2010 NFL Season

[NJTank]

I heard the Saints are inviting kickers to practice this week, if I was Hartley I will be searching the want ads just in case.

[IceCap]

All a one game suspension would do is hurt the fans who want to see their team at its best, and hurt the team who obviously would be missing a key player. This isn't high school. A one-game suspension isn't going to teach anyone anything. It's professional sports, where there is a ton of money invested by the clubs and the fans, and both deserve to have the most talented players out there.

If you want to say that the suspension was to send a message to the fans that the team doesn't treat this kind of thing lightly, or that his behavior doesn't reflect what the team stands for, etc. (so basically a symbolic suspension) then OK, just don't do it because you think you're teaching him a lesson. Or just let the league decide if having him out there sends the wrong message to fans or reflects poorly on the game, and let them hand out a more meaningful punishment that might make the player think about it.

FOr the player, it's not the suspension, it's the money. Just fine them whatever the CBA allows and play the game.

Driving under the influence isn't a victim-less crime. He could have killed someone. Ben Roethlisberger was suspended for four games for hitting on college chicks at seedy bars. He was cleared of all rape charges, yet the league saw fit to uphold his suspension because he engaged in actions that reflected poorly on the league and the Steelers. Braylon Edwards actually committed a crime, one in which he could have seriously injured or killed innocent people in the process.

How you can say he deserves to play after that is beyond me. His crime alone is enough to void his right to play. As for the fans? If they're upset about it they can simply get over it. The severity of his crime trumps their desire to see him play football.

Is a one game suspension to light? Yes. Truth be told I'd like to see him suspended for a year, pay and everything. Not only do his actions reflect poorly on the Jets and the NFL, no only does the lack of any serious consequences send the wrong message to the fans, but his crime was a very serious one. There's no defending what he did, or the Jets' piss-poor attempt to "reprimand" him (one quarter?).

[Cujo]

I heard the Saints are inviting kickers to practice this week, if I was Hartley I will be searching the want ads just in case.

Yeah, what happened to this guy in the offseason? Garret Hartley is quickly becoming the next Timmy Smith.

[infrared41]

On the Braylon Edwards thing...this is from Peter King at SI. I'm not saying I agree but the Jets didn't do anything unusual by letting him play.

According to an arrest log kept by ProFootballTalk.com, there have been 22 players arrested for driving while impaired or DUI since Jan. 1, 2009. I went back and checked what happened to each player arrested, and not a single one who was a viable NFL player was kept out of his team's next game. Seven were either roster marginalia or practice-squadders who were cut by their teams and who I don't believe apply to those being kept out of their team's next game, because they weren't valued members of their teams. What happened to the other 15:

• Ten players were arrested in the 2009 or 2010 offseason, and every one played in the opening game of the following season.

• Five players (San Diego's Vincent Jackson, Atlanta's Eric Weems, New Orleans' Bobby McCray, Indianapolis' Fili Moala, as well as Edwards) were arrest for DUI during the season and played the next week.

None of this makes Edwards' case acceptable. And as Tony Dungy said on Football Night in America Sunday, the Jets could have set a good example for their own locker room by saying this aberrant behavior will not be tolerated. But the fact is, none of the other teams in a similar situation since 2009 did either....

[BBTV]

All a one game suspension would do is hurt the fans who want to see their team at its best, and hurt the team who obviously would be missing a key player. This isn't high school. A one-game suspension isn't going to teach anyone anything. It's professional sports, where there is a ton of money invested by the clubs and the fans, and both deserve to have the most talented players out there.

If you want to say that the suspension was to send a message to the fans that the team doesn't treat this kind of thing lightly, or that his behavior doesn't reflect what the team stands for, etc. (so basically a symbolic suspension) then OK, just don't do it because you think you're teaching him a lesson. Or just let the league decide if having him out there sends the wrong message to fans or reflects poorly on the game, and let them hand out a more meaningful punishment that might make the player think about it.

FOr the player, it's not the suspension, it's the money. Just fine them whatever the CBA allows and play the game.

Driving under the influence isn't a victim-less crime. He could have killed someone. Ben Roethlisberger was suspended for four games for hitting on college chicks at seedy bars. He was cleared of all rape charges, yet the league saw fit to uphold his suspension because he engaged in actions that reflected poorly on the league and the Steelers. Braylon Edwards actually committed a crime, one in which he could have seriously injured or killed innocent people in the process.

