DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum How do YOU really feel, as a fan?

Well, I'm getting very close to the breaking point. To be honest, I don't even know how to feel (as a fan) anymore. On one hand, I'm hopeful... maybe the Rog will do something that actually makes sense. Hand down a 4-6 game suspension under the premise that a threshold has already been met for detrimental conduct, and that further suspension may be handed down at the conclusion of the court cases.

What I can't do is reckon my feelings of guilt for even feeling that way, as I feel that Watson's actions are more egregious than that decision would rectify. As a fan, my heart is nearly broken. Like others, I've rooted my whole life; and finally thought we were finishing this long journey to prominence -- a chance for a championship. This team doesn't belong to a greedy billionaire, it isn't the property of a QB who just arrived in the offseason, or even the longest tenured veteran on the roster. It belongs to the fans that have spent a lifetime rooting, usually against all odds.

It's a sick feeling. A pit in my stomach.


How did we get here?

Was Baker an adult? I don't know. I think he "dictated" a bit too much last year and had the "political capital" to do so, to a certain extent, because of his (and the team's) performance the year before. Also, as I've said before, the "gods" were cruel enough to keep us in the hunt so that the only argument seemed to be "who gives us the best chance this Sunday". Still, I can easily imagine the difference between Stefanski, a coach that wants to work through consensus, that wants a players input, that wants peace and cohesion; and someone like Tomlin, who would stare into space with a stoic look and a stern jaw and utter three words as his decision. Two different worlds.

So Baker's performance (if not antics) leads to looking into the Watson situation. At who's direction though? That's not Berry and Berry alone. He's not even entertaining the idea without the consent of Haslam -- no how, no way.

Somewhere along that "five-month saga", Haslam became empowered to "win at all costs"... that mindset went into overload when Baker penned his goodbye message. Left with the window falling closed, he pushed all the chips into the center of the table.

I respected that because I believed in their "due diligence". I tried to reason within my own mind that accelerating "the plan" at this point was the right thing to do. I was shocked at the price tag though. I still have a hard time believing that Berry and DePodesta would be 100% on-board with this decision. There is no way in hell that they were tugging Haslam along though. DePodesta's mantra and definition of analytics is "having sure frameworks to make decisions under uncertainty". There was way too much uncertainty (and absolutely no surety), in selling the farm for Watson, for anyone bent on flow-chart analytics to think this was a prudent decision. Sure, they played along because they knew the boss was hell-bent on making it all happen, but you'll never convince me this was his (their) idea. This was all Jimmy Haslam.

I've defended him since he took over the team, through thick and thin. I felt validated the day he pulled the trigger on cashing in -- and traded Sashi for John Dorsey. But once again, his haste, his lack of patience, has led us to a place where upside seems like a pipe dream and downside is back into the pit of irrelevance and laughing stock. It makes me want to throw up.


Watson's choices, and how they pertain to "us", have narrowed moving forward. If he doesn't bust his butt to settle these cases I feel that we are, in a word, "screwed". There will be a whole new landscape of things that analytics never accounted for. His distance from the team and FO as the story reveals more lurid details, his dishonesty playing out while they disagree on what he should do. The magnifying glass getting bigger and bigger as tension builds among the ranks, from coaches all the way up to the top. Finger-pointing by the media and fans, finger-pointing within the org... It will all end badly...


Worst case scenario:

Berry will not be fired -- he will resign. He's better than this and won't submit to being the "fall guy". Haslam will clean house after a subpar season and reassemble a cast of "yes men" so he can continue to fuel his fire of control. Veterans won't want to come here to be the brunt of the latest jokes, draft choices will come from second-tier talent. Another big mess.


Best case scenario:

Watson humbles himself and starts writing checks, the media fire begins to smolder, the Browns "battle" in his absence as we watch him re-invent himself off the field. He offers earnest apologies and admits he has a serious problem. There's a chance that this could result in (only lol) one lost season. Many will find it in their heart to root for a second chance.

Unfortunately, I don't see this playing out. I hate to judge and I don't walk in his shoes or know his heart, but the demeanor is troubling to me. I feel like he is so deep in his lies that he won't cross that line and admit any guilt. Worst case of "DeShaun Watson -- the person" is pathological, sociopathic, sexual predator. I'm not saying that's who he is, I'm saying that's who he may be.


