Roger Goodell Drunk Driving
By Rachel Cohen

The Associated Press

10:42 a.m. EDT, August 13, 2009
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NEW YORK - Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte' Stallworth was suspended without pay for this season Thursday after pleading guilty to DUI manslaughter in June. He cannot participate in any team activities until he is reinstated after the Super Bowl.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Stallworth placed a "stain" on the reputation of the league and all its players.

Stallworth struck and killed a pedestrian while driving under the influence of alcohol March 14 in Miami. He pleaded guilty to the second-degree felony June 16 and was suspended indefinitely by Goodell two days later.

Stallworth was given a 30-day jail sentence and reached an undisclosed financial settlement with the family of Mario Reyes, a 59-year-old construction worker who was leaving his job as a crane operator.

In a letter to Stallworth released by the NFL, Goodell wrote that he didn't take into account the sentence in determining the 28-year-old player violated the league's substances of abuse and personal conduct policies.

"Your conduct endangered yourself and others, leading to the death of an innocent man," Goodell wrote. "The NFL and NFL players must live with the stain that you have placed on their reputations."

Police said Stallworth had spent the night drinking at a Miami Beach club and had a blood-alcohol level of .126, above Florida's .08 legal limit. Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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I don't agree with this judgement. I assure you that the NFL Players Union will be looking into what power the commissioner has on matters related 2 suspensions.

He killed somebody while drunk and high. These players need to learn that there will be repercussions from the league when they fuck up. I think he got off light both from the legal system and the NFL.
[Edited 8/13/09 8:28am]

30 day jail sentence?

SCNDLS said:

Based on the eveidence, it souds like the guy ran in front of his car and would have been hit whether he was drunk or not. How is he supposed 2 live without pay 4 a year? Who gets suspened without pay 4 a year. I have a feeling this commissioner will NOT last long in the NFL.

Graycap23 said:

Please, you know he ain't hurtin' for money. Didn't he get a $2 million bonus the day he got into this accident? What evidence? One could argue that if Donte wasn't drunk and high that his reaction time wouldn't have been impaired and he would've still been able to avoid hitting dude. I think the NFL is out of control and needs somebody with a firm hand to help these fools be more responsible and accountable for their actions. I'm not a huge fan of his but something has to be done.
[Edited 8/13/09 8:44am]

Right on, commissioner!

Graycap23 said:

He ain't going anywhere. The Comish is staying, he has been cracking down hard like this for a while now. And I bet the full suspension is going to stick too.

Graycap23 said:

Like the rest of us do.

SCNDLS said:

I don't like the guy at all but this is bigger than him. I'm only seeing certain players getting this type of treatment and I'm wondering if this is on the up and up. I know 4 a FACT that a couple of other guys has got into some serious trouble and it has NOT even hit the media.

Graycap23 said:

Then what's bigger than him is not the punishment but the cover-up for the other two guys.

If the media doesn't know about it, does the NFL? If they do and they haven't punished the guys, I see your point.

Force their hand and spill the beans about the other two guys and see what happens.

SCNDLS said:

I agree ~

SCNDLS said:

I agree that he got off light from the legal system but i think the punishment
fit the crime from the NFL. The sad thing here is the outcome of his punishment
may have been different if he wasn't drunk or had marijuana in his system
because it did seem as though they had evidence that Reyes darted out in
front of Stallworth's car. I think if their is any player that has gotten
away with highway robbery is Leonard Little. He killed somebody while driving
under the influence and got stopped again for a DUI and just got a slap
on the wrist. I don't get this one.

It's all relative. I'm sure Goodell knew folks were remarking at his treatment of Vick that Vick hadn't killed any people... I don't think Goodell had much choice but to come down hard Stallworth and make. an. example. of. him. (Of course...)

But, I don't disagree that the punishment should have been severe or that a message and example have been needed. Especially where an NFL "star" is concerned.

RodeoSchro said:

A certian QB living in Knoxville, Tn (at the time) was caught red handed with a whole bunch of drugs. Certian people got involved, including his father who also played QB in the NFL, made sure the whole thing disappeared. BTW, this same NFL QB, also has a brother who plays QB in the NFL.

The Commissioner is doing what he deems necessary to protect the brand name of the NFL. It is the biggest money maker in American sports and the illusion of the inmates running the asylum would hurt the league.

Its a shame when St. Louis Rams defensive end Leonard Little did the same thing over a decade ago and is still in the league. Then again, when Paul Tagliabue was in charge and guys such as Lawrence Phillips, Cecil "the Diesel" Collins, Christian Peter, and others were given a slap on the wrist to continue their careers.Even Tim Couch of the Cleveland Browns was suspended a few years back when he was attempting his comeback because of steroids/HGH.

The buck has to stop somewhere and he has done the right thing.

Imago said:

thats what i was thinking!!!

fuck the football, he KILLED a man and thats all he gets?????

Graycap23 said:

Good old boy Peyton. Naawww!

Don't ever go to Knoxville and make that statement. The stink they
made over him not winning the Heisman. Oh my god! I thought some
of those fans in Knoxville was going to kill Charles Woodson.