@nero said:

The thread should be called "How bad are the refs?" 

Even the Steelers got some egregious bad callas against them lately.

I saw that Monday nighter against The Bears and it was comical how bad they were for the Stoolers.

My theory...A STRONG AZZ 9. The Watson situation combined with the usual ridiculousness......it's gonna be atrocious. Hopefully I'm very wrong.

To be fair, to me the refs usually call the Browns a weak 7 in comparison. (Raiders, Detroit & Bears the worst to Pats, Steelers & Greenbay the best)

Number you think?

@nickers said:

I wouldn't play Watson game 1... My strategy would be to sit out the 6 games... I'd rather have Watson available in the latter half of the season.. Assuming we make the playoffs...

I see where you coming from....but I would want to play hard ball...that lawsuit could go on all year and the NFLPA will need an injunction for him to play game 7 anyway

Welp, he will be playing game 1....the NFLPA will now sue, injunction, then Discovery and the league will fold just like with kapernick because they don't want to give their text, emails...etc. The judge will probably be super angry the NFL brought this case to them because there's already been 2 grand juries and a retired federal judge they had an agreement with. 

So the league has bowed to the media crying last 2 days. If I'm the Union...GAME ON...I'm playing Watson game 1. I wish the same media members had the same energy for Kraft(WHO HAD A VIDEO), Snyder, Jerry Jones, Texans FO....

NFLPA stated they will go to court

This bleeds into first week easily

Then get to the DISCOVERY portion of the case. NFL is horrified of this. This is what make them pay Kapernick 50 mill when they were being tough at first. This means owner's text messages, emails, under oath testimony...etc. 1 case opens up another ...look at Gruden. Now see Snyder, Jones, Kraft...etc.

You're going against 2 grand juries and a judge's rulings. Not just other judges despise you attempting to bring other judges decisions to them but you agreed to this crafting of NFL issues being decided by this female judge. She intimated if Watson acted remorseful in public he probably would've gotten less games...

Good luck. Watson might not get a game...I worked for a defense attorney for 7 years out of law school. Court house is a different reality. It's the ultimate "F around and find out" scenario. The court house is not a Democracy. Judge is the King...or Queen. Period

@fy56 said:

Dear Lord I can't believe people still aren't getting it.

Two grand juries would not indict him because he did nothing ILLEGAL, not that he didn't do anything wrong.

From the NFL personal conduct policy:

Everyone who is part of the league must refrain from “conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in” the NFL. This includes owners, coaches, players, other team employees, game officials, and employees of the league office, NFL Films, NFL Network, or any other NFL business.

It is not enough simply to avoid being found guilty of a crime. We are all held to a higher standard and must conduct ourselves in a way that is responsible, promotes the values of the NFL, and is lawful.

The perv had not been railroaded and deserved what he got.

More than that..you're downplaying it. i worked for a criminal defense attorney for 7 years after I left law school. .a grand jury will indict ANYONE...as the saying goes a ham sandwich. Ask Tyson...3 years in prison, no DNA, girl came to his hotel room alone at 1 am, had proven to falsely scream rape before....Watson was in TEXAS. The Freedom project which is young attorneys getting people out of prison who are falsely convicted exists because grand juries are little more than the prosecutor's fan club. Find 1 case where someone was facing more than just 10 charges and not 1 stuck. Watson had 22.....saw twice. Something was greatly wrong with their testimony(s)

GO BROWNS!!

@calfoxwc said:

ones I never got to sit in, lol. sorry.

but here is a "map" of the stadium, I think the white boxes are the tunnel entrance/exits to get to the seats. It would make a big difference. I'm not sure, but I believe the browns have accommodated wheelchairs in the past, but I'm not sure.

I couldn't make it bigger from here, but you can paste it into Word or graphics app and stretch it out to be easier to read.

I'm retired, and it would be easier to read with glasses......

thank u my dawg

@calfoxwc said:

way back in the day, before my Dad got his knee replaced, it was tough for him, (he just joked about it though)....

getting there early and taking the elevators is great. Walking up ramps with trouble walking - sometimes I've thought they need to have a small golf cart fleet to drive those folks who walk in pain up the ramp. If they did, you could call the browns and register for a ride. with note from their dr, I suppose. Before I had my knee replaced, it was really tough - but it's impossible to avoid all the steps to get to your seats if you are not near the "tunnel" outlet. Hope all goes great.

THANKS! Which seats are near the tunnel?

Need help! Taking 70 year old uncle to 1st Browns game. Doesn't walk well. What's the best seat for people like him?

THANKS MY DAWGS! GO BROWNS!!