In the end, for me, this is all still tainted. I doubt anything will ever truly take the "brown and orange" out of my blood; but even the "best case", even this resulting in a championship, will likely not be as satisfying as it should. I've already drawn one line, I gave up my season tickets. It was hard to do but I was firmly in the the camp of not paying for something that tilts my moral compass (think what you want, I'm not trying to virtue signal, I've just adopted that "not with my dollar" attitude more and more over time).

It reminds me of the Cavs when LeBron came back, the goodbye letters from all the players that had busted their buns, for a "superteam" -- it almost felt like cheating. In the end, a banner washed all that "sin" away. Maybe the same can be true with the Browns, but anything less will be devastating... and even that will feel dirty.

The spirit of "sport" has become so polluted with outside noise, cheating, super teams, dirty deals, dirty players, billionaires playing puppet-master; nearly all of the sanctity is gone. I love sport for those special moments and sharing them with the people I love. I love being the underdog... this story was shaping up quite nicely for the long arduous journey to pay off with the ultimate reward... void of guilt and shame.

This latest road began for me, in earnest, watching Baker Mayfield light-up the Jets; and my son -- standing in a sea of downtrodden Browns fans, a voice in the roar of the crowd, screaming "folks, I think we finally have a quarterback!". It hasn't ended yet, but what keeps going through my head is the text from another son (I was driving home from Fort Wayne and knew nothing of the Watson signing), "I don't know whether to be excited or utterly terrified".

Once again, a script that couldn't be penned in Hollywood becomes our beloved Cleveland Browns.

Well expressed Fate - could not agree more. My feelings exactly.

I feel similar on some level but I also fully accept it’s all out if my control. Will Watson play, not play? Will Baker sit, be traded, come back?

I have no idea. So I just go about my life and see what happens. I’m not giving up my fandom. With or without Watson or Baker I’ve suffered through watching far worse rosters playing football over the years.

I have my thoughts on Watson. (Leaning towards the unfavorable.) I have my thoughts on Baker. (Leaning towards the unfavorable for different reasons.) In the grand scheme neither matter.
Maybe because I’m so far from Ohio it’s not ‘local news’ so I only hear about it here or my occasional glances at the NFL Network talkingheads while channel surfing. I only have three NFL fan friends. Two former Ohioans. One has since declared his fandom is over. He meant it. He sold all of his collectibles and such. Everything. Done. He doesn’t say anything to me about my looking forward to the season. Though we just don’t talk football anymore. It was only a piece of our friendship connection anyway. The other two have active lives that football is only a small fraction of. While fans they aren’t beholden to watch every game. I on the other hand try to catch every game. I rarely miss one. If I suffered through every Couch, Garcias 0.0 QBR, Weeden, JFF, etc snap I can certainly live with a Jacoby Brissett season if that’s what unfolds. We have a roster that can win. Maybe we catch lightning in a bottle. Foles won a SB. Is Brissett that much worse?

Summary, to me football is entertainment. Nothing more. I ‘love’ the Browns but only as much as anyone should love something so intangible and nonreciprocal. I want entertained. I’ll let the courts and the NFL decide what’s next.

Go Browns.

To answer the thread question; I just want to watch the Browns, and hopefully watch them win. I am waiting for the Watson thing to finalize, or at least find out what the NFL plan is. I can remain a Browns fan regardless of the guilt of innocence of DW, but I will have a bit of queasiness in my gut watching if everything he is accused of turns out true. I have been a fan since 1969 so that will not change.

Watson's teammates seem to like him if that matters at all.

If fans from other teams want to chastise the Browns, go ahead as most teams have had scuzzy players. I didn't feel any less for their fans, except maybe Baltimore fans as they railed for years how horrible it was when the Colts left, then enthusiastically welcomed the old Browns.

Nice post Fate.

I've been a fan since Brian Sipe was playing. I have never missed a game either by TV or radio. I have suffered every painful loss as we all have, especially since 1999. This Watson mess is the final coup de grâce.

Imagine if Watson was allowed to play every game this season and we become Super Bowl Champs. Talk about mixed emotions! Talk about selling your soul to the devil!

I am afraid your worst case scenario is how it plays out. You explained that well. It would break my heart to see Berry go, but look at the HUGE chance he took signing this guy.

When it was announced, it reeked desperation at the highest levels!

2023 - Berry and Stefanski gone. The team will implode and we will be back to 2017. Haslam, yes men and the downward cycle continued.

