JFlgn;1436970 said:
Well that was one way to respond to what I said. Lifting statements away from the body and trying to shoot each down. I was just trying to have a conversation with you but it's pretty clear you just want to argue evidenced by your petty points.
I responded to statements as those were made. If any statement didn't stand alone and thus required other sentences, I grouped them together. It's easier to read that way. Otherwise you don't know which sentences in my reply are responding to which sentences in your post.
Go to any corporation that has 2,000 or more employees and consider how many of those people are struggling with multiple offenses against the law. I guarantee it's a smaller number than the NFL's employees. Furthermore, consider how those corporations would deal with such acts.
I don't know of many corporate policies that fire or suspend their employees for getting a DUI or getting into a brawl at a strip club. I'd imagine in any group of 2000 or more you'd have a similar amount of brushes with the law.
I never said no previous players in the NFL didn't break the law. It's a problem now because more continuous, comprehensive and basically invasive media coverage brings every small matter to light and at a rapid rate. The NFL being the most followed league in USA sports, everyone quickly knows when one of its employees screw up. That is why it's a problem now, in addition to the increased frequency in which players get in trouble. I named the Chargers, Pacman, Steinbach formerly of the Bengals and the Bengals as a team quickly off the top of my head as evidence from just this year. With past transgressions you mentioned Lawrence Taylor "and the like." The frequency of lawbreakers in the NFL has obviously jumped from the past and will continue to do so if the league doesn't take action.
You think it's jumped. There's really no way of knowing. As you said, the media has thrust every bad apple onto us today. Do you think at least 20-30 players during the 70s didn't get DUIs? Heck, they may not have even got arrested then. Cops may have been even more lenient on them then compare to today. We have no idea what's really going, but, please, let's not romanticize the past.
Yes the NFL only cares about it's image, but that doesn't mean it's not a problem. It's a freaking problem cuz multiple players are not once, not twice, but repeatedly breaking laws that would ruin other people's lives but doesn't even affect these players' employment or money making ability in any way. Granted they're gifted, talented, athletic players, but that doesn't mean they can brake laws others can't just because they show up strong on Sundays. It's like Varsity Blues or Friday Night Lights has gone nationa`l on a professional level.
The law provides the remedy. If they break the law, it provides the remedy. Sure, a corporation has the right to fire their employees if they reflect poorly on the corporation's image, but I'm just thinking the NFL may be about to go too far with this. There are already sufficient mechanisms in place. Conduct detrimental to the league or to a team is punishable.
Of course not every offense brings about jail time, but they do cause consequences and so far they've been consequences NFL players weren't affected by or dodged.
So, contact your local congressman to have the consequences raised.
Everyone knows a trial or case can be delayed. Again though, the frequency in which it's done for NFL players is alarming. And I thank you for bringing this up because I think it was a point real pertinent to the argument.
That's my point. It's not alarming. It can be done by anyone. In fact, most DUI lawyers use it as a tactic. They'll delay trials for as long as possible and then hope the court simply drops the charges, or when the case comes up the officer won't show for trial and the case will be dismissed. Anyone can do this. It's done every single day for normal people.
I might not have been clear on this point. I don't think crime is alright if it was just a smaller percentage of the NFL players. I think the concessions afforded to players at a smaller rate is understandable. There are some who do need second chances, third chances, etc. but at this rate is ridiculous. Not all these players made a single mistake and learned from it. They screwed up, didn't get any punishment so they did it again and again and again and will continue to do so until someone does punish them. It's become a habit with some of these players. Namely Henry and Pacman.
See, I think that if it has become that big of a problem, the team should simply cut the player. If their negatives outweigh their positives, cut the player. If I were an owner, and I wanted to hire Pacman Jones, because he's an incredible athlete and he'll make me more money, I would want to be able to hire him. I don't know all the details of what Pacman has done, but from what I've seen I think it's getting blown way out of proportion. People keep citing this "10 incidents with police" thing. Well, when I was in college, between speeding tickets, cops harrassing a fraternity party, or whatever, I was lucky if I didn't have 10 incidents with police in a 2-3 year span.
I don't know how you can say they don't get special leniency because it is clear they do time and time again. I know they earn their money, but who do they earn it from? Who gives them that cash? Ya, the NFL and it's owners so I guess one could say the NFL gives them the money. You can be a bit petty.
No, I don't see that they get any special leniency. It's entirely possible that cops are harder on police, because they want to be the cop that nailed Pacman for drugs or whatnot. Also, no the NFL doesn't give them their money. The players earn their money by working incredibly hard and by reaping larger benefits to the owners.
The legal system hasn't punished them, at least not to a point where the players consider it a reason not to break the law again. It seems the owners feel the same way but instead of asking their congressmen, they asked their commisioner. The owners, the one's writing the paychecks obviously want this because there's such overwhelming support by the league.
The legal system has punished them to the extent of the law. If you don't like the law, go talk to your congressman. Look at Tank Johnson. I believe he's sitting in a jail cell right now. When jail is an option and the legal system determines that it's the appropriate action, then jail it is. In reality, people just don't get thrown in jail for long periods of time for every little thing. You talk about guys like Steinbach. Well, if he was arrested, then he probably spent a little time in jail. If the court system thought it was necessary for him or anyone else to be in jail longer, they would have done so. The bottom line is that for a first, or even a second time offender jail time is very unlikely for anyone regardless of whether they're an NFL player. That's the judicial system. If you don't like it, contact your congressman.
Pacman has been charged countless times over the past two years. And if that weren't enough it seems the Vegas police plan to bring a felony charge against him as well as 2 misdemeanors. Dude has been on probation multiple times. More evidence that breaking the law is a habit with him.
If they bring a felony charge and he is arrested, fine. Until then, he hasn't been charged and convicted of anything sufficient to warrant significant jail time. This is the great thing about our country. Just because people like you think someone should be in jail, doesn't mean they go to jail.
As to other points not made by Theogt: I agree ChocolateLab, that's what I was trying to say with my original post to start the thread. I think some of the draftable players with previous run-ins will drop not only because of the conduct code but the timeliness in which it'll be announced. Goodell said he plans to have something in place before the draft. It will be fresh on owner's minds and I think it'll be a reason why Meriweather or Wright and players like them will drop lower than maybe they would have in previous drafts.
I don't know what's going to happen. I just think the league may be about to take it this a step too far.