@westside-steve said:

And frankly most likely nothing happened that I would find should be illegal. But that goes for a lot of celebrities who have lost their entire livelihood. C'est la vie, sign of the times? It's really an image problem. But just for fun there's a guy I know that was drunk and took a piss in somebody's yard in Highland square. Police busted him and he was charged with indecent exposure. Had to be listed as a sexual predator.

WSS

wow....that's super crazy

then WTF are we talking about? Think about that......this is ridiculous

@hish747 said:

Settling is just an agreement that both sides like better than going to trial. There are so many considerations that go into settling, that you can't look at it as simple right vs wrong. Maybe Deshaun would pay more in legal fees to prove he did nothing wrong than he would pay in settlement.  Maybe DW doesn't want this to drag out for years, because he wants to have a life. You could also equally say the plaintiff is settling because they know they have no case and are afraid of losing; otherwise they would go to trial and aim for the really big money.

Also, these are civil cases, not criminal, so there is no risk of being a registered sex offender.

Exactly. In this case he would have been an idiot not to settle....rather innocent or not. You can have them go away by resources you won't even feel. Criminal case is closed. Settling is an an admission of guilt as much as settling says the women were just out for a money grab.

@calfoxwc said:

True - it's "he said, all the women said", there isn't that much evidence that convicts, even though there would be appt schedules, etc etc.  The other four - were refusing to settle - which led to him not being a MIami dolphin.

I hope he gets suspended for two years, and they trade Baker to the Panthers. I would go in person to watch that game.... (it's away).

Baker sucks........get over it......nobody wants him even at QB pennies

@westside-steve said:

Of course he's not innocent but his attorneys aren't stupid. And neither are the attorneys for the women. Every case was a coin flip meaning you get ten times what you were asking for or Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah.

WSS

Many of the wealthy and corporations settle suits so that the plaintiff goes away. You believe everyone or company who settles is guilty of the offense?

@canton-dawg said:

Well…that one.

Baker was the investigator...if her bar was THAT low....ijs

@gumby73 said:

I'm betting on that Berry does not want the NFL to be waiting until June or July to decide on Watson-gate..

1.) Browns mandatory camp is June 14-16th..

2.) Most wanted remaining FA's.. Decide on a team around the 1st of June during OTA's, just prior to showing up to a Mandatory Camp..

      

Rumors say the Rams are chasing J. Clowney.. Clowney maybe waiting out, for a Watson-gate decision too ..  

So he didn't ask, force or even suggest...she just "knew" what he wanted. And she is one if the plaintiffs??!

@mjp28 said:

Just to focus on the current ongoing problems like I always say follow the money.  Just look at the guaranteed money and signing bonuses. 

Is he worth what the BROWNS have shelled out so far and how much to repair the BROWNS' image and more.  A colossal mess and they are married to it for years.

Will a Super Bowl make it even ? Maybe. 

Current Contract

Deshaun Watson signed a 5 year, $230,000,000 contract with the Cleveland Browns, including a $44,965,000 signing bonus, $230,000,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $46,000,000. In 2022, Watson will earn a base salary of $1,035,000 and a signing bonus of $44,965,000, while carrying a cap hit of $10,028,000 and a dead cap value of $230,000,000.

The yearly numbers.....base salary....salary.....cap hit...dead cap...yearly cash.  Nice franchise numbers.   

CONTRACT TERMS:5 yr(s) / $230,000,000

SIGNING BONUS$44,965,000

AVERAGE SALARY$46,000,000

GTD AT SIGN:$230,000,000

TOTAL GTD:$230,000,000

FREE AGENT:2027 / UFA

	BONUS BREAKDOWN	CAP DETAILS	CASH DETAILS
YEAR		AGE	BASE bSALARBaseY	SIGNING	CAP HIT	DEAD CAP	YEARLY CASH
2022		27	$1,035,000	$8,993,000	$10,028,000	$230,000,000	$46,000,000($46,000,000)
2023		28	$46,000,000	$8,993,000	$54,993,000	$219,972,000	$46,000,000($92,000,000)
2024		29	$46,000,000	$8,993,000	$54,993,000	$164,979,000	$46,000,000($138,000,000)
2025		30	$46,000,000	$8,993,000	$54,993,000	$109,986,000	$46,000,000($184,000,000)
2026		31	$46,000,000	$8,993,000	$54,993,000	$54,993,000	$46,000,000($230,000,000)
2027		32	UFA
Contract Notes: $230M guaranteed (signing bonus + 2022 salary + 2023 salary + 2024 salary + 2025 salary + 2026 salary) $44.965M Signing Bonus Language exists that will not forfeit signing bonus or void future guarantees upon suspension

IMO A Superbowl makes it well worth it!