Comments on: Seahawks punter says Chris Culliver should be suspended

By: supercobra7

supercobra7 — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 20:53:55 +0000

Many still consider this to be an immorality. The league has no right to dictate what its players consider to be right and wrong.

By: filthymcnasty1

filthymcnasty1 — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 19:33:33 +0000

Jon Ryan is a punter, and a Canadian one at that. His opinion doesn’t matter. I think he should leave league matters to the real players.

By: rukkus1

rukkus1 — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 09:54:19 +0000

Its a natural right to have an opinion, who cares about cullivers comments… people should be expected to have their own opinions that differ from other peoples’.

Quit being so sensitive. Its 2013.

By: seldom1

seldom1 — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 06:50:51 +0000

Why am I not allowed to post a pro-Culliver response?
Is this a gay-friendly site to the extent that pro-Culliver comments are being disallowed?

By: thefox61

thefox61 — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 20:08:31 +0000

Free speech without limits is NOT a constitutional right. With freedom comes responsibility. Free speech does not allow you to hurt, defame, libel, slander or discriminate. That is why there are laws and subsequent lawsuits against such actions.

By: jikkle49

jikkle49 — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 07:43:01 +0000

If he used inflammatory language in his comments I could see a suspension being warranted but he didn’t so it would be a travesty if he was suspended.

As much as the NFL hates it he’s entitled to his opinion politically correct or not.

And I partly blame the NFL for allowing every nut job with a microphone to the circus that is media day and opening these guys to loaded and baited questions from “journalists” that have no interest or love for football in the first place.

By: revskip

revskip — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 07:34:22 +0000

seldom1 says:

OK, I read it again. So who but an ignoramus would maintain that Culliver has no Constitutional right to say what he believes when asked? I’d love to be his attorney if those on this board get their way and he is fined.

———

The NFL is not the federal government, and the CBA allows for the league to punish any player who negatively impacts the league with suspensions and fines. The players including Culliver agreed to that in the last retooling of the CBA. Since Culliver’s offered up the opinion that gay players would be discriminated against in the locker room he should absolutely be fined or suspended since that could open the NFL up to lawsuits if they didn’t repudiate it.

As for the fed, since no arrests have been handed down for his hate speech his 1st amendment rights have not been violated. If you don’t understand that very simple concept you probably shouldn’t be offering to be a lawyer for anyone.

By: forever9ers

forever9ers — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 07:19:09 +0000

WOW! This from a punter who’s OK to be on a team with numerous drug suspensions and stole a game with that infamous “Fail Mary” pass? How selective righteous!

By: sixjak

sixjak — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 04:06:08 +0000

Hawkfan50, you mad bro? Must have touched a nerve. And to answer your question: Yeah I watch my team every week, you? Have you never seen a kicker choke a 3 pointer on a 19-21 score as the clock winds down to zero? Oh I guess you’re engaging in a clever excercise of symantics. Good for you. So enlightened you are.

By: persicjj01

persicjj01 — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 22:30:09 +0000

Always nice to have comments deleted. Apparently PFT is sensitive to criticism when it comes to political correctness and their affiliation with NBC. I guess that pledge to remain “candid and open” even though joining NBC was a joke. Talk about limiting free speech.

By: mastrantuoni

mastrantuoni — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 21:28:58 +0000

Sounds like Jon Ryan is the first openly gay NFL player… Good for him… I always figured most of the Seahawks players and coaches were gay…”Not that there’s anything wrong with that”!(in my best Jerry Seinfeld voice)

By: JustinD

JustinD — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 20:50:57 +0000

I could care less about what either have to say.

Opinions are pointness to listen to and everyone has one.

I was just wondering if anyone launched to investigation into where Jon Ryan’s chin ran off to? I have a theory it is off hiding with Jay Cutler’s…

By: seldom1

seldom1 — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 20:19:35 +0000

S.Nevada says:Feb 1, 2013 7:06 AM

“If I say something stupid at work, my employer has the right to discipline me, end of story.
People should actually read the First Amendment before they spout off about Free Speech.”
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“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

By: hendeeze

hendeeze — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 20:16:43 +0000

I wish Jon Ryan was so vocal when his own teammate (Leroy Hill) beat his wife/gf…. REPEATEDLY

By: hawkfan50

hawkfan50 — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 19:59:33 +0000

Some of the idiotic comments here are beyond belief . ‘sixjak’ thinks a punter is going to kick a game winner . Watch much football , fool ? Then we have ‘thereisfootballwestofjersey’ hoping to open next season against a team that handed his Niners their ass the last time they played . Top it off with a bunch of bigots ranting about free speech and you all have a collective IQ of around 10 . Wow .

