6 games off. That’s the suspension. that’s it.
Such was the decision Monday by former federal judge Sue L. Robinson, after weighing the pros and cons of punishing Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshawn Watson.
Robinson, the mediator who oversaw Watson’s hearing, said the NFL’s recommendation that Watson receive at least a one-year suspension after he was accused by more than 20 women of sexual misconduct during massage therapy. made a decision against
Reviewing the results of the League’s 15-month-long investigation against Watson, she deemed his conduct “predatory” and “evil”.
The clock is ticking for the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell. What will be the league’s next move in the despicable spectacle that is the case of DeShawn Watson?
The NFL has until Thursday morning to appeal. He could also impose a fine that would recoup some of the roughly $45 million signing bonus Watson earned from the Browns. But if the NFL simply bows down and gives up without even fighting, it says it all about how it views women and how seriously it takes their stories.
To all Watson apologists: Robinson unconditionally agreed that Watson had done wrong. he exposed himself. He deliberately touched the woman with his penis repeatedly.
Below is a sample of her conclusions.
“The NFL has the burden of proving by the preponderance of evidence that Mr. Watson was involved in sexual assault (as defined by the NFL),” he said to the four therapists identified in the league’s report.
“The NFL has the burden of proving by a preponderance of evidence that Mr. Watson’s actions posed a genuine danger to the safety and well-being of others.”
“Mr. Watson knew that such sexual contact was undesirable.”
“Mr. Watson recklessly ignored the consequences of his actions, which I consider to be tantamount to deliberate action.”
Still, Robinson said he has his limits. She could have given a more severe punishment, but refused to set a precedent. Instead, she relied on the NFL’s liberal history. The most common discipline against players is a six-game suspension.”
She went on to list other suspensions for players, including one who had to sit out 10 games “due to multiple incidents of domestic violence in which the player pleaded guilty to battery charges.”
Relying on precedent is understandable and commendable. However, this decision was not made in court. The NFL does not have to accept Robinson’s recommendations. Especially not when a player’s contract, like Watson’s, is structured to avoid a significant financial hit from a suspension. When he signed his fully insured $230 million contract with the Browns in March, the team agreed on his $1 million base and his salary.
The league is a private organization. You can give whatever punishment you see fit. If Watson, his lawyers and the Players Association have problems, they can sue.
Let them go ahead and keep the charges against Watson in the center of attention.
Harassment of women is not uncommon in the NFL, which too often stands for Neanderthal Football League. I said something similar last week when Congress, not the league, tried to hold Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder accountable for his team’s knuckle-dragging culture and misconduct. wrote.
The Washington Post reported That Snyder settled sexual misconduct allegations stemming from an incident in 2009. The NFL’s Watson investigation lasted 15 months. These protracted investigations spiral into the theater of absurdity simply because they haven’t — the kind that send a clear signal that the NFL will not tolerate the abuse of women.
As Watson’s decision stands now, no one wins six games without a penalty.
Not the woman whose lawyer described the suspension as a “slapping.”
We are not a league with a personal conduct policy aimed at “defining, addressing, and sanctioning” players whose behavior detracts from the image of the NFL.
A franchise that has proven to tear its dignity and sell its soul for a chance to finally become a Super Bowl contender, not the Browns.
Despite being attacked by Browns fans in training camp, Watson will forever be mentioned as one of the league’s outcasts, as an example of misogyny culture.
Not a victim of or advocate for sexual violence or domestic abuse. “We are prepared for this kind of disappointment,” Sondra Miller, director of the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, said in an interview Monday. It’s an emotion, so it’s part of what we’re feeling today.”
who else? Certainly not the woman who fronted the story of being abused by what Robinson called a “sexual act.”
Twenty-four women have filed lawsuits alleging that Watson was sexually intimidating and lewd during massages between fall 2019 and March 2021.
Watson was not indicted in criminal court and has settled all but one of the accusers. Considering how difficult it is to file a sexual misconduct lawsuit, this is not an uncommon result. Sexual misconduct lawsuits often arise in private, resulting in conflicting accounts from the two people involved.
But when the NFL In 2014, we strengthened our personal action policy, In response to Ray Rice’s backlash over discipline, Goodell wrote that the league maintains “higher standards”.
To make that statement work, common sense has to take precedence. You have to believe women, especially when so many of them bring forward stories of harassment and abuse.
Robinson has made it clear he believes there was sexual misconduct, but has been hampered in the league’s past when it comes to punishment. , is too generous.
It’s time to start course correction. The league and its commissioner must stand against Monday’s ruling and prepare for battle.
