Enough is enough, when are people going to start pushing back against the NFL and star athletes?

[Buffalo03]

2 hours ago, Niagara Dude said:

Not a whole season but better then 6 games and he paid out fines and settlements. Not making excuses for Watson because he sounds like a scumbag but the reality is this happens all the time. I am sure the Browns checked with league offices about potential penalties before they awarded him the highest guaranteed contract ever and sent out huge draft capital.

The fact that he paid out fines and settlements means nothing. It doesn't admit guilt. He could have just wanted them off his back to move on with life. The quicker he paid them off the sooner it wasn't hanging over his head anymore. He would have had to go through a long lengthy court process which would have taken up a bunch of time and a bunch of court costs and I'm sure he figured settling was the best way to just end everything. It does not mean an admission of guilt at all. He was never charged with crimes and 2 grand juries threw the case out. I think 11 games with a $ 5 million dollar fine on something there was absolutely no proof at all happened is fine. It's not like Joe Mixon who punched a woman in her face in a restaurant and knocked her out when he was in college which was actually caught on camera. And Mixon never did a single day of suspension for that and he shouldn't even be allowed to play in the league if you ask me. He literally inflicted physical harm on a female and nothing came of it

Edited August 20, 2022 by Buffalo03

[mjd1001]

It is enough, I agree.

But as fans, if we keep going to the games and watching on TV, it doesn't matter.  The NFL can say or do what they want, the athletes can put out any statement they want, but not much changes if the dollars keep coming in.  Nothing new there.

Personally, many things about the NFL have worn me down, including this.   I don't buy tickets for the games anymore.  I watch less of it on TV (including the Bills). I cannot even remember the last time I bought an NFL product (shirt, cap, video game, etc). I just don't do it anymore.   I do watch MOST bills games, and I do watch a couple other NFL games per month but that is it. 

Part of the reason I am not into it as much as before is I have pretty much seen everything in a game I think I will ever see and not much is new. But the high salaries, the issues you brought up about players/owners getting away with stuff.....those things matter to me.  However, I haven't seen to totally give up on watching or following the sport. I just do it less than I used to.

[Simon Says]

1 hour ago, Tipster19 said:

I don’t want to get into an argument with you or anyone else, you have the right to have your opinion and I’ll respect that but you don’t know me so don’t come back about me having fake outrage. I’ll say this, if I were to witness sexual assault on a woman I wouldn’t stand there and look the other way, I can promise you that. 
 

You werent THERE for those 24 incidents so ,that's an empty type of indignation. What would you have been doing there,anyway???

The NFL followed the CBA in this case so nothing will change unless the next agreement takes a stronger stance on player(mis)- behavior.

 

8 hours ago, Tipster19 said:

Hey, as long as this continues with some athletes being treated as above the law and the NFL just slaps their hand then the NFL and it’s “employees” will never have to clean up their act. Politics, we see it in our government and we see it in our sports, these athletes have gotten way out of control. As outrageous as this has become imagine if it were your sister or daughter that was victimized. As of now it’s just women that you hear about but if it were to hit home it would compound it immensely. Something needs to be put into place by being regulated by a third party, it’s WAY overdue! It’s disgusting that these people with no morals or conviction are in a position of authority.

WHAT "third party" ? Police departments? Local ordinances? State and Federal laws? Lawyers?

The same "parties" that already exist? 

Most of the women supposedly secretly,settled. How is that OUR business? Arer you mad at the victims,too?

Edited August 20, 2022 by Georgie

[mrags]

8 hours ago, Tipster19 said:

Hey, as long as this continues with some athletes being treated as above the law and the NFL just slaps their hand then the NFL and it’s “employees” will never have to clean up their act. Politics, we see it in our government and we see it in our sports, these athletes have gotten way out of control. As outrageous as this has become imagine if it were your sister or daughter that was victimized. As of now it’s just women that you hear about but if it were to hit home it would compound it immensely. Something needs to be put into place by being regulated by a third party, it’s WAY overdue! It’s disgusting that these people with no morals or conviction are in a position of authority.

