NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has been praised, for the most part, for getting tough on players' off-field misconduct. But as FanHouse's Stephanie Stradley has noted, there are some unintended consequences to the NFL's personal-conduct policy. One is that it draws increased scrutiny to players' criminal activities -- there's always one story about what the player did, and another about what Goodell's suspension will be.
And another consequence, one that could be devastating to Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, is that the NFL has already said, "Conduct that undermines or puts at risk the integrity and reputation of the NFL will be subject to discipline, even if not criminal in nature."
So while the league is reminding its fans that Vick's guilt has "not yet been proven," the fans can remind the league that Goodell himself has stated that guilt doesn't need to be proven -- he's the judge and the jury, and he doesn't feel the need to wait for real judges and juries to act before he makes his own rulings.
Following Goodell's own logic, there's no way he can justify failing to suspend Vick. Does anyone doubt that Vick has undermined the reputation of the NFL?
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