Pelorus Jack
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http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...wells-to-lead-dolphins-investigation/3457879/
guess we'll all find out soon..
guess we'll all find out soon..
Roger Goodell picks lawyer Ted Wells to lead Dolphins investigation
- Thread starter Pelorus Jack
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I hope this isn't a prosecution-style "investigation" where there is a predetermined desire to punish and they make the story fit a desired punishment.
The league is so litigation-averse that it may feel it needs to hand down a significant punishment. The point would be to establish the record that they punished severely. Then, in the future, they can point to the Miami case as an example of them controlling the situation, if they encounter any future circumstance. Otherwise, the league may be worried that it will face similar frivolous legal action and having to fight off charges that they did not do enough in the Miami case to ward off future bad behavior.
The league is so litigation-averse that it may feel it needs to hand down a significant punishment. The point would be to establish the record that they punished severely. Then, in the future, they can point to the Miami case as an example of them controlling the situation, if they encounter any future circumstance. Otherwise, the league may be worried that it will face similar frivolous legal action and having to fight off charges that they did not do enough in the Miami case to ward off future bad behavior.
Pelorus Jack
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I am not a lawyer but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
From my understanding, if any of the Miami coaches were involved in instigating or perpetuating the situation then there could very well be punitive damages for the Dolphins.
With regards to harassment, again from my understanding, to actually be considered harassment the actions needs to be continual and especially if those actions were continued after being asked to stop.
Also, if Richie is innocent as many here believe, then it would seem to me that he could file a suit against Martin for slander.
From my understanding, if any of the Miami coaches were involved in instigating or perpetuating the situation then there could very well be punitive damages for the Dolphins.
With regards to harassment, again from my understanding, to actually be considered harassment the actions needs to be continual and especially if those actions were continued after being asked to stop.
Also, if Richie is innocent as many here believe, then it would seem to me that he could file a suit against Martin for slander.
Once again we must state for the record that the NFL is not an impartial investigator in this situation. They are the potential targets of a lawsuit from Jonathon Martin. Their concern in this matter is to produce an investigative report that places no responsibility on the league as a whole and the Dolphins as a franchise. Can you say coverup?
I don't think the NFL is scared of any lawsuit by an individual. Hell, the NFL was sued by the USFL, an entire organization, which could've potentially brought the league to its knees, and the USFL was awarded a single dollar.
There will always be an "out" for the league in framing the situation as an exceptional situation brought about by the rare mixture of a "thin eggshell" player (Martin) combined with an unusually aggressive adversary (Incognito), rather than as something more widespread throughout the league. The NFL can cover themselves by simply establishing employee assistance programs (EAPs) league-wide for similarly "thin eggshell" players, though of course they won't use those terms in stating the need for them. The ball will then be in the players' court to seek assistance when needed, and there will be some lip-service given to how franchises shouldn't tolerate Incognito-like behavior when they're aware of it.
FWIW this is how I see this process playing out.
For me the fact that this high powered lawyer has been picked to be "independent"(yet not really because paid by the NFL) arbiter is to add an element of credibility to what is a pre ordained process.
The NFL will shy away from a conclusion that implicates the dolphins as an institution because if the Dolphins do it so do other teams.
Maybe, maybe not. Who knows what delusions the members of the billionaire social club might be having at any random point in time. I'm sure their lawyers and their PR firms are really looking forward to the Incognito voicemails and video tapes being played on all the major Network newscasts for months on end while the Martin team drips damning evidence a little at a time to the drive-by media until the trial. Can you say battlefield preparation? Even the Ireland fanboys can understand that concept. And I think we had our first ex-player come forward today claiming he had been harassed as well. The elements of a class action are beginning to come into place. All is proceeding as I predicted it would. Yes, it is a wonderful wonderful time to be a part of the billionaire boy's club.
Chubby
SUPERFAN
Truthfully i am scared because Goodell is an egotistical arsehole. Chances are he already has the penalty all layed out and just waiting to make it official.