CM3 and peppers to be suspended indefinitely if they don't talk

[Rastak]

of course you would. lol

Yea, I'm messing with ya. Florio just wrote a good piece on how the Brady case ruling has emboldened Goodell to ignore policy even more.

I wish that dude would get ousted.

[Rastak]

So here is the letter Goodell sent, stolen from PFT:

"As you know, the league has been investigating a nationally televised report concerning potential violations of the collectively bargained Policy on Performance-Enhancing Substances. There can be no question that the league has a good faith basis for conducting this investigation; moreover, the league and NFLPA have a shared interest in ensuring that our jointly developed policy is not being violated.

Nevertheless, since the initiation of our investigation in January the league has made at least seven attempts to arrange interviews of Messrs. Harrison, Matthews, Neal and Peppers. On each occasion, the NFLPA has communicated the players’ refusal to participate. Most recently, the NFLPA has attempted to prevent the interviews by submitting for each player a half-page statement, which you advised should be treated as a sworn statement given in a legal proceeding, and which you contend should fulfill the players’ acknowledged obligation to cooperate with the investigation. The statements, however, are wholly devoid of any detail, and we were quickly able to determine that Mr. Neal’s statement includes an assertion that is demonstrably false. Rather than eliminate the need for interviews, the players’ plainly deficient statements simply underscore the importance of obtaining their full cooperation.

You were so advised on July 29, when we again wrote to offer the players another opportunity to participate in an interview, beginning with Mr. Neal. In that letter, you were expressly notified that continued noncooperation could result in discipline up to and including a suspension. In response, you provided a revised statement and letter which acknowledged Mr. Neal’s prior steroid policy violation and that his previous “sworn statement” is in fact untrue. Most important, you advised that Mr. Neal had again refused to cooperate with our investigation by participating in an interview.

There is no dispute that players are obligated to cooperate with the league’s investigation, as you have repeatedly acknowledged. This obligation includes not only the responsibility to submit to an interview but also the duty to provide meaningful responses to the questions posed. Nor is there a dispute that a failure to cooperate or an attempt to obstruct the investigation may result in discipline, including suspension from play, for conduct detrimental under Article 46 of the CBA and the NFL Player Contract.

We cannot accept your unilateral assertion that the cursory, untested statements you have submitted satisfy the players’ obligation. Accordingly, the Commissioner has directed that Messrs. Harrison, Matthews, Neal and Peppers be given until Thursday, August 25 to provide interviews. For those players whose interviews do not take place on or before that date, or who fail meaningfully to participate in or otherwise obstruct the interview, their actions will constitute conduct detrimental and they will be suspended, separate and apart from any possible future determination that they violated the steroid policy. The suspension for each such player will begin on Friday, August 26 and will continue until he has fully participated in an interview with league investigators, after which the Commissioner will determine whether and when the suspension should be lifted.

To avoid this outcome, please promptly contact my office to make arrangements for the interviews. As previously stated, we will make every effort to accommodate the NFLPA’s availability, within the outlined time period."

[Patler]

bs considering the guy recanted. so there's no story.

How do you know he was truthful when recanting and not when he told the original stories?

[Joemailman]

How do you know he was truthful when recanting and not when he told the original stories?

Well, we can't know for sure, but the NFL has talked to Manning and found no credible evidence that the original story was true. My guess is the guy recanted to avoid a lawsuit, either by one of the players, or by the company.

[Patler]

My guess is the guy recanted to avoid a lawsuit, either by one of the players, or by the company.

I suspect you are correct about his reason for recanting, but that still doesn't mean the original story wasn't true and the recant a lie. He may have recanted to avoid a suit even though the story was true.

[Bretsky]

The commiss already abused his power in bullying Brady around in his Rogers Rules self appointed system aka...guilty unless proven otherwise............many joked about it cause it was he Pats..............how is Rogers Rules feeling now ?

[ThunderDan]

The commiss already abused his power in bullying Brady around in his Rogers Rules self appointed system aka...guilty unless proven otherwise............many joked about it cause it was he Pats..............how is Rogers Rules feeling now ?

They are what the players agreed to. I don't like them. This case is a little different from the Brady case as property wasn't destroyed in this case and they did have texts about "The Deflator".

