2019 NFL Season

[bucksfan2]

Perhaps the smart thing for them to do is stall until AB implodes with the Patriots. I think the ship has sailed with the "Me Too" people. How many instances of domestic violence has there been over the years? Innocent or guilty the impression is that they harbor abusers. Sexual assault is a bit different but if the NFL doesn't believe the plaintiff is credible, they will get riled up. If they believe she is credible and give him discipline, if it isn't permanent expulsion, they will be upset.

I feel like something should have been done about AB going to the Pats. I feel like it was planned for months, maybe as soon as he was traded to Oakland. If there was any kind of tampering done, the Pats should be hit hard, very hard.

I think AB should be placed on the exempt list for a week or two until an investigation can be done. If there is anything credible resulting from the investigation then he stays on the list until the trial is over. If there is not, he is allowed to play. I feel like this should be done for anyone who has these kinds of accusations levied against them. Its worse for the NFL if AB plays and the accusations are found to be true than if he sits a week or two and the accusations prove to be false.

[Sea Ray]

OBJ and his watch:

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...0k-watch-games

So the NFL has fined him due to their rule against wearing "hard objects" and for good reason...but fining these guys does no good. He says that he's going to keep wearing it in games. The money means nothing. Why don't they penalize him on the field, like an unsportsmanlike or whatever? I don't get why the NFL is allowing themselves to be played like this

[BernieCarbo]

I feel like something should have been done about AB going to the Pats. I feel like it was planned for months, maybe as soon as he was traded to Oakland. If there was any kind of tampering done, the Pats should be hit hard, very hard.

I think AB should be placed on the exempt list for a week or two until an investigation can be done. If there is anything credible resulting from the investigation then he stays on the list until the trial is over. If there is not, he is allowed to play. I feel like this should be done for anyone who has these kinds of accusations levied against them. Its worse for the NFL if AB plays and the accusations are found to be true than if he sits a week or two and the accusations prove to be false.

The league doesn’t have the expertise or resources to investigate this. There is no video, no confession, not even a police report. If they make him sit two weeks and they find nothing, who pays him for that time? Can he countersue? It opens a whole can of worms.

[dubc47834]

OBJ and his watch:

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...0k-watch-games

So the NFL has fined him due to their rule against wearing "hard objects" and for good reason...but fining these guys does no good. He says that he's going to keep wearing it in games. The money means nothing. Why don't they penalize him on the field, like an unsportsmanlike or whatever? I don't get why the NFL is allowing themselves to be played like this

Really...a fine for a watch. That's bs to me. These dudes wear helmets, pads, AND JEWELRY. The watch serves no benefit for him in the game. Is it dumb to wear, yes...does it draw attention to him...yes...but fineable... that's asinine!!!

[Assembly Hall]

The league doesn’t have the expertise or resources to investigate this. There is no video, no confession, not even a police report. If they make him sit two weeks and they find nothing, who pays him for that time? Can he countersue? It opens a whole can of worms.

The NFL has shown in it's past that it can do whatever it wants to.

[BernieCarbo]

The NFL has shown in it's past that it can do whatever it wants to.

That wasn’t the scenario the poster suggested. He suggested the league take a couple of weeks and investigate, but they can’t. The lawyers in the case are already going to spend months on the investigation before it goes to trial. The league doesn’t have that kind of expertise.

The question whether the league can just do whatever they want is different. But in reality, they can’t just do what they want. If they try to suspend Brown without any evidence whatsoever other than this woman’s statement, they will fail.

[JaxRed]

OBJ and his watch:

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...0k-watch-games

So the NFL has fined him due to their rule against wearing "hard objects" and for good reason...but fining these guys does no good. He says that he's going to keep wearing it in games. The money means nothing. Why don't they penalize him on the field, like an unsportsmanlike or whatever? I don't get why the NFL is allowing themselves to be played like this

This is SO easy to solve. If he comes out with the watch, the referees toss him from the game. Problem solved. He won't ever wear it again.

[WVRed]

That wasn’t the scenario the poster suggested. He suggested the league take a couple of weeks and investigate, but they can’t. The lawyers in the case are already going to spend months on the investigation before it goes to trial. The league doesn’t have that kind of expertise.

The question whether the league can just do whatever they want is different. But in reality, they can’t just do what they want. If they try to suspend Brown without any evidence whatsoever other than this woman’s statement, they will fail.

Reading the post, I think bucksfan was suggesting there be an investigation for tampering, not the sexual assault.

That I could get behind, and if there was anything found they need to be hit so hard that it brings back memories of Pony Express. I doubt it ever happens for obvious reasons and you would almost have to have a whistleblower inside the Patriots organization.

[phatknuckle]

The league doesn’t have the expertise or resources to investigate this. There is no video, no confession, not even a police report. If they make him sit two weeks and they find nothing, who pays him for that time? Can he countersue? It opens a whole can of worms.

Players put on the commissioners exempt list still get paid as if they are on the active roster, they just can't attend games or practices.