Hate to say it. But it’s society as a whole. I’m not going to get political about anything. But it’s sickening what’s happening in not just this country but the world in general. Rich and famous people gonna do rich and famous things. And society is following and the laws in place are allowing it. 

[Wagon Circler]

The guy wasn't even charged with a crime.  I'm sure that was a consideration. 

[BillsShredder83]

3 hours ago, Long Suffering Fan said:

 

The famous saying is - you can indict a ham sandwich - meaning that it is relatively easy to get an indictment.  An indictment is just a decision to go to trial, which is why if it is even close, they come back with an indictment.  An indictment essentially means that it looks like something possibly could be there so let's get all the evidence out at trial.  I am affected by the media coverage just like everyone else, so I was shocked when two grand juries refused to indict him.  We'll never know why, because that stuff is all sealed, but that likely means that there is less evidence than we are being led to believe.  I honestly went from nuclear against Watson to puzzled and slightly confused.

 

It was two different juries - not a rogue judge, but a jury - not one, but two.

 

I have no doubt that Watson propositioned most or all of these women and that he is a scumbag, but I don't see how I can take issue with the punishment.  In addition to the 11 games without pay and the fine, he didn't get to play all last season as this was being decided.  It seems like a severe punishment.  Isn't it the most severe in the history of the NFL?

 

All of this stuff where people pontificate and thump their mighty chest about how the NFL missed a chance to stand for women...sigh.  If they don't mention the fact that they refused to even charge him...it comes across as virtue signaling.  It is the popular take that everyone will like and makes you feel good - look at me, I support women!  

 

And, if we are going to hate on the NFL, shouldn't we hate on the player's union more?  They pushed for less punishment.  What a surprise, ex-players come on these shows and blame the NFL and not their own union.

 

Again, just to be clear, I think Watson is scumbag and deserves his punishment.

I'm far from a legal eagle, but I heard a former prosecutor talking about any time a grand jury is involved it raises some red flags, that they're easier to tamper with. I wish I had the link, I'm not one to claim this is true even, but it was a very interesting anecdote.

 

Edit found link: this is a podcast so I don't have timestamp, but one of my fav podcasts,  and this was quite a bit different than what they normally put out

 

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/mattandshanessecret/MSSP_389_-_AUDIO.mp3?dest-id=446194

Edited August 20, 2022 by BillsShredder83

[skibum]

It's not the NFL's place to serve justice to a criminal, so I think the suspension and fines from the league are more or less irrelevant. What is relevant, though, is whether or not Watson can get a job based on his conduct. That's for the individual teams to decide.

 

The real crime is that the Browns not only signed him, but gave him one of the richest contracts in NFL history, and one that was structured with the assumption that he would be suspended for a long time. That's a sickening statement. I would like to think that most teams would not do that, but who knows. 

[bigduke6]

pretty simple really,  vote with your wallet.  u dont like something,  dont support it.   the corporations in this world only care about the $$$$$,  u show them enough people arent happy with something by pulling those $$$$,  then they start to think a bit.

[Tipster19]

34 minutes ago, bigduke6 said:

pretty simple really,  vote with your wallet.  u dont like something,  dont support it.   the corporations in this world only care about the $$$$$,  u show them enough people arent happy with something by pulling those $$$$,  then they start to think a bit.

EXACTLY!

[BillsShredder83]

Let's be real the nfl is too big to ever feel any pushback. Mayne Cleveland will feel it some... but if you think 31 other teams fans are going to change their viewing habits because of Watson you're being delusional.

 

The sport brings me exponentially more joy than frustration. It is what it is 

[hjnick]

8 hours ago, HOUSE said:

I keep telling you guys, Buffalo wins 1 SUPERBOWL and I am done with the NFL.  DONE I TELL YA 

I'm already done w/ the rest of the NFL...  I only care and watch the Bills!

[GreggTX]

If your real concern is for those that think they are above the law, why isn't about the billionaire owners. Heck. They make the laws and the loopholes to get around them.