Lewie, the Browns did not pay Watson (or Garrett, Ward, Chubb, et. al) the first year low salary to help him avoid financial consequences. They did so to alleviate salary cap issues. Before you tell me they are way under the cap, let me remind you of their ability to roll the excess cap space into future seasons.
That said, I’ve debated the same issue you discuss. Do I quit my lifelong and senseless loyalty to this club, or do I root for a QB who might not be convicted, but seems to be a sex offender. My rationalization is I continue to root for the aforementioned Myles Garrett, Nick Chubb, Denzel Ward, plus Joel Bitonio and more, because they seem to be good guys in addition to good players.
Pete Franklin, the greatest sports talk show host of them all, used to say something like he’d root for Lucifer himself if that meant a championship in Cleveland. I don’t know if I could go that far, but I will root for the Browns and despise Deshaun Watson as a man.
While I agree with your overall premise, the suspension was handed down by a female judge who I assume had many more details about the situation than we do. To me, that says either the ruling is appropriate or she’s goading the NFL into appealing the ruling and pushing for a harsher punishment. Perhaps she thinks that is where the true responsibility lies but this process is a collectively bargained result so she should have all of the legal and moral validity to rule appropriately. It’s puzzling…and none of this speaks to your point of Cleveland signing him and structuring his contract as they did. I very much doubt they had compelling details about the situation upon which they based their actions
Lewie, the Browns did not pay Watson (or Garrett, Ward, Chubb, et. al) the first year low salary to help him avoid financial consequences. They did so to alleviate salary cap issues. Before you tell me they are way under the cap, let me remind you of their ability to roll the excess cap space into future seasons.
That said, I’ve debated the same issue you discuss. Do I quit my lifelong and senseless loyalty to this club, or do I root for a QB who might not be convicted, but seems to be a sex offender. My rationalization is I continue to root for the aforementioned Myles Garrett, Nick Chubb, Denzel Ward, plus Joel Bitonio and more, because they seem to be good guys in addition to good players.
Pete Franklin, the greatest sports talk show host of them all, used to say something like he’d root for Lucifer himself if that meant a championship in Cleveland. I don’t know if I could go that far, but I will root for the Browns and despise Deshaun Watson as a man.
So much for “smart, tough, and, accountable.
While I agree with your overall premise, the suspension was handed down by a female judge who I assume had many more details about the situation than we do. To me, that says either the ruling is appropriate or she’s goading the NFL into appealing the ruling and pushing for a harsher punishment. Perhaps she thinks that is where the true responsibility lies but this process is a collectively bargained result so she should have all of the legal and moral validity to rule appropriately. It’s puzzling…and none of this speaks to your point of Cleveland signing him and structuring his contract as they did. I very much doubt they had compelling details about the situation upon which they based their actions