Favre Fined

A slap on the wrist? Not even that was given
to Favre

Today NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell tagged Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre with a fine of $50,0000. The fine was levied due to Favre's lack of cooperation in the investigation concerning former New York Jets employee, Jenn Sterger. Sterger had claimed that Farve sent her inappropriate texts and pics during 2008 when both were employed by the Jets.

Those funds will go toward further promoting workplace conduct leaguewide. I suppose kudos are in order.

Goodell also claimed that no evidence was unveiled that Favre committed any violation of the NFL's personal conduct policy.

While Sterger and her attorney, Joesph R. Conway, were disappointed that the NFL only fined Favre, there could be other hurdles for Sterger.


I say that because some may wonder if Sterger could proceed with a lawsuit against the future Hall of Fame QB. According to ESPN legal analyst Lester Munson, that answer is most likely "no". From Munson's post on ESPN.com:

Sterger must file her claim with a state agency or with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission within 180 days after the last incident of harassment. There are ways to extend the filing period, but there is no way to extend it beyond 300 days. Unless there are incidents more recent than the 2008 voicemails and pictures, she may be barred from any suits against Favre and the Jets.

Muson also pints out that if there are more recent "events", there is yet another issue that since both Favre and Sterger were Jets employees, Sterger would have to have filed a complaint (or as it it referred to by Munson, a "notice") with the Jets. As of yet, no such "notice" has been made public knowledge.

In all honesty, this is a smokescreen. I have no knowledge, one way or another, if Favre did any of the "dirty deeds" that Sterger is alleging. I could care less. I'm by far a fan of Mr. Favre. In fact, I wish he had retired after 2008.

But something reeks here. A putrid stench is slowly rising.

This investigation began in early October. We're just now getting a form of "punishment"? And for that matter a mere $50,000? As Darren Rovell tweeted today...

With $50K, Favre could have purchased Wrangler Jeans ($28.99 avg) for every active player on an NFL roster & had 8 pairs left

Is that perspective or what? And Rovell also tweets that Wrangler is still on board with Favre.

Why did this take so damn long? Six, seven weeks? Really? Didn't this "affair" place the NFL in an uneasy and uncomfortable position? Why only $50,000? James Harrison hits a guy and gets $75,000 (because it's dangerous) and this dude was accused of sending pics of his penis and gets $50,000? What is this, the damned NCAA? These questions, and more, are why this whole thing is absolutely laughable.

I strongly belive that if this had been almost any other NFL player, a one game suspension at minimum would have been levied. But this is Brett Favre. Football's newest "Golden One". "Teflon Favre" is you're so inclined to call him now. Heaven forbid he lose a game check of $682,353. That last check will only be for $632,353. Poor guy.

I find almost repulsive that anyone could refer to Favre as being punished. He steadfastly refused to cooperate with the NFL. Just imagine what would have happened if that had been Ben Roethlisberger refusing the same. Call Big Ben a "repeat offfender", but the fact is Favre dragged his heels on this.

This whole situation was mishandled and the NFL bumbled this worse than Peter Sellers taking a pratfall in a Pink Panther movie. (I love Peter Sellers in those flicks!) Yes, this is that freakin' comical.

I know the NFL says it found no evidence. That's because Favre was not forthright with his cooperation.

The jury would be out if Sterger made
the Favre ordeal public in a book.

And we'll never know the truth. Maybe we're not meant to know. Maybe we just shouldn't know.

If Sterger chooses to publish the ordeal in any way, shape or form, people will say it was only for the money. It would look solely as a money grab so maybe it's time this is all laid to rest.

Fingers would again be pointed. I'm not sure if Sterger considers all that trouble as being worth the cause. Guess it depends on the zeroes, not sure. As I've heard many a time, everyone has a price.

Sterger's not of the hook here though. If she had reported the incident earlier, like after the 2008 season, this isn't among our conversation today. Well, not in the same light we are now. But maybe Sterger was thinking what has now been shed by today's ruling. It's Brett Favre. No one would be willing to take her side of the story.

Too bad the NFL chose to deal itself a black eye here. For most of the good Goodell has done in reference to the player conduct policy, he fumbled more than Favre himself (161 times to be exact).