Trade: [CLE/HOU] Deshaun Watson (signs 5 years, $230M) and 2024 5th for 2022, 2023, and 2024 1sts, 2023 3rd, 2024 4th

[misterchainsaw]

Watson absolutely can take it to federal court, and the amount of mud that they will sling at Kraft and Snyder and unequal punishments will be ugly. Now, it could eventually get thrown out, but Watson and Rusty Hardin can go nuclear if they want.

The PA (and thus, Watson) has no leg to stand on. They agreed to the CBA that says Goodell is the final say on any appeal. It would be instantly laughed out of the courtroom. They could go to the media all they wanted, but then they could do that now, too.

EDIT: Also, I shouldn't have to say this, but whataboutism wouldn't be allowed in a court of law, even if there was some way Watson could claim he was not being treated as the CBA dictated he should be; owners are not bound by the CBA - it's an apples to oranges comparison.

 

[93LEAFS]

The PA (and thus, Watson) has no leg to stand on. They agreed to the CBA that says Goodell is the final say on any appeal. It would be instantly laughed out of the courtroom. They could go to the media all they wanted, but then they could do that now, too.

EDIT: Also, I shouldn't have to say this, but whataboutism wouldn't be allowed in a court of law, even if there was some way Watson could claim he was not being treated as the CBA dictated he should be; owners are not bound by the CBA - it's an apples to oranges comparison.

NFLPA’s Deshaun Watson Defense Will Target Three Prominent Owners, per Report - Sports Illustrated

Whether the Browns QB will face a fine, a suspension or no punishment after the league’s investigation into the misconduct allegations is unknown.

www.si.com

The argument reportedly is that the punishment of an unpaid suspension would not be proportional when comparing the three owners to the quarterback. As written in the policy: “Ownership and club or league management have traditionally been held to a higher standard and will be subject to more significant discipline when violations of the Personal Conduct Policy occur.”

That quote is right from the league's own conduct policy which would become an issue and not make it whataboutism.

 

[Voight]

You really think so?

This will be the major story of the season

NFL has dealt with worse situations before and even the really bad stuff falls out of the news cycle.

IMO it'll be a major story the week before his first game back and after that we won't hear much about it.

 

[Sniper99]

If you're a Texans fan, are you not tossing all your apparel of theirs and ditching them completely after all the settlements they made? Was one thing to have BOB ruin your roster with his trades, now this crap with Watson.

 

[SirClintonPortis]

If you're a Texans fan, are you not tossing all your apparel of theirs and ditching them completely after all the settlements they made? Was one thing to have BOB ruin your roster with his trades, now this crap with Watson.

Texans might have given the green light to let Buzbee file just so Watson couldn't NBA his way out of Houston....
Only thing is, the Texans grotesquely miscalculated their own incompetence and suckitude on the field.

Ironically, if both Watson and the Texans weren't trying to make power plays against each other....all of this would have remained under the radar with no media attention.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Deshaun got off easy. 6 games?

He certainly did, all over massage parlors everywhere.

 

[LightningStorm]

Wish this obvious creep would've gotten suspended the whole season, but 6 games was what I guessed would happen.

That was "payback" for Spygate..... i.e a lot of the owners thought he went to easy on Kraft back in 2007, so this was his way at getting back at him.

Ha I've said the exact same thing all along. Goodell came off as vindictive towards the Pats after the deflated footballs. I always viewed it as him being angry that they committed more violations after he went easy on them (and possibly helped cover up by destroying tapes) for Spygate. It was like he was retroactively punishing them for that, as he must've believed the 2nd offense meant he let the Pats off too light for Spygate. I mean the 2 scandals weren't even remotely close in severity, yet the less severe one got the bigger punishment. Goodell definitely came off as having the former at the forefront when punishing them for the latter.

 

[SirClintonPortis]

Wish this obvious creep would've gotten suspended the whole season, but 6 games was what I guessed would happen.

