Charged!! Guilty Without A Court Date...

The Adrian Peterson case is yet another that has the look and feel of double jeopardy. The NFL "court" will have its say despite what happens in the legal process.

In the case or Ray Rice, for whatever reason the legal system gave him a get out of jail free card, the the NFL slapped his wrist supposedly because Goodell felt uncomfortable indirectly hurting the fiance/wife with more loss of income. Then the tape breaks and he in effect is out for life. What did the tape show that they actually didn't know or assume? Sounds like double jeopardy to me.

Rest assured I am not apologizing for these behaviors in the least, but at what point is the punishment meted out, you do your time and then rehabilitate?

Quote: chickenman

The Adrian Peterson case is yet another that has the look and feel of double jeopardy. The NFL "court" will have its say despite what happens in the legal process.

In the case or Ray Rice, for whatever reason the legal system gave him a get out of jail free card, the the NFL slapped his wrist supposedly because Goodell felt uncomfortable indirectly hurting the fiance/wife with more loss of income. Then the tape breaks and he in effect is out for life. What did the tape show that they actually didn't know or assume? Sounds like double jeopardy to me.

Rest assured I am not apologizing for these behaviors in the least, but at what point is the punishment meted out, you do your time and then rehabilitate?

I understand but I don't totally agree. The Ray Rice thing, and what the NFL knew and when, is very sticky. If they saw the tape and did not take the appropriate action, which the commissioner has denied, the commissioner should be fired by his employers--the owners. We'll see what Mueller comes up with on that.

The rest of the NFL's actions, while not exactly done well, are what an employer CAN do to an employee. These are not court actions; they are actions that are supposed to be in the best interest of the NFL. The commissioner and his office have a duty to the owners to protect the NFL's image. All of the suspected folks have the right to their day in court, but their right to work for the NFL and the teams is protected only by state and federal laws and the CBA.

I had an employee that I sent home (with pay) one day to think about his desire to continue working with us as his attitude had become a huge issue that we could not resolve in any other way. He argued loudly with the owner after he was asked to stop--a long time after. I really thought that was the right thing at the time it happened, but I realized that I was wrong. I called the owner and told him that the person had to go for that offense and many others. I let him go the next day. He now has a good job and I have a more peaceful work place.

Maybe I didn't handle it right, but just like the NFL, I had the right to do what was done under the laws of the land regarding employment in this state. The NFL has those same rights and it isn't double jeopardy. Sometimes situations need to be reevaluated and more appropriate actions taken. No one has the "right" to play in the NFL.

Quote: chickenman

Rest assured I am not apologizing for these behaviors in the least, but at what point is the punishment meted out, you do your time and then rehabilitate?

It is a tricky issue. NFL players are not officers of the team, but in a sense they are as far as that they are in the public eye and when they screw up the entire team looks bad. You can say this is right or wrong, but this is the case. Perhaps the answer is to change the CBA and standardize the punishments and what triggers them.

For example, if you get arraigned and held for trial for a misdemeanor you get a 4 game suspension for the first offense and you are banned from playing for life on the second. If you get the same for a felony you are suspended until trial is over. End of story.

Part of the problem might be that if you have too many people who grew up impoverished in the NFL they may think of such a brush with the law as part of life. In a white, middle to upper-class neighborhood if you get picked up for beating your kid you are going to be shunned. If you call in from jail to work stating you are arrested and held for bail then your career may end or at least is in peril. Chances are you do not know many if any people who have been arrested or had negative issues with the law beyond traffic tickets.

OTOH, this is not the case in a lower-class, black neighborhood. Currently, at any given time 1 in 40 blacks are in prison vs. about 1 in 200 for whites. Say you double it or so to account for people in and released and it is 1 in 20. Then remember many people beat the case or plea to probation. You are probably getting to the point that 1 in 10-15 blacks has had a "more than a traffic ticket" issue with the law. Take that men are far more likely to be in trouble than women and take the lower end of that range, you are at 1 in 10.

At the point of 1 in 10 it starts to be "no big deal" to many in the population. So you get more and more of this behavior.

Just my thought.

Agree that employer's right, especially under the CBA and individual contracts that expressly accept these rights. I just am more than ambivalent on the very gray and uneven handling, particularly when the charges are still allegations. Guilty until proven innocent just doesn't make it.

Quote: RonC

Maybe I didn't handle it right, but just like the NFL, I had the right to do what was done under the laws of the land regarding employment in this state. The NFL has those same rights and it isn't double jeopardy. Sometimes situations need to be reevaluated and more appropriate actions taken. No one has the "right" to play in the NFL.

So many people, however, think people do have that right. I forget who the guy was who got banned from the NCAA for IIRC gambling. He wanted to enter the NFL at age 19 or 20. The NFL said a flat "NO" as the want you to be 3 years out of high school to play because your body is still developing at that age and if a 19 year old goes against a 24 year old there is a dangerous body mismatch.

He sued and a guy at work said, "he has a right to make a living." I would reply that he does, so he can go get a job. He just is not allowed in the NFL yet. The other guy just did not get it.

Quote: RonC

Sometimes situations need to be reevaluated and more appropriate actions taken. No one has the "right" to play in the NFL.

Can't disagree with that.

Facts: Rice suspended 2 games for first (presumably) offense under this aspect of personal conduct policy.
In August, NFL adopts tougher stance after much criticism of light penalty and changes policy to 6 games for first offense, lifetime ban for subsequent
September 8th the second video released by TMZ.
Setting aside who knew what and when did they know it, NFL bans Rice indefinitely.
Ravens fire him.

All very inconsistent and disturbing.

Again, not taking any sides here, but there are lots of moving parts. Chances are no team would give him a second chance even after he would come off x-games suspension given the lightening rod this has become. Coaches, owners, players all would feel uncomfortable and fear backlash. Renders some of the penalty aspects moot.

Quote: chickenman

Again, not taking any sides here, but there are lots of moving parts. Chances are no team would give him a second chance even after he would come off x-games suspension given the lightening rod this has become. Coaches, owners, players all would feel uncomfortable and fear backlash. Renders some of the penalty aspects moot.

I can see the Raiders, Cowboys, or maybe Jets taking a chance on him. There are always a few teams who do not care about character.

Quote: AZDuffman

I can see the Raiders, Cowboys, or maybe Jets taking a chance on him. There are always a few teams who do not care about character.

He can maybe get elected to office and go that way. They don't seem to exclude criminals, look at D.C.

Quote: AZDuffman

I can see the Raiders, Cowboys, or maybe Jets taking a chance on him. There are always a few teams who do not care about character.

Or try to reform them... (see Eagles, Pats)

Seems profootball doesn't have a good union. Really they don't even protect themselves letting a guy get suspended an entire year for marijuana. Some of this stuff seems stupid they agree to quite frankly. I don't waste time on sports so don't really care too much.