Peterson plea deal...

[fiestavike]

Since I’m a Vikings Fan I am biased, but I find it pretty hard to disagree with the position the NFLPA is taking on this. The thing that really gets me is the fact that AP and his representation agreed to a deal with the NFL back in September to try and help mitigate the PR mess back in September mess. Peterson honored his end of this agreement and now the NFL is acting in bad faith with this suspension. AP’s representation is right to demand a neutral arbitrator.

I have had a lot of issues with this mess:

At a basic level, I greatly dislike the idea that the NFL or the rage of the societal mob should somehow override the laws we have on paper is quite frankly scary. This has played out more like the Salem Witch Trials than a civil court of law where AP is judged by a Jury of his peers. The behavior of the popular culture is to basically say our criminal courts are invalid and society should instead provide an additional punishment, in other words a lynch mob.

The NFL is also pathetic and the current state is no greater example of this. What could have been a fantastic opportunity to champion the cause of eliminating domestic child abuse is now lost as we shift gears to watching the utter incompetence of the league office and how it tries to navigate the PR quagmire its ineptitude has created. This to me is the biggest tragedy in all of this. AP’s actions were reprehensible, but now due to a need by the NFL to appease amoral sponsors and a public lynch mob, the real issue has been lost. It really begs the question of what was REALLY important here? Disgusting.

Now we get to the suspension. The NFL is basically saying AP will be suspended for AT LEAT 15 games and they will not even consider reinstatement until April 15th. I personally think this is beyond the pale of two reasons: First the NFL said AP’s time on the Exempt List would be considered time served. How much punishment is appropriate? Obviously this is due in part to the NFL being worried about PR so they are trying to make an example of AP. Second: They are sticking it not just to AP, but also to the Vikings and us, the Fans. Here is why: Now the Vikings Front Office has to not only endure a season without their best player, but also have to navigate an offseason with total uncertainty as to whether their best player will even be available to them. Do we spend Salary Cap dollars on a RB now? Do we spend a first day pick on the position? Or do they gamble the NFL, who has acted in bad faith to this point, will finally do the right thing? As a fan this just enrages me.

Very good post. I also believe that the Vikings have shown themselves to be very cowardly as an organization by refusing to stick up for themselves, their fans, their player, his teammates, due process, or anything else. They have been just as amoral and craven as the corporate sponsors themselves. Not surprising... and admittedly very few teams (if any) would have handled it better, but its still noteworthy and disgusting.

[mansquatch]

I agree. Well done, Mansquatch.
To keep him, they'd probably have to convince him to renegotiate his contract for considerably less money and perhaps even restructure it in a way that seriously reduces their risk. I doubt that's going to happen.

I am giving the Vikings something of a pass only because they cannot escape the wrath of the NFL office either. My guess is that since they also have a financial stake in the NFL fixing its PR issues they are issuing any and all complaints privately. My opinion is that most likely they have much more to lose by going public than they have to gain, especially after the week 2 reinstatement mess.

On AP I actually think they should take the gamble and keep him. McKinnon is showing enough promise that if things go south you’ve got an insurance policy on a 3rd round pick salary. AP is still AP. He isn’t just a RB, he is the best RB since Barry Sanders. Also, he is going to be motivated to show everyone what he is all about on the football field once this is over. My guess is that equals a reasonable expectation for an above average year, even by his standards. So for me the risk/reward is you keep him and he plays or he doesn’t play. The last thing you want is to see him part with us, go somewhere else, and then blow up for them.

The X factor is his contract. They can certainly say “you’ll get paid less if you hit the open market”, but we all know that if he hit the open market he would have his pick of would be contenders who would love to pay him for 1 year to put them over the top and get a ring. So hopefully if Spielman goes down this road with AP he handles it far more delicately than he did with Winfield.

[fiestavike]

I am giving the Vikings something of a pass only because they cannot escape the wrath of the NFL office either. My guess is that since they also have a financial stake in the NFL fixing its PR issues they are issuing any and all complaints privately. My opinion is that most likely they have much more to lose by going public than they have to gain, especially after the week 2 reinstatement mess.

I thought they did the right thing by reinstating him and I was immensely proud of them for about 1 day. Then they get a little flak, a message board shuts down, and a corporate sponsor backs out and they turn tail like a scalded dog. Since then they have done nothing to redeem themselves.

[Noxage]

Early prediction:

AP is a Colt next year.

(Cowboys are the other obvious guess).

[PurpleKoolaid]

Since I’m a Vikings Fan I am biased, but I find it pretty hard to disagree with the position the NFLPA is taking on this. The thing that really gets me is the fact that AP and his representation agreed to a deal with the NFL back in September to try and help mitigate the PR mess back in September mess. Peterson honored his end of this agreement and now the NFL is acting in bad faith with this suspension. AP’s representation is right to demand a neutral arbitrator.

