Doesn't Goodell have to take into account the possibility that the Vikings are free to release Peterson at any time? How do you collect a fine from game checks when no such checks are being issued? Is the fine based on his current contract? What happens if that contact is terminated before the end of the season?Mothman wrote: Many thought that he might get "time served" for the missed games and then a fine, which would have been a very fair and reasonable solution. The idea behind an unpaid suspension is to punish a player by causing him to miss both playing time with his team and the compensation he would receive for those games, correct? Peterson already missed more than 6 games of playing time. Goodell could have easily said Peterson's punishment was 6 games missed, plus an additional 2 games for "aggravated circumstances" and then fined Peterson a total of 8 game checks and let him come back for the remainder of the season. Instead, for obviously image and money-driven reasons, he's going to make Peterson miss nearly an entire season.
I don't think the public at large would consider paid leave as a form of punishment (I get the rationale you laid out but I don't think it's practical for the reasons stated above). Paid administrative leave followed by disciplinary action; they're usually not combined with one another.
One other thing ... I (and others) have mischaracterized this as a six game suspension. It's not. The league said Peterson was "suspended without pay for at least the remainder of the 2014 NFL season, and will not be considered for reinstatement before April 15." He will still be paid until his appeal has been concluded. I'm assuming that's at least another two weeks so in reality he'll probably only forfeit four game checks (if the Vikings do not release him).
