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Leagues and Governing Bodies

While Many Feel Peterson Punishment Was Necessary, Goodell May Be Acting Arbitrarily

The NFL, having "fallen so far out of step with society in its seeming tolerance for domestic abuse cases," showed yesterday with its punishment of Vikings RB Adrian Peterson that the league is "going to come much closer to zero tolerance in these cases," according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSPORTS.com. The NFL "made a point to stress how Peterson did not take this situation seriously enough, which will resonate loud and clear in front offices." He is "being held accountable for his public comments, for showing up to court and volunteering he had been smoking pot, for what the NFL perceived to be a lack of awareness, understanding and contrition for his actions." NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell "still has the hammer." In a case like this where team and league corporate sponsors "were falling all over themselves to chide the NFL in press releases and bask in the PR kudos they got for doing it, there wasn't going to be a docile reaction from the league in a matter involving a victim so young." Meanwhile, the April 15 date set for Peterson's potential reinstatement is "hardly random." That date is "closer to the draft than free agency -- well after teams have spent the bulk of their 2015 spending budgets," and further guarantees Peterson "will play for far less than what he was scheduled to earn over the rest of his current deal" (CBSSPORTS.com, 11/18). ESPN.com's Howard Bryant wrote the NFL will "escape on Peterson because Peterson's misdemeanor was no ordinary misdemeanor." It was a "heinous, indefensible whipping of a near-toddler." But there will be "future consequences for the league, cases which are less clear about possible conflict with the legal system, when the league says it will use the legal system as a guide." The NFL is "not a moral compass, and expecting it to be so is to expect disappointment." Meanwhile, there is the "never-ending dynamic of Goodell and his relationship with the players and their union, of how these situations emerge and who is disciplined and to what degree" (ESPN.com, 11/18).

MAKING THE RIGHT CALL: In N.Y., Mike Lupica writes Peterson "got exactly what he deserved." Lupica: "You have a right to say that Goodell is doing this for show. ... You have an even more reasonable right to say that this is Goodell’s last stand with a flawed, crumbling system of justice about personal conduct" in the NFL. But after "all that Goodell did wrong" with RB Ray Rice, he "did the right thing with Peterson." The same people who "crushed him for going easy on Rice originally can’t do the same thing now that he at least tries to bang Peterson for the rest of this season." That being said, "none of this makes Goodell a hero" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/19). ESPNW's Jane McManus wrote under the header, "Tough Stance In Adrian Peterson Case Shows How Far The NFL Has Come." Within the next few months, the league will "host a large number of college coaches in its Park Avenue offices to discuss" its new anti-violence program. McManus: "Think of how much more effective the message could be in the hands of the NFL" (ESPNW.com, 11/18). SNY’s Chris Carlin said the league "absolutely handled this the right way.” SNY’s Adam Schein added, “I find it absolutely crazy that there are people who think that the league was too tough” ("Loud Mouths," SNY, 11/18).

GOAL-LINE STAND: In Chicago, David Haugh writes the suspension was one of Goodell's "strongest stands yet." Goodell did "what a little boy couldn't and a Texas court didn't -- hold Peterson accountable." It was the "right thing to do even if Goodell exercising his unchecked power left an impression he went about it the wrong way." Essentially, the NFL "ran its version of the no-huddle offense to keep Peterson off the field -- a disciplinary equivalent of drawing plays in the dirt." In this case, the "end justified the means" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/19). ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan said, “I don’t think we can be shocked that Roger Goodell has laid the hammer on Adrian Peterson, not in light of everything that's gone on in the NFL over the past several months. ... I do think that the players' union has a little bit of a beef here when they start talking about making up the rules as they go along because it does feel like a little bit of that to me" (“Around The Horn,” ESPN, 11/18). In Toronto, Bruce Arthur writes Goodell "needed to punish somebody, and be right about it." Arthur: "This was an easy one. ... Even the NFL commissioner couldn't miss." But this is "public relations, too, in the service of something bigger." It just "happens to coincide with something that feels right" (TORONTO STAR, 11/19). NFL.com's Judy Battista wrote under the header, "Adrian Peterson Suspension Part Of NFL's Evolving Approach." The NFL "exercised its heavily tilted version of due process." The message the NFL was "trying to send -- to Peterson and to everybody else in the league -- is that they are public figures." Battista: "You can hammer the league for its mishandling of Rice. ... Goodell and his advisers deserved that criticism. But you can't, in the next breath, complain that they are being capricious with their punishments now." The public "has spoken over the past few months," and the league "is finally listening" (NFL.com, 11/18). NBC Sports' Keith Arnold said, “In the big picture it’s probably the right thing, but how they got there is completely broken" (“Rome,” CBSSN, 11/18).