If this is Peppers last year, I wonder if he doesn't interview just to try the legal system out in this case. The case pushes out a year with appeals and Peppers retires before the suspension hits.

[Guiness]

They are what the players agreed to. I don't like them. This case is a little different from the Brady case as property wasn't destroyed in this case and they did have texts about "The Deflator".

If this is Peppers last year, I wonder if he doesn't interview just to try the legal system out in this case. The case pushes out a year with appeals and Peppers retires before the suspension hits.

Peppers would seem to be in a good position to do this - likely the last year of a long (HOF?) career, has made plenty of money and as far as I know hasn't blown it all. But I don't know that he's enough of a shit disturber.

I think James Harrison is more likely to take a stand. He is certainly not concerned about his image and would love a chance to piss all over Roger's cornflakes.

[Patler]

The commiss already abused his power in bullying Brady around in his Rogers Rules self appointed system aka...guilty unless proven otherwise............many joked about it cause it was he Pats..............how is Rogers Rules feeling now ?

Doesn't bother me a bit. I think the league has an obligation to look into the report, and I think the players generally have an obligation to work with the league to maintain the integrity and reputation of the league. MLB ignored issues for years, and it didn't enhance their image to their fans.

[Radagast]

Regardless of agreements or commissioners, is not this still America . Nobody has to volunteer information that puts them in jeopardy. Appeal this point in a court and there will be changes. IMO , if the NFL can't prove their own case without bullying people then they deserve to loose. If medical testing and Private Investigator surveillance is not invasive enough, then the confessions will not be forthcoming . Can anyone say "The Imposition" or "The McCarthy Hearings ", the powerful never do stop reaching for even more power .

[Pugger]

After the Brady saga I fear Clay and Julius are basically screwed. Even if they submit to these 'interviews' Goodell and company might suspend them anyway because they didn't answer the questions to their satisfaction. The NFLPA may appeal but sooner or later these players will be suspended sometime in the future. When the CBA comes up things are really gonna get ugly.

[ThunderDan]

Regardless of agreements or commissioners, is not this still America . Nobody has to volunteer information that puts them in jeopardy. Appeal this point in a court and there will be changes. IMO , if the NFL can't prove their own case without bullying people then they deserve to loose. If medical testing and Private Investigator surveillance is not invasive enough, then the confessions will not be forthcoming . Can anyone say "The Imposition" or "The McCarthy Hearings ", the powerful never do stop reaching for even more power .

You are being ridiculous.

[Guiness]

Doesn't bother me a bit. I think the league has an obligation to look into the report, and I think the players generally have an obligation to work with the league to maintain the integrity and reputation of the league. MLB ignored issues for years, and it didn't enhance their image to their fans.

Never know if you're playing devil's advocate or not! Should they look into it? Yes. Should players be forced into conducting interviews and answer questions? Not sure why. This is like the oldest line in the book from a cop asking you to turn your pockets out - "If you've got nothing to hide, why does it matter?"

disclaimer: I'm Canadian, most of what I know about US law I learned from 'The Practice'!

The way this is heading, it seems to me that signing a contract with the NFL effectively suspends your 5th amendment right?

[Rastak]

Regardless of agreements or commissioners, is not this still America . Nobody has to volunteer information that puts them in jeopardy. Appeal this point in a court and there will be changes. IMO , if the NFL can't prove their own case without bullying people then they deserve to loose. If medical testing and Private Investigator surveillance is not invasive enough, then the confessions will not be forthcoming . Can anyone say "The Imposition" or "The McCarthy Hearings ", the powerful never do stop reaching for even more power .

If my employer said they wanted to talk about some accusations, founded or unfounded and I told them to "forget it, I'm not talking". I would likely also be on an unpaid leave very quickly.

"This is Amercia" doesn't work so well with a private employer.

That said, Goodell makes this stuff up as he goes and people don't care until it's "their" team about to get rammed up the keister, then suddenly it's not fair.

[Guiness]

You are being ridiculous.

I don't know, the original statement from Al Jazeera is looking an awful lot like a McCarthyism, and the NFL is acting on it.