NFL Discipline for Marshawn?

Now that the legal end of the Marshwn Lynch hit and run is settled (barring a civil suit), what will the NFL do with the Bills starting running back? Commissioner Roger Goodell said on his visit to Chautauqua that the league will look into the situation once the legal dealings are over. It falls under the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy, which covers any player issues that are considered "conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in the NFL."

I took a moment to read the policy, to see I could get any indication about whether Lynch would face a suspension or a fine.

Legally, Marshawn's guilty plea to a traffic violatin is not very serious. No charges were filed, and the victim is said to not be seriously hurt. But the NFL could weigh how Lynch handled the situation, and some of the other stories about his conduct that have come out in the past three weeks. Remember, they are not bound by law when determining personal conduct violations. The policy talks about "being held to a higher standard" and "conducting yourself in a responsible way."
With all of that said, the policy says first-time offenders will not face discipline unless the case "involves significant bodily harm." That did not happen in Marshawn's hit and run. Other discipline includes fines, suspensions or banishment from the league. There could also be a probationary period.

In my opinion, Lynch could face a fine, but probably no more than that. Based on reports and public records, this is his first legal trouble as an NFL player. So Bills fans should expect to have him available for the entire season.

If that's the case, does it make you happy or angry? Should he be punished, or has this case been blown out of proportion? Will this case effect the way you root for Lynch, or view him as a Bill? I'd love to hear you comments.

One Man's Trash?

With training camps just one month away, NFL teams are hustling to fill out their rosters. It strikes me there are some pretty accomplished players still out there, without a team, as camp approaches. Especially when you look at the quarterback ranks, it seems like some players who should be at or near the peak of their careers, are instead on the street right now, waiting for a call.
The best example is Daunte Culpepper (above), a veteran quarterback who has a strong resume. He's a free agent, with 90 NFL starts in his background and he's only 31-years old. You mean to tell me Daunte Culpepper can't help an NFL team get better at the QB position?
What about Byron Leftwitch? He's only 28-years old, and he's started 46 NFL games. Former Bills starter Kelly Holcomb is out on the street right now, with 24 starts in the league. Even Tim Rattay figures to get somebody's interest. He's only 31-years old and he has 18 starts in his NFL resume.
It's not just names that are out there, unsigned with one month to go until training camp. There are some proven performers. I know NFL teams like to wait until training camp to see where the injuries hit, before they commmit to veteran players. But why not take a flyer on a proven veteran; sign him to a one-year deal with back-loaded incentives, and grab up an accomplished players while he's still available?
What am I missing? Why do you think some of these proven NFL players are without teams right now?

Big League Prices

I had a chance to catch some big league baseball last Saturday night in Washington, at the new Nationals Park in D.C. That gave me a chance to gag at the cost of major league baseball in the capital city.
I usually attend 2-3 MLB games every summer, but I was shocked at the price of the tickets in Washington. We were 15 rows from the field, left field side, about midway between third base and the wall. They were good seats, not great. The cost? $58 per ticket, plus a $5 handling charge. The handling charge made little sense, since the only handling going on was the guy in the box office handling the tickets before he handed them over to me.
$63 per seat, to be 15-rows from the field, on the left field side. Anyone else think that's outrageous? We'll leave out the fact that the Nationals put a dreadful product on the field, a team that might go .500 in the Triple-A International League. How do they justify charging $63 per ticket for mediocre seats?
It made me think back to Buffalo's ill-fated attempt to get a MLB team in the early 1990s. Would mediocre seats here cost $50-or-$60 per ticket? Would anyone buy them? I never used to agree with those who've suggested we're better off having failed in Buffalo's big league push 18-years ago. But based on where ticket prices are now, we are better off. What's more, I don't know anyone who'd regularly pay that much money 81 times per season.
What do you think? Are we that far behind economically in Buffalo that we cannot imagine paying that much for baseball tickets? And are we, in fact, better off without big league baseball?

Mike Williams Back with the Orange

Riverside grad Mike Williams' career at Syracuse appeared to be over, when he was suspended from the team for academic problems. There were reports in Syracuse of cheating.

I caught up with Mike at the Gus Macker Basketball Tournament in downtown Buffalo, after his team had been eliminated from the top mens division. Mike told me that the situation has been resolved, and he will once again suit up for the Orange.
"They took it to (university) court, and the decision had been changed. I'm not sure. That's what my head coach (Greg Robinson) had been telling me. It looked like I'm there in August. They tell me to come to summer school July 6th, and in order to come to summer school I gotta be there."

Williams has emerged as the Orange's main offensive weapon. He had 60 catches and 10 touchdowns this past season. He is starting to attract the attention of NFL scouts. He could declare for the NFL Draft in 2009, after this upcoming season, his third with the Orange.

I asked Mike about the reports of cheating.

"It wasn't no cheating situation. Syracuse is a private school. When you take exams you got to do exactly what they say. It was the beginning of the exam and the notes was out. He said I was looking at my notes. That's what he said. That's what happened."

Mike says he was worried, and felt like he was letting everyone down.

We expect to have some comments from the University in the next few days. Please check back for their take on Mike Williams situation.

UPDATE: Officials from the athletic department in Syracuse will not confirm that Williams has been reinstated to the team. Sources in Syracuse tell us that Williams summer school classes will come at Onondaga Community College, not Syracuse University.