I have had a lot of issues with this mess:

At a basic level, I greatly dislike the idea that the NFL or the rage of the societal mob should somehow override the laws we have on paper is quite frankly scary. This has played out more like the Salem Witch Trials than a civil court of law where AP is judged by a Jury of his peers. The behavior of the popular culture is to basically say our criminal courts are invalid and society should instead provide an additional punishment, in other words a lynch mob.

The NFL is also pathetic and the current state is no greater example of this. What could have been a fantastic opportunity to champion the cause of eliminating domestic child abuse is now lost as we shift gears to watching the utter incompetence of the league office and how it tries to navigate the PR quagmire its ineptitude has created. This to me is the biggest tragedy in all of this. AP’s actions were reprehensible, but now due to a need by the NFL to appease amoral sponsors and a public lynch mob, the real issue has been lost. It really begs the question of what was REALLY important here? Disgusting.

Now we get to the suspension. The NFL is basically saying AP will be suspended for AT LEAT 15 games and they will not even consider reinstatement until April 15th. I personally think this is beyond the pale of two reasons: First the NFL said AP’s time on the Exempt List would be considered time served. How much punishment is appropriate? Obviously this is due in part to the NFL being worried about PR so they are trying to make an example of AP. Second: They are sticking it not just to AP, but also to the Vikings and us, the Fans. Here is why: Now the Vikings Front Office has to not only endure a season without their best player, but also have to navigate an offseason with total uncertainty as to whether their best player will even be available to them. Do we spend Salary Cap dollars on a RB now? Do we spend a first day pick on the position? Or do they gamble the NFL, who has acted in bad faith to this point, will finally do the right thing? As a fan this just enrages me.

I think this sums up what a lot of people are feeling.

[frosted]

I thought they did the right thing by reinstating him and I was immensely proud of them for about 1 day. Then they get a little flak, a message board shuts down, and a corporate sponsor backs out and they turn tail like a scalded dog. Since then they have done nothing to redeem themselves.

That's one opinion.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[PurpleKoolaid]

Early prediction:

AP is a Colt next year.

(Cowboys are the other obvious guess).

Texans are as well. But the Colts are the team that might need him badly enough to get something for him before he is just released. Either way, were I a betting man, I would bet my house he doesn't wear a Vikings uniform next year.

[Purple bruise]

This would definately make me sick to see AD wearing the "star"..

http://www.prosportsdaily.com/articles/ ... 30329.html

[J. Kapp 11]

I am giving the Vikings something of a pass only because they cannot escape the wrath of the NFL office either. My guess is that since they also have a financial stake in the NFL fixing its PR issues they are issuing any and all complaints privately. My opinion is that most likely they have much more to lose by going public than they have to gain, especially after the week 2 reinstatement mess.

On AP I actually think they should take the gamble and keep him. McKinnon is showing enough promise that if things go south you’ve got an insurance policy on a 3rd round pick salary. AP is still AP. He isn’t just a RB, he is the best RB since Barry Sanders. Also, he is going to be motivated to show everyone what he is all about on the football field once this is over. My guess is that equals a reasonable expectation for an above average year, even by his standards. So for me the risk/reward is you keep him and he plays or he doesn’t play. The last thing you want is to see him part with us, go somewhere else, and then blow up for them.

The X factor is his contract. They can certainly say “you’ll get paid less if you hit the open market”, but we all know that if he hit the open market he would have his pick of would be contenders who would love to pay him for 1 year to put them over the top and get a ring. So hopefully if Spielman goes down this road with AP he handles it far more delicately than he did with Winfield.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again ... I don't see any way the Vikings can hang on to Adrian Peterson. And the reason is the one you state -- his contract.

Put yourself in his shoes. He's due about $12 million next year. Let's say the Vikings approach him about renegotiating his contract. Why would he do it? The only way the Vikings can NOT pay him the $12 million is to cut him. If they cut him, he's free to negotiate with anybody, for whatever he can get. If I were Adrian, I certainly wouldn't limit the bidders to one team. Would you? Adrian is going to be coveted, "checkered" past or not. He's a once-in-a-generation back who is still young enough to play at a very high level. And he knows it.

The other issue the Vikings have is that they're not close to being a contender. So if that's important to Adrian, then the Vikings will not be his first choice. It seems far more likely he'll deal with a team that's either a contender now, or could make the case to Adrian that he's the last piece of the puzzle. Somebody mentioned Indy. That's a great example. Houston is another. Depending on how Ryan Mallett pans out, they could be very close, and Arian Foster can't stay healthy. Dallas doesn't seem like a good example to me ... they already have the best RB in the league, at least for this season (the caveat being that I don't know where Murray is with his contract).

