APBrowns receiver Josh Gordon is arguing in his grievance against the Browns that they never told him that he had a problem with chronic tardiness.
The Browns say they suspended him for the final game of the regular season because he showed up late for a walk-through practice the day before the game. According to the team, that was the last straw after Gordon had already been late five or six times — or about once a week after his 10-game suspension to start the season came to an end.
But according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Gordon says he was never officially told that he’d been tardy.
Of course, the Browns might argue that they didn’t have to officially tell Gordon he was tardy because he could see that he was tardy when he walked into team meetings and saw that everyone else had already started work before he arrived.
Still, the Browns would have been wise to dot all their i’s and cross all their t’s and put something in writing to let Gordon know he was on thin ice. If they lose this grievance, they’ll wish they hadn’t waited until the last practice of the season to take action against Gordon’s chronic tardiness.
Gordon is seeking back pay in the amount of $48,564, which is the amount of money he lost when he didn’t get paid for the Browns’ final game of the season.
More importantly, Gordon is seeking to have that final game count as his sixth game of the 2014 season, which will allow him to accrue a season toward free agency. If Gordon wins his grievance and gets his accrued season toward free agency, he can become a free agent after the 2016 season. If Gordon loses his grievance, he can’t become a free agent until after the 2017 season.
Gordon has a long way to go before he reaches free agency. He’s suspended for the entire 2015 season for violations of the NFL’s substance-abuse policy, and he needs to stay clean to get reinstated for the 2016 season.
Haha….. you know if you’re late……to anything.
C’mon Man!
Is this guy 12 years old?
stupid guy….
still blaming everyone…
i was like that in HIGH SCHOOL…
grow up brat
Another example of no accountability. Meeting starts at 3…..it’s 3:01 and you’re not there…..YOU ARE LATE MORON!!! Why does someone need to tell you that?
I don’t FEEL tardy.
Class dismissed!
THEY SHOULDN’T HAVE TO. My 4 y/o has his life more together than this idiot.
I’m sorry officer….I didn’t know I couldn’t do that
Excuses, excuses, excuses!
Is it always someone else’s fault these days? Disappointing.
Josh Gordon is now creating another red flag. 31 other teams are thinking “this guy’s gonna file a grievance if we don’t submit our complaints in writing???”. I guess he does not want to change things for himself.
you poor poor Brown fans
This is generally how unions work. The worse the employee, the more protection he has. He’ll win the grievance.
I know the union has a job to do but cmon man. This guy just doesn’t get it, look in the mirror bud.
Maybe he just got used to punching in and out at the car dealership he worked at.
Seems like a strange way to behave just to try to get out of Cleveland.
I see no problem with his argument. Teams, agents and the league will use any technicality they can to their benefit. The contracts should have clearly spelled policies, to respond to tardiness. This works both ways. Yes, common sense says you know when you are late but you don’t forfeit $50K and a year towards free agency without a fight.
Dude should be happy he is still signed to a team.
first Chris Johnson…then Kellen Winslow…and now, Josh Gordon ?
what is this?
‘Be kind to washed-up imbeciles day’ ?
Where’s my microphone, too?
—R. Incognito
10 min early is on time, on time is late, 10 min late you missed it.
So, if I get a speeding ticket, can I tell the judge that I was never told that I was speeding before I got busted for speeding?
It’s rough being a Jets fan, but damn. The Browns make me feel like I root for the Patriots.
My mommy didn’t wake me up in time? What a idiot. There is a song by Genesis called Throwing it All Away. Son you are throwing it all away.
Nobody needs to tell you being late is a problem. You act like a human being and be on time.
You have to be told you are tardy? WOW. Did he actually graduate? From grade school?
First guy in the building each day…. after the meeting starts.
Poor little special snowflake. Guys, as a society, we’re done. Hope you enjoyed it while you could.
Another one of those plays you wonder, “What could’ve been…”
*players
Just think of the grievance because the Browns failed to officially tell Gordon to breathe!
Why, he could forget and die!
Josh Gordon is a mess and the Browns are a mess. What happens when u put em together. You get a mess
Did his dog eat his playbook?
Classic. How dim is Gordon? Um, pretty frickin’ dim!
Haslam and crew are a bunch or morons. Haslam thinks he’s Jerry Jones getting his name plastered all over the place. Thing is Jones has a clue and Haslam is clueless.
