OT: Jameson Williams suspended for violating gambling policy

[One-If-By-Sea]

As a little side story to this. During the 90's I wrote a fantasy football column every week for fun. I didn't get paid, but approached many major sites to carry my articles and CBS/ESPN/FOX and others did, because almost nobody else wrote about fantasy football.

I approached the Patriots for a media pass and an intern inside issued one to me on one condition; that I not tell anyone else associated with the team what I was covering because fantasy sports were considered gambling and strictly forbidden. He said he could be fired.

How times have changed. We are supposed to be getting better. Haha

 

[Triumph]

Too much Jameson?

 

[Jlaff]

Yes, there are many examples where customers are allowed to partake in things employees are not allowed.

Do you want your pilot flying the plane while drinking? And the airline sells the beverage.

I don't understand why the league is doing anything wrong. They even allow the gambling. Just not on their premises, if you are paid by them.

Why is that unreasonable?

Or your dentist masturbating while drilling out your cavity?

 

[catent]

Yes, there are many examples where customers are allowed to partake in things employees are not allowed.

Do you want your pilot flying the plane while drinking? And the airline sells the beverage.

I don't understand why the league is doing anything wrong. They even allow the gambling. Just not on their premises, if you are paid by them.

Why is that unreasonable?

Suffice to say the pilot drinking while flying isn't analogous, since alcohol impairs one, whereas placing a bet does not (directly, at least). What if the pilot was drinking a soda? Or a water? That's fine by me.

The hypocrisy is what I find most challenging to reconcile regarding all of this.

The rule - in a vacuum - seems OK on some levels. I can sympathize with - in a vacuum - the league wanting to prohibit gambling on their premises during working hours, and the general sentiment of workplace conduct, sure.

But given how wrapped up the league is with legalized gambling, the vast sponsorships, the owners role in it all ... it comes across as tremendously hypocritical and petty to suspend a player for the location in which they gambled (on a non-NFL event in which they had no conflict of interest).

 

[Family]

Suffice to say the pilot drinking while flying isn't analogous, since alcohol impairs one, whereas placing a bet does not (directly, at least).

Yeah, the issue of liability (life) vs liability (money) is different, but there still is liability.

And I don't get the references to owners investing in gambling. How is that comparable?

There is a huge difference between investing in the gambling industry, and individually placing a bet.

Although from a PR perspective I agree it's a bad look.

 

[captain stone]

Too much Jameson?

As the son of an Irish mother & father, I say: Never!

 

[VJCPatriot]

The NFL doesn't want you to just bet on the games. They want you to bet on EVERYTHING. Things you never would have even THOUGHT about. IMHO the NFL is now just an excuse to set lines. And that 800 number they give to make it seem that give a **** about their fans is cynicism at its best.

It's a money making business. What did you expect? Integrity, from Goodell?!