Ha I've said the exact same thing all along. Goodell came off as vindictive towards the Pats after the deflated footballs. I always viewed it as him being angry that they committed more violations after he went easy on them (and possibly helped cover up by destroying tapes) for Spygate. It was like he was retroactively punishing them for that, as he must've believed the 2nd offense meant he let the Pats off too light for Spygate. I mean the 2 scandals weren't even remotely close in severity, yet the less severe one got the bigger punishment. Goodell definitely came off as having the former at the forefront when punishing them for the latter.

First time offenders(unless it's an egregious open-and-shut felony case) do get off easy in the real legal system too. Give them a little probation and if they behave, they're free.

 

[BB88]

NFL has dealt with worse situations before and even the really bad stuff falls out of the news cycle.

IMO it'll be a major story the week before his first game back and after that we won't hear much about it.

You really think this won’t be the major story in every Browns game?


In this current climate this is the worst possible look for NFL

 

[Voight]

You really think this won’t be the major story in every Browns game?


In this current climate this is the worst possible look for NFL

Nope, people have short attention spans. & its not like hes a convicted sex offender or murderer.

 

[chicagoskycam]

He's getting off easy with the number of complaints against him. Just wait for the tell-all doc with several of the victims. These things tend to be worse when all the details come out.

 

[BB88]

Nope, people have short attention spans. & its not like hes a convicted sex offender or murderer.

I don’t know where you have lived the past few years if you believe this.

Every opposing teams fan will remember this, lot of non NFL fans will keep reminding from this.

It would be a fiasco for NFL if the Browns go far

 

[SirClintonPortis]

Nope, people have short attention spans. & its not like hes a convicted sex offender or murderer.

The media usually kills the story themselves, and Cleveland is not normally a team that makes national news.

 

[thefutures]

Big Ben raped some girls and got to play. Ppl will get over it.

 

[BB88]

Insane

 

[John Price]

NFL Fans are very upset over Deshawn Watson getting 6 games -- All Roger Goodell has to do is add on more games to the suspension, AND WE'RE HAPPY! Do it Roger, this is a time for extreme courage!

 

[Troy McClure]

NFL Fans are very upset over Deshawn Watson getting 6 games -- All Roger Goodell has to do is add on more games to the suspension, AND WE'RE HAPPY! Do it Roger, this is a time for extreme courage!

Wish you'd apply this same anger about men mistreating women when it comes to the owner of your favorite team.

 

[93LEAFS]

Officially getting appealed. If they add more than 2 games and fines they are going to federal court.

 

[Troy McClure]

Officially getting appealed. If they add more than 2 games and fines they are going to federal court.

Does the NFL CBA limit how much a player can be fined the same way the NHL does?

 

[Marc the Habs Fan]

 

[93LEAFS]

Does the NFL CBA limit how much a player can be fined the same way the NHL does?

I believe so, but I can't find the numbers for what they are in regards to the Personal Conduct Policy.

 

[misterchainsaw]

The statement Robinson made in the initial findings that Watson's "pattern of conduct is more egregious than any before reviewed by the NFL" gives the NFL plenty of cover to add pretty much whatever they want to the suspension. The factual findings were largely in the NFL's favor. Watson is not going to win in court.

 

[pockets]

Can’t wait for Goodell to appoint himself to hear the appeal and then the following shit show when he gives Watson a year long suspension.

 

[Troy McClure]

I believe so, but I can't find the numbers for what they are in regards to the Personal Conduct Policy.

I found the answer. There are caps for how much players can be fined for things happening related to games (big hits, uniform violations, etc.), but there is no limit for fines falling under the personal conduct policy. So the league could try to slap Watson with a huge fine.

 

[BB88]

The statement Robinson made in the initial findings that Watson's "pattern of conduct is more egregious than any before reviewed by the NFL" gives the NFL plenty of cover to add pretty much whatever they want to the suspension. The factual findings were largely in the NFL's favor. Watson is not going to win in court.

NFL’s past behavior put them on a terrible situation vs Watson.

They won the case but past acts/current laws didn’t really allow a full year suspension