By: mrgrant23

mrgrant23 — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 19:44:16 +0000

Looks like the seahawks want a taste of media day even though it should only be for teams that are IN the superbowl! Get over it, you lost. Go Niners!!!!

By: revskip

revskip — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 19:08:38 +0000

Pretty sure Culliver’s freedom of speech has not been attacked as the many people posting here have suggested since I haven’t seen any stories about Culliver being arrested by the government for his repugnant views.

Free speech means being able to say anything you want that doesn’t cause immediate danger to others without fear of prosecution, however when you say something in public that is stupid, hateful and bigoted you should expect a major backlash from people who are more enlightened. When the Klu Klux Klan or the Westboro Baptist church make inflammatory remarks they are not arrested but they are nearly universally condemned for being ignorant and obnoxious.

By: acdc84

acdc84 — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 18:39:54 +0000

If you’re embarrased to be part of the league go back to Canada and leave us Americans alone.

By: jeff6381

jeff6381 — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 17:20:11 +0000

You can’t suspend someone because of the way they feel. Iam sure his opinion is shared with a lot of other players in professional sports but their just not as stupid to voice it the way he did. I heard people call this guy a bigot. I don’t think he is I understand what he was saying but the way he said it and the words he used was bad. I think a lot of people have to realize you can’t force everybody to accept or believe what you believe and accept.

By: shlort

shlort — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 16:18:05 +0000

Is this punter serious? Suspend a player for sharing his views and beliefs when asked a question? No suspension or fine. Does the NFL seriously want to find itself wondering “What happened” when the game of football loses because they demand politically correct people to play and watch their sport?

These are grown men we are talking about. Culliver has his beliefs. Are his opinions really any different than anyone else who has an opinin about anything? Is censorship of the individual acceptable to us now? I dont think so. If you keep a guy from saying certain words, the rest of his words have no meaning. What is worse, telling the truth and being ridiculed for it, or lying to appease the masses? I’ll take the truth every time.

The young man expressed his opinion. There is no fault in that. At least he stood his ground until he was guilted into apologizing (which you know he didnt mean). So, Yeah, lets keep forcing people to believe how others believe. That is how you gain acceptance from everyone.

By: eagles512

eagles512 — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 16:14:55 +0000

Suspend Ryan

By: S.Nevada

S.Nevada — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 15:33:23 +0000

Wow lots of legal scholars on this site talking about ‘Free Speech’. Seems most of you have actually read the first amendment then? Didn’t think so, quintessentially American.

By: thejuddstir

thejuddstir — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 15:32:03 +0000

This is about as stupid as it gets. Ryan thinks a player should be suspended for doing something that is legal (freedom of speech) but it’s ok for his teammates to not be suspended for doing something illegal….PED’s. You live in Seattle Jon, come in out of the rain as your brain has been submerged too long.

By: bat42boy

bat42boy — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 15:05:57 +0000

Suspended for what? Saying what he believes. We live in a land of free speech. Did the Seahawks Player think of that. Maybe he should be suspended for saying another player should be suspended. Turn-about is fair play in my game.

By: robinyount19

robinyount19 — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 15:04:41 +0000

Ryan should be deported back to Canada or jailed for suggesting illegal punishment against Culliver, who was well within his Constitutional rights.

By: jackericsson

jackericsson — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 15:02:23 +0000

Are punters even allowed in the locker room?

By: goldenperspective

goldenperspective — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 14:39:06 +0000

Thats funny, he didn’t make a fuss when his teammates got popped for using PEDs

By: abninf

abninf — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 14:36:48 +0000

Suspended for giving an opinion that millions of citizens share? What’s happening to my country?

By: hendawg21

hendawg21 — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 14:34:35 +0000

Well Jon, the world is full of stupid people who say stupid things…that being said being an athlete making millions doesn’t exclude you from being part of the stupid people in our society.

By: chris6523

chris6523 — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 14:31:31 +0000

Why don’t we just throw the guy in jail? I mean, we can’t have someone running around saying stuff like that.