Watson now suspended 11 games/$5 million fine-update

[Stewy]

(08-03-2022, 06:04 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Now the NFL is appealing, so even they know it's a joke.

What I don't get is why the NFL would want to keep Watson from playing because wouldn't that mean less competitive football and therefore less money for the NFL?

I guess I like that they're finally taking a stand, but why now?

The league was always going to take a stand.  21% of the NFL fanbase are women.  Polls after Monday's ruling had a large % of women contemplating not watching the NFL any more.  The Browns in regard to the Watson asinine contract and Watson himself are a complete embarrassment to the league.  All of this coupled with the league even before this being accused of not caring about women's issues meant they were always going to bring the hammer, as I have been predicting since day 1.

Also, Watson has shown no remorse and even as late as today stated publicly he "had no remorse" and "Did nothing wrong".  This further embarrasses the league and purports a "boys will be boys attitude" by the players is just fine.  The league CANNOT have Watson continuously standing up and saying these things, and they do nothing (essentially).  It is a horrible look for the NFL when anyone with a modicum of sense knows he is a sexual predator and deviant.  By doing almost nothing, the league would be saying they are alright with all of this.  The NFl is not alright with it, thus the appeal.

The league went through this process because the independent arbiter was negotiated during the last CBA.  The appeals process goes through Goodell himself.  So the Goodell essentially appealed the ruling to himself.

Finally you suggested that the NFL would want one of it's best players out there making money.  Please.  It's the Browns.  The only QB in the league that would put more eyes in Cleveland would be Tom Brady.  Watson on the Browns will not increase ratings or put more eyes on the TV.  It's the Browns!  Only the dogs want to watch them and the stadium is sold out regardless.  There's only one game this seasom where Watson would have up'd the ratings....and that's - Week 11:  Cleveland at Houston Dec 4th.

Here is how I see it playing out:
- League Appeals by Friday
- Goodell presides over the appeal:  Watson receives an indefinite suspension and a heavy fine
- Watson's suspension is engineered by the league to bypass his contract and eat into the the meat of his salary (apparently from what I was hearing on the drive home on Houston Sports Radio that the league can do this)
- Watson will sue in Federal Court and ask for an injunction on the NFL suspension
- If he gets the injunction, I believe Goodell will put Watson on the exempt list until the Court proceeding are settled and then serve his suspension when the NFL eventually wins

I don't think Watson will see the field until 2024 at the earliest and he's going to cost himself MILLIONS in lawyer fees in Federal Court.

On a Side Note:  Houston Texans fans are dancing.  The Texans control the Browns First Round picks for the next two years and they are going to have high high value with no Watson playing.  LOL  Stains will be Stains.