NFL - Player punishment and liability

[Verdict]

There are lots of posts about Zeke's punishment and the case or lack thereof against him by the NFL. While this thread includes the Zeke issue, and Zeke's punishment is a significant piece of the puzzle, that is not really the point of this thread. I am looking at this particular thread in terms of the NFL's own conduct, own evaluation of their role in discipline, and potential liability arising out of the same.

First off we must consider bias. The NFL certainly appears to be on a witch hunt for Zeke, but to what end? The NFL, as an entity, really should want to stay as far away from controversy as possible. I get it that there is the domestic violence aspect of the Zeke investigation, but there is also a player side of things and how the league decisions impact the product in terms of fairness, due process and competitive balance.

In reality the league would have been MUCH better off having Henderson vacate the suspension of Zeke. Too many bad things can happen to the league out of this investigation, including civil liability, a black eye publicly, and potential curtailment of the Emperor Goodell's power by the court system.

Obviously, the NFL league office suspended Zeke in spite of the lack of evidence, and more importantly, in complete and total disregard of protecting its self from substantial liability and exposure. So why do it? What is the motivation for the league office?

Either there is more to the Zeke case than the league has disclosed (but why not disclose it if that is the case), or maybe the league office is saturated with a group of people with personality disorders who have let power go to their heads.

The motivation behind this suspension is just way too out there for any rational explanation, unless they just have some sort of God complex, an agenda, or I guess just plain corruption is a possibility.

Let's hear your take on the foregoing.

 

[Cowboys22]

It's simple and I've explained it numerous times. Roger Goodell came within an inch of losing his $44 million a year NFL job when the Ray Rice video hit the internet. In the aftermath, he was shunned in the NY liberal social scene and viciously attacked by left wing victim groups and the media. He choose to go way overboard in response to appease these groups so he hired a bunch of them to head up his new DV investigative wing. The people he hired and put in charge see victims everywhere. They never met an accuser they didn't believe. It would be like hiring Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson to investigate claims of racism. So they put a tough new DV policy in place and what happens? The first abuser to step to the plate was none other than the placekicker for the beloved NY Giants. A few unexplained mitigating circumstances later Josh Brown is given a 1game suspension by a life long Giants fan and season ticket holder and the crap hits the fan again. To sweep it under the rug, everyone agrees to put him on the exemption lists when the heat starts to come down again. So here comes Zeke with his bad boy party image and they simply decide he is the high profile example that have been waiting for and with those in charge stacked with Giants fans and victim advocates, he never stood a chance. Evidence didn't matter. They took 13 months hoping to find some real evidence but when it never came, they simply ignored what didn't fit and believed what did and here we are.

 

[thisiscowboyscountry]

I know some disagree, but unless a player uses performance enhancing drugs, or is convicted of a crime the NFL should stay out of these matters. It creates a poor fan and team experience undermining the main objective of why the NFL is in business. The NFLPA is certainly at fault for giving the league that much power agreeing to a broad personal conduct policy. As a result the NFL pretty much makes it up as they go with little consistency.

Something has to change and even if Zeke has to serve a suspension I hope it's one he'll of a fight that brings about change in how the NFL handles future cases.

 

[TheHerd]

Another side is the threats from the congress at removing the permanent anti-trust exemption and requiring the league to renew every 5 years after the Rice incident.

One of my very own reps played a part in that threat. After the Giant kicker was basically given a pass, there were more rumblings, so I think they may play a part as well.

The fact that all of this could have been avoided if the suspension letter hadn't used the woman abuser wording leads me to believe it was important for them to have that designation in the suspension at all costs.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

The NFL is becoming as bad as FIFA with its corruption. I would like to think that the owners don't want this. There are many owners I don't care for, but I never thought they were flat out crooked and that's what the NFL and its owners are looking like at this moment.

In the end, I don't see this ending well. The players are fed up with Goodell and they look at Goodell as speaking on the behalf of the owners. So now they don't trust the owners and a work stoppage is likely inevitable. Even if the players get more revenue sharing their distrust of Goodell will be that they want even more.

Of course, the owners deserve some of this blame as well as they clearly sandbagged the players with future endorsement deals they had lined up.




YR

 

[xwalker]

There are lots of posts about Zeke's punishment and the case or lack thereof against him by the NFL. While this thread includes the Zeke issue, and Zeke's punishment is a significant piece of the puzzle, that is not really the point of this thread. I am looking at this particular thread in terms of the NFL's own conduct, own evaluation of their role in discipline, and potential liability arising out of the same.

First off we must consider bias. The NFL certainly appears to be on a witch hunt for Zeke, but to what end? The NFL, as an entity, really should want to stay as far away from controversy as possible. I get it that there is the domestic violence aspect of the Zeke investigation, but there is also a player side of things and how the league decisions impact the product in terms of fairness, due process and competitive balance.

In reality the league would have been MUCH better off having Henderson vacate the suspension of Zeke. Too many bad things can happen to the league out of this investigation, including civil liability, a black eye publicly, and potential curtailment of the Emperor Goodell's power by the court system.

Obviously, the NFL league office suspended Zeke in spite of the lack of evidence, and more importantly, in complete and total disregard of protecting its self from substantial liability and exposure. So why do it? What is the motivation for the league office?

Either there is more to the Zeke case than the league has disclosed (but why not disclose it if that is the case), or maybe the league office is saturated with a group of people with personality disorders who have let power go to their heads.

The motivation behind this suspension is just way too out there for any rational explanation, unless they just have some sort of God complex, an agenda, or I guess just plain corruption is a possibility.

Let's hear your take on the foregoing.

I do not really know how much is intentional actions by the NFL as a group and how much is individual incompetence and bias.

I think @Cowboys22 might be fairly accurate

Keep in mind the vast majority of people only see the results and don't know or care about the details.

When most people's Grandmother hears on the news that a Cowboys player got suspended for DV, then she'll think the NFL is serious about the issue.

On the other hand if said Grandmother hears Zeke cleared of DV punishment, then she'll think it's another rich athlete getting by with something and the NFL is enabling him.

 

[fishspill]

The NFL loves playing up these issues that don't involve their money because the more issues the players want adjusted in the next contract negotiation the more the owners can leverage those issues for a bigger piece of the revenue pie.

 

[Myboys]

I know some disagree, but unless a player uses performance enhancing drugs, or is convicted of a crime the NFL should stay out of these matters. It creates a poor fan and team experience undermining the main objective of why the NFL is in business. The NFLPA is certainly at fault for giving the league that much power agreeing to a broad personal conduct policy. As a result the NFL pretty much makes it up as they go with little consistency.

Something has to change and even if Zeke has to serve a suspension I hope it's one he'll of a fight that brings about change in how the NFL handles future cases.

I totally agree with you.

 

[csirl]

The NFLs relationship with any player lasts for the short few years of the players career.

The NFLs relationship with any fan can last a lifetime.

For every player in the league, there are loads of people who'd like to take his place.

For every potential fan there are loads of other sports, pastimes and TV shows competing for his/her spare time.

So the NFL will always make the decision it thinks will liked by most potential fans. The players have no real power because of this.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

I have no issue with the league suspending for DV. As long as you have actual proof, and evidence, of said DV.

Someone just saying it happened is not good enough.

Hell I'm all for the suspensions being even greater, if it's proven the guy actually did commit DV. I have no issue with that what so ever.

But suspending based on just some one saying it happened, and apparently no other real evidence is stupid and quite frankly comes off as completely fake.