Deshaun Watson Suspended 11 games (Updated)

[Patsgofor4]

As I figured,

A slap on the hand for giving the league another black eye.

Are you still sticking to your BS theory the Cleveland traded Mayfield because they knew (two weeks before the judge ruled) that Watson’s ruling would be favorable to them?

 

[Triumph]

The NFL Law is objectively not equal for all per the CBA that the NFLPA agreed to. This isn’t that difficult to understand.

Very simple to comprehend indeed.

The first few paragraphs spell it out.

It is a privilege to be part of the National Football League. Everyone who is part of the league must refrain from “conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in” the NFL. This includes owners, coaches, players, other team employees, game officials, and employees of the league office, NFL Films, NFL Network, or any other NFL business. Conduct by anyone in the league that is illegal, violent, dangerous, or irresponsible puts innocent victims at risk, damages the reputation of others in the game, and undercuts public respect and support for the NFL. We must endeavor at all times to be people of high character; we must show respect for others inside and outside our workplace; and we must strive to conduct ourselves in ways that favorably reflect on ourselves, our teams, the communities we represent, and the NFL.

https://nflcommunications.com/Documents/2018%20Policies/2018%20Personal%20Conduct%20Policy.pdf

This is not a criminal court. It’s a “what is in the best interests of the league (define that as you want)” court.

Yup and that is the whole problem.

The advertised NFL conduct policy that governs all does not apply to all. Particularly rich white influential owners who are good buddies of the commissioner.

 

[Triumph]

Are you still sticking to your BS theory the Cleveland traded Mayfield because they knew (two weeks before the judge ruled) that Watson’s ruling would be favorable to them?

Get back to making French fries.

The drive thru is backed up.

 

[UrbanCowboy]

In early 2021, Watson announced he would never play for the Texans again. He was obviously fed up with the general cluster-f of that organization (plus he probably wanted more money). It was a couple months after that proclamation that these allegations surfaced. Supposedly last summer they got close to making a deal with Miami, but that's just rumor.

So what would have happened if the allegations never surfaced? Would the Texans have traded him or called his bluff? They probably would have traded him but who knows.... but what happened was he voluntarily stayed away and they paid him his contract.

FWIW, I'm Houston and you got the timing perfect. It was really odd, because in the beginning he would show up at practice and throw a few footballs around apparently. eventually they allowed him to stop the farce of showing up. But it was his choice, and they did have to fork over the $$$

 

[Triumph]

Consensual prostitute vs non consenting business professionals.

Prostitution is illegal in Florida.

Furthermore, the women that work in these seedy places are specifically brought to the USA from other countries to work there.

 

[Ring 6]

Not surprised. Goodell won't step in and add to the suspension. I believe the deal was to agree to whatever the "3rd party" judge would rule. Both the NFLPA and League Office.

Can the Pats stop Jacoby?

Browns might be 3-3 or even 4-2 after this suspension. They will be in a position for a playoff run once Watson comes back week 7.

If you are a Browns fan do you still root for the laundry?

They will be lucky to be 2-4.
After week 6 they have 7 of 11 left in the road.

No playoffs for Cleveland. Again.

 

[Deus Irae]

Not enough for a legitimate problem player. Too much for a guy who did nothing provably illegal.


It's yet another textbook example of why the NFL shouldn't be involved in policing the non-football actions of the players.

 

[Bill Lee]

Text of the ruling is being leaked bit by bit:

 

[Pape]

I think you are an excellent poster, so I don't want to get into a fight.

I think others are the guilty party. The Texans seem like bad people. I read somewhere they had set up most of the appointments. We know who their GM is. I'm not saying Watson is innocent, but I think this is defecting the core issue. That organization is toxic. Is it a coincidence this came out the moment Watson started squawking about leaving? Who knows? What Manning, Roth, and others did was much worse. I think Watson sat last year to do the right thing and let there be an investigation, which has found nothing criminal, rather than push the issue. Of course, that would mean he would be paid. I believe Watson was a pampered stupid kid who will grow up from this and positively give back to the Cleveland community, as well as women's groups. I think he is genuine in how he feels now, and is taking a hit because others didn't do their jobs (meaning they turned their backs or knew).

