[SBXVII]

I think at this point my biggest issue is Goodell and the league waiting until the eve of Free Agency in order to enact a punishment. It all could have been avoided had the league simply notified the Skins and Boys their contracts were not falling within the agreed perimaters, or had they issued a punishment right away, or had they issued the punishment back in Sept. or Oct. Clearly the punishment was planned to be dealt at the opportune time so both teams could argue and win and get their CAP space back in time to use it in this yrs FA. Basically the league got what it wanted by force. In reality when the two teams appealed the decisions the whole CAP should have been returned and the teams able to use them. If after the Arbitrator heard the issues he/she felt the league was right then the two team would have had to either pay a heafty fine or find a way to give back their CAP space that was taken.

Then you have Bountygate. I don't have a problem with the coach's being punished and it was timely and it allows them to appeal and gives them time to get back with their teams prior to the season starting if they won. But what I do have a problem with is the league again takes its time and waits until after the draft, then decides to make a punishment that hinders the teams those player play for now and those teams are now unable to make adjustments through the draft to fill those spots until the player are allowed back.

I think its the timing and the blatent attempt to screw the teams over instead of the teams having time to appeal, or adjust to whatever punishment has been decided. As in our case all that needed to have been done was the Exec Committee having told the Skins and Boys what the punishments were going to be and informed them that at the next owners meeting there would be a vote on the issue and after that then the two teams could appeal. No. Goodell nabbed the CAP space and said you can't use it in order to hinder us with out allowing a proper procedure to having all the owners vote on it prior to actually following through and not giving the two teams time for an appeal.

I guess my issue is nothing was done until the last minute and then it couldn't happen fast enough. It had to be done right then and there. No waiting and thinking about it, no looking to see if it should even be done, no vote by the owners. Why? because it would have been too late and would not have mattered. So the league rushed our punishment. Now look at Bountygate; why not rush it, why not hurry with it, because then the teams who have these 4 players on their teams would be able to adjust their drafting in order to fill those spots until those players could come back. So why not wait until after the draft, take their time, then dole out the punishment so the teams miss personel they were counting on this year.