I can't root for Deshaun Watson. He can't be QB for the team I have loved for over 50 years. If he is, I'm out as a Browns' fan. If that happens - and I realize it probably will - I will feel something very close to grief. I know about losing loved ones, and I won't put it on the same footing as those because they were devastating. But its a kick in the gut, just like it was in 1995 when the Browns left for Baltimore. And before anyone says I am judging unfairly, I would only say that what I believe is that one or two occurrences is a rumor, three or four is a trend, five or six is alarming ..... twenty-four is a screaming siren with red & blue flashing lights. Yes, I believe the women.

For me, I don't worry about it. I am a fan.

If I worry any, I'll worry when all of this plays out. Until then worry doesn't help anything.

j/c:

I am upset because I finally had some hope for the Browns to have a legit chance to win. I knew we had no shot w/Baker due to all the talent in the AFC. I had resigned myself to that it was depressing because I really didn't see anyone in the draft or in FA that I thought would be enough to get us to the upper echelon. Russ was close, but he takes too many sacks and isn't very good passing from a normal pocket. He has to drop too deep and thus the sacks occur. Most of his throws come off script. Other than that, I didn't see anyone who could get us over the hump.

All of a sudden, we get Watson and I won't apologize for being excited about the acquisition. He gave us a shot. I also will never be ashamed of not convicting a guy in public conversations and instead allowing the legal system to decide. There are folks on here who act like that is wrong. I'm good w/my position and I think many others shared that belief but didn't want to get shouted down and abused by a few posters who do the same thing in multiple forums. Now, it looks like the NFL has no choice other than to hand down a significant suspension on Watson. Thus, my feeling is now even worse than before we acquired him because it's one thing to not have hope and it's quite another to be given hope and have it snatched away.

My other thought as a fan is that it bothers me that our fan base has so many members that care more about one player than they do the team. I think that causes problems among the fan base, makes its way into the media, and eventually the locker room and even the organization. It's toxic to the entire organization.

My dad took me to my first game when Mike Phipps was our quarterback. There were some bad teams in the 70s, the three major disappointments in the 80s and obviously what happened in the 90s. But there was always this feeling (in my family at least) that the Browns' woes would be righted at some point with a championship.

For me, that feeling was sustained even in the earliest parts of The Return with our roster problems. I probably got overly excited after 2002, 2007, the first chunk of the Hoyer season, and a couple of times in the last 3 years.
And in each of those instances, there was major disappointment.

At this point, I'm a little numb I guess. With each bad decision, piece of bad luck or inexplicable circumstance, I get less outraged. It's just the way it is. The surprise or shock is gone.

I'm a lifelong fan. That will never change, and I will watch every single game as long as I'm able. That's part of the deal at this point I guess.

I will say it's been uncomfortable talking to my 87 year old father about the particulars of what went on with Watson and why he probably won't be our QB this year.

That's the way I feel as a fan.

Go Browns.

.

I feel as though our FO was trying to do everything they could to bring a winner here by signing DW. Maybe they did do there homework and made the best decision on the facts they were given. Who knows. It could be they were lied to or weren't told everything. If that's the case and DW is facing a significant suspension then we should be allowed to void the deal. The deal should be canceled. That's the fair thing to do.

Well if we are being honest, the NFL did a crap job on their 'due diligence' in letting Haslam buy the Browns in the first place. How long was it before we started to get drug through the mud over his seemingly nefarious flying J scandal? The hell of it is, this FO had the chance to be historically great and I can't help but feel they have ruined any chance of that now.

Homes, I don't think we should void the deal even if we were somehow able to. Even if Watson is suspended for a year, we would have a top 7 qb for 10 years or more. I don't think the Browns are going to find another qb who is even close to him.

To add to previous comments, I root for the team, not a position or player. If we just take the QB out of the mix for a moment, do we have a good team? I say yes.

That said, I don't think having Brissett as QB for the year or whatever will all of a sudden makes us a 5 win team. I think we still think we are a playoff team. I think as good of a team as we have, it will elevate the play of Brissett, who when you look at it wasn't all that bad to begin with.

QB's aren't always the person to elevate other players performance. It works the other way as well.

I tend to agree. I have seen QBs in this league have great rookie seasons, or maybe 1-3 years then fall off the earth. It always irked me when people quote SB wins as if the QB was the only player on the team. I once heard a media guy question Dan Marino because he never won a Superbowl. I have heard QBs get blamed for 42-39 type losses where it is clearly the D that failed. Obviously QB is a critical position, but one just has to look at the Baltimore game that Baker led a go ahead drive late in the 4th quarter only to have our D give up a really quick score and we lose. And no, I am not advocating for Baker, just making a point that he took them on a clutch drive late only to lose.

