Should the NHL follow in the footsteps of the NFL regarding new domestic abuse policy

[Arya Stark]

The NFL announced that any player or any person part of an organization who gets charged (And I'm assuming convicted) of a domestic assault, they get a 6 game suspension for the first offence and a lifetime ban for the second offence.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-...or-2nd-offense

To me, this is a dangerous area to start handing out lifetime bans. I believe domestic abuse victims might be less inclined to report violence if they know that it might have such harsh consequences for someone's career and livelihood.

I 100% agree with the 6 game suspension if the player is convicted, but I don't like the lifetime ban even if they do have a chance of reinstatement.

So I don't think the NHL should follow suit with the lifetime ban for a second offence, but it really doesn't seem like the NHL has as big of a problem with domestic abuse as the NFL does.

Maybe they can adopt a 15 game minimum suspension and then for a second offence, the entire season? Just something to think about.

But I do believe there should be set rules in place, just not to a "lifetime ban" degree.

[Finger Cookin]

Reports I just read on TSN and ESPN suggest the second offense penalty is "at least a year" and "up to a lifetime ban".

[Arya Stark]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

Reports I just read on TSN and ESPN suggest the second offense penalty is "at least a year" and "up to a lifetime ban".

From NFL commissioner:


Violations of the Personal Conduct Policy regarding assault, battery, domestic violence and sexual assault that involve physical force will be subject to enhanced discipline. A first offense will be subject to a suspension of six weeks without pay. Mitigating circumstances will be considered, and more severe discipline will be imposed if there are aggravating circumstances such as the presence or use of a weapon, choking, repeated striking, or when the act is committed against a pregnant woman or in the presence of a child. A second offense will result in banishment from the league; an offender may petition for reinstatement after one year but there is no assurance that the petition will be granted. These disciplinary consequences apply to all NFL personnel.

[burn_this_city]

If a guy can't keep his hands off his wife or girlfriend he doesn't deserve to earn millions of dollars playing a game. Lifetime ban for people that should be buried under a prison is fine by me.

[Finger Cookin]

On NFL.com:

Originally Posted by NFL.com

In the detailed letter, Goodell announced that violations of the Personal Conduct Policy regarding assault, battery, domestic violence or sexual assault that involve physical force "will be subject to a suspension without pay of six games for a first offense." A second offense will result in banishment from the NFL for at least one year. An individual can petition for reinstatement after one year, but "there will be no presumption or assurance that the petition will be granted."

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...-ray-rice-case

Sounds like the policy is still being finalized.

EDIT: Just realized we quoted the same thing.

[Finger Cookin]

PDF of the letter from the commissioner:

http://www.nfl.com/static/content/pu...0000384873.pdf

It looks like the automatic lifetime ban was prematurely reported when the story broke.

[Alberta_Beef]

while I think it is disgusting to hit a woman, I don't agree with this at all. Being a piece of #### shouldn't preclude someone from making a living at the only thing they are likely smart enough to do

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

while I think it is disgusting to hit a woman, I don't agree with this at all. Being a piece of #### shouldn't preclude someone from making a living at the only thing they are likely smart enough to do

Yes it should. Being a piece of **** (see: committing criminal acts) precludes people from employment in almost all industries for the average Joe.

Why should professional sports teams be excluded from that societal employment roadblock?

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

while I think it is disgusting to hit a woman, I don't agree with this at all. Being a piece of #### shouldn't preclude someone from making a living at the only thing they are likely smart enough to do

I agree in principle but I guess this is getting to be a problem with the NFL. These players are public figures who represent the team, so they need to abide by different rules.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Yes it should. Being a piece of **** (see: committing criminal acts) precludes people from employment in almost all industries for the average Joe.

Why should professional sports teams be excluded from that societal employment roadblock?

If teams want to blacklist a player and not sign them fine, but the league mandating a lifetime ban is akin to the government saying you can't hire criminals. Every company/team should be able to make the choice for themselves.

[Tyler]

Semyon Varlamov says:

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

If teams want to blacklist a player and not sign them fine, but the league mandating a lifetime ban is akin to the government saying you can't hire criminals. Every company/team should be able to make the choice for themselves.

Kind of, except the NFL creating this policy is the same as a large company making a policy to not hire certain types of criminals, not the government, and most companies have hiring restrictions based on criminal records.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Kind of, except the NFL creating this policy is the same as a large company making a policy to not hire certain types of criminals, not the government, and most companies have hiring restrictions based on criminal records.

They still have the choice though, that should not be taken away. I also think it is unlikely the players union allows this to go through

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

They still have the choice though, that should not be taken away. I also think it is unlikely the players union allows this to go through

Fair enough, but in your analogy you're painting the teams as companies and the NFL as the government trying to over-regulate all the companies.

I'm just saying the correct analogy in that scenario is that the NFL is a large company, not the government, and the union can fight this just like union's fight companies all the time.

[#-3]

I think in the NHL the 2 or 3 incidents that have happen in the last decade are isolated enough it can be handled on a case by case basis.

In the case of the NFL the 2 or 3 incidents that happen every month have created the need to a standard policy.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Fair enough, but in your analogy you're painting the teams as companies and the NFL as the government trying to over-regulate all the companies.

I'm just saying the correct analogy in that scenario is that the NFL is a large company, not the government, and the union can fight this just like union's fight companies all the time.

So you dispute the NFL is a governing body?

[Arya Stark]

Originally Posted by Tyler

Semyon Varlamov says:

Varlamov had the case dropped. Seemed like a money hungry gf and lawyer to me.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

So you dispute the NFL is a governing body?

They're a governing body, you made it seem like you were comparing them to the government of a country.

[Chill Cosby]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

So you dispute the NFL is a governing body?

If the NFL is the government in this scenario, then the teams are provincial/state governments.

The analogy doesn't work if the NFL and it's teams are split between political and business structures.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

while I think it is disgusting to hit a woman, I don't agree with this at all. Being a piece of #### shouldn't preclude someone from making a living at the only thing they are likely smart enough to do

They could make a living pumping gas, all sorts of careers. I would have no problem whatsoever with this. Private companies are allowed to have HOUR policies, that is all this would be. Hopefully the NHL implements this.