ARBITRARY & CAPRICIOUS? USA TODAY's Nancy Armour writes under the header, "Goodell Missing The Point." Armour: "Vengeance isn't justice, no matter how Roger Goodell tries to cloak it." Goodell "didn't 'get it right'" by suspending Peterson. Armour: "He was unduly punitive. He was patronizing. He was petty. Worst, Goodell showed that despite all those experts he's brought in, he and the NFL still don't have a clue on how to address domestic violence." Additional punishment from the NFL "is appropriate," and a "retroactive suspension ... would have gotten that message across." But that "wasn't enough for Goodell, who has now gone from one extreme to the other" (USA TODAY, 11/19). ESPN's Michael Wilbon said Goodell “has gone too far.” Wilbon: "The problem for me is Roger Goodell has no credibility when it comes to players, when it comes to punishing players. ... All it seems he's doing is covering his behind so he doesn't have to face the potential public relations blowback" ("PTI," ESPN, 11/18). In N.Y., Ken Belson writes Goodell’s decision on Peterson is "likely to prompt fresh questions about whether the league is acting capriciously" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/19). In L.A., Sam Farmer notes while some "applauded the zero-tolerance approach" with Peterson, "others see it as an overreaction to a series of domestic abuse charges leveled against NFL players, specifically Rice." The full-season suspension of one of the league's "biggest stars underscores Goodell's commitment to enforcing the personal conduct policy he put in place, especially when it comes to incidents of domestic violence." Peterson had been among the league's "most prominent and popular players," and it "isn't often the NFL has banished a superstar for a season or longer" (L.A. TIMES, 11/19). CBSSN’s Jim Rome said, “It does look like the league is making this up as they go along and it does feel like a PR play after butchering the Ray Rice case as badly as they did. ... Say what you want about Goodell, but Peterson was essentially asking to get smashed, and that's what happened” (“Rome,” CBSSN, 11/18).

MAKING AN EXAMPLE: SI.com's Doug Farrar wrote under the header, "Roger Goodell Shows Absolute Power In Doling Out Adrian Peterson Ban." In the end, Peterson "never had a leg to stand on unless he played this Goodell's way." In the short term, it appears as if the league is "making it up as it goes along" (SI.com, 11/18). In Boston, Christopher Gasper writes Peterson "deserves to be punished," but "doesn't deserve to pay for the sins" of Rice. Goodell is "offering up Peterson ... as a PR and PC sacrifice." The "only thing missing from Goodell's decision to suspend Peterson ... is a volcano and an angry deity." Gasper: "Even people who do wrong have rights." Peterson "certainly has the right to question why he should be made an example of because the league whiffed in the Rice case." Gasper: "No one has completely clean hands here in this mess" (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/19). SI.com's Don Banks wrote there are "nothing but losers all around" in the wake of the suspension. An "already bad situation just got substantially worse for everyone involved." The league "clearly wanted to look and act tough in light of the too-soft" Rice punishment. Banks: "The NFL, it seems, has a calibration problem" (SI.com, 11/18). FS1's Bill Reiter said, "It just shows you how off-balance the NFL and this commissioner (are) with this situation" ("Fox Sports Live," FS1, 11/18).