Joe Burrow seems to get all the credit for the Bengals playoff run last year but to me their defense won the TN game. Only points in 4th quarter was a 52 yd fg with time expiring. I am not even trying to say Burrow isn't exceptional, but QBs that are consistently upper tier for a long time are rare.

I think we could name many QB's who benefited by being on the team they were on more than the team benefitted by the QB being on the team. Naturally all of that would be subjective...

You are such a victim. Whining is not attractive.



In regards to the question at hand. 24 women and counting aren't all liars. In our society many claim we should hold people accountable for their actions. Until I guess they wear a Browns uniform. Then all bets are off. When it comes to Berry and DePodesta, I have no way of knowing if this was their idea and I won't claim to know unless facts come to the forefront that convince me otherwise. But what I do know is that Haslam did approve. He signed the deal and the signing bonus check. He claimed they did their due diligence then I find out they never talked to a single victim. I've found inconsistencies in watson's depositions.

So it comes down to a choice for me. Do I support that? Does my fandom mean more to me than condoning the abuse of women? Do I help contribute to line the pockets of people who make such decisions and by rewarding watson with that huge contract? Is doing nothing to support women when things such as this happen something I can do? The answer is no, I can't.


Will the money I spent on the Browns make a huge impact on any of that? No. Can I bring myself to continue with financially supporting this man and help contribute to watson's salary? No. I can't just blindly turn away from what has happened here and pretend it's okay or bring myself to value the Browns more than the abuse of women.

jc

Mostly I just want the DW drama over. If he will be our QB then so be it. If he isnt, then move on. I hate the limbo feeling.

My partner is a Chargers fan. We are going to Cle for the Browns v Chargers game. All I care about is DW better be ready to go for this game.
If he isnt, I will be mad. I want a good game. Its too pricey to travel just to see us suck.

Good insight, 'Peen. It is a team sport, neh? But about the drama that Eve mentions, and I had the thought that our "beat writers" are more like our "beating writers" piling on DW while his situation is decided. (Our newspaper always picks the most negative articles they can cut and paste for Browns coverage.
My gripe is about the NFL treatment of the team as a whole IMO. Seems like triple jeopardy if you consider our fix. We have DW waiting as he works through issues, some made more public and inflamed by the media who are sensationalizing the story about what might be the shakeout. His season has started, mandatory practices are coming, and in fairness, if he has playable status, then he should be able to do so. He is living in limbo while his investigation drags on; if he is in the wrong as this woman establishes as the appointed one by the commish, so be it, settle up, and then move on. But the last 'risk' is whenever that happens eventually, the results can be revisited, the ruling challenged or revised or reduced by Goodell according to anything from whim to reason. The Browns have a right to a timely outcome to plan camps, practice, roster to be ready for the season and make team decisions. Again, my opine.
I am not defending any wrong DW may have done. But he should not be strung out and strung along either. Goodell delegated almost unlimited say in situations like these; my take is the process should be thorough AND reasonably timely so injury isn't added against any NFL team or player who has potentially brought 'insult' in some way to the NFL game.
As I said before, I am all about my faith in the right to due process; but I have issues with "undue process" that hurt players or teams beyond the issues requiring attention. Remember that these are all additional layers beyond legal arenas: Courts AND then this. If Goodell wants to be the destination and chokepoint for discipline, which has been criticized before, then resolve it in a reasonable and timely fashion. This is, after all, the same immaculate machine that has worked so well with Josh Gordon, a testament legacy to NFL discipline.
So my closing thought is this: If any and all acts are considered and found to be wrong, then spell it out so it is clear what is being punished while also establishing some clarifying guardrails moving forward. The NFL deserves better, and the season deserves our attention.
Go, Browns!

Question. How can you "resolve" an issue that is ongoing? Do you make a ruling without now investigating these latest two cases? And if so, do you later investigate these last two cases and anymore that seem to be coming and add more punishment to watson's suspension for those cases?

I certainly understand why fans want to get it over and done with. I understand that they are tired of hearing about it and want a conclusion and finality to it. But how do you propose anyone can do that with more and more cases and more and more information coming out all the time? Should they look at all of it which they certainly haven't had the time to do in these last two cases, or are you suggesting they simply ignore these latest cases and act like they didn't happen?