A back and forth isn't a fight... its an exercise in thought... As I too think you are an excellent poster family. Except for this topic lol... Watson doesn't deserve to be defended or excused for his behavior.

The Texans are a part of this. There is no doubt - they allowed this to continue to happen after finding out what he was doing. They set the hotel up, they protected him, etc, full well knowing what was going on. There is a reason beyond sheer expedience why they settled so quickly. But that doesn't abrogate the actions of Watson.

As for him sitting out last year, this is easily verifiable- it wasn't about this - When Caserio was hired in January of 2021, Watson immediately cried foul and soon demanded a trade, stating he would never step on the field for the Texans again. It was entirely his decision to demand a trade and it was his decision to not play. This all happened prior to any of the allegations becoming public. And he was paid his full salary last year, despite refusing to play. That too is easily verifiable on Spotrac or OTC

And I agree, he is a stupid pampered kid athlete who is not used to people saying "No" to him. This is not surprising, as it is a story that's been told time and time again in the annals of professional sports. If he grows as a person, its on him, and no one else.

And as I said in my first post in this thread, he's going to miss the Pats game, which, ultimately, is all I care about as my opinion will sway no one in the league offices.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Ridiculous. Hope the Browns burn down because of rewarding this slimeball.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Text of the ruling is being leaked bit by bit:

Club-approved massage parlors?

Let's hope CLE doesn't enable Watson like HOU did.

 

[libra957]

....

 

[rochrist]

Watson sat all of last season. Shouldn't that count for something?

No, since it was a hold out to get traded and had nothing whatsoever to do with the case.

 

[Koma]

Text of the ruling is being leaked bit by bit:

...Attempting to impose a more dramatic shift in its culture without the benefit of fair notice to — and consistency of consequence for — those in the NFL subject to the Policy.

You mean like taking an equipment violation that's worthy of a written warning or a $25k fine and imposing a 4 game suspension on a player and taking a 1st and 4th round pick away from his team, in addition to $1 million fine? The NFL wouldn't do something like that.

 

[Deus Irae]

Judge Robinson rejected Deshaun Watson’s categorical denial of the allegations against him​

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2022/08/In-re-Deshaun-Watson.pdf

 

[Patsgofor4]

You mean like taking an equipment violation that's worthy of a written warning or a $25k fine and imposing a 4 game suspension on a player and taking a 1st and 4th round pick away from his team, in addition to $1 million fine? The NFL wouldn't do something like that.

Exactly. The notion that the NFL hadn’t prepared the players to not act like scumbags is some Grade A horsesh*t, Suzie.

 

[Deus Irae]

Finally, I find that the NFL has produced sufficient circumstantial evidence to prove the last prong of the test, that Mr. Watson knew such sexualized contact was unwanted. Of course, there is no indication on the record that even experienced therapists “want” such contact, and Mr. Watson certainly did not seek out the most experienced therapists. Moreover, there is credible evidence that one of the therapists expressed her discomfort of the unwanted contact to Mr. Watson during the sessions, and another of the therapists ended the session early.28 Given that none of these therapists accepted Mr. Watson’s invitations to engage in further therapy sessions, I find the evidence sufficient to demonstrate that Mr. Watson knew, or should have known, that any contact between his penis and these therapists was unwanted.

I, therefore, find that the NFL has carried its burden to prove, by a preponderance of the evidence, that Mr. Watson engaged in sexual assault (as defined by the NFL) against the four therapists identified in the Report.29 Mr. Watson violated the Policy in this regard.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2022/08/In-re-Deshaun-Watson.pdf

 

[XLIX]

Our old friend "more probable than not" has resurfaced, albeit in a somewhat different context:

Moreover, the totality of the evidence (including the undisputed facts relating to Mr. Watson’s use of towels, his focus points, and the not uncommon experience of massage therapists to have contact with the erect penis of their male clients) lends support to my conclusion that it is more probable than not that Mr. Watson did have erections and that his erect penis contacted the therapists as claimed by them. 26

 

[XLIX]

Interesting observation: The Judge is forbidding Watson from getting massages for the rest of his career, beyond those which come from "Club directed sessions and Club-approved massage therapists."

Sounds almost like a condition of probation, although it is unclear what the ramifications would be if he violated that order.

 

[Bill Lee]