Goodell, as the frontman for the league, is going to be entirely driven over the PR fallout of this and 6 games is going to be (rightly) seen as too low. He’s gonna unilaterally appeal to himself and increase it. I would be shocked if he doesn’t.
To me it's all been an interesting series of events.
NFLPA says in advance we won't appeal because they want to establish the precedent that the Judge sets the penalties, not Goodell.
Of course
that is not what the CBA says, it says Goodell can overrule the penalties, so
they're trying to get something beyond what they bargained for in the CBA.
The Judge's ruling is absolutely at the low end of the scale anyone anticipated, so it is kind of forcing Goodell to override the ruling, which would also set the precedent that the Commissioner can and will overrule the Judge.
It's almost as if the Judge is daring Goodell to overrule her.
And
from a NFL point of view he should, just to (re-)establish the precedent that the Commissioner can overrule weak penalties.
So Calvin Ridley gets a full year for betting $4000 on NFL games, while Watson gets 6 games for assaulting nearly 2 dozen women? Only in Goodell's kangaroo court...
Allegedly!
Unlike Krafty Bob, there is no video evidence. Of course with Bob there was consent, here there was not as far as we can tell.
We're in the realm of he said, she said, even though there are so many "shes" it's hard not to accept that he at least pestered women inappropriately for sex, at the worst he's a true sexual predator.
If there was video evidence, Watson would be in jail and all this would be moot.
Watson sat all of last season. Shouldn't that count for something?
What was done to Tom Brady was criminal. Watson's suspension shouldn't be compared to that.
Ridley gambled on NFL games. What Watson did was outside the workplace. No comparison. Ridley was worse.
I'm not defending his actions, but come on. Watson didn't physically beat anyone. It wasn't criminal. Missing almost 1.5 years of his career is a steep penalty, not light.
No!
He sat by mutual consent between him, his agents, and the team.
He was paid in full, and suffered no wear and tear on his body, no injuries.
Would you consider it a penalty to not only be at home getting full pay for a year, but then getting a raise that paid you more money than anyone else doing your kind of work?
The idea that he's already been penalized is a non-starter, IMO.
profootballtalk.nbcsports.com