[quote=PitDAWG]Question. How can you "resolve" an issue that is ongoing? Do you make a ruling without now investigating these latest two cases? And if so, do you later investigate these last two cases and anymore that seem to be coming and add more punishment to watson's suspension for those cases?]




To answer your question, hasn't the league already said what the plan was? Granted it was before the last couple incidents came to light, but didn't they say they would not take action until all the civil stuff is over? Did I miss the league announcing a change in that strategy? I am not saying I agree or disagree or even whether it is a good strategy or not.

I do think a lot of the confusion comes from constant media experts reporting their opinions on what DWs penalty will be. I may be wrong, but I don't recall any of these indicating they were a result of a league source. If I am correct about the stories having no basis, then it remains a possibility this may be an entire season out. If I am wrong about the sources, then I withdraw my comments.

I don't like it, but I am so sick of articles that mean nothing I just want the season to start no matter who the QB is. This was not meant to be confrontational at all, just answering the question. Also, just my 2 cents.

Well, they are posted over and over and over again in some desperate attempt to convince other board members to convict a man in the court of public opinion. So, I guess they are meaningful in a weird sort of way. LOL

Anyway......I really liked your post and I feel much the same way as you and Bard do.

Nobody is how has tried to "convince anyone". And I guess you missed the fact that over the past week two more suits were filed, The New York Times found many new details in their investigation that have been reported. That's news. That has a direct impact on the Browns and all of the false claims that try to act like this isn't an ever developing story are misleading at best and hold no merit.

Thanks for the good words. I meant to add most the articles I was speaking of were from Facebook Browns "sites". I don't always open the attached articles in DT. I notice the FB ones because they always have such a certainty in their title, so I open them like an idiot to find out what that writer feels the punishment should be and when. I generally just skim the DW stuff on here other than actual in season or draft stuff; because to me it is a lot like Common Core Math or a Presidential Election where a lot of talk happens with no minds being changed anyway. I throw my 2 cents in occasionally.

Wise words, Fort. You're a good dude.

I apparently failed to make my point from the angle I attempted to express. Your response feels like words in my mouth that I never intended.
I think to a degree, yes. Establish a time to measure the situation and 'rule' on that. Resolve and get some closure out of fairness. I never wanted DW to avoid punishment or suspension when found wrong. My point was that the women, the player, this team, and the Browns franchise need some closure to function and that shouldn't be worsened by the NFL's handling. Even crime in the real world has some statutes of limitations. It is fair to know a starter, to know your roster needs, and have some framework for whatever discipline is hands down because it affects many people. I am suggesting if you manage this and finalize that much fine. Everybody knows what going forward will look like. That closure offers a chance for rationale and for clarification. You gain by having a precedent functionally in place. If more comes up needing further attention, investigation, discipline, consequence, or clarification, do that then.
I personally find your question unfair about do I ignore what is happening as it is ongoing. If that is your suggestion pretending to be an argument that it is the direction I want, it is not. But the flip side is unfair and unworkable IMO. How long is long enough? How long does a player and franchise wait before the NFL executes the duty it has reserved entirely unto itself? Even a common criminal can get some time served while waiting. Draw some lines in the dirt as needed and take some of the media noise out of this. Or state we will wait a few years on the off chance something else might come in or someone else come forward. If they do, then act as needed in timely fashion, always in an attempt to realize closure and direction.
I will try to be clearer. Kind of tired of this process; it invites attacks, fair or not. This situation is causing damage to this team beyond DW's actions before joining the Browns.

Welcome to the club. He does it to multiple posters across the forums. Btw Bard, I perfectly understood your message the first time. You're good.

I'm pretty similar... as I've gotten older, sports have seemed less important... I still watch and cheer hard, but I don't take the losses like I use to... there are more important things in life...

and I've learned so much is out of my control... So I still pay attention and have an opinion but frankly it doesn't affect me much if the browns win the super bowl or lose every game...

I'll be watching the games and pulling for the Orange and Brown to win. Screw the politics. Look at every other team in our division. The rats had two violent Ray-rays.....one involved in a murder and the other cold cocked his woman in an elevator. The bungles had the violent thugs Burfict and Pacman, and their current running back decked a woman with a roundhouse punch. The Steelers had the rapistberger. Violent criminals all. They all worked thru the crap, and so will the Browns. No, I don't condone any of that behavior. I'll let the politics work itself out and concentrate on football. Despite the popular arguments, what Watson is accused of doesn't compare to what these aforementioned players did. ....and he hasn't even been found guilty as of yet. I also think we can win some games with Brisset.

