walzav29 Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 Heaven knows how much I love the NFL, that's not going to change. I just find it amazing after reading that Terrell Suggs is getting charged with assault now. The double standard the league has when it comes to it's stars. They suspend Onterrio Smith for a year because of a 3rd failed drug test. Which is fine with me, but I find it strange that Ray Lewis was arrested for interfering with a murder, Jamal just got out of the pen for cocaine and now this. What do they all have in common? They are all criminals, play for the Ravens and have made pro bowls. I know they are great, but Billick should try to restore a little order in that nut house, and if not then the league should. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekshank Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 Sorry, try again. Onterrio Smith was suspended for violating the substance abuse program that the players union agreed to in the collective bargaining agreement. Jamal Lewis, and Ray Lewis did no such thing. If you have a problem with the fact that Ray and Jamal didn't do (enough) jail time, talk to our judicial system and people on juries that are unwilling to see rich and famous people go to jail (i.e. Michael Jackson).They were talking on the ESPN radio show Sports Bash a few weeks ago about this problem, and I agreed with the host. The great thing about sports is that you are accepted entirely on a basis of your performance ability... not the color of your skin, not your sexual preference, not your religion... just your ability. The bad side of that is that criminals get to play in the NFL, but if our justice system gives them freedom, the NFL has to let them play.The only thing that can keep your ability off the field is going to jail during the season, or violating the rules of the collective bargaining agreement. We can argue that the Ravens are a bunch of criminals. That's Billick's problem, not the NFL's. There is no doublt standard in the NFL. Terrell Suggs is not so much more of a star than Onterrio Smith, it's just that Suggs didn't violate the substance abuse program 3 times! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walzav29 Posted June 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 Are you saying that if any of the 3 were scrubs on the fourth string that they wouldn't be cut immediately? Your nuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skyline Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 Are you saying that if any of the 3 were scrubs on the fourth string that they wouldn't be cut immediately? Your nuts. No, I think he was saying just the opposite. That in the NFL players are judged purely on their playing ability in cases like these. If you're good, then you're going to play as long as your not legally banned from the sport. If you suck, then you're not going to play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Next_Big_Thing Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 Are you saying that if any of the 3 were scrubs on the fourth string that they wouldn't be cut immediately? Your nuts. They might be cut ANYWAY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekshank Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 Are you saying that if any of the 3 were scrubs on the fourth string that they wouldn't be cut immediately? Your nuts.No, I think he was saying just the opposite. That in the NFL players are judged purely on their playing ability in cases like these. Exactly! We can think it's not right, but it's the way it is. If making sure that anyone who has the ability to play gets to play, and sports are not corrupted by discrimination, then allowing jerks like Jamal and Ray to play in the NFL is a small price to pay. I'd rather have a few of these guys, then say, no blacks, or no muslims.Sports is the one place where there really is no discrimination, and it makes it seem kind of pure. So, I guess what I am saying is I don't like Jamal Lewis, or Ray Lewis, but I'm glad they get to play in teh NFL. They can play, so they do. If they couldn't they wouldn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirkendall Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 Just to take up the other side of the argument.I don't think it's performance based on the examples above. In all fairness to Jamal and Ray Lewis, the legal system decided both fates. Ray was acquitted and Jamal served a prison sentence. If the NFL decided to impose their own rules on both players, they'd be sued immediately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekshank Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 Just to take up the other side of the argument.I don't think it's performance based on the examples above. In all fairness to Jamal and Ray Lewis, the legal system decided both fates. Ray was acquitted and Jamal served a prison sentence. If the NFL decided to impose their own rules on both players, they'd be sued immediately. Well, that's kind of the point though, isn't it? Ray and Jamal did things that the judicial system dealt with, not the NFL. The NFL doesn't have a policy about beating your wife, giving alcohol to minors, writing computer viruses, or doing pyramid schemes. That is police business.I don't know exactly what you mean about deciding to impose their own rules... the fact is that Ray and Jamal whether good people or not, have not violated any NFL rules (to my knowledge), and therefore they are permitted to play. The reason I brought up that it is performance based was just to show that there is no double standard in the NFL... performance is the only standard, as long as you do it by the rules. Ricky and Onterrio just can't lay off the weed, which happens to be an NFL rule. The fact that a NFL rule happens to coincide with one of our country's laws seems to blur the issue, because now most people think that the NFL should punish every player who commits a crime. That is not the NFL's job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirkendall Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 I with ya Derek. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekshank Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 Hey Kirkendall, based on what you said, I assumed that you were with me, I just didn't do a great job of stating my point earlier.By the way, have you really made close to 6,000 posts? I'm a little addicted to this forum right now, but dang, have you got some seniority. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirkendall Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 By the way, have you really made close to 6,000 posts? I'm a little addicted to this forum right now, but dang, have you got some seniority. If you think you're addicted now, just wait till the season starts. Anyway, half my posts have nothing to do with football. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bengalboomer7 Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 You can't blame the NFL for any of that, but they could find some way to delegate their teams in these matters. I place most of all the blame strictly on the judicial system. I wonder how much time I would get if I brokered a cocaine deal. You think it would be four months, IN THE OFFSEASON!!! Wait a minute, my cell just rang. It's my dealer, I'll have to get back to you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirkendall Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 Wait a minute, my cell just rang. It's my dealer, I'll have to get back to youOK, we all have 23 hours and 59 minutes to tell your local authority. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bengalboomer7 Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 As long as I can make it for training camp Speaking of, did you see where Billick was bitching about not letting him go for a couple of days to come to the mandatory mnicamp He used Martha Stewart as his analogy Class league Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShulaSteakhouse Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 You can't blame the NFL for any of that, but they could find some way to delegate their teams in these matters. I place most of all the blame strictly on the judicial system. I wonder how much time I would get if I brokered a cocaine deal. You think it would be four months, IN THE OFFSEASON!!! Wait a minute, my cell just rang. It's my dealer, I'll have to get back to you Yeah it's stupid, but, things are delegated to teams, they can cut or suspend any player they want - at any time. The NFL can only step-in when they violate league rules or the bargaining agreement, as the talk show host eludes to.As you suggest teams just can't officially suspend a player - he has to stay on their roster and get paid or be allowed to seek employment elsewhere.I don't have a big problem with that being the case actually.Rich players getting coddled by the justice system makes me cringe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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