Watson news - won't face criminal charges

[darin3]

If it's not a full season (or more), then I'd bet it's 8 vs. 6 games.  I don't think the NFL would want Watson on national TV Week 8 against their in-state rivals (vs. Bengals on MNF - Halloween night).

[millworkguy]

51 minutes ago, stevegrab said:

. Goodell only has final say if one of the sides appeals.

 

That was my point, the nfl can appeal and make any decision they want.  So this show really doesn't matter if the nfl doesn't get what it wants. 

[stevegrab]

31 minutes ago, millworkguy said:

 

That was my point, the nfl can appeal and make any decision they want.  So this show really doesn't matter if the nfl doesn't get what it wants. 

 

I understand what you're saying, but there has to be more to the process than that. Or else the NFLPA really took a horrible deal with that setup. Why would the NFL ever accept the initial punishment, if they can simply appeal and make it longer or for more money.

 

The whole thing is backwards, final say should by from the impartial arbitrator picked by both sides, not one of the involved parties.

 

I'm just hoping for the best, and that the team I've followed for 4 decades since moving to Ohio as a HS student hasn't set themselves back for years because of this. 

[CrazyCajun]

2 hours ago, darin3 said:

If it's not a full season (or more), then I'd bet it's 8 vs. 6 games.  I don't think the NFL would want Watson on national TV Week 8 against their in-state rivals (vs. Bengals on MNF - Halloween night).

 

It has to be more then 6 games. They are talking about giving Kamara 6 games. Watson should be either a season or 8+ games.

[darin3]

3 minutes ago, CrazyCajun said:

 

It has to be more then 6 games. They are talking about giving Kamara 6 games. Watson should be either a season or 8+ games.

 

I doubt Kamara gets 6.  I'd bet he gets 3-4.  Still significant.  That's a quarter of the season.  

[millworkguy]

1 hour ago, stevegrab said:

 

I understand what you're saying, but there has to be more to the process than that. Or else the NFLPA really took a horrible deal with that setup. Why would the NFL ever accept the initial punishment, if they can simply appeal and make it longer or for more money.

 

The whole thing is backwards, final say should by from the impartial arbitrator picked by both sides, not one of the involved parties.

 

I do believe that the nflpa has a bad deal,  the  lack of guaranteed money is another problem .

 

However,  I think the league wants to appear tough especially with so many other issues at the moment - synder and the Commanders, gruden,  the Texans being pulled into things,  Miami tanking? It's becoming a puppet show of ineptitude. 

 

I've said for a while I don't consider 1 yr a Unprecedented penalty.   Big ben was initially suspended 6 games for 2 incidents- reduced to 4.

 

The nfl will make a statement here,  they really don't care if he plays or not, but need some positive p.r.

[League_Champion]

17 minutes ago, millworkguy said:

I've said for a while I don't consider 1 yr a Unprecedented penalty.   Big ben was initially suspended 6 games for 2 incidents- reduced to 4.

 

I think Deshaun gets a ful year but I wouldn't compare it to Big Ben's sentence. Big Ben was accused of sexual assault (rape), he probably should of gotten way more. If that happened in today's Me Too culture he would of certainly of been suspended longer. 

[millworkguy]

6 minutes ago, League_Champion said:

 

 I wouldn't compare it to Big Ben's sentence. Big Ben was accused of sexual assault (rape), he probably should of gotten way more. 

 

He was never charged, only civil suits were filed and later both reached an agreement.   The fact remains both are accused of sexual assault by those behind the civil charges.

I know people may see a difference in the alleged activity,  but the cases are more similar than what people may want to admit. 

[League_Champion]

8 minutes ago, millworkguy said:

 

He was never charged, only civil suits were filed and later both reached an agreement.   The fact remains both are accused of sexual assault by those behind the civil charges.

I know people may see a difference in the alleged activity,  but the cases are more similar than what people may want to admit. 

 

I'm just playing devil's advocate. I think Watson gets at least a year but violent sexual assault is a little different then asking for a handy, or a lot of handies 😊

[millworkguy]

1 minute ago, League_Champion said:

 

I'm just playing devil's advocate. I think Watson gets at least a year but violent sexual assault is a little different then asking for a handy, or a lot of handies 😊

I'd like Watson’s to allow the 24 women we haven't heard from yet (who in theory signed nda's) (66 women - 24 cases - 18 who spoke highly of him) to be free of the nda's and be able to speak publicly of their experiences.  I'd assume if his behavior was poor at 1st without an nda, he likely felt pretty invincible knowing someone had already signed one.

