dschuler
Footballguy
This is what they are trying to get away from. Someone like Leonard Little was hammered and killed somebody drunk driving, and was acquitted. Would you have suspended him?Don't get me wrong, I understand that is within their potential purview to punish prior to conviction, in the NFLs instance given the PR ramifications their decisions can cause I just don't understand why they would want to do that.There are many government and corporate jobs that punish employees before DUIs get handled in court. Military people actually get tried twice, and some corporate employees have consequences as well.They can, but that is also their legal right I guess.I agree with you, but playin devils advocate, players can try to drag out the legal process (Lynch) or plead down (Rice) to avoid being found guilty, or delay it, for an indeterminate amount of time.No clue why the NFL/commish would have an issue waiting for the legal process to play out before issuing discipline.
Seems like it would only be part of the due process of a situation. Even NFL players can end up in situations where an arrest is made without charges being filed or charges are filed but the facts of the case dont support them. Why discipline players in those instances...or fight for the discretionary power to?
If that is a sticking point it would seem to be either a negotiating ploy or a symptom of a larger issue.
If the legal system allows it, why should their be any rush to judgement by the league?
I.E. in Lynch's case why should he face any league discipline before it is determined that he actually did what he is accused of?
I think it would come across really poorly if, for example they punished Lynch for DUI yet he was found not guilty if his day in court ever comes.
At least to me, it's a little different philosophically than positions that require public or corporate trust.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Ten-years-later-Leonard-Little-is-sorry-for-kil?urn=nfl,80784
http://sports-boards.net/forums/showthread.php/31403-Leonard-Little-acquitted-of-DWI-charge