How you can say he deserves to play after that is beyond me. His crime alone is enough to void his right to play. As for the fans? If they're upset about it they can simply get over it. The severity of his crime trumps their desire to see him play football.

Is a one game suspension to light? Yes. Truth be told I'd like to see him suspended for a year, pay and everything. Not only do his actions reflect poorly on the Jets and the NFL, no only does the lack of any serious consequences send the wrong message to the fans, but his crime was a very serious one. There's no defending what he did, or the Jets' piss-poor attempt to "reprimand" him (one quarter?).

You either totally missed my point, or I didn't do a good enough job of explaining it.

My point is simply that sitting a guy down for a quarter, half, or game, with the intent to "send him a message", is worthless. If you want to suspend him in order to maintain your image as a "classy" organization or to show your fans that don't endorse criminal behavior, that's fine. Just don't do it under the pretense of teaching him a lesson. I doubt he was sitting there during that first quarter saying "damn, I really need to turn my life arou-" "BRAYLON!!! get out there and catch some passes".

It's not the job of the NFL or a team to enforce laws or punish people for breaking them. That's what courts are for. The NFL can however (just like any employer) suspend or fire someone (up to what the CBA will allow) that it feels is hurting their image and making them less marketable to their customers (or is a danger to other employees, which would be the case here if he's shuttling other players around while loaded.)

That's fine. Suspend him and let your fans know that they can bring their kids to the game and their kids won't end up idolizing a criminal. Just don't suspend because you're trying to teach him right from wrong.

As for the double standard, I can only assume that he will eventually get Personal Conduct Policy'd. Remeber, those other cases happened during the offseason when there was plenty of time for everyone to decide what to do. They had days in this case, and certainly want to make sure they consider everything before deciding on a suspension.

[TFoA]

I heard the Saints are inviting kickers to practice this week, if I was Hartley I will be searching the want ads just in case.

He's gotta be gone. He almost cost the Saints the Vikings game, damn near missed the game winning FG against the Niners, and was kicking knuckleballs all day against the Falcons. That man's job is in serious danger right now.

[ninersdd]

Jimmy Raye got canned as the Niners offensive coordinator. I can't believe I'd be saying this right now, but if the Niners go say, 5-11, does Singletary have a shot at getting canned?

[ninersdd]

I heard the Saints are inviting kickers to practice this week, if I was Hartley I will be searching the want ads just in case.

He's gotta be gone. He almost cost the Saints the Vikings game, damn near missed the game winning FG against the Saints, and was kicking knuckleballs all day against the Falcons. That man's job is in serious danger right now.

Don't forget the weird one at the end of the 49ers game when he made it, but appeared to graze a Niners' hand.

[epper]

Hooray! The Bills have cut Trent Edwards.

But why couldn't they have done this approximately 3.5 weeks ago?

[TFoA]

I heard the Saints are inviting kickers to practice this week, if I was Hartley I will be searching the want ads just in case.

He's gotta be gone. He almost cost the Saints the Vikings game, damn near missed the game winning FG against the Saints, and was kicking knuckleballs all day against the Falcons. That man's job is in serious danger right now.

Don't forget the weird one at the end of the 49ers game when he made it, but appeared to graze a Niners' hand.

Replace "game winning FG against the Saints" with "game winning FG against the Niners" and you have fixed my typo and now understand what I said.

But yeah, he's in definitely in some trouble.

[ninersdd]

I heard the Saints are inviting kickers to practice this week, if I was Hartley I will be searching the want ads just in case.

He's gotta be gone. He almost cost the Saints the Vikings game, damn near missed the game winning FG against the Saints, and was kicking knuckleballs all day against the Falcons. That man's job is in serious danger right now.

Don't forget the weird one at the end of the 49ers game when he made it, but appeared to graze a Niners' hand.

Replace "game winning FG against the Saints" with "game winning FG against the Niners" and you have fixed my typo and now understand what I said.

But yeah, he's in definitely in some trouble.

Sorry, I guess I went too fast and should've known what you meant. Still his kicks yesterday that I saw on the highlights resembled that one(which had to go through )

[Gary]

Jimmy Raye got canned as the Niners offensive coordinator. I can't believe I'd be saying this right now, but if the Niners go say, 5-11, does Singletary have a shot at getting canned?

They're last place right now after "experts" had them going 10-6 and winning the NFC West. If they go 7-9 Singletary will be canned

[ninersdd]

Jimmy Raye got canned as the Niners offensive coordinator. I can't believe I'd be saying this right now, but if the Niners go say, 5-11, does Singletary have a shot at getting canned?

