OT Matt Araiza - Accused Of Rape

[Ghost of Quacksaw]

Bills release rookie punter Matt Araiza following gang rape allegation in civil lawsuit (nfl.com)

[Geezbolt]

Bills release rookie punter Matt Araiza following gang rape allegation in civil lawsuit (nfl.com)

The Bills did the right thing. I just watched the news conference with their GM and they're handling it well. Like the Bolts, the Bills have a promising season ahead of them and they need to get this behind them.

[Hadl2Alworth]

I thought they put a lid on this shit. I remember taking my kid to college at UMich as a freshman about 8 years ago and they had an orientation session for kids and parents and on the topic of sex said basically that if a girl has had a single drink she could not knowingly consent and you could be suspended at best or charged with rape. I thought I might never have gotten laid in college if the same rule applied. I guess the message didn’t make it to Sdsu.

could they make Animal House today?

Are you sure what the law was regarding rape (if a girl had a drink) when you were in college?

[jamrock]

Are you sure what the law was regarding rape (if a girl had a drink) when you were in college?

No idea. But i sincerely doubt it was 1 drink means no consent is possible. We smoked weed back then.

[Parcells]

could they make Animal House today?

Absolutely not! I was born in 1980, so after Animal House came out. But I watched it multiple times in high school and thought it was hilarious. Later in life I came to the realization that there was things in that movie that were unacceptable. Same for Revenge of the Nerds.

[Parcells]

I was begging for us to take Ariza in the draft and bummed when Buffalo took him. I think he's an incredible talent, but from here I wonder if he ever plays another down in the NFL. It sucks, but he should be held accountable for his actions. I hope (and do believe) I'd feel the same way if he was a Charger.

I do wonder if the Bolts eliminated him from their board after he disclosed this stuff. If so, I do respect the front office for this. I like the fact that we haven't had a player in legal trouble for a long time. I love the Chargers and so does my family. I'd really rather not have to explain to my 8 year-old (who also loves the Chargers) why our punter that I was excited for us to draft four months ago has now been released because he was involved in some horrific criminal behavior. In short, I really appreciate that we have a team that behaves in a decent manner off the field. I appreciate having a coach who seems like a genuinely decent person.

My wife is from Dallas (we live in DFW) and she grew up as a Cowboys fan in the 90s. She actually went to the Super Bowl where they beat Bills 52-17. But after so many of their players got into all sorts of trouble throughout the 90s, she cooled on her love of the Cowboys. We started dating in 2003, and by 2005 when we were engaged, she converted to being a Chargers fan. It was in part because she realized I was a miserable bastard to be around when they lost, but also because she didn't care about the Cowboys like she used to because of their off-field behaviors. She's a casual fan, but she's happy for my youngest son and I when they win because we are such die-hards. So I really enjoy being able to tell her that we are the only team in the last 5+ year who hasn't had a player be arrested and then I showed her the Staley press conference video where he responded to all of the stuff that came out after Gruden's email became public. In short, my love of the Chargers came from dad and for me is in large part about family. I'm grateful that I don't have to be embarrassed about who they are to my family. I'm not sure I could have stuck with the team if they'd have traded for DeShaun Watson.

[Guest]

I have a different perspective than most on all of this.

First, what has been filed against Araiza is a civil lawsuit. Apparently, there is no criminal action filed or to be filed. That is somewhat telling as it suggests that even with the alleged recording, the district attorney's office did not think the case could be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. While that does not negate the possibility of proof at the lower civil standard of proof (a more likely than not standard), as in the O.J. Simpson case, at a minimum, that suggests the possibility that the "we have you dead and stinking" allegations of paragraph 15 of the complaint regarding the content of the recording may be being overstated by the young woman's attorney.

Yet, it seems that nobody on this forum has even considered the possibility that the complaint, which at best contains the allegations of an admittedly very intoxicated person (which potentially affects her credibility), may be false or at least false as related to Araiza, who would be a good person to name in a lawsuit since he is/was an NFL player (i.e., someone with a comparatively deep pocket).

