Upon reconsideration maybe a 4 game suspension is a bit low, 6 would be better, but suspension for the season or banishment for life is too much. I have seen the interview with him after the game where he apologized and seemed contrite, and if you have seen that interview I don't understand how you can say that the original infraction wasn't in the heat of the moment.
We want football players to play with extreme emotion (look at all the complaints last week about the Patriots) and in football emotion is often just controlled violence, yet we don't make any allowances for that emotion getting out of control?
As for criminal prosecution... it's easy to say "file criminal charges" and then imagine the guy will be going to jail. But the reality is simple assault rarely gets people jail time, probation and community service is more common. A football suspension is actually a much bigger deal.
I know he's had problems in the past but my impression is he's not on probation and has had no problems for a while. And before you say "once a turd always a turd" so he deserves the hammer, remember that there's a member of the Patriots who's been arrested for assault five times, plus a bunch more arrests for robbery, DUI, etc. Most of those arrests were as a juvenile, but since he's been a pro he's received community service and that's it.
