Matt Araiza accused of rape, served with a lawsuit.

[NeverOutNick]

First off, I don't know how the NFL commissioners exempt list works, but this seemed like the perfect situation for Beane and Goodell to get ahead of this whole fiasco. I love what Beane has done for this organization so far but either the NFL and/or Beane dropped the ball a little here. Putting my GM hat on, if I were Beane and both the NFL and my organization knew about this a few weeks ago, the moment I knew about it, I would've called Matt into my office to see if he did this. If the answer was no and I believed him, I call the commissioner and do everything possible to get him and my team protected by putting him on the exempt list. If the answer was yes, he would've been cut immediately. I am all for letting things play out, but I believe this to now be a distraction that didn't need to happen if done the right way. This stuff, true or not, always gets leaked to the public so no need to hide it. Protect your players and team the right way. Hopefully Matt wasn't a part of this, and the situation blows over. I like Beane and company standing behind players they believe are innocent and I trust that he must have some valid reason to have kept Matt when he had another punter on the roster. I don't think he would've chanced this outpour if he believed Matt was even a little guilty, I just wish it was done in a smarter way instead of this lets all just keep quiet and maybe it'll blow over nonsense. 

[1ManRaid]

Just now, Bills2022 said:

 

He is going to get charged. My guess is all this national attention is being coordinated with some ambitious DA and somebody running for office.  This case will be brought right in middle of election season. 

 

Hey look, something we actually kind of agree with.

[jkeerie]

3 minutes ago, Ralonzo said:

No, what I wanted to hear was about position battles and depth charts. I certainly did not hear any of that.

I agree.  They talked about the lightning delay and Araiza.  Nothing more.  On all the NFL shows etc throughout the day on ESPN and NFL network, they mentioned the allegations and moved on without comment.  As they should since there is no more known today than last night.  Let it play out in the legal system.  If the Bills take any action before then, it's there decision.

[Daniel from az]

9 minutes ago, The Wiz said:

Why are you so simple minded?  You need to blow this out of proportion from every angle you can think of because you don't have any real facts.  😝

appreciate your sarcasm to what I said

[psuscott16]

3 minutes ago, NeverOutNick said:

First off, I don't know how the NFL commissioners exempt list works, but this seemed like the perfect situation for Beane and Goodell to get ahead of this whole fiasco. I love what Beane has done for this organization so far but either the NFL and/or Beane dropped the ball a little here. Putting my GM hat on, if I were Beane and both the NFL and my organization knew about this a few weeks ago, the moment I knew about it, I would've called Matt into my office to see if he did this. If the answer was no and I believed him, I call the commissioner and do everything possible to get him and my team protected by putting him on the exempt list. If the answer was yes, he would've been cut immediately. I am all for letting things play out, but I believe this to now be a distraction that didn't need to happen if done the right way. This stuff, true or not, always gets leaked to the public so no need to hide it. Protect your players and team the right way. Hopefully Matt wasn't a part of this, and the situation blows over. I like Beane and company standing behind players they believe are innocent and I trust that he must have some valid reason to have kept Matt when he had another punter on the roster. I don't think he would've chanced this outpour if he believed Matt was even a little guilty, I just wish it was done in a smarter way instead of this lets all just keep quiet and maybe it'll blow over nonsense. 

 

Nfl can't take any action since it happened in college and not while he was an employee of the NFL. They were talking about it on WGR earlier. 

[BillsFanForever19]

18 minutes ago, fridge said:

 

As I've stated earlier in this thread -- the focus I have on this issue is related to how the Buffalo Bills should handle it. I still believe that they should cut this player.

 

That being said... this lawyer is losing his mind.

 

He released an unprompted statement and dropped "Punt God" in his first paragraph. He cited Court TV. It reads like a 9th grader scrambling to finish the essay the night before it's due.

 

He wants the Bills to release Araiza and is putting pressure on them to do so because the Bills doing that would presume his guilt and assist his case.

 

As I mentioned in an earlier post, doing so would also open them up to a Civil Case from Araiza's attorney's for hindering his case if he were to be found guilty.

 

While I understand the sentiment behind fans saying "cut him now", it's not that simple. Atm I think their only recourse would be to place him on a Team Leave Suspension until the case has settled itself and then go from there.

[Beck Water]

1 minute ago, NeverOutNick said:

First off, I don't know how the NFL commissioners exempt list works, but this seemed like the perfect situation for Beane and Goodell to get ahead of this whole fiasco.

 

Word is that the NFL can't act against a player for actions that occurred before he was drafted.

But here is the actual wording about the Commissioner's Exempt List:
 

Quote

Here's a full description of the Reserve/Commissioner Exempt List directly from the NFL Player Personnel Policy Manual:

The Exempt List is a special player status available to clubs only in unusual circumstances. The List includes those players who have been declared by the Commissioner to be temporarily exempt from counting within the Active List limit. Only the Commissioner has the authority to place a player on the Exempt List; clubs have no such authority, and no exemption, regardless of circumstances, is automatic. The Commissioner also has the authority to determine in advance whether a player's time on the Exempt List will be finite or will continue until the Commissioner deems the exemption should be lifted and the player returned to the Active List.

