ATHLETIC ASSHOLES

[Duchess]

Aww shit! I'm just now realizing I was posting about a completely different person. Jesus Christ!

I saw the story on the news this morning and they were talking about reinstatement and I'm thinking, why, I thought this shit has already been decided and he's out of football for good.

Senior moment!

[HairOfTheDog]

Aww shit! I'm just now realizing I was posting about a completely different person. Jesus Christ!

I read your post a couple of times and didn't even notice you'd typed Ravens rather than Vikings.

Big legal week for football. Adrian Peterson's case was wrapped up swiftly this week and Ray Rice's Appeals case is currently underway in court.

League security chief Jeffery Miller and Ravens President Dick Cass are among the key witnesses expected to testify in the two-day hearing.

Yesterday Roger Goodell was reportedly grilled for hours by an attorney for the NFL players' union. Today, Ray Rice and Janay Rice are testifying -- separately this time.

The judge is expected to make a decision quickly after hearing all sides, according to ESPN. If she rules in favor of Rice and deems that his suspension was a case of sorta double jeopardy, both he and Peterson could end up back on the field (with their teams or as free agents).

[Duchess]

I read your post a couple of times and didn't even notice you'd typed Ravens rather than Vikings.

I was a dufus. You were talking about Adrian Peterson & I was talking about Ray Rice. While that is just a tiny bit embarrassing it would have been way worse had I corrected you like I very briefly considered. Jesus Christ.

[HairOfTheDog]

I'm doing a round the clock on-call deal again for the time being and trying to keep myself awake half the time. If you'd corrected me, I'd probably have figured you were right and apologized. Or, tossed you one of these: ..... Hard to say.

It would be something if your senior moment turns out to be a psychic vision -- Peterson gets reactivated, the Vikings pass on him, and the Ravens pick him up to replace Rice. Crazy -- but crazy shit happens every day.

I think Rice has a decent claim against the NFL for punishing him twice for the same infraction -- even if Goodell never saw the video before deciding the initial penalty. If the Rices didn't outright lie to him (or nobody can prove they did), it looks like Goodell just caved to public pressure rather than having gained additional evidence to support the axing.

If the judge does rule in Rice's favor, most of the analysts don't seem to think anyone will pick him up this season, but maybe for 2015.

Do you think any team would touch him next year if he's eligible?

[Duchess]

I think Rice has a decent claim against the NFL for punishing him twice for the same infraction

I appreciate reading that! I respect your opinion and while I happen to believe the same thing I often dive right into something without being as thoughtful as you are.

[HairOfTheDog]

I would not want to be the arbitrator acting as a judge in the Rice appeal case. Despite all of the witness testimony regarding who said what when, I think it might boil down to the terms of the players' contract.

"One Penalty" clause, Article 43, Section 4 of the NFL Players Association contract.
The Commissioner and a Club will not both discipline a player for the same act or conduct. The Commissioner’s disciplinary action will preclude or supersede disciplinary action by any Club for the same act or conduct.”

The Ravens didn't terminate Rice's contract til after Goodell announced his indefinite suspension -- so, I don't think there was any violation of the One Penalty clause.

Still, Goodell himself did punish Rice twice for the same single incident, IMO. He knew Janay Palmer was dragged out cold of an elevator when he doled out the initial two-game penalty. He knew that was a result of Rice hitting Palmer, by his own admission when he announced the initial two-game penalty. I don't personally see how viewing the video changes anything (though I understand why it's more disturbing to see it than hear about it).

Working against Rice (just my opinion): Nothing, as far as I can tell, states explicitly in the players' contract that the Commissioner is prohibited from doing whatever the hell he pleases to a player based on emotions or public pressure or change of heart/mind. And, this isn't criminal court where the traditional 5^th amendment rule against double jeopardy applies.

Working in Rice's favor (just my opinion): This is a labor arbitration case and I think there's a decent chance that the employment arbitrator/judge will rule that the Commissioner/Employer shouldn't be able to double down penalties against an employee for a single incident based on factors outside of the employee's control. I think she might refuse denying the employee recourse simply because of a vague (intentionally or unintentionally?) employment contract.

Anyway, the hearing is sealed, but I hope the public is provided access to the rationale behind whatever ruling the arbitrator/judge hands down on Friday or next week; I wanna see it.

[HairOfTheDog]

Goodell suspends Adrian Peterson without pay / Players' Union files appeal


Peterson with his (damned good) attorney Rusty Hardin.

Arbitrator Shyam Das ruled on Monday that the NFL was not required to remove Peterson from the Exempt List once he resolved his legal issue by pleading no contest to a charge of injuring his son. Peterson losing his grievance means that the arbitrator agrees with the league’s contention that the commissioner gets to decide when a player comes off the Commissioner’s Exempt List.

Roger Goodell on Tuesday suspended Peterson without pay for the rest of the season and told him he will not be considered for reinstatement before April 15, 2015 for his violation of the NFL's personal conduct policy.