No doubt that the NFL can't run a full investigation, but the woman involved has agreed to meet with them and they can look at the electronic paper trail and decide if there is anything credible to the claim. Players have been suspended before without evidence of a crime being committed.

[phatknuckle]

Reading the post, I think bucksfan was suggesting there be an investigation for tampering, not the sexual assault.

That I could get behind, and if there was anything found they need to be hit so hard that it brings back memories of Pony Express. I doubt it ever happens for obvious reasons and you would almost have to have a whistleblower inside the Patriots organization.

I have the feeling that at some point AB himself would blow that whistle if it is true. Dude just can't help himself.

[GAC]

If he raped her, I want him in jail.

Absolutely. Who wouldn't? Yet this alleged rape occurred in May of 2018. That's almost a year-and-a-half ago. I do not understand why they don't go to the ER, call the police, and right then and there you have the evidence needed? Yes, I think we all understand the emotional and psychological trauma that's involved in this with a woman. Terrible and unfathomable. But if you want to put the skum behind bars you do it then, and not a year-and-a-half later when there's little to no evidence and it's your word against his. That's when doubt and skepticism enters the picture.

[phatknuckle]

Absolutely. Who wouldn't? Yet this alleged rape occurred in May of 2018. That's almost a year-and-a-half ago. I do not understand why they don't go to the ER, call the police, and right then and there you have the evidence needed? Yes, I think we all understand the emotional and psychological trauma that's involved in this with a woman. Terrible and unfathomable. But if you want to put the skum behind bars you do it then, and not a year-and-a-half later when there's little to no evidence and it's your word against his. That's when doubt and skepticism enters the picture.

I won't pretend to understand the psychological dynamics of being raped - especially by a friend or an employer. Antonio Brown was reportedly both and probably her main source of income. He was also the man that could make her career as a personal trainer. Due to trauma and shame many women don't immediately report rape by a stranger, I imagine it would be even more difficult to do so in such a case. I have no idea whether this is a money grab or whether it actually happened but I don't necessarily discount her story just because she didn't run to the police. As you pointed out, at this point it is nearly impossible to prove - hence the civil court case where the burden of proof is lower.

[BernieCarbo]

Players put on the commissioners exempt list still get paid as if they are on the active roster, they just can't attend games or practices.

No doubt that the NFL can't run a full investigation, but the woman involved has agreed to meet with them and they can look at the electronic paper trail and decide if there is anything credible to the claim. Players have been suspended before without evidence of a crime being committed.

A player has never been put on the exempt list based on hearsay. Plus, even if there is a criminal complaint and physical evidence, they typically wait for the investigation to run its course on the outside.

[bucksfan2]

That wasn’t the scenario the poster suggested. He suggested the league take a couple of weeks and investigate, but they can’t. The lawyers in the case are already going to spend months on the investigation before it goes to trial. The league doesn’t have that kind of expertise.

The question whether the league can just do whatever they want is different. But in reality, they can’t just do what they want. If they try to suspend Brown without any evidence whatsoever other than this woman’s statement, they will fail.

What is the NFL worth? They sure could have an investigation team in place at the snap of their fingers.

Here is the way I view things, playing in the NFL is a privilege, not a right. You don't need to follow the rule of law, you don't need to have clear evidence, you need to follow one thing, the CBA.

If it were up to me, I would have a list of accusations that cause immediate action. In the Brown cast it would go like this:
1. Brown is accused of rape.
2. The NFL forms an investigation committee that looks into the accusation.
3. There is a short window, a couple of weeks, that allows a preliminary report detailing whether or not there is credible evidence to the accusation.
4. Brown goes on the exempt list until the case is over or the committee give a final report. Then the commish can render a "final" decision.

The NFL has strict rule against drug tests but seems to fail when it comes to other crimes. AP beat his kid and is still hanging around. Same with Tyreke Hill. Kareem Hunt is suspended and will play this season. If you assault a woman or child, you should be suspended for a long time. Because we know, if you are good, someone will sign you.

If you are accused of sexual assault, lets find out if there is anything behind it, and if there is, you go on the exempt list until it is resolved.

[Slyder]

I feel like something should have been done about AB going to the Pats. I feel like it was planned for months, maybe as soon as he was traded to Oakland. If there was any kind of tampering done, the Pats should be hit hard, very hard.

I think AB should be placed on the exempt list for a week or two until an investigation can be done. If there is anything credible resulting from the investigation then he stays on the list until the trial is over. If there is not, he is allowed to play. I feel like this should be done for anyone who has these kinds of accusations levied against them. Its worse for the NFL if AB plays and the accusations are found to be true than if he sits a week or two and the accusations prove to be false.

Yep, there are rumors that AB hired a social media group with the sole purpose of getting out of his deal/release from Oakland. Someone doesn't do that if they're not 100000000% sure someone will be there to catch him when he's release. Hours later dang wouldn't you know here comes Belicheat on his white horse!