OT: The Pittsburgher Thread: Steelers need a new ball thrower for the handball game thingy

[Buddy Bizarre]

Let’s see if the NFL ups the suspension at all. I think this was just the decision from the third part judge.

If it does end up being six games that’s an absolute joke though. The NFL - where smoking weed is just as bad and sometimes worse than being a serial sexual predator.

Well I'd argue what is "better/worse" from an NFL's perspective is what is put in the media.

Remember- the NFL's security team had video of Ray Rice knocking out his GF for MONTHS. Only until did that video become public did they issue a suspension. None was forthcoming and the NFL originally declared it a "police matter"

 

[EvGeno]

Wow, 6 games? That’s, uh…geez.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Watson got suspended because of the bad PR he brought on the NFL, not because they give a crap about what he did.

The NFL is a virtue signaling organization. They don't give a crap about any cause they promote, they just do it for the money.

 

[Pens1566]

Awful decision on Watson if it holds. Just can't defend the inconsistency between that and other personal conduct findings.

On the QB situation ... if the plan all along was to bring in a FA fringe starter (Trubisky) and keep MR on the roster, then why draft the "most NFL ready" guy that's 24/25 with not much more of a ceiling to develop??? Barring injury, he won't even be on a game day roster. The logic on this is baffling.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Awful decision on Watson if it holds. Just can't defend the inconsistency between that and other personal conduct findings.

On the QB situation ... if the plan all along was to bring in a FA fringe starter (Trubisky) and keep MR on the roster, then why draft the "most NFL ready" guy that's 24/25 with not much more of a ceiling to develop??? Barring injury, he won't even be on a game day roster. The logic on this is baffling.

I think they're only holding onto Rudolph in the hope that someone will give up something for him. Maybe a team gets desperate when their QB competition in camp looks like shit and they throw the Steelers a pick for him.

 

[MrBrightside]

Awful decision on Watson if it holds. Just can't defend the inconsistency between that and other personal conduct findings.

On the QB situation ... if the plan all along was to bring in a FA fringe starter (Trubisky) and keep MR on the roster, then why draft the "most NFL ready" guy that's 24/25 with not much more of a ceiling to develop??? Barring injury, he won't even be on a game day roster. The logic on this is baffling.

To be fair, this wasn't the NFL making this decision. This was an outside arbitrator negotiated as part of the new CBA. We'll see what the NFL does now, but to compare this ruling to prior NFL discipline is apples to oranges at this point.

 

[ChaosAgent]

The arbitrator has ruled. Watson may be a POS but I have no desire to see Goodell overstep again.

This also is his first strike so if it happens again there is a precedent for something far more severe.

Someone was always going to be upset about this ruling but this process was fine. Ultimately Watson was not found guilty in any court of law. Payoff or not.

 

[Peat]

Watson got suspended because of the bad PR he brought on the NFL, not because they give a crap about what he did.

The NFL is a virtue signaling organization. They don't give a crap about any cause they promote, they just do it for the money.

You're not wrong, but this is still astonishingly low for the bad PR he brought (and this judgment will bring).

Even with full cynicism about the league, I'd be surprised if they don't appeal this.

 

[Pens1566]

To be fair, this wasn't the NFL making this decision. This was an outside arbitrator negotiated as part of the new CBA. We'll see what the NFL does now, but to compare this ruling to prior NFL discipline is apples to oranges at this point.

It's a good distinction, but do you really see the league doing anything more than the arbitration decision??? I think it'll be a "well, the CBA mandated process came to this conclusion so ..." and then wash their hands of it.

 

[Pens1566]

I think they're only holding onto Rudolph in the hope that someone will give up something for him. Maybe a team gets desperate when their QB competition in camp looks like shit and they throw the Steelers a pick for him.

I think that's likely what they're thinking, but still not a great scenario to base your 1st rd pick on. Especially when the possible return for MR is going to be minimal at best.

 

[TNT87]

Deshaun Watson's suspension drama might not be over: QB's ban could get lengthened if NFL decides to appeal

The NFL is allowed to appeal the decision and that could be a bad thing for the Browns QB

www.cbssports.com

 

[Empoleon8771]

You're not wrong, but this is still astonishingly low for the bad PR he brought (and this judgment will bring).

Even with full cynicism about the league, I'd be surprised if they don't appeal this.

I'm of two minds with the appeal:

1. The NFL clearly wanted him suspended for longer. I think they wanted to give him at least a year and likely wanted to make it indefinite.
2. If the NFL decides to override the independent judge, it will just raise the question of "why even hire the judge if you were going to overrule them?". I can easily just see the NFL rolling over and saying "we can't do anything about it", and just wait for it to blow over in the media.

The NFL should overrule the judge and slap him with a larger suspension, but there is going to be blowback to that as well. I don't know that the NFL has the spine to override the judge and suspend him for longer.

 

[ImporterExporter]

The league didn't want anything to do with making this ruling and now they end up looking awful anyway.

6 games is a f***ing joke. Especially considering the asinine suspensions and fines they've handed out for far less egregious situations.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Pickett working ahead of Rudolph now that they’re in pads it seems

 

[bigdaddyk88]

I'm of two minds with the appeal:

1. The NFL clearly wanted him suspended for longer. I think they wanted to give him at least a year and likely wanted to make it indefinite.
2. If the NFL decides to override the independent judge, it will just raise the question of "why even hire the judge if you were going to overrule them?". I can easily just see the NFL rolling over and saying "we can't do anything about it", and just wait for it to blow over in the media.

The NFL should overrule the judge and slap him with a larger suspension, but there is going to be blowback to that as well. I don't know that the NFL has the spine to override the judge and suspend him for longer.

The players wanted an arbitrator because of the Elliot Brady suspension since the league investigator recommended no suspension for Zeek and he still got 8. The players still understand that the commissioner has final say and they will want him to suspend Watson longer

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

I'm of two minds with the appeal:

1. The NFL clearly wanted him suspended for longer. I think they wanted to give him at least a year and likely wanted to make it indefinite.
2. If the NFL decides to override the independent judge, it will just raise the question of "why even hire the judge if you were going to overrule them?". I can easily just see the NFL rolling over and saying "we can't do anything about it", and just wait for it to blow over in the media.

The NFL should overrule the judge and slap him with a larger suspension, but there is going to be blowback to that as well. I don't know that the NFL has the spine to override the judge and suspend him for longer.

The interesting thing to me is that there's barely been a major media storm about this. So the NFL isn't going to be raked over the coals for this regardless of the final outcome.

 

[dogthateats]

It’s not like he smoked weed

 

[Allie Kitsune]

It’s not like he smoked weed

Or gambled.

 

[MrBrightside]

 

[MrBrightside]

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Dang.

Count me as someone who still thinks he can establish himself. Always liked his game.

 

[Al Smith]

Dang.

Count me as someone who still thinks he can establish himself. Always liked his game.

I don't know if he's got much more upside than he showed here, but he seems like a good dude and I'm sorry to see him get hurt.

 

[Peat]

Yeah, guy can't catch a break.


In other news, not exactly shocked that Pickett working with the 2nd team and Rudolph with the 3rd flipped some of the results.

 

[Victor Z]

This also is his first strike so if it happens again there is a precedent for something far more severe.

More like "This also is his first 24 strikes so...."

 

[Night Shift]

Clowns first losing season coming up....no more Ben to bail him out of 8-8 or 8-8-1