Matt Araiza

[Milanos Milano]

24 minutes ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

In what scenario does a team carry and pay two Punters for a job one barely does?

 

This "pressure on the league for a roster exemption" and "fans fighting for justice" is so completely asinine.

 

The Bills probably want nothing to do with him. He probably wants nothing to do with The Bills. The Bills aren't going to push for some magical exemption that doesn't exist. We won't carry two Punters. We aren't releasing Martin. Fans getting upset on a Message Board isn't going to make the Bills do anything. 

 

I get you're upset, but the situation just is what it is. No amount of being upset by it is going to change anything.

Things like this are why it’s getting incredibly hard to support the NFL anymore. It’s always Billsy, we always get the short stick of justice. 

[Saxum]

6 hours ago, SCBills said:

Yea, I don’t fault Beane at all.  The public pressure (and likely internal NFL pressure) was too much.  
 

You could tell Beane felt torn up inside to have to let Arazia go. 

 

NFL commissioner should have put him on suspended list like he did Browns QB where there was more evidence.

[Beck Water]

1 hour ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

The girl was underage. So even if it was consensual, it read as a public admittance of statutory rape and perpetuating underage drinking.

 

There is no coverage in law for "well, he thought she was 18".

 

I don't want to re-hash that long closed thread, but in California, apparently having a reasonable basis to believe someone is >18 is a legal defense.

[BillsFanForever19]

1 minute ago, Beck Water said:

 

I don't want to re-hash that long closed thread, but in California, apparently having a reasonable basis to believe someone is >18 is a legal defense.

 

A couple posters have covered this. And even if it's a technicality in California - it's still not a great look  nationwide to have it on public record.

[Beck Water]

1 hour ago, IronMaidenBills said:

Then I don’t want to hear a single statement from the Bills organization about how we are all a family and oneness when you throw your family under the bus at the slightest indication of adversity. It’s all a facade as this point until this is addressed. This franchise only cares about money and their image to the public. Everything else is a lie. 

 

I get it that you're upset, and to a certain extent I sympathize - obviously if the released information is vetted, Araiza has suffered serious and unjustified damages to his personal reputation and career.  On the other hand, would you honestly consider the allegations in the civil lawsuit (still filed against him) to be "slightest indication of adversity"? 

 

I wouldn't, and I would have to disagree with you if you do.

 

But yes, the NFL cares about money and its public image, and that goes for all 32 NFL teams as well.  Correct.

[Reks Ryan]

This is a good summary of why the prosecution did not move forward with the case.

 

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/prosecutors-former-bills-punter-matt-araiza-wasnt-present-during-alleged-gang-rape-225211550.html

[chongli]

Dan Gilleon is getting blasted on his twitter feed, but really no bad reviews on his Yelp page.

[BillsFanForever19]

1 hour ago, Limeaid said:

 

NFL commissioner should have put him on suspended list like he did Browns QB where there was more evidence.

 

An unfortunate technicality made him exempt from qualifying for the exempt list.

 

If your transgression happens before you are employed by an NFL team and you're a rookie who hasn't played in the league yet, you can't be put on the NFL Exempt list. Our options were to keep him or cut him.

 

I thought it was a dumb rule and technicality, but it was what it was.

[davefan66]

I hope a team gives him the chance to continue his career.  I’d like to see him continue with Buffalo, but don’t see that happening for some reason.

 

As diligent as the legal system is going after the people who commit these crimes, they need to go after the people who knowingly provide false information that leads to accusing innocent people.

[bmur66]

What happened to innocent until proven guilty?

The false accuser should be charged.

He should be given the chance in the NFL that was robbed from him and the Bills should do it.

 

Edited May 9, 2023 by bmur66

[GunnerBill]

It isn't just an American thing, sadly it is a social media generation thing. When the herd moves, it moves. I have very real concerns about how justice systems can function properly in this context. I have expressed them multiple times on this forum.

 

It was right that Araiza did not play in the league while this was properly investigated. But that due process has determined he has no case to answer. The focus should now be on helping this young man to rebuild his life and his career. If Brandon Beane announced tomorrow the Bills has re-signed him and that he would compete in camp I'd have no issue at all with that. 

