Tedy Bruschi is an idiot

[Bolt-O]

I think Troy Vincent handles the penalties now, but its still on Rog. Owners like $$ too much to make a big deal of any thing Rog does. Where is that guy anyway, he sometimes posts here.

[Mister Hoarse]

Missouri Supreme Court invalidates Commissioner as arbitrator
Posted by Mike Florio on May 5, 2015, 11:24 PM EDT

AP
When it comes to employment disputes involving individuals teams, the NFL traditionally stacks the deck in its favor, forcing disgruntled employees to agree to arbitration — with the Commissioner of the league presiding. Last week, the Missouri Supreme Court delivered what could become a fatal blow to the league’s obsession with allowing a non-lawyer to make legal decisions that could be influenced by business interests unrelated to what the law requires.

In a lawsuit filed more than four years ago by former Rams equipment manager Todd Hewitt, the Missouri Supreme Court invalidated the requirement of submitting all claims to arbitration resolved by the Commissioner. The Missouri Supreme Court based its conclusion in part on a fairly simply analysis of three provisions of the league’s Constitution and Bylaws.

First, the Court pointed out that Section 8.3 gives the Commissioner “full, complete, and final jurisdiction and authority to arbitrate . . . [a]ny dispute between any player, coach, and/or other employee of any member of the League and any member club or clubs.” Next, the Court pointed out that Section 8.1 requires the NFL to “select and employ a person of unquestioned integrity to serve as Commissioner of the League and shall determine the period and fix the compensation of his employment.” Then, the Court pointed out that Section 8.2 states that the “Commissioner shall have no financial interest, direct or indirect, in any professional sport.”

The provisions are clearly inconsistent; it’s impossible for the Commissioner to have “no financial interest” in “any professional sport” when he is paid by the league — and when the bulk of his compensation often comes from bonuses tied to the financial success of the league. More importantly, the Missouri Supreme Court concluded that the conflicting provisions and obvious bias of the Commissioner when “required to arbitrate claims against his employers” makes the requirement that employees submit claims to arbitration resolved by the Commissioner unenforceable.

While narrow in application to the State of Missouri (which serves as the home of two NFL teams, the Rams and Chiefs), the ruling provides a blueprint for employees who hope to avoid Commissioner-resolved arbitration in the other 21 states in which the NFL does business. It also gives the NFL Players Association and the NFL Referees Association a potential hammer for challenging in court the ability of the Commissioner to continue to serve as the arbitrator over claims brought by players and game officials, respectively.

While those provisions likely will have greater teeth because they appear in Collective Bargaining Agreements, the three provisions quoted by the Missouri Supreme Court from the NFL’s Constitution and Bylaws lay the foundation for a case-by-case attack on arbitration submitted to the Commissioner based on the inherent bias of the Commissioner.

It’s an obvious problem that has been hiding in plain sight for decades. At some point, the unions, the courts, and/or the NFL itself need to acknowledge that the Commissioner necessarily is incapable of being objective when resolving disputes involving the very teams that hire and pay him, and to come up with a more fair and unbiased procedure for resolving disputes.

[Mister Hoarse]

Can Goodell be independent in #DeflateGate punishment?

Posted by Mike Florio on May 7, 2015, 2:20 PM EDT

On Tuesday night, word emerged of the Missouri Supreme Court concluding that Commissioner Roger Goodell is incapable of being a truly neutral arbitrator in cases involving one of the 32 owners who employ him.

Eventually, Goodell will have to make important decisions in a case involving a very influential owner. An owner who publicly, staunchly, and repeatedly defended Goodell when he was under siege for his office’s handling of the Ray Rice case. An owner who is one of only three who determine every year what Goodell does — or doesn’t — earn for his efforts.

Can Roger Goodell be truly neutral and independent when it comes to the punishment that will be imposed on the Patriots and on quarterback Tom Brady? Sure, owner Robert Kraft’s statement indicates in the final paragraph that he’ll accept whatever the consequences are. But every paragraph in the statement before acceptance contained plenty of anger, denial, bargaining, and depression.

Goodell’s statement from Wednesday points out that executive V.P. of football operations “Troy Vincent and his team will consider what steps to take in light of the report, both with respect to possible disciplinary action and to any changes in protocols that are necessary to avoid future incidents of this type.” Many have interpreted this to mean that Goodell will wash his hands of the matter by deferring to Vincent.

Surely, that won’t happen. Especially if/when punishment is imposed on quarterback Tom Brady. Under the labor deal, the Commissioner has final say over the discipline.

Typically, the suspicion is that “The Enforcer” puts his thumb on the scales when it comes to player punishment. With Brady, the suspicion will be that Goodell may be inclined to go easy, given his relationship with Kraft.

Either way, Goodell’s decision will receive extra scrutiny. Which means that the best move could be to appoint someone else to handle it.

Former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue would make the most sense. But after Taglibue’s handling of the Saints bounty scandal in 2012, it’s highly unlikely that Goodell would risk another not-so-subtle rebuke from his predecessor — especially since it seems that one or more people working for Goodell failed to let him know about the issue, possibly due to concerns that Goodell personally would have given the Patriots the warning that they otherwise didn’t receive.

[Mister Hoarse]

KO

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/05/tom-brady-olbermann

[Boltx]

My issue is not so much with the act itself - I doubt some slightly underinflated balls made that much of a difference in that game as the Patriots totally outclassed the Colts that day. But trying to circumvent the rules and acting like they are above it all is just too much. But you're fucking with the integrity of the game (what's left of it) and flat out lying about it afterwards.

Ban that fucker for a year and have their organization forfeit a draft pick or two.

[Mister Hoarse]

Here is how I see it. Brady and Manning lobbied the NFL to alter the rule in 2007 so their ball boys could prep the balls. The balls still had to pass inspection afterward by the officials.
This apparently wasn't good enough in NE, and they had to cheat on top of it.
The Colts GM in his memo to the NFL office complained STATING it was common knowledge around the League that NE doctored the balls and asked for the Refs to keep an eye on them.
The stats since 2007 point to a concerted attempt to reduce turnovers gaining a huge advantage in the most important statistical category affecting wins and losses; Turnovers.
I really don't think a lifetime ban is out of the question in addition to stripping all NE wins since 2007.

[Stinky Wizzleteats+]

Mr Hoarse for commissioner!!!

Raw raw raw!!!!

[Lightningwill_420]

Here is how I see it. Brady and Manning lobbied the NFL to alter the rule in 2007 so their ball boys could prep the balls. The balls still had to pass inspection afterward by the officials.
This apparently wasn't good enough in NE, and they had to cheat on top of it.
The Colts GM in his memo to the NFL office complained STATING it was common knowledge around the League that NE doctored the balls and asked for the Refs to keep an eye on them.
The stats since 2007 point to a concerted attempt to reduce turnovers gaining a huge advantage in the most important statistical category affecting wins and losses; Turnovers.
I really don't think a lifetime ban is out of the question in addition to stripping all NE wins since 2007.

Strip New England of every win they've had since Tom Brady and Bill Bellichick joined them. I'm positive they've been cheating from the start.

[MakoShark]

So predictable. Teddy holds Toms peepee for him when he goes to the bathroom.

[Mister Hoarse]

See, thats why Brady didn't give up his phone...