CB Alfonzo Dennard signed

[WhiZa]

McClain will likely not miss any regular season games--except the ones that are imposed by Goodell as punishment.

At his going rate it might be about 180 games

 

[WhiZa]

What's the thought on this? If a player committed a crime before they were in the NFL, can they be punished by the league once they enter? Or does it have to happen when they are in the league?

 

[SeymourTrophies]

Not that I condone this, nor do I have any detail on this particular incident, but a typical scenario for assaulting a police officer in a bar room fight is this:

Fight breaks out, lots of commotion, fists flying, a police officer tries to break it up and gets bumped into (or elbowed) during the commotion. Police officer pissed off and claims he was intentionally punched in the face.

Obviously it was a bad decision (especially days before the draft), but for now I'm going to cut the kid a break. I;m sure the front office did some additional homework.

True, it is not unheard for Officers of the Law to be a-holes who abuse their position either. Not long ago, there was a BCPD gent who unloaded 15 rounds into a guy at the end of a bar scrap that started when the guy hit on the Officer's girlfriend. My friend's brother got into a heated debate in a bar where the officer was the instigator and only after they rolled around on the ground and shared a few pushes did his occupation get mentioned. Not everyone who dons the badge is a Dudley Do Right, Captain America type .

 

[supafly]

I would hope that he doesn't as he wasn't in the NFL when it happened!

Apparently it's not as quite as cut and dry as you are assuming.

From ESPN to NFL Network to PFT, there have been many of the same comments wondering if he'll be suspended at all.

This comment is actually being discussed right now on one of the NYJ boards:

"Will Ellis get suspended? that's usually what the NFL does to players that serve time. I wonder if it's cause he was in college at the time of the crime he doesn't face suspension? does any1 know the rule on that? Goodell suspends players for less."

You make a good point, but for me to bring it up isn't exactly like I came up with something out of left field either...

 

[supafly]

What's the thought on this? If a player committed a crime before they were in the NFL, can they be punished by the league once they enter? Or does it have to happen when they are in the league?

I believe it's up to the discretion of Goodell to make the final call.

They both have solid cases, as Ellis wasn't in the NFL when the incident occured, but Goodell will also claim that anyone serving actual jail time while being an employee of the NFL may be subject to punishment.

At worst it would probably only be a one game suspension--two at the very worst anyway, but in the end the NFLPA will probably stand up for him and nothing will happen.

 

[scout]

I have a feeling Dennard knows he really dodged a bullet and caught a bigtime break getting drafted by the Pats.

I hope he uses this to his advantage and goes on to a successful life and career.

I have a feeling he's really gonna be a good DB for years to come.....

Wasn't a year ago we were discussing a qb with maturity issues? He's been a model citizen, maybe Dennard drinks the red/white/and blue cool aid.
Hey, rememeber Dallas signed Pac Man Jones and assigned Irvin to guide him (lol).

 

[supafly]

Hey, rememeber Dallas signed Pac Man Jones and assigned Irvin to guide him (lol).

That sentence right there pretty much explains everything that's wrong with the Dallas organization as a whole..

 

[TheBeers]

New England Patriots draft pick Alfonzo Dennard has his supporters - ESPN Boston

"That isn't who he is, that's never been who he is, and that's not going to be who he is in the future," Nebraska coach Bo Pelini said. "And I put my reputation, and I put everything I stand for as a football coach behind that young man.

Nice article on Dennard.. Sounds like a great kid who just made one horrible mistake at the worst possible time.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

FWIW Ellis just got sentenced to 179 days with 89 suspended after entering an alford plea (not guilty but acknowledges prosecution has sufficient evidence warrant prosecution) to misdemeanor assault and battery. Will serve 45 days beginning on June 15th, the day after mini camp ends. Will miss the first couple of days of training camp.

 

[SteveKiner]

I believe it's up to the discretion of Goodell to make the final call.

If he goes true to form, the punishments will be as follows:

Ellis New York Goodells/Jets. No fine, No suspension.