[Buffalo_Stampede]

We’re taught to believe the accuser. Public shouldn’t know about the accusations.

 

[Mango]

I think a key to this whole thing from a moral point of view is that the young girl was too drunk to give consent. I know a lot of people in a number of large athletic departments and they all mention this is taught to student athletes all year every year. I think a 17 year old telling multiple

people to “eff me now or you’re a *****” likely falls under that category. And as far as the room goes, any person is allowed to pull consent at any time. She has the right while getting double teamed to say no. And if those men don’t, that is assault. 
 

My first thought reading the article is that this seems to directly challenge statements made by Araiza himself to the police.

 

I can certainly get behind the fact that everything doesn’t add up from her side. But I also don’t think this article absolves SDSU football or SDSU police what so ever.  
 

As far as I am concerned my big take away is something’s don’t add up from Araiza, the young woman, and others. It isn’t that she wasn’t assaulted, it’s that there isn’t enough evidence to move forward. 

[Steptide]

Could he Sue the bills/nfl for wrongfully cutting him? 

[GunnerBill]

10 minutes ago, Steptide said:

Could he Sue the bills/nfl for wrongfully cutting him? 

 

No.

[CSBill]

I hope he can get back to the NFL, and I for one, would love to see him come back to Buffalo.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

3 minutes ago, CSBill said:

I hope he can get back to the NFL, and I for one, would love to see him come back to Buffalo.

He definitely will. I was totally expecting the Bills to release him because it was a PR nightmare. But I also felt he’d have his chance again once it was all over. He’ll have a long career in the NFL.

 

[StHustle]

5 hours ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

Oh crap. That's another thing I forgot about. Thanks for the refresher!

 

The girl was underage. So even if it was consensual, it read as a public admittance of statutory rape and perpetuating underage drinking.

 

There is no coverage in law for "well, he thought she was 18". Or "ya know, things happen in college, I'm sure a lot of players have done this and not gotten caught".

You speak so confidently but you’re clueless. It’s ABSOLUTELY legal in California when it can be proven that you thought she was 18 cause she told you that. This should be the law in every state. Most 17 years olds look just like 18 year olds and what college kids ask to see ID before sex. Only an idiot would think someone should go to jail and become a sex offender for life simply for having sex with a girl lying and claiming she’s grown while hanging out at college parties drinking and acting like all the rest of the college students. 

[teef]

2 minutes ago, NUT said:

The believe all women thing is not working. Seems they lie.

You’ve never touched a breast…have you?

[StHustle]

1 hour ago, Mango said:

I think a key to this whole thing from a moral point of view is that the young girl was too drunk to give consent. I know a lot of people in a number of large athletic departments and they all mention this is taught to student athletes all year every year. I think a 17 year old telling multiple

people to “eff me now or you’re a *****” likely falls under that category. And as far as the room goes, any person is allowed to pull consent at any time. She has the right while getting double teamed to say no. And if those men don’t, that is assault. 
 

My first thought reading the article is that this seems to directly challenge statements made by Araiza himself to the police.

 

I can certainly get behind the fact that everything doesn’t add up from her side. But I also don’t think this article absolves SDSU football or SDSU police what so ever.  
 

As far as I am concerned my big take away is something’s don’t add up from Araiza, the young woman, and others. It isn’t that she wasn’t assaulted, it’s that there isn’t enough evidence to move forward. 

 

🙄 People like you annoy me. That law is clearly situational! You have to use common sense here. Do you know how many college girls often get drunk before having sex? What about guys? You realistically consider all those young men and women rapists??? You’ve never had sex with a drunk woman? I’d venture to say more men have than haven’t at least once in their lives (let’s say by age of 40) Do you think most men are rapists? See how your logic is flawed.

 

Furthermore for there to have factually been lie after lie after lie uncovered that she told yet you still give her any benefit of the doubt is extremely disgusting. Your type is why innocent people get out in jail and lives ruined. Have some common sense man.

 

Edited May 9, 2023 by StHustle