Deshaun Watson Suspended 11 games (Updated)

[venecol]

dont think Herr Goodell will put him on the exempt list while this plays out in court? and based on the ruling from the original arbiter, think watson can convince a federal judge to issue an injunction against the suspension?

He can't go on exempt list. Idk likelihood of injunction but would think it's likely depending on length of new suspension.

 

[Pape]

He can't go on exempt list.

serious question - why?

 

[patfanken]

Here's what I don't understand in all this.

If you read the Judge's report the agrees that Watson's conduct was predatory, egregious, and harmful to the women be abused in this fashion. She makes all these CLEAR reasons why Watson should be suspended.....AND then for some reason, gives him a slap on the wrist. THAT's what I don't get in all this.

Not surprised the NFL tried to see where the public opinion lay after the initial Robinson report. Then they even tried to deflect the issue with the overdue Dolphins tanking scandal. But CLEARLY public opinion was WTF after 6 games was the punishment. Again, the punishment never equated with what the report found Watson was guilty of.

Now the league WILL give Watson its own brand of kangaroo justice, and it will end up with Watson getting 12 games to a year (I hope its a year). The NFLPA will of course sue, but the Brady case made clear that Goodell is the final arbiter on discipline and guilt or innocence has nothing to do with it. Brady and the Pats got SCREWED even after a federal judge concluded he didn't do what he was charged with, because an appeals court concluded that it didn't matter. Goodell could issue whatever punishment he wanted because it was in the CBA. So even though there are more steps in 2022 than in the Brady case, the end result remains the same.

BOTTOM LNE: I'm still surprised it is coming to this, and I'll never understand WHY how Robinson could come to the CORRECT conclusion and yet botch the punishment so badly.

 

[venecol]

serious question - why?

Because the NFL investigation concluded and process started and ongoing. I believe you can only be placed on exempt list if you're criminally charged, which he wasn't but I'm not completely sure.

 

[Pape]

Because the NFL investigation concluded and process started and ongoing. I believe you can only be placed on exempt list if you're criminally charged, which he wasn't but I'm not completely sure.

Florio just posted about this... Unless Watson appeals the suspension by tomorrow, the 6 game suspension stands, regardless of the outcome of the NFL's appeal of the decision...

An NFLPA lawsuit on behalf of Deshaun Watson likely wouldn't impact first six games of season

Although both Tom Brady and Ezekiel Elliott lost their legal wars against the NFL, both secured important initial victories.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

 

[venecol]

Here's what I don't understand in all this.

If you read the Judge's report the agrees that Watson's conduct was predatory, egregious, and harmful to the women be abused in this fashion. She makes all these CLEAR reasons why Watson should be suspended.....AND then for some reason, gives him a slap on the wrist. THAT's what I don't get in all this.

Not surprised the NFL tried to see where the public opinion lay after the initial Robinson report. Then they even tried to deflect the issue with the overdue Dolphins tanking scandal. But CLEARLY public opinion was WTF after 6 games was the punishment. Again, the punishment never equated with what the report found Watson was guilty of.

Now the league WILL give Watson its own brand of kangaroo justice, and it will end up with Watson getting 12 games to a year (I hope its a year). The NFLPA will of course sue, but the Brady case made clear that Goodell is the final arbiter on discipline and guilt or innocence has nothing to do with it. Brady and the Pats got SCREWED even after a federal judge concluded he didn't do what he was charged with, because an appeals court concluded that it didn't matter. Goodell could issue whatever punishment he wanted because it was in the CBA. So even though there are more steps in 2022 than in the Brady case, the end result remains the same.

BOTTOM LNE: I'm still surprised it is coming to this, and I'll never understand WHY how Robinson could come to the CORRECT conclusion and yet botch the punishment so badly.

Because unlike Goodell, Judge Robinson actually used what the written policies say as far as punishments and precedent. She stated that the NFL wants to impose post-hoc penalties w/o proper notification that goes to the question of "fairness" in most CBAs.

She's a judge, a real one. Not a kangaroo judge like Goodell. These same arguments were used in the Brady case, where at worse, it should've been an equipment violation. Instead Goodell made up whatever he wanted and screwed the Goat w/ 4 games, fines, draft picks, etc.

But you're right, it's now back to Goodells kangaroo court, so nothing has really changed. He could ban him for life, impose a $100M fine and have him deported to Africa.

The NFLPA are dumb af. All this time was completely wasted, when Goodell ends up deciding what he wanted anyway. I heard NFL offered 12 games + $10M fine and Watson turned it down.