 

I do wonder if, given this vague wording, the Bills might be talking with the NFL about whether this would qualify as an "unusual circumstance" that should allow Araiza to be on it until the situation with possible criminal charges and the civil lawsuit play out.

[BillsShredder83]

56 minutes ago, Beast said:

 

And? Do you have something actually relevant to add?

So you'd prefer these men are in jail for something they didn't do, because it looked bad before? That's justice to you? 

 

The flip side of 'if this was your daughter', is If this was your son/brother/friend, would you believe they have no right to be heard? Would it be, 'he's just a burger King worker'?

 

You're not arguing in good faith here obviously 

[YoloinOhio]

 

[aceman_16]

4 minutes ago, NeverOutNick said:

First off, I don't know how the NFL commissioners exempt list works, but this seemed like the perfect situation for Beane and Goodell to get ahead of this whole fiasco. I love what Beane has done for this organization so far but either the NFL and/or Beane dropped the ball a little here. Putting my GM hat on, if I were Beane and both the NFL and my organization knew about this a few weeks ago, the moment I knew about it, I would've called Matt into my office to see if he did this. If the answer was no and I believed him, I call the commissioner and do everything possible to get him and my team protected by putting him on the exempt list. If the answer was yes, he would've been cut immediately. I am all for letting things play out, but I believe this to now be a distraction that didn't need to happen if done the right way. This stuff, true or not, always gets leaked to the public so no need to hide it. Protect your players and team the right way. Hopefully Matt wasn't a part of this, and the situation blows over. I like Beane and company standing behind players they believe are innocent and I trust that he must have some valid reason to have kept Matt when he had another punter on the roster. I don't think he would've chanced this outpour if he believed Matt was even a little guilty, I just wish it was done in a smarter way instead of this lets all just keep quiet and maybe it'll blow over nonsense. 

It happened in college...the NFL has no jurisdiction over this as per the NFLPA contract

[LabattBlue]

15 minutes ago, Bills2022 said:

 

There is not a DA alive who will pass on charging someone in a high profile case. They make careers out of this type of case. It is wrong, but that is how DA offices work. 

This is a great point!

[The Wiz]

9 minutes ago, UKBillFan said:

 

If the Bills' front office serioulsy thought there was no risk of a civil case being brought then they need their collective heads testing.

Or, they knew it was a possibility and heard his side of the story and believed they could back him because they thought that the allegations were false. 

 

Crazy how that works, right?

[BuffaloRebound]

26 minutes ago, Big Blitz said:

 

 

He can't.  Because no lawyer would let him. 

 

Which is good - let the public reach a verdict first.  

They already have.  Guilty or not, he’s the sacrificial lamb for NFL’s Deshaun Watson fiasco.  He’s nothing right now but an entitled white boy punter who gang raped a minor.  

On a side note, I can’t believe the Bills put themselves in this position.  

[Bills2022]

1 minute ago, 1ManRaid said:

 

Hey look, something we actually kind of agree with.

 

The San Diego DA, Summer Stephan, was once the Chief of the Sex Crimes Division. She is bringing charges. Likely will never get a conviction, but she is going to get tremendous pressure from media.

[BillsShredder83]

57 minutes ago, Solomon Grundy said:

Why have him show up to stadium?

Mild indication of their belief of innocence/support? Again not saying definite, but certainly possible

[UKBillFan]

1 minute ago, The Wiz said:

Or, they knew it was a possibility and heard his side of the story and believed they could back him because they thought that the allegations were false. 

 

Crazy how that works, right?

 

Yes, I agree. I was responding to the post which said the civil case would have blindsided them. It wouldn't have done. I could have just phrased my response better.

[Beck Water]

2 minutes ago, aceman_16 said:

It happened in college...the NFL has no jurisdiction over this as per the NFLPA contract

 

Yeah, but look at the actual wording I linked for the Commissioner's Exempt list.  It's vague as sh**

[Simon]

2 minutes ago, BuffaloRebound said:

He’s nothing right now but an entitled white boy punter

 

I don't think he's a white boy. 

[TN Bills Fan]

7 hours ago, CorkScrewHill said:

If it is confirmed true they will cut him super fast. They are just waiting to see which is a reasonable response. As an example if you were a member of their Administration i would think they would not fire you if you were a solid employee and somebody made an allegation about you until more facts were known that showed you were guilty

I guess OJ would still be employed.  Don't need a criminal conviction to fire an employee.  Most companies won't wait for it either.  He's a rookie he has no record of being a solid employee.  The article is pretty credible.  

[Bills2022]

1 minute ago, The Wiz said:

Or, they knew it was a possibility and heard his side of the story and believed they could back him because they thought that the allegations were false. 

 

Crazy how that works, right?

 

What? Who cares what his side of the story was. There was ZERO chance of this not eventually becoming a major distraction. And for what? A punter. Even if he did nothing, why would the super bowl favorite, a team that rarely punts, put itself in this position. Insanity.  

 

Let some 4-13 team with no media exposure take that risk. This is the Prime Time Bills.  We now live on the national stage. You need to act like that.