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Hence why I said no longer playing. Also not sure he was being paid while he sat out so under contract means very little when not being paid.
Hence why I said no longer playing. Also not sure he was being paid while he sat out so under contract means very little when not being paid.
Probie2429
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Would it be okay if he was betting on a different sport? As long as he isn’t betting on games he is playing in, shouldn’t be a problem.
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no, he wasn't, you fucking bilious douchebag
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Dumb, fuck yeah. Steep penalty for the amount of money involved with no insider information or impact on the games? Also dumb af IMO.
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Wow, I expected more (or at least one dumb fuck) tin foil hat "they are all doing it" conspiracy theory here
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They’re all doing though
greg23
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Wonder if Riley Ridley was betting against the Bears while on the Practice Squad last 3 years....his inside info was solid knowing the offense sucked and was led by a real estate agent.
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yea i get that it was against the rules, but I just think it's stupid. You got an owner telling his coach to tank games and nothing has happened to him, and then you suspend ridley for betting on games when he was away from football? I think it's dumb. Pretty sure the ref who officiated the Bears Steelers game probably also betting on games. At the end of the day, it's a rule and it has always been a full season suspension, but it's still dumb
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It's hypocritical to be sure, but is this new relationship with sportsbooks and daily fantasy betting done prior to, or after the CBA?
I'll admit I didn't realize this was done after he left the Falcons, but was he still bound by the CBA in his status? That part I'm not sure if it does or does not matter.
The season long suspension is bullshit though. Not having gone through this thread, I'm sure there'll be some comparisons made to suspensions of other player, but I'd imagine 8 games and appealed down to 4 is the appropriate punishment here.
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It means the same as being suspended without pay but still under contract. The paid part isn't the issue and the Falcons had already picked up his 2022 option. He still got his bonus and his salary, paid or not, still counts against the cap. Short of retirement, release, or contract expiring, he's considered an employee of the NFL, whether playing, paid or not.
People are pulling the wool over their own eyes on this one. There's a very good reason that no contract player or coach etc is allowed to wager any amount on games, ever.
Is it sad that (as far as we know) a $1500 bet that he made for giggles has caused this? Sure is but the sad part is that he felt the need to make it. Nothing to gain and everything to lose. Personally, I hope he gets leniency on appeal but there's only one person at fault here.
This is like only cheating on your wife a little bit... or more and only getting caught a little bit.
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Who cares? It is a rule they are reminded of daily, visually and/or verbally, that risks a lifetime ban. He ignored it and knowingly disregarded it. A one year suspension is getting off easy.
As for insider knowledge, he was betting on the Falcons.
According to an ESPN report, the bets took place on a mobile phone and were placed out of state. The bets were reportedly "multi-legged parlay involving 3, 5 and 8 games that included the Falcons to win, per source."
That his bets were small and insignificant really doesn't matter, he has access to players, knows who is a healthy go, and other information that would influence his bets. If he bets the Falcons to win 3 weeks then doesn't bet on them week 4 that is a signal to others that his information makes that a bad bet.
That is the simple reason it can't be tolerated from players, coaches, or officials at the most trivial of levels.
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Rule does not need justification. It's a rule and if not perceived as strongly enforced, could lose the NFL their Antitrust status.
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Oh I know he was still bound by the CBA but my point is this stuff is heavily skewed towards the team and league. He was off the team and no longer being paid by them or subject to any inside info.
The paid part is the issue for me. He was off the team and not being paid by them. The team controlled his rights but for all intents and purposes he was not an NFL player in that moment. Let's use an extreme example. Kyler Murray's baseball rights are still controlled by the A's. Let's say he decided to quit football and play baseball, are we saying he should be banned if it turned out he bet on baseball while he was an NFL player.
The reality is Ridley had left the game and for all we knew was never going to play football again. What he did while not a part of the NFL is his business IMO. Let's say he took 2 years off of his own free will but decided to comeback in 2024. Again, are we saying he can't gamble for 2 years on the off chance that he returns to the NFL? How long should an NFL team be allowed to control what a grown man does while he is away from the game simply by virtue of controlling his rights if he choses to return?
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Again if he decided to retire for 2 years, are you saying he can't bet on the NFL for 2 years on the off chance he may return. The reality is he was not an active player. He was not hanging out with the team, he was not working out with the team, and his NFL future was in doubt.
The NFL said its investigation uncovered no evidence that Ridley used inside information or "that any game was compromised in any way." There also was no evidence that any of the Falcons' coaches, staff or players were aware of his betting activity.
There was zero evidence he had any inside information. Period. I get why they suspended him. I understand your rationale. I simply do not agree with it. It is as simple as that.
mattb78
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People arguing against the penalty are trying to have it both ways. Professionals are held to a standard of conduct, and if that standard is broken, you have penalties. You can't say they are just football players or that the conduct was harmless. They are professionals and are paid as such, and thus certain conduct is required.
Players gambling is an embarrassment to the league, irregardless of circumstance. It degrades the integrity of the league and its players. It has been this way since the inception of professional sports.
Players gambling is an embarrassment to the league, irregardless of circumstance. It degrades the integrity of the league and its players. It has been this way since the inception of professional sports.
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Death sentence?
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Again he wasnt being paid as he was away from the team. No one would have an issue with the punishment if he were an active player on the roster.
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Just a point of clarification: I had zero idea if he was still bound by the CBA.
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Fair enough.
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As long as they have his rights it reflects on the league unless he retired. He signed a contract with dates and stipulations \. until that's void, it is what it is. He's not day labor. Should he be allowed to take a leave of absence from the team for a a few rounds of steroid enhancement as long as he's not getting paid for the day to day? This is what happened to be caught and could be all he did or the tip of the iceberg and just because he wasn't an active member doesn't mean he couldn't get updates from mates.
Like I said, I hope this was as minor as it sounds, the league takes it into account and he gets it reduced to 1/2 year or less but I understand.
