accused of is quite different.Exactly. I've mentioned it in this thread, not only are there easier ways to meet women, if what you want is a massage therapist who is going to give you an extra special ending, there are easy ways of finding literally hundreds of women who are willing to do that as well. The whole point for sexual predators like Watson is getting someone to do something they aren't willing to do. It's fucking gross.
Even Kafka thinks the NFL’s system is a little wacky. It’s a great flex for Goodell though - here’s your due process unless I have a different opinion, then I’ll just descend off my throne and do whatever I want.This new policy where Goodell doesn't want to pass the final judgement, unless he wants to say "psych" and pass the final judgement, is really something else.
The two settlement offers from the NFL were:Feels like something is going to get tacked on here given the public response to 6 games.
10-12 game range in the end maybe?
This sounds plausible.As dumb as the system is, I think this situation actually seems to be playing out as a point in its favor. If Goodell gets it right, it essentially plays out like this, no? Independent investigation/ruling finds Watson's behavior warrants suspension and assigns a hideously too low 6 games based on precedent of how similar examples have been dealt with by the NFL in the past. Goodell gets to say some combination of those previous situations were handled incorrectly/times are different now/this behavior is worse and ultimately has final say in setting a new precedent for how serious the punishment will be.
The overall system seems convoluted and cynically speaking designed to protect Goodell from criticism. But in a world where the NFLPA exists, I can buy the independent arbiter as a necessary step in the middle, and if the price of course correcting is that Goodell gets to look like the good guy, so be it imo.
He was inactive, but not suspended, for every game, so he got his paychecks. I don’t think they can clawback salary under the CBA/effectively retroactively suspend a player.Why does last year not count as part of the suspension? Did he get paid to sit out? The guy is a scumbag and I don’t care if he ever plays again, but it seems disingenuous to say it’s only a 6 game suspension when he already sat out a whole season.
Jason LaCanfora was on the radio just now and suggested the NFL might try an indefinite suspension.Rumor (ESPN) is the NFL didn't think six games was even close. If Goodell suspends him for two years or more I will hate him one less percentage point.
Yes, as MM posted, the Texans paid him and it was their choice to keep him inactive as part of their Tank-a-thon.Why does last year not count as part of the suspension? Did he get paid to sit out? The guy is a scumbag and I don’t care if he ever plays again, but it seems disingenuous to say it’s only a 6 game suspension when he already sat out a whole season.
And the NFLPA will go right to federal court and get an injunction as they should.Jason LaCanfora was on the radio just now and suggested the NFL might try an indefinite suspension.
Why is the process a joke? It's what the two sides bargained for.This sounds plausible.
The process is a joke, but I hope the NFL takes full advantage of it to levy as big a suspension as possible. I'm ok with bad process/less bad outcome in this case.
I wonder if the NFL wants to use this as a test case.And the NFLPA will go right to federal court and get an injunction as they should.
To me an indefinite suspension is ridiculous especially with the lack of criminal charges and basically all these civil lawsuits settled. What’s the point of an independent arbiter if the NFL is just gonna say fuck you we don’t like that penalty and will just do our own. It’s a bullshit system and the NFLPA needs to get this power away from the commissioner.I wonder if the NFL wants to use this as a test case.
I wouldn't so sure of the injunction. As I mentioned before, the parties bargained for this system and while I don't do a ton of labor law, it is my understanding that courts generally defer to collectively bargained agreements.
They probably shouldn’t have negotiated and signed that CBA then…..To me an indefinite suspension is ridiculous especially with the lack of criminal charges and basically all these civil lawsuits settled. What’s the point of an independent arbiter if the NFL is just gonna say fuck you we don’t like that penalty and will just do our own. It’s a bullshit system and the NFLPA needs to get this power away from the commissioner.
Unfortunately for the NFLPA, these aren’t valid legal arguments. I mean, we just went through this with the Second Circuit’s ruling in Brady’s case.To me an indefinite suspension is ridiculous especially with the lack of criminal charges and basically all these civil lawsuits settled. What’s the point of an independent arbiter if the NFL is just gonna say fuck you we don’t like that penalty and will just do our own. It’s a bullshit system and the NFLPA needs to get this power away from the commissioner.