Deshaun Watson

For Roger Goodell and the Browns, this is what needed to happen, and now it's an opportunity for everyone to realize there is no justice in this case ...

And so, the appeal is what needed to happen. The NFL did not want this to happen. There was no time for survivors to see him as someone who was sorry, or as someone who was trying to change. But it creates a moment to pause, to realize a moment (or moments) when we all fell short. In life, there’s merit in recognizing the moments we fall short of ideal and correcting the behavior (though the real secret sauce seems to be realizing that we fall short more often than we reach whatever ideal would seem to be at the moment and keep chugging anyway). Judge Sue L. Robinson, the NFL and NFLPA’s hand-picked independent arbitrator in these disciplinary cases, pointed out that the NFL’s past precedents in disciplinary cases made it difficult for her to reach the kind of yearlong suspension of Watson the league would have wanted. While we don’t need anyone to tell us that dozens of alleged instances of sexual harassment and assault are not good, Robinson believed there was no avenue for her to travel beyond the harshest penalty the NFL handed out for a first-time offender whom she deemed “nonviolent.” Between the lines, one could feel her saying: If you want this so badly, you’re going to have to go ahead and do it on your own.

The precedent that Roger Goodell established in past personal conduct policy violations was a key factor in Deshaun Watson's six-game suspension.

The right move is for Goodell to suffer this indignity, for the Browns to suffer this indignity, for Watson to suffer this indignity, for Robinson to suffer this indignity. The right move is for this thing they’re calling justice in the case of The NFL v. In the story of Watson, let it burn. Goodell made this mess because of his incompetence, from start to finish – from 2007 to this very day – and now he gets the final swing. Well, not really: The NFLPA can go beyond the confines of the CBA and sue for relief. Then he’d hurry back to the judge’s chair and issue a sentence. A real judge, a true advocate of justice, would’ve treated Watson’s behavior – “unprecedented,” the NFL called it, and she agreed – with something unprecedented. A real commissioner, a real human being with actual values, would’ve suspended Scott for the season, if not forever, and dared the NFLPA to appeal it. Four games for Dallas Cowboys running back Joseph Randle in 2015 after police accused him of breaking a car window in an argument with the mother of his son, then threatening the woman and their child with a gun. But again, let’s not be like Goodell and discover a mess – a mess absolutely of his own creation, by the way – and “fix” it in a way that leads to more messes down the road, more messes to fix. But let’s not be like Goodell here, OK? Let’s see the big picture, all of it, not just one piece. Just one more example of the incompetence in our federal judiciary.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell won't oversee the appeal of Deshaun Watson's six-game suspension, according to ProFootballTalk's.

The team also provided Watson with a membership to a Houston hotel and fitness club where he held some of his massage appointments. Watson has settled 20 and agreed to settle three more of the 24 civil lawsuits filed against him by women accusing him of sexual assault or misconduct during massage therapy sessions. Sue L. Robinson, the disciplinary officer jointly appointed by the NFL and NFLPA, handed down a six-game ban for the Cleveland Browns quarterback. Why? My opinion …

1) Gives the NFL a better shot at avoiding court.

2) Better maintains integrity of the process they negotiated with the PA. Dan Graziano of ESPN reported Sunday that the league was prepared to settle for a 12-game suspension and a "heavy fine" of around $8 million. The MMQB's Albert Breer speculated on why the commissioner isn't exercising that right in this case:

so she will bump his suspension to 6 games 1 quarter… this is an absolute joke if he doesnt get a year min. browns023 says:.

Again, she wouldn’t be truly independent; she’s about to become an equity holder in one of the league’s teams. Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Goodell will not be handling the Watson appeal. Even if the league calls the person “independent,” they really aren’t. They’ll have some sort of hope for an ongoing business relationship with the league, and that will influence the decision-making process.

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The attorney representing several accusers in the sexual assault and misconduct civil suits against Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson said his clients felt ...

Goodell will instead hand over the duties to someone who is not in the league office. Attorney Tony Buzbee said in a Thursday press conference that one of his clients said, “six games isn’t even a slap on the wrist. Buzbee said 10 of his clients met with NFL investigators and he offered more.

What next for Deshaun Watson and the Browns after the NFL's appeal? The new Padres make big first impressions in San Diego, and the LIV rebels are set to ...

The NFL has appealed Judge Sue L. Robinson's ruling of a six-game suspension for Watson and appointed a designee. Follow along as The Sporting News tracks ...

That would make it more likely that the judge in charge of the case would not provide a restraining order for Watson. That would potentially allow for Watson to play in Week 1 while the case is handled in the courts. 8:40 p.m. ET: Dan Graziano of ESPN reports that the NFL and Watson's legal team engaged in talks to suspend him 12 games and fine him upward of $8 million. By challenging her ruling, the NFL is saying there is no precedent for Watson's case, considering the scope of his sexual assault violations (as defined by the CBA). Moreover, Goodell or the arbiter's ruling will not be subject to appeal, meaning it will be final inasmuch the CBA is concerned. Should the arbiter tack on a significant number of games to Watson's suspension, it could set up a lengthy battle in federal court.

What next for Deshaun Watson and the Browns after the NFL's appeal? The new Padres make big first impressions in San Diego, and the LIV rebels are set to ...