I’ll back them always. I’ll never stop being a Browns fan, it’s been 34 years and that’s what I do. No choice really. The Move and the futility since the return hasn’t wavered me, the DW situation won’t, either.

I wish Baker had consolidated his second half of 2020 with a strong performance , so we wouldn’t be where we are now, but for whatever reasons if did not happen.

As a fan I love them !

Since the age of 6 when I started to like football and teams.

I liked the Browns, the Chiefs, the Colts, the Vikings and the patriots .

That was back in the 60's and early 70's because I grew up 4 streets away from the NFL HOF ,

So as kids we would go there and look at the helmets and like the decal on them.

Growing up in Canton and having family in Cleveland the Browns eventually became my team of choice.

My cousin in 74 to 77 played for the Lions and that was my NFC team , still is .

Life in general is drama and road blocks..

As a fan ? still going to be one and will be until the day I die.

I have no control on what that organization does and what they do with.

I have control if I want to be a fan or not or control if I watch or not !

Always going to be a fan ! my choice, doesn't mean I'll keep going to games or going somewhere to watch them.

May not watch them for a few games, months or years.

They will always be the team I root for, which makes me a fan for life.

I feel the same. I've been a Browns fan since 1967 and I'll always be a Browns fan. It's a love that won't stop. This may not be popular, but I really feel Jimmy Haslam wants to bring a Super Bowl winner here in the worst way that's why some of these decisions were made. I hope he does. JMO

I understand the thinking, but I don't think you spent a whole lot of money supporting the team anyway...and that isn't a knock. I met you at maybe 2 tailgates over the last 20 years of knowing you. I suppose you have bought a hat or three in that time.

Again, I am not knocking you to any extent, I am just saying your decision of non-support rings a bit hollow in that regard.

I don't like the guys style - 2:17 and he's already annoying me. I only kept going because you were the one who posted it.

Playing 5 second sound bites from talking heads - talking about Robert Kraft - doesn't make a case for what situation DW did or didn't do.

The Houston angle is a 100% deflection and shifting blame from what DW and trying to shift focus to someone else. Houston got named - we don't have any significant facts, this whole take is with the assumption Houston is 100% complicit. I think that's 100% faulty "logic" and a massive reach. If Houston are found to have been more active, with knowledge, lied/misled the NFL or the Browns - then sure they need to be investigated.

At the moment you have 24 allegations against DW - you got a minimum of 66 different therapists in 17 months, you have a payment to a Spa Owner 'just because' against DW .... You have Houston named without a lot of substance at the movement. This guy has already assumed both are equally guilty. I don't think this is a good take. And while I think Kraft got off "Scott Free" - thinking one of the most important owners in the NFL who managed to hush his indiscretion up immediately - and DW are going to be treated the same is naive or just contrived controversy for a 'Hot Take'

As far as we know, only 9 of the 24 allegations were from actual therapists. From what we've heard about the others, few were actually licensed.

Thanks for that. For all the "participation" we have seen in this thread and on this topic, I thought mine went some new places in new ways. I am still struggling with how the bar-setting happens. Thanks again, and regards, Vers.

Go, Browns!

I think they can get those in Nevada.

bone, the guy has a valid point that the Texans should also be culpable if all of the allegations are true. However, the NFL is not going to punish an owner. Look at their history. Remember all the crap that went down w/Irsay in Indy? They did next to nothing. Snyder is a slime ball who had numerous allegations of sexual and social misconduct going on w/in the organization. What did the NFL do? They threw a popular white coach under the bus by releasing some of his emails in a lame attempt to deflect attention away from Snyder and Washington's organization. Does anyone really think they are going to help a black player by also going after a white, racist owner?

Once again, I think Watson's attorneys should go after the NFL hard if Watson is suspended. There are a multitude of cases where the NFL has made outrageous and unfair decisions and many involve minorities while protecting white billionaires. The NFL may write policies that say they can suspend players at their discretion, but workers have rights in this country and if Watson's attorneys can show the courts that the NFL has a lengthy history of punishing employees while excusing poor behavior from ownership, the courts might put an end to these unfair practices. Congress is already involved in part of Snyder's issues.

How do YOU really feel, as a fan?