We can sit here and talk about blue-sky scenarios like him giving the Vikings a "hometown discount" and "loyalty" and stuff like that, but let's stick with reality. Unless the Vikings want to pay him the $12 million, he's extremely likely to hit the open market and get a contract, probably 2-3 years. He won't get the ridiculous figure he got with the Vikings, but it won't be bargain basement, either, because he's still got value and he would be a huge factor with a contending team. When all is said and done, nobody is going to care that he whooped his kid.

We need to face the very strong likelihood that the Adrian Peterson era is over in Minnesota.

[Purple Reign]

Now we get to the suspension. The NFL is basically saying AP will be suspended for AT LEAT 15 games and they will not even consider reinstatement until April 15th. I personally think this is beyond the pale of two reasons: First the NFL said AP’s time on the Exempt List would be considered time served. How much punishment is appropriate? Obviously this is due in part to the NFL being worried about PR so they are trying to make an example of AP.

That statement was taken out of context. Here is what Troy Vincent has admitted to saying:

He admits telling Peterson that time served while suspended with pay would be considered, but that the issue could be considered only if Peterson showed up for last Friday’s meeting/hearing/whatever it was regarding Peterson’s status.

Saying that 'time served would be considered' is not the same as saying it 'would be considered time served'. Twisting the words around changes the context. By saying time served would be considered only means that they would look at it (consider it) but does not guarantee or promise that it would be actually time served. Also, he also told Peterson it would only be considered if he showed up for the Friday hearing. Since Peterson did not show up then that offer is essentially off the table. I also pointed out in an earlier post that unless Peterson has something in writing, verbal agreements don't hold up in court anyway.

[Purple Reign]

Early prediction:

AP is a Colt next year.

(Cowboys are the other obvious guess).

I know AP would like to play for Dallas, but I just don't see it since they have Murray. I think the Colts are a good bet, along with Houston (Foster has had a lot of wear and tear on his body and he is having trouble staying healthy). The Raiders also need a good running back and like picking up aging veterans, but don't think AP would play for them.

[J. Kapp 11]

That statement was taken out of context. Here is what Troy Vincent has admitted to saying:

He admits telling Peterson that time served while suspended with pay would be considered, but that the issue could be considered only if Peterson showed up for last Friday’s meeting/hearing/whatever it was regarding Peterson’s status.

Saying that 'time served would be considered' is not the same as saying it 'would be considered time served'. Twisting the words around changes the context. By saying time served would be considered only means that they would look at it (consider it) but does not guarantee or promise that it would be actually time served. Also, he also told Peterson it would only be considered if he showed up for the Friday hearing. Since Peterson did not show up then that offer is essentially off the table. I also pointed out in an earlier post that unless Peterson has something in writing, verbal agreements don't hold up in court anyway.

That's an interesting twist. Thanks for providing.

Here's what's I don't get ... what the heck difference does it make if AP shows up to some arbitrary meeting that was never part of the deal? Attendance at that meeting doesn't impact his guilt, innocence, remorse, lack thereof, or anything else. That's just so strange. Or not ... I think Goodell just wanted to try and circumvent the arbitrator.

[Purple Reign]

Here's what's I don't get ... what the heck difference does it make if AP shows up to some arbitrary meeting that was never part of the deal? Attendance at that meeting doesn't impact his guilt, innocence, remorse, lack thereof, or anything else. That's just so strange. Or not ... I think Goodell just wanted to try and circumvent the arbitrator.

On the other hand, I think it was foolish of AP not to attend the meeting. He had nothing to lose by attending it. By not attending, it kind of looks like he is snubbing his nose at the NFL and saying he doesn't have to do what they ask, which technically he doesn't in that situation, but why add fuel to the fire?

[PurpleKoolaid]

On the other hand, I think it was foolish of AP not to attend the meeting. He had nothing to lose by attending it. By not attending, it kind of looks like he is snubbing his nose at the NFL and saying he doesn't have to do what they ask, which technically he doesn't in that situation, but why add fuel to the fire?

Well, it certainly didn't work out in his favor by not going to it. Maybe an heart wrenching clip of him pouring his heart out in sorrow over being one of the leagues biggest idiots and beating a child, and Goodell may have made a quick, and proper decision. Bleh, who am I kidding. Goodell is a freak. I wish I could really say what I think of him.

[Lars]

On the other hand, I think it was foolish of AP not to attend the meeting. He had nothing to lose by attending it. By not attending, it kind of looks like he is snubbing his nose at the NFL and saying he doesn't have to do what they ask, which technically he doesn't in that situation, but why add fuel to the fire?

The legal advice Peterson was given from the NFLPA was not to attend the meeting -- given that the agenda and makeup of participants in the meeting was not clear. The NFL would not oblige or reschedule... so there it is. Lots of confusion and room for mistrust. Who knows what the truth is.