SUPPORT FROM TEAMMATES: Vikings CB Captain Munnerlyn said of the suspension, "I don’t agree with it. But at the same time it’s the NFL and they came up with the ruling and we have to live with it. ... I think that suspending him for the rest of the year was kind of steep" (TWINCITIES.com, 11/18). Vikings FB Jerome Felton: "This whole thing has been one big mess by the league from Day 1. Today didn’t make it any cleaner. It made it messier. I couldn’t disagree more with the ruling. ... Nothing Goodell does surprises me." He added, "Everybody knows that if the Ray Rice video had not come out, this would not be going on right now. It’s definitely more about, ‘How’s this thing going to look PR-wise when he comes back?’ than what is fair and what are the guidelines to follow. I also put a lot of blame on the NFL Players Association and a CBA that basically gives the players no individual rights when it comes to this process" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 11/19). Vikings WR Cordarrelle Patterson said Peterson "paid the price already, and I feel like the league, they're stepping out of hand with it" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/19).

PLAYERS RESPOND: Pro Football HOFer and ESPN analyst Mike Ditka said that the NFL "was wrong" for suspending Peterson. Ditka: "I think the commissioner should have re-instated him. ... Maybe he did screw up, but my god, who hasn't screwed up. There are a lot of guys doing a lot more stupid things in the league today than what he did" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 11/19). Bears WR Brandon Marshall said, "We just feel like it needs to be a little bit more black and white. There's too much gray going on right now. Adrian Peterson, his actions were under the old conduct policy, but now he's being chastised and disciplined under the new one, and that's where the confusion is and that's why you hear the NFLPA and the players saying it's unfair." Former NFLer Boomer Esiason said, "The one thing I will say in favor of the NFL, at least they responded and are trying to do something about it significantly, albeit at the feet of the players" ("Inside The NFL," Showtime, 11/18). Pro Football HOFer Cris Carter said, "I would have met with the commissioner If I were (Peterson). I think that's one of the main problems" (TWINCITIES.com, 11/18). Pro Football HOFer Eric Dickerson yesterday called the NFL "liars." Dickerson said that he has a "good relationship" with Peterson and that he "sent him a message during the ordeal offering support." Dickerson: "You never know what the real story is. It’s bad for (Peterson). It’s bad for the league. The NFL says one thing and does something else. ... I know how most of the players feel about the league. We don’t trust them." Dickerson added that he "doesn’t believe the NFL considered what he called a cultural difference in how blacks discipline their children" (TWINCITIES.com, 11/18).

END OF THE LINE: Panthers coach Ron Rivera yesterday said that he "doesn’t expect" DE Greg Hardy to "play again this season" following his alleged domestic violence incident. In Charlotte, Joseph Person notes Rivera was "noncommittal on Hardy’s long-term future with the Panthers." But sources said that they "believe Hardy’s tenure with Carolina is over." Hardy’s future with any team "remains cloudy after the NFL’s decision to sit Peterson down for the Vikings’ final six games." Peterson and Hardy have "both been on the commissioner’s exempt list since mid-September after agreeing to take paid leaves of absence." Hardy is "awaiting a jury trial on domestic violence charges that was originally scheduled to begin this week" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 11/19).

UNCOMFORTABLE SPOT? In Baltimore, Childs Walker writes partially "because of his candor," Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome "now finds himself in one of the more uncomfortable spots of his 36-year run as an NFL player and executive." It is "conceivable Newsome's testimony" in the appeals process could help Rice "gain immediate reinstatement." Newsome has "said all along Rice didn't lie" to Goodell about what happened in the Atlantic City elevator. Walker: "Regardless, those who've known Newsome over his long tenure say it's hardly unusual for him to speak an inconvenient or uncomfortable truth" (Baltimore SUN, 11/19).

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