As someone who responds to complaints and other allegations routinely for a living, it is absolutely the case that just because someone writes something down on a piece of paper, that does not make that something true--even as to what was reportedly recorded as that could be being mischaracterized as well.

I, for one, find it to be a poor move on the part of the Bills that they released Araiza absent an adjudication or solid proof on the matter. The "we are going to let Matt focus on this" is a total cop out by the Bills. There is nothing preventing Araiza from playing football and aiding his attorney in the defense of the case at the same time. This is just the Bills caving to what it perceives as the inevitable wave of PC and cancel culture BS, something that will continue until people stand up to it and say "enough is enough".

Given that Araiza is not facing any NFL discipline, I would not hesitate to sign Araiza. I do not see how giving a man a high paying position that he has earned with his job performance and that enables him to pay a nice settlement to the alleged victim is a bad thing--for anyone. The NFL team wins by getting the player; the player wins by getting a higher paying job; and the alleged victim wins because the player is making an NFL salary instead of working at a local car wash making minimum wage.

And I think I can tell you at least person that privately would agree with me on that subject--and that is the young woman's attorney. As someone that represents plaintiffs regularly, I can tell you that having someone that can actually pay a larger settlement is always helpful to a client that has suffered significant harms and losses. These lawsuits are filed to help the alleged victim, not to destroy the alleged tortfeasor.

[Ghost of Quacksaw]

I have a different perspective than most on all of this.

First, what has been filed against Araiza is a civil lawsuit. Apparently, there is no criminal action filed or to be filed. That is somewhat telling as it suggests that even with the alleged recording, the district attorney's office did not think the case could be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. While that does not negate the possibility of proof at the lower civil standard of proof (a more likely than not standard), as in the O.J. Simpson case, at a minimum, that suggests the possibility that the "we have you dead and stinking" allegations of paragraph 15 of the complaint regarding the content of the recording may be being overstated by the young woman's attorney.

Yet, it seems that nobody on this forum has even considered the possibility that the complaint, which at best contains the allegations of an admittedly very intoxicated person (which potentially affects her credibility), may be false or at least false as related to Araiza, who would be a good person to name in a lawsuit since he is/was an NFL player (i.e., someone with a comparatively deep pocket).

As someone who responds to complaints and other allegations routinely for a living, it is absolutely the case that just because someone writes something down on a piece of paper, that does not make that something true--even as to what was reportedly recorded as that could be being mischaracterized as well.

I, for one, find it to be a poor move on the part of the Bills that they released Araiza absent an adjudication or solid proof on the matter. The "we are going to let Matt focus on this" is a total cop out by the Bills. There is nothing preventing Araiza from playing football and aiding his attorney in the defense of the case at the same time. This is just the Bills caving to what it perceives as the inevitable wave of PC and cancel culture BS, something that will continue until people stand up to it and say "enough is enough".

Given that Araiza is not facing any NFL discipline, I would not hesitate to sign Araiza. I do not see how giving a man a high paying position that he has earned with his job performance and that enables him to pay a nice settlement to the alleged victim is a bad thing--for anyone. The NFL team wins by getting the player; the player wins by getting a higher paying job; and the alleged victim wins because the player is making an NFL salary instead of working at a local car wash making minimum wage.

And I think I can tell you at least person that privately would agree with me on that subject--and that is the young woman's attorney. As someone that represents plaintiffs regularly, I can tell you that having someone that can actually pay a larger settlement is always helpful to a client that has suffered significant harms and losses. These lawsuits are filed to help the alleged victim, not to destroy the alleged tortfeasor.

Worth reading just to see "alleged tortfeasor". That'll be the name of my next band.

Quacksaw & The Alleged Tortfeasors

[Riverwalk]

I have a different perspective than most on all of this.

