The NFL and the Jolly Roger really had no choice but to appeal the initial decision in the Watson case. The six-game suspension for those serial offenses was inexplicably light and, if left unchallenged, would establish an unmanageable precedent. And, remember, despite the new discipline system that starts with former federal judge Sue L. Robinson, it still ends with Goodell. Roger is essentially appealing to himself. He has the last word. He has the hammer. He will drop it.
…and then thermonuclear war will break out between the league and the NFLPA.
This is going to get beyond nasty. The NFLPA will make good on its threat to file a kitchen-sink suit against the NFL in federal court. The laundry will be dirty. Much of it will stink, too.
Meantime? Stay loose and eat your veggies, Jacoby Brissett.
But NFL football is like crack. (Not that I would know.) The Hall of Fame game between the Raiders and Jags is tonight. It will be horrible football. Starters will largely not even see the field. And I’ll watch every minute of it. And I’ll enjoy it.
Were the findings in Dolphin Tampering-Gate released a couple of days ago in part to draw attention away from the Watson decision? Of course. But that doesn’t make the tampering any less serious and egregious.
And consider this. While Tom Brady will face no disciplinary action for talking with Miami while under contract with Tampa Bay, this disclosure is not going to play well in the Bucs’ locker room. At all. This could be a real problem for that team.
Finally, a solid move by the Cowboys, who Wednesday signed veteran free agent linebacker Anthony Barr. Although he has had some injury issues the last two years, the 30-year-old, four-time Pro Bowler was a stud in his eight seasons with the Vikings. If he’s healthy, it will give Dallas a chance to use Micah Parsons even more as an edge rusher.
You want your receivers to be ultra-fast. But not when they’re behind the wheel. That was a punk move by Cardinals WR Marquise “Hollywood” Brown. “Criminal speeding” on Arizona State Route 101? It’s a misdemeanor. But it’s also stupid, reckless and irresponsible. Dude…
“How Not to Make an NFL Roster,” by Trevor Penning. The Saints’ rookie left tackle got kicked out of practice Wednesday for scuffling with DT Malcolm Roach. Yeah, stuff happens at camp. But Penning is an overachiever. See, that was the third straight day he had been a bad boy at practice. In bowling, they call three in a row a “Turkey.”
Newly acquired first baseman Trey Mancini homered Wednesday in his Astros debut. Let’s hope we seen lots of repeats of that. And that was a very nice job by Houston starter Jose Urquidy, who was nails in dominating the Sawx 6-1. Urquidy had been dealing with mega-anxiety before the trade deadline, dreading that he might be shipped away from Houston. Nope. Now it’s full speed ahead for the final two months of the regular season…and the playoffs.
Yordan Alvarez is a tough out when he has the standard three strikes to work with. He has 30 homers and 72 RBIs. Because of an unfortunate math error by HP Umpire Jim Wolf, Alvarez was not punched out after three strikes Wednesday. So he got a fourth strike. Credit to Red Sox pitcher Rich Hill, who then got Yordy to ground out.
Yeah. Looks like Juan Soto is gonna work out OK for the Padres.
Finally, how’s this for, as Stephen A. would say, “unmitigated gall”? Smarmy Mickelson and ten other golfers who have defected to the Murderous Saudi Blood Money Sportswashing Tour, are suing the PGA Tour for kicking their double-dipping wannabe butts to the curb. You clowns got no case.
