Your “Letter Of The Law” Thursday Evening Open Thread

NFL Notes:

• Teammate poison Golden Tate THE THIRD! has been released by the Giants.
  • Combined with cutting OL David Mayo, the Giants will save $8.4 million against the cap.

• In another example of life imitating [DFO], Jalen Ramsey reports Deshaun Watson is still intent on leaving the Texans.
  • It does help that they both have the same agent. 
    • Said Ramsey on a podcast – “I highly doubt he will suit up in a Texans’ uniform again. He’s extremely serious.”

• There’s a Rules Committee meeting coming up, so let’s see what wacky things are being floated this year:
  • League proposals:
    • Roughing the passer might be available for replay review.
    • They are considering going back to sudden death, first-score overtime.
    • The fourth-and-fifteen onside kick option is back on the table.
  • Team proposals:
    • Bills: 
      • They have proposed a requirement for all teams to wait to start the interview process for vacancies (head coach and GM chief among them) until at least the conference championship round and delay hirings until after the Super Bowl.
        • It’s an attempt to shore up the Rooney Rule.
          • No senior staff from any of the four Conference Championship teams got a Head Coach interview.
            • Todd Bowles and Eric Bieniemy are the prime examples.
    • Ravens: 
      • They are the proponents of returning to sudden-death overtime, but with a caveat to the coin toss.
        • After the toss, one team picks the spot of the ball to start overtime, and the other team chooses whether to play offense or defense.
          • So, If the one team picks, for example, the offense’s own 20 yard line, the opponent would then choose whether to play offense from their own 20 or to play defense, with the other team having the ball on its own 20.
        • In essence, the “spot and choose” approach replaces chance with strategy.

• To remind you that the world is still a terrible place, Kellen Winslow THE SECOND! got a 14-year prison sentence yesterday.
  • It was for multiple rapes and other sexual offenses against five women in Southern California, including one who was homeless when he attacked her in 2018.
    • Specifically, forcible rape, rape of an unconscious person, assault with intent to commit rape, indecent exposure and lewd conduct in public.
  • The 14-year-sentence was the maximum allowed under a plea deal.
    • His lawyer raised CTE as a mitigating factor in his ability to restrain his behaviour.
    • The sexual battery charge was reduced to assault with intent to commit rape, and that’s why it’s only a maximum of 14 years.

Tonight’s sports:

• NHL:
  • Philadelphia vs Pittsburgh – 7:00pm | Sportsnet
• NBA:
  • Toronto vs Boston – 7:00pm | TSN
  • LA Clippers vs Washington – 7:00pm | Sportsnet1
  • Detroit vs New York – 7:30pm | ESPN
  • Miami vs New Orleans – 8:30pm | TNT
  • Golden State vs Phoenix – 10:00pm | Sportsnet1
• NCAA:
  • Michigan State at Michigan – 7:00pm | ESPN
  • Louisville at Virginia Tech – 7:00pm | ESPN2
  • Texas at Oklahoma – 9:00pm | ESPN2
  • Arizona State at Colorado – 9:00pm | ESPN2
  • Wyoming at Utah State – 9:30pm | FS1

Since this is it for me until the weekend, I just want to say “thanks” again to Balls for “Temptation Tuesdays” & Joliet Jake for his “Wrasslin’ Wednesdays”. Not having to do Open Threads every day, at least right now, helps keep me motivated to participate while I also adjust to being back at work. The six days/week can sometimes be a chore during the offseason, so any help is appreciated.