Pacman suspended for entire 2007 season!

I think something that a lot of people are missing here is that while this may have been "Goodell's decision", there has been a lot of pressure from the players union itself for harsher punishments against repeat offenders like Pacman and Henry. You guys gotta realize, 90% of NFL players are solid, hard-working, decent, charitable individuals. That large majority doesn't want their reputations as a whole brought down by the very few who are, quite simply, too f-ing stupid to know how to behave. The players don't want the NFL to get the same kind of reputation as the NBA any more than Goodell does.

As for the legal issues, there is a collective bargaining agreement here that governs everything that the commissioner is doing. If the players union doesn't appeal, you can rest assured Goodell has not violated the terms of the CBA. If they do appeal, then maybe there is a question........but until they do, nobody on this board really has any reason to complain. The NFL and its players are free to conduct their business however they wish, and if they both want harsher penalties for illegal and idiotic behavior, then God bless 'em.

Daseal, although there may be labor laws in some jurisdictions that provide employees who are about to be terminated with certain protections, the at will employment doctrine is pretty universal.

Skinsfan__nn, I'd love to, if you don't mind commuting to Madison, WI to meet with me or paying for me to fly to the D.C. area to meet with you. ;) In any event, I'm pretty much incompetent as I don't even get my J.D. for another 2 months. If you are actually serious about finding new legal counsel, I could definately recommend good outside counsel. My firm's (Foley and Lardner) D.C. office has a lot of really good attorneys, but they're quite expensive.

You guys gotta realize, 90% of NFL players are solid, hard-working, decent, charitable individuals.

That's a good point that I frequently lose sight of.

I think that most places can fire or suspend a person for anything the company feels is not in the best interest of the company (i.e. violating company policy). That includes having interoffice relationships (not a crime), not following safety rules (not a crime), saying "nappy headed ho" (not a crime). The NFL is a company. If the policy of the company is to require players to "avoid embarissing public behavior", then they have that right.

I'm tired of players using high-priced attorneys, paid for by the money they are paid from the NFL, to get them off of crimes any of us would get convicted for. Then to throw it back and say "but I wasn't convicted"... come on...

Kudos (with a 'K') to Goodell and the NFL.

This is exactly why the athletes are the way they are. Or any troubles kids now. people want to point the blaim in so many different directions instead of where they belong. Pacman and Henry are adults. They know whats right and whats wrong. carrying weed, beating up strippers and shooting guns, going 100 MPH while drinking!! any adult should know those are things that will get you in trouble. I dont feel sorry or believe this blaim the environment they lived in crap. They used their athletic gifts to get out of those situations. Now, they have all the money in the world and end up making the same stupid mistakes they made before. you have all the money in the world, that doesn't give you a pass to act like the biggest dumb ass in the world. These guys should pay for their crimes. Too many athletes get off with a slap on the wrist. If pacman is convicted of all the charges from the Vegas thing, being suspended from the NFL for 1 year will look like nothing compared to the jail time he will face. People need to stop making excuses for these idiots and hold them accountable for their actions. Do you think if any of us had all these run ins with the cops we would be sitting here typing on the Warpath.net?? HELL NO! we would be in jail or where ever. At somepoint when do they get treated as a person.. a normal person like everyone else in the country.

See though, the thing is, I'm not saying he shouldn't be punished. I'm only pointing out that he never learned how to be an adult. The only thing he ever learned was that playing football well would make everything go away. Everyone has made sure this kid was gonna keep making them money while he was high school, college, any time they could. Then, you give him millions of dollars and think he will all of a sudden grow up? That'd be nice, but it's not realistic. However, I do agree, he knows the difference between right and wrong, I'm not contending that he doesn't. I'm also not, in any way, claiming he shouldn't be punished or serve whatever jail time he's sentenced to. I think the biggest problem is everyone enabling this kid his whole life, he was never provided the tools to become a functional adult, but that doesn't matter. He made his own decisions, he did what he did and now he's gotta pay the consequences. However, that doesn't mean I don't feel sorry for him.

Daseal, although there may be labor laws in some jurisdictions that provide employees who are about to be terminated with certain protections, the at will employment doctrine is pretty universal.

Skinsfan__nn, I'd love to, if you don't mind commuting to Madison, WI to meet with me or paying for me to fly to the D.C. area to meet with you. ;) In any event, I'm pretty much incompetent as I don't even get my J.D. for another 2 months. If you are actually serious about finding new legal counsel, I could definately recommend good outside counsel.

You do make it to a game or two correct? We can work out the details.:)

Just kidin my wife has an OUTSTANDING FIRM for her office. When I do something stupid they take it on the chin for the local Redneck Redskin Fan! Nice havin friends!

Back to thread, I think the league is doing the right thing by taking a Hard Line position on these types of behaviors, which are completely unacceptable.

That's a good point that I frequently lose sight of.

That's cause hard working and decent players rarely make headlines in the off season.

I think that the NFL should keep track of player conduct and keep a list that will be announced all at once so as to minimize the plublicity any one player can get from the suspension.

I see your point jdlea, but I don't pity a guy who's been privileged his whole life and gets just a taste of the kind of rules the rest of us deal with and abide by.

NFL Network just reported that Jones could be suspended for a longer period if he is charged with a crime in the Vegas incident. They also read the letter Goodell sent to Jones and Henry and man was it harsh.

I see your point jdlea, but I don't pity a guy who's been privileged his whole life and gets just a taste of the kind of rules the rest of us deal with and abide by.

That's your prerogative. I'm not really trying to sway anyone. I kinda feel like, if a guy gets arrested a couple times, he messed up. A guy gets arrested like 10 or whatever it's been for Pacman, he's messed up. I feel sorry for him. I think a lot of people contributed to his life being screwed up almost as much as he screwed it up himself. He needs some help, I'm not saying he shouldn't be punished, but I believe the NFL should consider finding a way to help him get his life straightened out. He screwed up his own life, but I still feel sorry for him.