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Maybe the process of appealing a punishment levied under the Personal Conduct Policy to the person who made the decision in the first place isn’t as useless as previously believed.
Though we’ve long believed that the league wouldn’t be inclined to change its mind on appeal for fear of being labeled as wishy-washy, the league has done precisely that in the case of Packers linebacker Nick Barnett.
Barnett had been suspended for a game for violation of the Personal Conduct Policy. On appeal, the suspension was lifted.
He’ll still be fined a game check, but he’ll be permitted to play.
“I get to play Monday night,” Barnett said. ”Pockets are a little lighter, but I still get to play.”
The Packers open the season with a visit from the Vikings in prime time on ESPN.
August 21st, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Maybe Barnett should have hit her with his car instead, then he wouldn’t have been fined (see Marshawn Lynch).
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Rating: 4.75 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
August 21st, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Can somebody please ’splain how/why ,Nick Kaczur,the NE lineman arrested for dealing pills wasn’t disciplined by the league?
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Rating: 4.25 / 5 with 7 rating(s)
August 21st, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Good news, since AJ Hawk may miss that game.
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Rating: 3.65 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
August 21st, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Good. Getting in a little barroom tussle with a fan that won’t leave you alone shouldn’t merit missing a game, especiallly if Marshawn Lynch can hit someone with his car while driving (drunk), leave the scene, and not get disciplined.
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Rating: 4.75 / 5 with 8 rating(s)
August 21st, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Henry you reading this?! Get that appeal done, you got 3 weeks…
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Rating: 2 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
August 21st, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Oh man, the NFL is so wishy-washy these days . . .
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
August 21st, 2008 at 1:41 pm
I Barnett played for the Bengals, he would get 8 games.
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Rating: 2.25 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
August 21st, 2008 at 1:53 pm
This is just part of the payoff for the Packers settling the Favre fiasco and the associated PR nightmare for the league that was going on. Goodell had to give up something to stick his nose where it didn’t belong you know.
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Rating: 2.25 / 5 with 9 rating(s)
August 21st, 2008 at 1:54 pm
I wonder how much the fact that this game is Monday Night Football, and there should be quite a bit of national interest — Aaron Rogers first game as starter, the bogus tampering charges filed by the Packers against the Vikings, a rivalry game that should set the tone for the favorite to win the division, etc. — played into making sure the best product is on the field.
Given the fact that Barnett is being fined his game pay says the league didn’t find him innocent of violating the personal conduct rules, so what is different between now and when the suspension was first announced?
It will be interesting to see now what happens with Bryant McKinnie. If Barnett can appeal a suspension that had already been given out, if/when McKinnie is suspended (his trial is set for just before the season opener and should be the deciding factor in a possible suspension). Will the suspension decision be immediately decided or put on hold until after the week one game? Or if he is immediately suspended, will the appeal be on hold until after the season opener?
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Rating: 2.75 / 5 with 8 rating(s)
August 21st, 2008 at 1:55 pm
happybunny,
apparently the “powers that be” decided to reduce his Midnight Express 202 Oxycontin Pill excusrsion down to a speeding ticket. I still don’t see how he gets away with that and it took the league 2 months to decide if Ahmad Bradshaw would be disciplined for something he did as a freshman in college.
I think lifting Barnett’s suspension was the right move and seems to make sense that he just loses a game check but still gets to play!
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Rating: 2.2 / 5 with 5 rating(s)
August 21st, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Barnett didn’t deserve the suspension in the first place, so goo d on the league for changing their mind and getting it right.
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Rating: 3.2 / 5 with 9 rating(s)
August 21st, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Kazcur agreed to turn on some folks in return for leaniencey, it’s looking like a good thing we picked up chillar, now we have a legit backup if one of our guys is out.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
August 21st, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Hopefully johny jolly can cut the same deal, but have a better outcome than kazcur
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Rating: 2.35 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
August 21st, 2008 at 2:45 pm
bgman: Wasn’t McKinnie’s situation alot more serious than Barnett’s?
Also, just because tampering charges weren’t proved doesn’t mean they were “bogus”. Should the state of California be disciplined for charging Orenthal with “bogus” charges of murder, just because he was found innocent??
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Rating: 2.75 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
August 21st, 2008 at 2:51 pm
A bar in Depere. Cops with nothing to do. Jealous ass kids throw a drink in the guys face. I know everyone of you would just stand there and do nothing. Right?
Have you been out in Depere? The cops sneak into house parties, sit outside bars waiting for people to drive home, and no matter what the story, if you’re drunk, you go to jail. Imagine how much fun they have when a NFL player comes down and supposedly starts trouble?
Yeah why wasn’t he home playing xbox!!?!? Damn players, keep them in their cages!!! Look what happens when players mingle with normal folk.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
August 21st, 2008 at 2:58 pm
The Packers are getting away scot-free these days. That is pretty convenient.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 6 rating(s)
August 21st, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Thanks, ItsMeJD. I was wondering why the double-standard (just as bad as Jared Allen skating by with 2 games).
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Rating: 4.5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
August 21st, 2008 at 3:02 pm
There’s nothing “right” about this decision.
It’s like getting fired from work and having your boss tell you he was wrong and he’d like you to come back……but he’s not going to pay you.
I find it hard to believe the NFL could possibly make themselves look so stupid over an appeal of a 1 game suspension……but they have.
Suspend him and fine him,or play him and pay him.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
August 21st, 2008 at 3:19 pm
@bgman
Barnett didn’t hit a person over the head with a pole nor did he initiate confrontation. McKinney should be locked up.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 5 rating(s)
August 21st, 2008 at 3:34 pm
A guilty plea for disorderly conduct deserves more than a game check fine. I would say 1-2 games at the least. The league has really dropped the ball lately. Lynch, Kaczur, Barnett, it undermining the credibility of the league policy.
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Rating: 2 / 5 with 5 rating(s)
August 21st, 2008 at 5:35 pm
It’s no different then when a cop just makes you pay the fine and you get no points n your liscense… jeez get over yourself people. You hold them to higher standards then yourselves.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
August 21st, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Barnett was just trying to mind his own business in a bar
with other Packers when he reacted to crap laid on him by
stupid, self-centered drunks who must have thought that he
was public property.
Go Vikes!
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Rating: 2 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
August 27th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Barnett is a punk, and if it didn’t happen in Applescum, he would have been charged with a lot more.
Jolly is a drug dealer, so why should he get leniency? One strike your out for anyone dealing drugs in the NFL, at least that is what it should be.
Fines, suspensions, trading your best player….par for the course in cow country.
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