Why is the NFL committing suicide?

[Ghost12]

I honestly wonder if that's what this is all about.

The NFLPA is going to be so focused on these issues that they likely give up money or give in to 18 games in exchange for getting Goodell off their backs and doing away with testing for Weed.

I think this is exactly it. The league is going to abuse article 46 because they can, and use it as a bargaining chip in 2020. They will make the players give up something in order to change it.

 

[Doomsday]

That's not a realistic solution. Look at the crapstorm that hit the NFL over Ray Rice. Yes, Rice was arrested, but he never went to trial and was never found guilty of anything. In fact, very few of these cases actually do make it to trial.

There was video of Ray Rice that the NFL buried, that is why they were hit with a crapstorm.

He also took a plea and with the video it is clear he was guilty.

That is not even close to being the case with Zeke.

 

[xwalker]

I think this is exactly it. The league is going to abuse article 46 because they can, and use it as a bargaining chip in 2020. They will make the players give up something in order to change it.

That's why other owners freaked when Jerry said something publically about needing to reconsider the rules about testing for weed.

 

[AbeBeta]

Owners needs to show they have balz, it's my stadium, it's my sideline, it's my uniform, I pay your salary...Do your stupid dumb snoflake bs outside of working hrs, Ty! So far I have yet to see this unfortunately and I cannot understand why. Stop the coddling...

Owners do have balls. Many of them are supporting their players by allowing them to make statements.

 

[Ghost12]

There was video of Ray Rice that the NFL buried, that is why they were hit with a crapstorm.

He also took a plea and with the video it is clear he was guilty.

That is not even close to being the case with Zeke.

I didn't say that was the case with Elliott, I am just responding to an argument I see a lot of people make. A lot of people say the NFL shouldn't suspend anyone who hasn't been found guilty in a court of law. That solution is simply not realistic in today's climate, and Ray Rice is a perfect example of why not.

BTW, technically speaking, Ray Rice did not take a plea. Technically, he pleaded not guilty and his charges were dropped. He has no convictions or pleas on his record.

 

[xwalker]

I admit, the Ray Rice situation was a little different. You didn't need to investigate that case to watch Rice knock out his fiance in the elevator. But if an investigation is needed to determine wrongdoing let the experts do it. The NFL has proven to be both incompetent and impartial when trying to conduct their own.

At least create an independent group to administer discipline. Have both the NFL and NFLPA oversee the group in terms of who they hire to do it.

The current setup with Goodell in charge of discipline is like having a game where the home team hires the refs.

 

[Idgit]

Topic of the thread here is how the NFL is running it's league. Please don't mistake the topic for an invitation to discuss politics, what's wrong with America, or wrong with society in general. Some of those things may or may not play into why the NFL is bleeding itself out, but keep them in that context, please.

 

[xwalker]

I didn't say that was the case with Elliott, I am just responding to an argument I see a lot of people make. A lot of people say the NFL shouldn't suspend anyone who hasn't been found guilty in a court of law. That solution is simply not realistic in today's climate, and Ray Rice is a perfect example of why not.

BTW, technically speaking, Ray Rice did not take a plea. Technically, he pleaded not guilty and his charges were dropped. He has no convictions or pleas on his record.

Agree; however, they could have rules and procedures that are tied to the legal system. The current system has no real rules. Goodell just makes up the rules as they go along.

The legal system should finish their their process before the NFL imposes penalties. With the current system sometimes the penalties come before the trial and sometimes after.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

I hardly think the NFL is killing itself with the Zeke case. Fans have to think of the big picture here. For as many fans that there are that think the NFL looks shady in this deal, there are more that don't think Zeke is clean in this, or simply don't care at all.

The NFL may be hurting itself in some ways, but the Zeke case really isn't one of them.

It isn't just Zeke. It's all the suspensions. More and more every year. Enough is enough.

 

[Screw The Hall]

At least create an independent group to administer discipline. Have both the NFL and NFLPA oversee the group in terms of who they hire to do it.

The current setup with Goodell in charge of discipline is like having a game where the home team hires the refs.

That's another side of the problem. The administering of the discipline certainly needs to be done on a more balanced and transparent platform. I love the idea of an independent committee which includes ownership and players as well as other impartial entities. It still all starts with the information that is gathered to administer that discipline though.They have to rely on the experts to conduct these investigations because their own will always pale in comparison in both accuracy and impartiality no matter how much they improve at it.