The union says Peterson was told the games he missed while on a special exempt list would count as time served toward a suspension. The 2012 NFL MVP played in just one game for the Minnesota Vikings this season and was placed on the commissioner's exempt list on Sept. 18.

NFL executive vice president Troy Vincent told USA Today Sports that he was the person who told Peterson that he would get credit for his time on the exempt list. But because Peterson refused to attend a meeting with the league last Friday, that promise couldn't be kept. "But Adrian, you've got to come talk," Vincent said to Peterson, he told USA Today Sports. "You, your team, your counselors, whoever. Just come and tell us where you are." Peterson refused to attend because he wanted it to be an arbitrator-run meeting.

Full story: http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/119085...ta-vikings

[Duchess]

Ray Rice has won his appeal. He is now free to sign with any team who wants him. If someone wanted to give him a shot, he could play Sunday.

I think he'll sign with a new team and I'm really looking forward to seeing who that is.

[HairOfTheDog]

It will be really interesting to see if anyone signs Rice, Duchess.

I've been especially interested in the legal and contractual aspects of the story.

JUDGE'S RATIONALE FOR RICE'S APPEAL VICTORY:
U.S. District Judge Barbara S. Jones, who heard Rice's appeal earlier this month, concluded in her decision, which was obtained by ESPN investigative reporter Don Van Natta Jr., that Rice did not lie or mislead the NFL.

"In so holding, I find that the NFLPA carried its burden of showing that Rice did not mislead the Commissioner at the June 16^th meeting, and therefore, that the imposition of a second suspension based on the same incident and the same known facts about the incident, was arbitrary," Jones' decision stated.

"[T]he Commissioner needed to be fair and consistent in his imposition of discipline. ... Moreover, any failure on the part of the League to understand the level of violence was not due to Rice's description of the event but to the inadequacy of words to convey the seriousness of domestic violence. That the League did not realize the severity of the conduct without a visual record also speaks to their admitted failure in the past to sanction this type of conduct more severely."

Source: http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/119498...nstatement

[Duchess]

It will be really interesting to see if anyone signs Rice, Duchess.

There will be someone who wants him, someone who under the guise of righteousness says they are willing to give him a chance, everyone deserves a second chance and we are here to help him in any way we can.

That's said with sarcasm. I don't believe the NFL cares a wit about morality only in the appearance of possessing some. I know it won't be my team signing him.

[Blindgreed1]

Great, now battered women everywhere will be rioting, looting and burning.

[Carsman]

Great, now battered women everywhere will be rioting, looting and burning.

[ramseycat]

It will be really interesting to see if anyone signs Rice, Duchess.

There will be someone who wants him, someone who under the guise of righteousness says they are willing to give him a chance, everyone deserves a second chance and we are here to help him in any way we can.

That's said with sarcasm. I don't believe the NFL cares a wit about morality only in the appearance of possessing some. I know it won't be my team signing him.

Agreed. That's why Vick got signed after getting out of prison. Is rather sign Rice than Vick.

[Duchess]

This came from TMZ Sports so I'm not sure how much credence to give it but I believe it's probably true -

Multiple active NFL stars from multiple NFL teams tell TMZ Sports they would ABSOLUTELY welcome Ray Rice on their squads ... because as one player put it, "everyone deserves a second chance."

Of course Ray is now eligible to sign with a team ... if a team decides to make an offer ... and we're guessing there are several owners currently trying to take the temperatures of their players and fans to see how signing Rice would go over.

Of the NFL stars we spoke to ... all of them said they were open to playing with the former All-Pro running back.

"I know Ray and his wife. I believe they've forgiven each other," one prominent player told us ... adding, "I would accept him, and I think that my teammates would accept him."

Another major NFL star told us, "I believe that everyone in life deserves a second chance."

A third player -- who played with Rice at one point in his career -- says, "He seems very remorseful. As much as I am against domestic violence, I do believe in second chances. No more chances after that, though."

There are plenty of teams that could use a running back right now -- and with playoffs right around the corner, it'll be interesting to see if anyone bites.

Story

[Midwest Spy]

A team looking to sign Rice will need to gauge the temps of their sponsors and fan bases first.

[Duchess]

I think there is probably some of that going on right now. He might not play this year but he'll be signed at some point and ready to start next season. I truly believe that.

[Midwest Spy]

I think there is probably some of that going on right now. He might not play this year but he'll be signed at some point and ready to start next season. I truly believe that.

I agree.

Adrian P will play next year too.

[Cutz]

Dallas would sign AP. Jax should tag Rice.

[Duchess]

Roger Goodell emailed me the revised personal conduct policy.

Personal Conduct Policy

[Blindgreed1]

Dallas would sign AP. Jax should tag Rice.

I think your first assumption is spot on, and I hope the Giants don't sign Rice first.