2022 Commanders off season thread part 1

[FrenchSkin]

Calvin Ridley suspended indefinitely, at least 1 season, for betting on NFL games when he was ill during the 2021 season, says he bet 1500$.

Curious what do you guys make of this one? Seems a rather harsh punishment but I do understand that they have to make a statement about how they are protecting the integrity of the game.

Where I think there's some sort of misunderstanding is when people compare it to other suspension for, ie, domestic violence. Don't get me wrong, hitting a women is way worse than betting on a game. But the NFL is neither a justice court, nor a moral institution. It's a business trying to sell a product. So while sometimes they have to take moral stances to ease their consumers, a guy hitting his girlfriend doesn't directly impact their product. NFL players betting on games could. And with more and more people on the internet thinking the game is rigged, they can't afford to add any fuel to it.

[Chico23231]

Originally Posted by FrenchSkin

Calvin Ridley suspended indefinitely, at least 1 season, for betting on NFL games when he was ill during the 2021 season, says he bet 1500$.

Curious what do you guys make of this one? Seems a rather harsh punishment but I do understand that they have to make a statement about how they are protecting the integrity of the game.

Where I think there's some sort of misunderstanding is when people compare it to other suspension for, ie, domestic violence. Don't get me wrong, hitting a women is way worse than betting on a game. But the NFL is neither a justice court, nor a moral institution. It's a business trying to sell a product. So while sometimes they have to take moral stances to ease their consumers, a guy hitting his girlfriend doesn't directly impact their product. NFL players betting on games could. And with more and more people on the internet thinking the game is rigged, they can't afford to add any fuel to it.

I think it’s serious and a bit harsh. I dunno, when I look at Stephen Ross and Synder getting away with their shit and Ridley gets the hammer?

I mean the NFL didn’t shy away from the slow legalization of sports betting, they pursued deals which made them partners and of course will make the league millions.

[KI Skins Fan]

Originally Posted by FrenchSkin

[URL="https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1500933743279808514"]
Where I think there's some sort of misunderstanding is when people compare it to other suspension for, ie, domestic violence. Don't get me wrong, hitting a women is way worse than betting on a game. But the NFL is neither a justice court, nor a moral institution. It's a business trying to sell a product. So while sometimes they have to take moral stances to ease their consumers, a guy hitting his girlfriend doesn't directly impact their product. NFL players betting on games could. And with more and more people on the internet thinking the game is rigged, they can't afford to add any fuel to it.

The NFL owners and their flunky commissioner are a bunch of hypocrites. For them, it's all about the money. If they wanted to assure the public that they are policing gambling by NFL players to ensure that games aren't fixed, they should never have partnered with gamblers.

Now, they are dropping the hammer on a player who wasn't even playing last season because he is mentally ill. Every executive in this nation should know by now that mentally ill people often do things that are self-destructive without being able to foresee the consequences to themselves or others. This player needs to be on medications and have long-term therapy before he is able to better manage his self-destructive behaviors. In short, this level of punishment for a player who is mentally ill was self-serving, for show only, uncaring about a person who is ill and needs help, and either woefully ignorant or immoral. The punishment should be reconsidered and reduced by the NFL.

[FrenchSkin]

Originally Posted by KI Skins Fan

The NFL owners and their flunky commissioner are a bunch of hypocrites. For them, it's all about the money. If they wanted to assure the public that they are policing gambling by NFL players to ensure that games aren't fixed, they should never have partnered with gamblers.

Now, they are dropping the hammer on a player who wasn't even playing last season because he is mentally ill. Every executive in this nation should know by now that mentally ill people often do things that are self-destructive without being able to foresee the consequences to themselves or others. This player needs to be on medications and have long-term therapy before he is able to better manage his self-destructive behaviors. In short, this level of punishment for a player who is mentally ill was self-serving, for show only, uncaring about a person who is ill and needs help, and either woefully ignorant or immoral. The punishment should be reconsidered and reduced by the NFL.

I had forgotten about Ridley's mental health. Maybe they should indeed factor that in.

A full season seems harsh...
But I understand the $ logic of it. I even think the partnerships with betting compagnies may have factored into the punishment's harshness. They are sending a message both to the players (+ all NFL employees), "don't do this", and to their new business partners, "we will do everything to protect the integrity of the game, nobody will be scamming you in any way".

Not saying this is morally fair. But I don't expect a multi billions $ business to have moral standards.

[sdskinsfan2001]

This suspension is a warning to others.

The punishment doesn't fit the crime. But the owners and Goodell don't give 2 shits about the players so 🤷.