[League_Champion]

1 minute ago, millworkguy said:

I'd like Watson’s to allow the 24 women we haven't heard from yet (who in theory signed nda's) (66 women - 24 cases - 18 who spoke highly of him) to be free of the nda's and be able to speak publicly of their experiences.  I'd assume if his behavior was poor at 1st without an nda, he likely felt pretty invincible knowing someone had already signed one.

 

Agree, the fact that he settled feels like an admission of guilt. I think that's really going to hurt him in his hearing. I wish they would bring in some alleged victims to tell their side. 

[purplemonster]

I think it is a bit tougher for Watson. It is a closed space, he's naked, much bigger than the women, he's lured them to a private place, not a spa I don't believe. And under false pretenses. That's getting close to rape and a lot more instances than Big Ben. I'd be surprised still if it is less than a year. 

[stevegrab]

One interesting thing I see happening with local media, they are all souring on this trade, and the prospect of Watson really helping the Browns in the long term. When the contract was first signed some were critical of the move, but most were still on board with the "this improves the Browns" viewpoint. Now more of them are talking about the need to prepare for this going really badly, signing another QB, giving them more time with the offense if Watson may not eve get on the field this year. Or even the potential that Watson never plays again, and that has major negative impacts on the Browns future. 

 

The local news I watch has a long time sports director, who also does Browns radio broadcasts. He was saying he doesn't see how any decision on punishment can come with there still being pending charges, allegations and trials. He thinks that could mean an indefinite or at least one year suspension. Or maybe he says, there is more negotiating, everything can be negotiated and that is part of what's going on now with this hearing between the parties involved. 

 

I guess the honeymoon is over, and as the process goes on they see less and less chance of it not going badly. Its a shame nobody in the Browns organization could see all this as a likely outcome and avoided jumping into the pit. Of course they had already tossed Baker Mayfield aside and didn't have any plans to draft a replacement, so they had limited options, making them desperate. 

[League_Champion]

11 minutes ago, stevegrab said:

 

I guess the honeymoon is over, and as the process goes on they see less and less chance of it not going badly. Its a shame nobody in the Browns organization could see all this as a likely outcome and avoided jumping into the pit. Of course they had already tossed Baker Mayfield aside and didn't have any plans to draft a replacement, so they had limited options, making them desperate

 

Trust me, once he finally does get on the field they'll forget all about this nonsense. Even if he does miss a full season he's still young and talented enough to be a top 5 QB every year, and that's exactly what the Browns Management gambled on. They knew this was a possibility. 

[League_Champion]

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/06/28/report-nfl-more-likely-to-accept-6-8-game-suspension-of-deshaun-watson-and-not-appeal/

[stevegrab]

 

2 hours ago, League_Champion said:

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/06/28/report-nfl-more-likely-to-accept-6-8-game-suspension-of-deshaun-watson-and-not-appeal/

 

I read that 2 days ago when it was new, also saw a comment about it in Huddle News which I referenced in a post yesterday, That is why I think its premature that others are convinced it will be at least one full season. Nobody really knows, and the decision is likely a week or two away. 

 

Here's Florio's latest on the whole thing...as Jim Donovan said on the news last night, everything is a negotiation. Not suggesting this has a good chance of happening, just saying there is a lot more going on than simple investigation and punishment decision. 

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/06/30/heres-a-proposed-deal-to-resolve-the-deshaun-watson-case/

[purplemonster]

1 hour ago, stevegrab said:

 

 

I read that 2 days ago when it was new, also saw a comment about it in Huddle News which I referenced in a post yesterday, That is why I think its premature that others are convinced it will be at least one full season. Nobody really knows, and the decision is likely a week or two away. 

 

Here's Florio's latest on the whole thing...as Jim Donovan said on the news last night, everything is a negotiation. Not suggesting this has a good chance of happening, just saying there is a lot more going on than simple investigation and punishment decision. 

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/06/30/heres-a-proposed-deal-to-resolve-the-deshaun-watson-case/

Yes that is an interesting proposal. Certainly not loved by the commenters on that website, however much stock you want to on that which is probably not much. I am not convinced he will get a year, but it seems to me the most logical for all sorts of reasons. If he was being charged for sexual assault then it wouldn't be an issue, he'd be out. He wasn't so now we are left to guess whatever the arbiter or NFL finds acceptable or not.

 

[stevegrab]

I believe this is the first time this new process with the arbiter has been used, so its pretty hard to predict the outcome, including all the potential negotiations going on.

