Deshaun Watson: Six-Game Suspension An Uncomfortable Peace For Browns Fans and Sexual Assault Survivors
CLEVELAND, OH — With retired federal judge and disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson handing down a six-game game suspension for Cleveland Browns QB DeShaun Watson, longtime fans and sexual assault victims find themselves with an uncomfortable peace in trying to support their football team.
Watson, whom recently settled 23 out of the remaining 24 sexual assault allegations made against him by 24 Houston-area massage therapists, has become the NFL’s newest example of the league’s bad and incompetent history of dealing with sexual assault and it’s treatment of women.
Mere words cannot convey the anguish, emotional, psychological and mental trauma of seeing the likes of Watson get a proverbial slap on the wrist, from a white woman at that, in now advocating and recommending a much harsher punishment.
Per the final report, Robinson stated that while Watson’s actions were “egregious” and that of a borderline sexual predator, the NFL didn’t provide enough evidence to justify a much longer sentence, thus sending it Mr. Stay Puff Marshmallow Man in NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, who will likely institute a much harsher suspension.
No. I am not making light of such a heinous offense, nor disrespecting those who have been sexually assaulted in any way, as I can personally — as a proud girl dad — feel the pain in seeing –and tragically being forced to relive whatever plight or nightmare that you went thru.
However, we in the media, fans or even the general public will never know what truly happened with Watson and the 24 women.
As CEO, Publisher and Founder of this esteemed online publication, I have personally avoided trying to wade into the muck of what is truly a tragic tale of youthful arrogance, sex and false entitlement because of the legal complexity of the matter.
In journalism, one of the basic principles we are taught is that there are always three sides to a story, one side, the other and the truth somewhere in between. We are also taught to write, report, blog and tweet the facts, and ONLY the facts. Period.
Such a story involves way too much emotion for one to think and see all the facts rationally and not let anger, trauma, etc. cloud one’s logic. Again, to those who are going thru reliving their own trauma possibly triggered by Watson, you have my deepest condolences, apologies, and sympathy.
I am not a supporter of Watson, I do not agree with the contract given to him during his ongoing legal issues, nor do I agree with how Jimmy and Dee Haslam have handled this farrago from the start. Per Robinson herself, there was no evidence of forced or violent sexual assault.
That, and the NFL’s past precedent of handling such matters is why she came to the six-game suspension.
In the case of the inevitable appeal that the NFL will issue, and the Watson team already threatening to take the league to federal court, the brief lull between now and Thursday 9 a.m. is all but a temporary cease fire, before the real battle begins anew in New York Federal Court.
For now, we have a six-game suspension, more questions than answers and a flawed process that needs a more human touch and a better solution to how it looks at and treats women going forward.