Post by fatmenace on Feb 4, 2015 13:56:07 GMT -6
Let's get it started with the Browns.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns and general manager Ray Farmer are facing possible sanctions from the NFL for "Textgate," including a multigame suspension for Farmer, and a fine and loss of draft pick for the Browns, league sources told Northeast Ohio Media Group.
The investigation -- one of three "integrity of the game" probes currently underway in the NFL -- is expected to be wrapped up soon, as early this week or next week.
NEOMG reported on Jan. 6 that a Browns "high-ranking personnel member texted from the press box to the sidelines about playcalls'' during a game, which was one of the reasons former offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, now with the Falcons, felt that working for the Browns had become dysfunctional for him.
Multiple league sources have told NEOMG that Farmer was the high-ranking personnel member who violated the NFL's electronic use policy by the impermissible texting. Those messages were then apparently relayed to the coaches.
The NFL investigated the improper texts, and are prepared to announce sanctions within the next couple of weeks. A resolution could come as early as this week, but probably no later than three weeks.
Farmer is facing a multigame suspension -- as many as three or four games -- and the Browns are facing the loss of a draft pick if the probe, conducted by in-house NFL executives, shows that Farmer acted improperly.
Farmer, asked by NEOMG at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., on Jan. 21 if he texted from the press level to the sidelines during a game, said "I can't comment on that. The league is investigating.''
A Browns spokesman reiterated Wednesday that the club has done everything the league has asked and is awaiting results of the probe.
The Browns have never denied that such texts occurred, and coach Mike Pettine revealed during a press conference on Jan. 22 that investigators had already come to Cleveland to question members of the organization.
At the Greater Cleveland Sports Award ceremony later that night, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam stressed that the club was cooperating fully.
"I know that Ray and Pett and Sashi Brown, our general counselor, are cooperating fully with the NFL, and if we did anything wrong I'm sure we'll correct it and make whatever amends,'' he said. "I know we've cooperated fully with the NFL."
"Textgate'' was the first of three scandals that have erupted over the past month that impact the integrity of the game, and the NFL is taking all three very seriously.
The second was "Deflategate,'' the controversy over the Patriots deflating footballs during their AFC Championship Game victory over the Colts. And the third was the Falcons pumping artificial crowd noise into the Georgia Dome over the past two seasons, which owner Arthur Blank admitted to on Tuesday.
The NFL is likely to wrap up all three investigations within the next three weeks.
"It's not really a fine line," Blank told The Associated Press. "I think what we've done in 2013 and 2014 was wrong. Anything that affects the competitive balance and fairness on the field, we're opposed to, as a league, as a club and as an owner. It's obviously embarrassing but beyond embarrassing it doesn't represent our culture and what we're about."
Blank told the AP that he knew enough about the investigation to own up to the allegations.
"We've gotten some information from the league but until we read the full report and until they publish their findings, we can't be totally clear. We've talked to a lot of people and we've cooperated and we'll be anxious to read the report."
During his Super Bowl press conference last week, Commissioner Roger Goodell stressed the importance of protecting the game's integrity.
"This is my job," Goodell said in response to a question about Deflate-gate. "This is my responsibility to protect the integrity of the game. I represent 32 teams. All of us want to make sure that the rules are being followed. And if we have any information where the potential is that those rules were violated, I have to pursue that. And I have to pursue that aggressively.
"So this is my job. This is the job of the league office. It is what all 32 clubs expect and I believe our partners and fans expect. We will do it vigorously and it is important for it to be thorough and fair."
The Browns' Textgate investigation comes at a difficult time for the club. Their first-round quarterback, Johnny Manziel, checked himself into a rehab facility last Wednesday for a possible dependence on alcohol; and their All-Pro receiver, Josh Gordon, was suspended for a minimum of a year.
www.cleveland.com/browns/inde...d5b8b3e91bd9da
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns and general manager Ray Farmer are facing possible sanctions from the NFL for "Textgate," including a multigame suspension for Farmer, and a fine and loss of draft pick for the Browns, league sources told Northeast Ohio Media Group.
The investigation -- one of three "integrity of the game" probes currently underway in the NFL -- is expected to be wrapped up soon, as early this week or next week.
NEOMG reported on Jan. 6 that a Browns "high-ranking personnel member texted from the press box to the sidelines about playcalls'' during a game, which was one of the reasons former offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, now with the Falcons, felt that working for the Browns had become dysfunctional for him.
Multiple league sources have told NEOMG that Farmer was the high-ranking personnel member who violated the NFL's electronic use policy by the impermissible texting. Those messages were then apparently relayed to the coaches.
The NFL investigated the improper texts, and are prepared to announce sanctions within the next couple of weeks. A resolution could come as early as this week, but probably no later than three weeks.
Farmer is facing a multigame suspension -- as many as three or four games -- and the Browns are facing the loss of a draft pick if the probe, conducted by in-house NFL executives, shows that Farmer acted improperly.
Farmer, asked by NEOMG at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., on Jan. 21 if he texted from the press level to the sidelines during a game, said "I can't comment on that. The league is investigating.''
A Browns spokesman reiterated Wednesday that the club has done everything the league has asked and is awaiting results of the probe.
The Browns have never denied that such texts occurred, and coach Mike Pettine revealed during a press conference on Jan. 22 that investigators had already come to Cleveland to question members of the organization.
At the Greater Cleveland Sports Award ceremony later that night, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam stressed that the club was cooperating fully.
"I know that Ray and Pett and Sashi Brown, our general counselor, are cooperating fully with the NFL, and if we did anything wrong I'm sure we'll correct it and make whatever amends,'' he said. "I know we've cooperated fully with the NFL."
"Textgate'' was the first of three scandals that have erupted over the past month that impact the integrity of the game, and the NFL is taking all three very seriously.
The second was "Deflategate,'' the controversy over the Patriots deflating footballs during their AFC Championship Game victory over the Colts. And the third was the Falcons pumping artificial crowd noise into the Georgia Dome over the past two seasons, which owner Arthur Blank admitted to on Tuesday.
The NFL is likely to wrap up all three investigations within the next three weeks.
"It's not really a fine line," Blank told The Associated Press. "I think what we've done in 2013 and 2014 was wrong. Anything that affects the competitive balance and fairness on the field, we're opposed to, as a league, as a club and as an owner. It's obviously embarrassing but beyond embarrassing it doesn't represent our culture and what we're about."
Blank told the AP that he knew enough about the investigation to own up to the allegations.
"We've gotten some information from the league but until we read the full report and until they publish their findings, we can't be totally clear. We've talked to a lot of people and we've cooperated and we'll be anxious to read the report."
During his Super Bowl press conference last week, Commissioner Roger Goodell stressed the importance of protecting the game's integrity.
"This is my job," Goodell said in response to a question about Deflate-gate. "This is my responsibility to protect the integrity of the game. I represent 32 teams. All of us want to make sure that the rules are being followed. And if we have any information where the potential is that those rules were violated, I have to pursue that. And I have to pursue that aggressively.
"So this is my job. This is the job of the league office. It is what all 32 clubs expect and I believe our partners and fans expect. We will do it vigorously and it is important for it to be thorough and fair."
The Browns' Textgate investigation comes at a difficult time for the club. Their first-round quarterback, Johnny Manziel, checked himself into a rehab facility last Wednesday for a possible dependence on alcohol; and their All-Pro receiver, Josh Gordon, was suspended for a minimum of a year.
www.cleveland.com/browns/inde...d5b8b3e91bd9da
