Quote:
Originally Posted by ref3808
I would have announced the suspension through the rest of the season and let the players association appeal it. At least the league looks like they are trying to take some serious steps to clean it up.
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Precisely. Let them grieve it and let the union argue that an elbow from a professional athlete with a jacked upper body to the temple of someone not defending himself is anything but a) a deliberate attempt to injure and b) potentially lethal.
The players association can only take a suspension in excess of 12 games to an independent arbitrator, so the joke of a commissioner gave him five fewer games, than he could have imposed without worrying about arbitration. 12 games could potentially reach into the third round of the NBE playoffs, tentatively scheduled for sometime around Bastille Day.
I can see not imposing more than the 12 games because it's important that the penalty not be stayed pending appeal.
Stern, of course, has been busy fawning "welcome to the NBE" to the newly ordained owner of the Hornets who just happens to also run a football franchise with a record of paying its players to hurt opponents.
BTW, Kermit Washington got 26 games. Precedence, Mr. Arbitrator. Precedence.