First, what has been filed against Araiza is a civil lawsuit. Apparently, there is no criminal action filed or to be filed. That is somewhat telling as it suggests that even with the alleged recording, the district attorney's office did not think the case could be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. While that does not negate the possibility of proof at the lower civil standard of proof (a more likely than not standard), as in the O.J. Simpson case, at a minimum, that suggests the possibility that the "we have you dead and stinking" allegations of paragraph 15 of the complaint regarding the content of the recording may be being overstated by the young woman's attorney.

Yet, it seems that nobody on this forum has even considered the possibility that the complaint, which at best contains the allegations of an admittedly very intoxicated person (which potentially affects her credibility), may be false or at least false as related to Araiza, who would be a good person to name in a lawsuit since he is/was an NFL player (i.e., someone with a comparatively deep pocket).

As someone who responds to complaints and other allegations routinely for a living, it is absolutely the case that just because someone writes something down on a piece of paper, that does not make that something true--even as to what was reportedly recorded as that could be being mischaracterized as well.

I, for one, find it to be a poor move on the part of the Bills that they released Araiza absent an adjudication or solid proof on the matter. The "we are going to let Matt focus on this" is a total cop out by the Bills. There is nothing preventing Araiza from playing football and aiding his attorney in the defense of the case at the same time. This is just the Bills caving to what it perceives as the inevitable wave of PC and cancel culture BS, something that will continue until people stand up to it and say "enough is enough".

Given that Araiza is not facing any NFL discipline, I would not hesitate to sign Araiza. I do not see how giving a man a high paying position that he has earned with his job performance and that enables him to pay a nice settlement to the alleged victim is a bad thing--for anyone. The NFL team wins by getting the player; the player wins by getting a higher paying job; and the alleged victim wins because the player is making an NFL salary instead of working at a local car wash making minimum wage.

And I think I can tell you at least person that privately would agree with me on that subject--and that is the young woman's attorney. As someone that represents plaintiffs regularly, I can tell you that having someone that can actually pay a larger settlement is always helpful to a client that has suffered significant harms and losses. These lawsuits are filed to help the alleged victim, not to destroy the alleged tortfeasor.

Bills know more than you and I. I have no doubt they know he’s guilty.

[Formula 21]

Are you sure what the law was regarding rape (if a girl had a drink) when you were in college?

Hell, they way rape laws are enforced, eye contact could mean consent.

[Formula 21]

Life is so much easier when you do the right thing.

[Fouts2herbert]

Guest

You are critical of bills but on the flipside I’m not going to praise the bills for doing what they did either…they have one of the best teams in their history poised to make a serious superbowl run so it makes sense they don’t want to let a punter put a damper on all that…. at the end of the day araiza is a punter not a quarterback…it makes me wonder if these allegations were aimed at josh allen would the bills have done what they did yesterday? The answer to that question is at the heart of all this shit, you mentioned cancel culture but what if anything has it actually changed? Watson is a good example, he’s a fucking predator but he gets to keep play QB in the NFL after a couple months, you got owners left and right getting away with crazy shit even after an army of women took proof and testimony to congress in the washington case, there was video proof in the dallas case, in Houston the texans are run by one of the most religious owners in the NFL and yet they provided the services that Watson (and other texans players) took advantage of and that story just disappeared with the texans writing a few checks (tax right off?), and nobody is cancelling any of those assholes, not when the NFL juggernaut made 95 billion last year…so feel free to stand up for the daniel snyder’s of the world because a few people want them held accountable for the same crimes you and I would go to jail for…those poor men are so victimized so let’s organize your movement and stand up for their rights…

we saw this play out in pittsburg, ben raped a woman in a public bathroom while his off duty police officer bodyguard friend obstructed the investigation on his behalf and the steelers made a few public statements but he was never in any danger of being cut…it’s disgusting shit…and now ben is born again, with a beautiful family, and I believe he’s the father of 1-2 little girls?