One thing to keep in mind is that Petersen wasn't suspended for 9 games but was on the exempt list and was still getting paid. Technically there is an argument that the Goodell isn't going back on the stated NFL policy for suspending a player for 9 games for domestic abuse because Petersen hadn't been suspended before.
he was told any time spent on the list would count. Him being put on the list was just a CYA for the Vikings so there would be no pressure to cut him.
John Sullivan, Center for the Vikings and Players' rep, made a very good point today. I can't find the exact quote but to paraphrase he said that on the macro level this is about the Goodell and the NFLPA but this specifically is about the victim here and that no child should have to go through this. It's important to remember the little boy first and foremost.
Every black person I know over 30 is on the other side of the argument. A client of mine actually laughed about it and said that "he went too far" but that it was probably because the boy wouldn't be still. Charlie P had lots of callers when this was big news that were making that same argument. This is just Goodell telling a man how to raise his kids.
From what I'm hearing though that agreement wasn't in writing so I'm not clear how official that was. Anyway I will agree that Goodell hasn't handled this well but as I said before for Goodell it is less of a hit on his reputation if he is seen going back on his word to Petersen and the NFLPA than being seen as being soft on abusers.
What does that even mean? How do you "remember the little boy", and what does that mean in terms of NFL punishment? If anything, that's the role of the legal system. I'm not sure how suspending him no games or 6 games or a lifetime ban puts the little boy first and foremost? Assuming AP is reinstated next year, how is that putting the little boy first?
I think it means abandon all reason so you don't criticize how we make new rules and then instantly don't follow them.
I caught some of Sullivan's interview on KFAN after he made that statement and he basically said that while this is a battle about rules that he didn't feel that the PA had a good foot to stand on because this is more than just about rules but that we should also remember that the victim here was a 4 year old boy and what Petersen did to that boy. Basically he was saying that he felt that Petersen deserved this suspension even if he didn't agree with how Goodell went about it.
How many black people do you actually know... All of them...??? And apparently someone needs to tell AP how to raise his kids before he loses control and kills one of them. So is Ray Rice's circumstances Goodell telling a man how to treat his woman...???
The ironic thing about that comment is the vast majority of the comments I have read and heard in the Twin Cities area, support Peterson.
That's horrible logic What's the point of having rules if the idea is that we ignore them whenever they are inconvenient?
This is along the same argument I made about Ray Rice, the legal system did next to nothing to Rice but yet the public went crazy when Rice was only suspended for 2 games by the NFL (and I was perfectly fine with the 2 game suspension)... It isn't fair for the NFL to be the moral compass for society but that's the burden that society is putting on the NFL instead of the legal system. Oh he was... Told by whom...??? The same NFL executive that said they didn't get the Ray Rice tape...??? Lol... He was also told by the NFL to show up to a meeting that he refused to show up to as well. You seem to forget that.
True Goodell hasn't handled this well at all but as I've said earlier he would much rather deal with not being consistent with rules than being seen as soft on abusers. Sullivan is expressing that same opinion that if this becomes a battle about the rules for the NFLPA it won't play well in the court of public opinion when we are talking about the abuse of a four year old.
Regarding the legal system we do need to remember that the standards for the NFL aren't the standards for the legal system. Regarding being the moral compass the NFL needs public support for their market and also for things like getting a stadium built. The Vikings are having a stadium built with half a billion of state money into it and this is still an issue for many in MN. It was used in anti-incumbent ads in the last election. This season the NFL has taken a beating (no pun intended) over abuse incidents by prominent players. While there are many people complaining about unfair treatment for Petersen my own opinion is if Petersen was on the field this weekend against Green Bay there would be a bigger firestorm of criticism.
I've heard a lot more mixed views. On the Common Man show and Barreiro shows on KFAN yesterday it seemed like most of the opinions were against Petersen. The Common Man and Mark Rosen had some particular negative views.
Minnesota probably needs the Vikings more than the Vikings need them. Those people are spending money because the NFL is what they want. The NFL could easily find a city for that team and that city would spend that money and be glad to do it. But the NFL would be hard pressed to replace a company like Anheuser who don't necessarily need the NFL to sale their product. And Anheuser will lean the way of the public's moral compass to make themselves look better (Just like they do with their don't drive drunk campaign). http://m.nydailynews.com/sports/foo...zes-nfl-rice-peterson-cases-article-1.1941840 I do believe the majority of the people who believe AP is being treated unfairly are in the south and that's not a huge conglomerate and they're using ignorance in the form of an excuse like _ "that's how I was raised." And the other people who think the commissioner should let AP play just don't understand how much influence some of these companies have.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Huge news: NFLPA's motion to vacate Adrian Peterson suspension granted</p>— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeGarafolo/status/570997532127596544">February 26, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