 

That was confirmed last night on the news. The disciplinary hearing wrapped up yesterday, now the parties have to submit their written briefs. I heard those are due around July 11 (the term "week of July 11" was used, with that being a Monday it could mean sometime that week). Negotiations between the parties will continue in the meantime, as they did during the hearing. Reports indicate the NFL made an offer (probably a full season) and Watson's camp declined. Could be another week or two after briefs are filed before a decision is made. 

 

This article has a lot of info about the case, including which of the civil lawsuits were settled and which remain. The short answer is that the two most recent ones were included in those settled, while two of the first cases that came forward are still remaining (Ashley Solis and Lauren Baxley). 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/browns/2022/06/30/deshaun-watson-active-civil-lawsuits-revealed-20-settled/7780237001/

Edited July 1, 2022 by stevegrab

[millworkguy]

On 2022-06-30 at 10:41 AM, League_Champion said:

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/06/28/report-nfl-more-likely-to-accept-6-8-game-suspension-of-deshaun-watson-and-not-appeal/

 

Here is a Cleveland based mary kay cabot with sources saying the nfl would appeal a 6-8 game suspension 

 

https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2022/06/nfl-wouldnt-accept-a-6-8-game-suspension-for-deshaun-watson-if-thats-what-sue-l-robinson-imposes-source-says.html?outputType=amp

[stevegrab]

2 hours ago, millworkguy said:

 

Here is a Cleveland based mary kay cabot with sources saying the nfl would appeal a 6-8 game suspension 

 

https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2022/06/nfl-wouldnt-accept-a-6-8-game-suspension-for-deshaun-watson-if-thats-what-sue-l-robinson-imposes-source-says.html?outputType=amp

 

Just FYI as somebody who lives in the market and follows the media, Mary Kay Cabot is not very good, and many wonder why she has a job as the Browns beat writer. She infuses so much drama into everything she writes, and rarely has her own real source, instead its usually some other article that somebody else wrote. 

 

Maybe she really has a source, I just doubt it based on past experience. She rarely has breaking news on the Browns, and lots of what she predicts never happens (of course that's pretty common with lots of this speculative reporting based on unnamed sources that could be just about anybody who has no real info). 

 

There is a story I'd really like to read, the reporter (Terry Pluto) used to write for the Akron paper that I followed. He's a bit less into the drama and often more willing than others to criticize the sports teams. But its behind their pay wall, and I'm just not into that. 

https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2022/06/the-browns-are-to-blame-for-taking-on-deshaun-watsons-problems-terry-pluto.html

[League_Champion]

It's an interesting take.

 

"Deshaun Watson will never play for the Cleveland Browns".

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/steelers/news/deshaun-watson-never-play-cleveland-browns

[stevegrab]

On 7/1/2022 at 10:08 PM, League_Champion said:

It's an interesting take.

 

"Deshaun Watson will never play for the Cleveland Browns".

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/steelers/news/deshaun-watson-never-play-cleveland-browns

 

"La Confora also said the Browns didn't do any research into Watson's case, which could lead to many surprises as time passes. "

 

This would not surprise me at all, they sure tried to act like they had done a thorough job, and that Watson was squeaky clean, or at least not really filthy dirty and facing a potential season long or indefinite suspension. I cannot wait to hear what the Haslams have to say when the wheels fall of. 

[League_Champion]

2 hours ago, stevegrab said:

 

"La Confora also said the Browns didn't do any research into Watson's case, which could lead to many surprises as time passes. "

 

This would not surprise me at all, they sure tried to act like they had done a thorough job, and that Watson was squeaky clean, or at least not really filthy dirty and facing a potential season long or indefinite suspension. I cannot wait to hear what the Haslams have to say when the wheels fall of. 

 

I wasn't even thinking in that regard but that could certainly happen. One would have to think that the Browns knew this was a possibility, no? 

[squirrelmastr21]

Are there any other jurisdictions that he could face charges? I doubt all 24 cases occurred in the same place.

[stevegrab]

2 hours ago, squirrelmastr21 said:

Are there any other jurisdictions that he could face charges? I doubt all 24 cases occurred in the same place.

 

I believe that at this time all civil lawsuits have been filed in (and supposedly occurred in) Harris County Texas. 

 

I saw this story earlier and am reading it now, not sure what it means. Probably more trouble for Watson. It basically talks about a statement made to the NFL by an adult son of one of the women, but she is not somebody represented by Buzbee or part of the group of women he filed lawsuits for. Sounds like there may be at least one in addition to her that spoke to the NFL that are not in the Buzbee group. 

Reported Deshaun Watson accuser, whose son was interviewed by NFL, not among cases presented by league or represented by Tony Buzbee (msn.com)