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Burress, Vick looking at indefinite suspensions?

The possibility exists that both players could miss the 2009 season. News Wire

Bookmark and Share Print This Send This June 30, 2009, 06:55 AM EST
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From Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports:

Roger GoodellAPNFL commissioner Roger Goodell

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is leaning toward indefinitely suspending former New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress and continuing to sideline quarterback Michael Vick, three sources with knowledge of the situations have indicated. Such moves would be the latest examples of Goodell’s tough stance on players embroiled in off-field issues as evidenced with the suspension of Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte’ Stallworth earlier this month.

Stallworth has been ruled out indefinitely by the league after pleading guilty to DUI manslaughter in the death of a Miami man in March. Stallworth was sentenced to 30 days in jail, two years of house arrest and reached a financial settlement with the family of the late Mario Reyes.

According to a source with the Giants, the league and another that’s close to Vick, Goodell figures to take a similar stance with the quarterback and Burress. Vick, a former starter for the Atlanta Falcons, is scheduled to be released from federal confinement on July 20 after serving 20 months for his part in a dog-fighting ring. A source indicated there was a reasonable likelihood that Vick, suspended indefinitely by the league in August 2007, will not be allowed to play this season and certainly not be with a team in training camp.

Goodell has said multiple times that he wants to see Vick show remorse for his actions. That means Vick may have to follow a strict path of behavior before he’s allowed to return.

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Yeah
Jun 30, 2009
10:30 AM

Goodell is going to have to stay consistent. I'm not a Vick fan at all, and I loathe his crime... but PACMAN JONES got another chance to play!! I PERSONALLY hope Vick doesn't get to play again, but my personal feelings are not always based on fairness. Burress.... hmm.... I just don't know. He willfully violated a law... and he is guilty of THAT and guilty of being stupid and careless. Same for Stallworth. Willfully violated a law. Guilty of being stupid and careless. Same crime.... same punishment.

Indefinite suspension is fair. That doesn't mean "forever", though. Pacman missed a year. Goodell took a chance on him and ended up looking like a fool. I'm betting he's not going to risk that again. Sorry Vick, sorry Burress. What a waste of talent. Get with the program. Idiots.

Ghando
Jun 30, 2009
01:50 PM

I'm okay with Burress missing the season, given that his legal issues continue and no resolution has been reached (also, his representation seems to be stalling to try to pick up a couple game checks). He has also not been punished by the league at all thus far; the Giants organization sidelined and released him but the NFL has done nothing.

As for Vick, the man has missed two years and as of July 20 will have paid his debt to society. Further suspension is, as far as I'm concerned, little more than grandstanding by Roger Goodell. He realizes that he has little to gain personally and the NFL has little to gain by allowing Vick to play. It's just going to be bad PR and it's easier to keep saying "no."

On one level, I appreciate Goodell's efforts to "clean up" personal behavior issues in the league. But I think too often he makes his decisions based on public perception and a need to control the ESPN news cycle. He's not interested in making the players in the NFL better men or holding them to a higher standard; he'd just prefer that they didn't make him and his league look bad.

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