Ben was accused of rape, got 6 games, reduced to 4. Lol

 

[venecol]

Florio just posted about this... Unless Watson appeals the suspension by tomorrow, the 6 game suspension stands, regardless of the outcome of the NFL's appeal of the decision...

An NFLPA lawsuit on behalf of Deshaun Watson likely wouldn't impact first six games of season

Although both Tom Brady and Ezekiel Elliott lost their legal wars against the NFL, both secured important initial victories.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

The NFLPA already said they wouldn't appeal. Depending on what the NFL appeal does, such as indefinite suspension, you can bank on Watson/NFLPA suing in federal court. Both Brady & Zeke got court orders allowing them to play. Who knows what will happen.

 

[Pape]

The NFLPA already said they wouldn't appeal. Depending on what the NFL appeal does, such as indefinite suspension, you can bank on Watson/NFLPA suing in federal court. Both Brady & Zeke got court orders allowing them to play. Who knows what will happen.

if he doesnt appeal, then he's out for the Pats game.

works for me.

 

[SouthernPatriot]

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...

I have been thinking the same thing. Calvin was a fool to bet online and use his own name, he admitted his guilt and was hit hard by Goodell and will lose 11 million dollars.

Then you have Watson, who everyone knows he assaulted these women, and get 6 games. I can bet the Women's Right groups are going to have something to say about this.
The NFL basically said placing an online bet when you are not an active player and you didn't bet on your own team, is more offensive than assaulting women!

 

[Bill Lee]

 

[ashley]

 

[Bill Lee]

Interesting thoughts from Brandt's tweet below.

As above, I only thought the odds of NFL appealing were only 60/40 in favor. Now that they have, I am presuming they have some sort of master plan to wrap things up before the season starts. Yet if things drag on and the NFLPA sues based on NFL winning an appeal and the NFL drops the case then, it'd be widely viewed as the NFL taking an L and the NFLPA taking a W. I'm sure there's more going on than what we're being told, but from what I can see it's quite a risky gambit IMO.

 

[XLIX]

Interesting thoughts from Brandt's tweet below.

As above, I only thought the odds of NFL appealing were only 60/40 in favor. Now that they have, I am presuming they have some sort of master plan to wrap things up before the season starts. Yet if things drag on and the NFLPA sues based on NFL winning an appeal and the NFL drops the case then, it'd be widely viewed as the NFL taking an L and the NFLPA taking a W. I'm sure there's more going on than what we're being told, but from what I can see it's quite a risky gambit IMO.

The NFL has to pretend they are doing their due diligence regarding the appeal but, as per Florio, this appeal doesn't even involve an actual hearing. Just written submissions from each side. They could give a ruling today if they wanted but, more realistically, it will be a couple weeks.

At that point, it is on the NFLPA to sue but I cannot imagine them having much success in federal court. We've been there before with Brady and Elliott and the League won each time.

 

[Pats2000]

What Florio wrote is worth keeping in mind:



The judge found him guilty. The only debate now is about the punishment, which is so subjective. The commissioner could simply say I agree with the decision of guilt but I feel the punishment should be harsher.

Yet, overall, I think the odds are only like 60/40 he does impose a longer suspension. There is much to be said for getting on with things. Yet if he does not extend the suspension, he will be setting a precedent that the commissioner does not overrule the arbiter's ruling. Basically he'd be ceding power to the arbiter, something I doubt he'll want to do. Yet the Rothlisberger case set a precedent that the penalty for egregious sexual misconduct is six games.

Source:

NFL has three days to appeal Deshaun Watson decision (but the deadline can be extended)

As it stands, the NFL's deadline for appealing the six-game suspension imposed on Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson arrives on Thursday.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

He's not setting a precedent, he can chose to overrule or not. This doesn't stop him from doing it in the future

 

[Pats2000]

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

I go to a massage therapist twice a month and I've never had my erect penis contact someone once.

 

[venecol]

This guy is vicious. Watson is screwed.

 

[Sicilian]

This guy is vicious. Watson is screwed.

He kind of reminds me of:

 

[venecol]

He giveth and taketh away.

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

This guy is vicious. Watson is screwed.

I’m getting Ted wells vibes from this guy. Watson’s gonna get hammered.

 

[Rob0729]

This guy is vicious. Watson is screwed.

Watson is screwed either way. He is going to get an indefinite suspension that will be at least a year no matter who Goodell appointed. That was a given the second the NFL appealed the ruling.

The question is when he appeals the ruling in court whether the judge will do an injunction to delay the punishment. Since he didn't appeal the six game suspension, he will have to serve that no matter what. The question is whether he will be forced to miss any other games while this goes through the courts.