They're last place right now after "experts" had them going 10-6 and winning the NFC West. If they go 7-9 Singletary will be canned

The funny thing is 7-9 could win the NFC West this year, so right now you can't count them out. However it doesn't feel good to get your butt kicked by Seattle and KC.(Seattle hasn't looked that good on offense their past 2 games, and KC looked pretty bad their first two even though they won both of them.)

[Gary]

Jimmy Raye got canned as the Niners offensive coordinator. I can't believe I'd be saying this right now, but if the Niners go say, 5-11, does Singletary have a shot at getting canned?

They're last place right now after "experts" had them going 10-6 and winning the NFC West. If they go 7-9 Singletary will be canned

The funny thing is 7-9 could win the NFC West this year, so right now you can't count them out. However it doesn't feel good to get your butt kicked by Seattle and KC.(Seattle hasn't looked that good on offense their past 2 games, and KC looked pretty bad their first two even though they won both of them.)

I don't think 7-9 will win the division, but maybe 9-7 or 8-8. I can see the Cardinals, or Seahawks winning the West with a 9-7 or 8-8 record. Even though it's a bad division, there is always a good team that comes out

[Jigga]

I think Singletary's been exposed as a hypersensitive boob. The mooning, the "Can't Do It" speech, the "rat" thing, getting all pissy over some softball questions. This guy ain't exaclty setting the example for his organization. Dude was a great player, but that has nothing to do with his ability to coach. He may have had a good start to his tenue, but he took over the franchise at their rock bottom. Now, he's just proving that he cannot adequately handle the pressure of actually producing up to expectations.

[rams80]

Jimmy Raye got canned as the Niners offensive coordinator. I can't believe I'd be saying this right now, but if the Niners go say, 5-11, does Singletary have a shot at getting canned?

They're last place right now after "experts" had them going 10-6 and winning the NFC West. If they go 7-9 Singletary will be canned

The funny thing is 7-9 could win the NFC West this year, so right now you can't count them out. However it doesn't feel good to get your butt kicked by Seattle and KC.(Seattle hasn't looked that good on offense their past 2 games, and KC looked pretty bad their first two even though they won both of them.)

I don't think 7-9 will win the division, but maybe 9-7 or 8-8. I can see the Cardinals, or Seahawks winning the West with a 9-7 or 8-8 record. Even though it's a bad division, there is always a good mediocre as hell team that comes out

Fixed.

I'm starting to edge away from the "7-9 = playoff spot" thought after yesterday's results, (Wherein division members demonstrated they can defeat "outsiders", especially of the AFC West variety) but I still wouldn't rule it out.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Hooray! The Bills have cut Trent Edwards.

But why couldn't they have done this approximately 3.5 weeks ago?

I'm really happy to see Fitzpatrick get the starting job for real - he definitely showed that he's the best man for the job.

However, it is too bad for Edwards. He showed flashes of greatness his first year, but the concussions have ruined him as a player. He's likely done in the NFL, showing exactly why it's perfectly appropriate for NFL players to get as much as possible while they can. 24 years old (or however old he is) and out of a job with a history of concussions isn't a great place to be, no matter what the profession.

[tBBP]

I don't think 7-9 will win the division, but maybe 9-7 or 8-8. I can see the Cardinals, or Seahawks winning the West with a 9-7 or 8-8 record. Even though it's a bad division, there is always a good team that comes out

Just saying...the last team to win the NFC West with a 9-7 record ended up in the daggone Super Bowl.

(Of course, it doesn't help that that same team then turned around and got bounced out the playoffs the year after that...with one more regular-season win. )

[chuckymack]

Wholeheartedly agree. You'd almost have to think some team (Browns, Cardinals, Jaguars, Raiders) will at least bring him in to hold a clipboard. He's had some decent games in his short career thus far.

EDIT: What's up with teams giving up on their quarterbacks so quickly this year? Matt Leinart, Matt Moore, Trent Edwards, Kevin Kolb, Jason Campbell, and Vince Young have all been benched (and in Leinart and Edwards' cases, outright cut) this season—and it's only week three. I'd say Derek Anderson, Jake Delhomme, David Garrard and/or Alex Smith might be next to go.

[Panhead1]

I don't know about you guys, but I'm pretty freaking tired of hearing Albert Haynesworth's whining about everything Washington Redskins - related.