Dennard New England Patriots. 12 game suspension, $500,000 fine and Pats loss of 1st round draft pick in 2013. If Dennard makes all pro in any of 1st 4 years Goodell reserves the right to increase the punishment

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

FWIW Ellis just got sentenced to 179 days with 89 suspended after entering an alford plea (not guilty but acknowledges prosecution has sufficient evidence warrant prosecution) to misdemeanor assault and battery. Will serve 45 days beginning on June 15th, the day after mini camp ends. Will miss the first couple of days of training camp.

Hope he makes the PS at least

 

[supafly]

Hope he makes the PS at least

I think you are misunderstanding.

We're talking about Kendrick Ellis of the NYJ. He was their 3rd round pick on 2011, and he will cetainly be making their 53 man roster again. The point was that he won't miss any real time, even with his 'jail sentence.'

If you are referring to our 7th round pick Alfonzo Dennard from Nebraska, that is still going through the trial process, but as I pointed out--there's nothing to worry about, as he'll likely plea to a much lesser charge.

There's some question about whether or not Goodell will suspend either one of them for a game or two due to the fact that they didn't play for the NFL when the infractions took place...it's pretty much his discretion from what I understand.

If you are referring to the possibility of Dennard "making the PS," that is certainly NOT an option, as he was projected to go within the first 50 picks in the first or second round due to his talent. The reason why he slid was due to his poor judgement right before the draft. Dennard will be on our 53 man roster no matter what, and will have a good chance at playing here at a high level in the next few seasons.

He is a good, physical, press man CB.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Hopefully Dennard doesn't get more than 3 months in jail..would like to see this kid out there

 

[captain stone]

New England Patriots draft pick Alfonzo Dennard has his supporters - ESPN Boston



Nice article on Dennard.. Sounds like a great kid who just made one horrible mistake at the worst possible time.

I was about to start a thread linking this article, so I'm glad you posted it here.

Pelini could not have been more emphatic, could he? And I don't consider him one of those typical
D1 hucksters, so his endorsement carries weight. Encouraging news.

 

[goheels22002]

New England Patriots draft pick Alfonzo Dennard has his supporters - ESPN Boston

Nice article on Dennard.. Sounds like a great kid who just made one horrible mistake at the worst possible time.

We'll see. It looks to me like Pelini is getting out in front of the May 30, 2012 hearing on Dennard hitting a cop. These D1 coaches are all about their programs keeping the NCAA at bay and keeping the money flowing from the boosters and the sponsors. Having his star DB go to jail after hitting a police officer a few days before the NFL draft is not exactly the picture Pelini wants to paint of his program.

 

[resdubwhite]

We'll see. It looks to me like Pelini is getting out in front of the May 30, 2012 hearing on Dennard hitting a cop. These D1 coaches are all about their programs keeping the NCAA at bay and keeping the money flowing from the boosters and the sponsors. Having his star DB go to jail after hitting a police officer a few days before the NFL draft is not exactly the picture Pelini wants to paint of his program.

You basing this on you indepth background knowledge of the incident or a hunch?

 

[zoostation]

Watched rerun of Ohio State / Nebraska last night on BSPN

Dennard was VERY impressive. Always seemed to be in the right position and was made several open field tackles in the box.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Hope that the charge was overblown and that this kid shows us he was a good pick. In the 7th round the risk/reward is well worth it. The article tells me that this kid was a role model, not a lockerroom cancer. So let's hope it was just a misfortunate accident and let's see what this kid can do on the football field for us.

 

[goheels22002]

You basing this on you in-depth background knowledge of the incident or a hunch?

I'm basing this on knowing 1) what 3rd degree assault on a police officer represents to a judge in a district court, and 2) knowing what college football coaches try to do to save their jobs. In my case, I am quite familiar with the crap that Butch Davis at UNC pulled to unsuccessfully save his job, over, in several cases, the interests of his players who got embarrassed, suspended, and lost millions by dropping in the draft.

