Pacman suspended for the 07 season

[Gan]

NEW YORK (AP) -- Roger Goodell cracked down Tuesday on the player misconduct that's plagued his first seven months as NFL commissioner, suspending Tennessee's Adam "Pacman" Jones for the 2007 season and Cincinnati's Chris Henry for eight games.

"It is a privilege to represent the NFL, not a right," Goodell said in a statement announcing the suspensions. "These players and all members of our league have to make the right choices and decisions in their conduct on a consistent basis."

Jones' off-field conduct has included 10 incidents where he was interviewed by police. The most recent took place during the NBA All-Star weekend in Las Vegas. Police there recommended felony and misdemeanor charges against Jones after a fight and shooting at a strip club paralyzed one man.

Henry was arrested four times in a 14-month span, resulting in two benchings by coach Marvin Lewis and a two-game league suspension. He was one of nine Bengals arrested in nine months.

Goodell handed down the suspensions under the NFL's existing conduct policy and also announced a new broader policy that will allow longer fines and suspensions for players and potential penalties against teams.

The Titans and Bengals said they supported the suspensions.

"While we regret the circumstances that called for it, it's good for both Chris and the Bengals to have the matter resolved," Lewis said. "Our team will move forward, and now it is up to Chris to acquire a more mature understanding of his responsibilities as a player for the Bengals and a representative of the NFL."

more...
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/nfl/04/10/suspensions/index.html?cnn=yes

_____________________________________________

:clap:

Its about time some responsibility and accountability was enforced at this level.

[Drew]

Good, I thought he should have been kicked out of the league, but a full season is an acceptable punishment. I'm really glad they didn't slap him on the wrist.

[RichardCranium]

NEW YORK - NFL teams will be disciplined when their employees, including players, violate the league’s personal conduct policy.

Moments after announcing the one-year suspension of Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones, and an eight-game ban for Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell released his strengthened conduct policy Tuesday. Along with longer suspensions and larger fines for individuals who violate the policy, Goodell will hold teams responsible, as well.

He did not say how he would punish those teams, although stripping them of draft choices is considered one of the most effective ways to do so.

“It is important that the NFL be represented consistently by outstanding people as well as great football players, coaches, and staff,” Goodell said. “We hold ourselves to higher standards of responsible conduct because of what it means to be part of the National Football League. We have long had policies and programs designed to encourage responsible behavior, and this policy is a further step in ensuring that everyone who is part of the NFL meets that standard. We will continue to review the policy and modify it as warranted.”

The strengthened standards apply to all NFL employees: players, coaches, officials, owners, front-office and league personnel. And Goodell emphasized in the new policy that those standards will be considerably tighter than outside the league.

“It is not enough to simply avoid being found guilty of a crime,” the new policy says. “Instead, as an employee of the NFL or a member club, you are held to a higher standard and expected to conduct yourself in a way that is responsible, promotes the values upon which the league is based, and is lawful.

“Persons who fail to live up to this standard of conduct are guilty of conduct detrimental and subject to discipline, even where the conduct itself does not result in conviction of a crime.”

The new policy comes in the wake of a series of off-field issues involving several players, notably Jones, Henry and Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson.

There were 10 occasions in which Jones was interviewed by police, the most recent during the NBA All-Star weekend in Las Vegas. Police there recommended felony and misdemeanor charges against Jones after a fight and shooting at a strip club left one man paralyzed.

Henry was arrested four times in a 14-month span, and received a two-game league suspension last year. He was one of nine Bengals arrested in nine months. Johnson currently is in jail, serving four months for violating probation in a 2005 gun case.

Two of Henry’s teammates, along with NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw, recognized the need for stronger league guidelines for player conduct.

“You would think it’s necessary just because of the negative publicity the NFL is beginning to receive because of what’s happening,” said Bengals receiver T. J. Houshmandzadeh. “It was going on for an extended period of time. Each day, each week, something was happening.”

Added Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer: “I think it will (help). With all of the things that have been happening recently, I think it will be good and hopefully give the league a little better image. I hope that it works and that guys abide by the rules and do what’s right.”

So does Upshaw, of course. He consulted with Goodell before the commissioner, now in his seventh month on the job, revised the conduct policy. Goodell also established a panel of players to offer advice on such matters.

“The NFL Players Association and the Player Advisory Council have been discussing this issue for several months,” Upshaw said. “We believe that these are steps that the commissioner needs to take and we support the policy. It is important that players in violation of the policy will have the opportunity and the support to change their conduct and earn their way back.”

Tony Dungy said placing responsibility on the teams for their players and employees makes sense, even if it results in penalties that affect more than the wallet.

“That seems to be the thing that gets everyone’s attention,” the coach of the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts said of potentially lost draft picks and player availability. “We talked about fines at the league meetings, and that may not do the trick. But when you start talking about playing time and draft picks, that seems to get your attention.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18040352/

[Skeeter]

I think these suspensions are great. This coming from a Bengals fan.

I wonder when Jesse and Al will start claiming that the suspensions are racist though. Also, I wonder what the players union will have to say about this.

[Ignot]

I agree. The suspensions are important and I like what the new commisioner is doing. A whole year with no pay hopefully will send a message.

[Sean]

Eh i'll be the voice of dissent. I'm not a huge fan of the personal conduct rules. But I've also never felt that most professional athletes should be viewed as role models.

[Anebriated]

was watching espn and they had a quote that was basically the players union supporting the new policy. ill look for a link.

[Sean of the Thread]

When you have 90,000 in cash at a strip club and someone gets shot .....


I'm all for it.n PAC MAN YOU'RRRREEEE OUT.

[Apathy]

Eh i'll be the voice of dissent. I'm not a huge fan of the personal conduct rules. But I've also never felt that most professional athletes should be viewed as role models.

You're right, but not realistic. Professional athletes are role models whether or not they should be. They should at least be held to a professional standard. That standard does not include shooting people and smashing strippers faces into the floor.

[Anebriated]

Its not so much the fact that they should be held to a higher standard, they just shouldn't be held to less of a standard because of their status. This new law of the NFL is just their way of putting their foot down saying they wont tolerate the inexcusable behavior.