 

[Screw The Hall]

I didn't say that was the case with Elliott, I am just responding to an argument I see a lot of people make. A lot of people say the NFL shouldn't suspend anyone who hasn't been found guilty in a court of law. That solution is simply not realistic in today's climate, and Ray Rice is a perfect example of why not.

BTW, technically speaking, Ray Rice did not take a plea. Technically, he pleaded not guilty and his charges were dropped. He has no convictions or pleas on his record.

Your point was well made. There are extenuating circumstances, such as in the Ray Rice case, where a conviction shouldn't be the only criteria that discipline is based upon. What I really want to see is the NFL get out of the investigative part of the process to the degree they are involved now. They are like the Keystone Cops in this area when experts are already in place to this part of the job.

 

[Aven8]

It isn't just Zeke. It's all the suspensions. More and more every year. Enough is enough.

My problem is people such as Gordon and Gregory are essentially blackballed now. They are treated as if they are criminals and have committed murder or something. I realize it's the rules, but it's a ludicrous rule.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

I didn't say that was the case with Elliott, I am just responding to an argument I see a lot of people make. A lot of people say the NFL shouldn't suspend anyone who hasn't been found guilty in a court of law. That solution is simply not realistic in today's climate, and Ray Rice is a perfect example of why not.

BTW, technically speaking, Ray Rice did not take a plea. Technically, he pleaded not guilty and his charges were dropped. He has no convictions or pleas on his record.

There is also a video tape of him doing it. Unless there is absolute proof the NFL should but out until the legal process is finished.

 

[Ghost12]

There is also a video tape of him doing it. Unless there is absolute proof the NFL should but out until the legal process is finished.

This would be another PR nightmare. The notion that the NFL says it's ok to beat women so long as you don't get caught on video doing it would not fly in today's climate.

I have no problem with people of good faith acting on the preponderance of evidence. Problem is the current system does not have people of good faith operating things.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

This would be another PR nightmare. The notion that the NFL says it's ok to beat women so long as you don't get caught on video doing it would not fly in today's climate.

I have no problem with people of good faith acting on the preponderance of evidence. Problem is the current system does not have people of good faith operating things.

That isn't what they'd be saying. They'd be saying you're innocent until proven guilty which is what this country is supposed to be about. Any woman that wants revenge can claim abuse now and the player has no way to defend himself against the charge.

 

[Nightman]

I didn't say that was the case with Elliott, I am just responding to an argument I see a lot of people make. A lot of people say the NFL shouldn't suspend anyone who hasn't been found guilty in a court of law. That solution is simply not realistic in today's climate, and Ray Rice is a perfect example of why not.

BTW, technically speaking, Ray Rice did not take a plea. Technically, he pleaded not guilty and his charges were dropped. He has no convictions or pleas on his record.

You don't need a conviction if there is a confession and/or video....Rice and his fiance both testified fully to the NFL

Like you said he also took a plea deal to enter a pre-trial diversion program and was on probation for a year...... that is more than Greg Hardy got(people confused his Bench Trial with an actual verdict)

What most are saying is that there has to be charges at the minimum and then some kind of judicial outcome......either a confession, a plea deal, a conviction, PBJ, a settlement before the NFL can impose discipline

 

[Fritsch_the_cat]

I don't celebrate touchdowns anymore, I start looking for flags or wondering if instant replay will reverse the play. Kickoffs and punt returns should just be removed from the game, a flag on every damn one of them it seems.

As for the political stuff, the NFL is entertainment and in entertainment you must know your audience. The NFL audience is working class blue collar types, not SJWs.

 

[Ghost12]

That isn't what they'd be saying. They'd be saying you're innocent until proven guilty which is what this country is supposed to be about. Any woman that wants revenge can claim abuse now and the player has no way to defend himself against the charge.

Well, like I said several times, Ray Rice was never proven guilty - at least not in a court of law. And if your response is "well, that's different because there is footage for all to see" then you've created an untenable position in today's climate because you've created a situation where, so long as there is no footage, different rules apply.

 

[ShortRound]

So glad politics aren't allowed on CZ.

 

[rags747]

Owners do have balls. Many of them are supporting their players by allowing them to make statements.

BS, Guaranteed I cannot make a statement in front of where I work at IBM CHQ...I would be escorted from the property so fast with no questions asked. You want to make a statement do it on your own time not mine. And no I do not believe the owners are allowing the players to make a statement, they are just all too afraid to confront the issue. Common sense needs to rule here and currently it is not.