Let's re-cap. A notable college football player who is about to be drafted by an out-of-state employer punches a local police officer in the face off campus while three other city police officers observe the assault. The college football player resists arrest and is taken to the police station and booked. The college football player, now "the defendant," has no alibi but will probably be represented by a highly-paid attorney appointed by his agent.

The defendant is arraigned and his pre-trial hearing is scheduled after he is selected by his out-of-town employer and just after he reports for his first two weeks of work. The defendant returns to the state in which he is charged with assaulting a police officer and has a choice - 1) plead not guilty and go to trial, or 2) plead guilty and pay a fine or do whatever his attorney can negotiate with the court.

How will the judge approach this? Usually, the criminal justice system looks unfavorably on citizens who punch public safety officers. District Court judges work with the local and state police every day, seeing them in court and at any events they might attend. The defendant will be in Massachusetts next week, but the judge and the police will be back in a Lincoln, Nebraska court discussing new cases and greeting one another at work every day. My guess is the judge will look to send a message that he or she supports the local police and the very difficult and dangerous job they do.

Ten days before the hearing, the defendant's former football coach issues a statement saying the defendant is a great young adult and punching a police officer is out of character. Why would he bother to comment on a criminal case in which he has no standing? The coach is not a witness, is not the victim and was no longer the defendant's coach at the time of the assault. Why, indeed.

Isn't this the same player who started a fight with an opposing player in the Capital One Bowl and got tossed out for punching (there's that word again - what's with the punching?) an opponent in front of rows of NFL coaches and scouts?

Isn't the coach trying to signal that he runs a program populated with terrific young student athletes and this is an exception and not the rule? Isn't the coach trying to signal that this arrest is not a black eye on a program that lost its bowl game to South Carolina and had a bad recruiting year (ranked 35th in the nation behind most Big Ten schools) by University of Nebraska standards? Why bother to say a word?

 

[resdubwhite]

I'm basing this on knowing 1) what 3rd degree assault on a police officer represents to a judge in a district court, and 2) knowing what college football coaches try to do to save their jobs. In my case, I am quite familiar with the crap that Butch Davis at UNC pulled to unsuccessfully save his job, over, in several cases, the interests of his players who got embarrassed, suspended, and lost millions by dropping in the draft.

Let's re-cap. A notable college football player who is about to be drafted by an out-of-state employer punches a local police officer in the face off campus while three other city police officers observe the assault. The college football player resists arrest and is taken to the police station and booked. The college football player, now "the defendant," has no alibi but will probably be represented by a highly-paid attorney appointed by his agent.

The defendant is arraigned and his pre-trial hearing is scheduled after he is selected by his out-of-town employer and just after he reports for his first two weeks of work. The defendant returns to the state in which he is charged with assaulting a police officer and has a choice - 1) plead not guilty and go to trial, or 2) plead guilty and pay a fine or do whatever his attorney can negotiate with the court.

How will the judge approach this? Usually, the criminal justice system looks unfavorably on citizens who punch public safety officers. District Court judges work with the local and state police every day, seeing them in court and at any events they might attend. The defendant will be in Massachusetts next week, but the judge and the police will be back in a Lincoln, Nebraska court discussing new cases and greeting one another at work every day. My guess is the judge will look to send a message that he or she supports the local police and the very difficult and dangerous job they do.

Ten days before the hearing, the defendant's former football coach issues a statement saying the defendant is a great young adult and punching a police officer is out of character. Why would he bother to comment on a criminal case in which he has no standing? The coach is not a witness, is not the victim and was no longer the defendant's coach at the time of the assault. Why, indeed.

Isn't this the same player who started a fight with an opposing player in the Capital One Bowl and got tossed out for punching (there's that word again - what's with the punching?) an opponent in front of rows of NFL coaches and scouts?

Isn't the coach trying to signal that he runs a program populated with terrific young student athletes and this is an exception and not the rule? Isn't the coach trying to signal that this arrest is not a black eye on a program that lost its bowl game to South Carolina and had a bad recruiting year (ranked 35th in the nation behind most Big Ten schools) by University of Nebraska standards? Why bother to say a word?

so largely conjecture then.