Watch out Josh, the coffee at McDonalds is real hot…
Meanwhile, in New England, show up late ONCE because of an alarm clock issue or snow, and Belichick will send you home, and likely either bench you or cut you, and you’ll just be expected to deal with it. (cf. Adalius Thomas, Brandon Spikes, Darrelle Revis, Jonas Gray)
I wonder if anyone had to tell him to file a grievance
People are making a joke about this but as an organization and the Browns would have been wise to document everything including a written warning that his next negative action would result in a suspension.
People like to point out to players what will and will not fly in the “real” would world but the same applies to corporations. Every major corporation I’ve worked for makes sure they dot their I and cross their T before suspending or terminating an employee.
Boss ~ “You had sex on your desk with the cleaning lady ”
Costanza ~ ” Who told you THAT ? ”
Boss ~ ” SHE did ”
Costanza ~ ” Was that wrong ? “Cause I gotta tell ya, no one told me that that was frowned upon “
MORON
Sorry folks…if they didn’t ‘document’ every tardiness and go through the usual ‘verbal then written’ documentation Gordon’s going to win the grievance.
That’s the Law, plain and simple.
“Of course, the Browns might argue that they didn’t have to officially tell Gordon he was tardy because he could see that he was tardy when he walked into team meetings and saw that everyone else had already started work before he arrived.
***
This would imply common sense – something that Josh is lacking – considering how he is throwing away his God-given gift.
“Just when I thought you had said the stupidest thing ever, you keep talking.” — Hank Hill
If this guy had behaved himself, he’d be two seasons away from free. A good citizen with his skills would probably fetch a 5-year, $50 million contract (like Mike Wallace) or perhaps a tad more. If (and only if) he hangs in there, he’ll probably get 3-years, $15 million, tops.
Beyond ridiculous, Josh. Just beyond. I’m sure you can’t figure that out either.
BREAKING NEWS: Oakland Raiders send their 1st and 2nd round picks in the 2015 draft to Cleveland for Josh Gordon and immediately offer him a 5 year $100 million extension.
….and Cleveland will trade all their picks to move up to #1 and draft Winston.
Unfortunately for the Browns, they schedule their meetings at 9″ish”
HEE-HAWW!
Every move or comment this guy makes further cements his life within the denial/ everyone ELSE is to blame bubble. Who but a person with this outlook would utter ALOUD that the culpable party here is the EMPLOYER for not taking the time to clarify the expectation of showing up for work ON TIME, and to not do so CHRONICALLY would be noted and considered problematic to say NOTHING about this being only the LATEST offense in a long line of myriad screw-ups…his photo can be found in ANY dictionary next to the word ” Hubris.”
Instead of the goofy blank orange helmet, why not put: CC on the side – Cleveland Clowns rule the basement like my 34 yr old cousin
“If you’re on time you’re late”
-Tom Coughlin
The reason they never told him was because the many times they mentioned it, he hadn’t gotten there yet.
This Gordon cat is an idiot if he claims his boss needs to tell him when he is late for work. When my employees are late for work, they know they are late. Some apologize and some try to make excuses, but they know they are late.
Society has built this breed of person. When blame is used as an excuse, we are not making society better.
In the military it was the same way. If you had a problem soldier, you documented everything. That way when it came to lower the boom you had a paper trail to justify the punishment. How hard would it have been for the Browns to have someone in the organization type up a document to have him sign that stated if he was late one more time he was suspended for a game. Heck, they should have a standard form letter on file to use. If they had done that, this grievance would have been prevented.
Interesting to compare how New England handles this situation to how Cleveland does it.
One organization expects professionalism and benches you if you do not deliver it and that other… well, is Cleveland.
Somehow his punctuation will come down to his upbringing in a poor neighborhood with little fatherly discipline. At least until he gets paid again…
For the love of God, this is what it’s coming too. If I don’t tell you you are late when you walk into a meeting that’s already started, how would you ever know? Case closed. He’s not guilty by reason of stupidity.
Buy a watch, use it and act your age.
I know a woman who lost a job that paid her $3500 a week for three 12-hour shifts. She had the job for two months and got fired because she could not get to work on time.
Some people just don’t care.
He’s worse than a private in the military. At least a private gets broke of that silliness in basic training.
It’s always someone else’s fault.
Wow!! Can someone really be that clueless?
What a idiot he is.
Sounds like Josh is on CPT.
lionsfan +1…didn’t work for Costanza either…
It’s times like these I think the mediator should have the right to INCREASE as well as uphold or decrease fines and suspensions. In this case he could uphold the suspension and Josh and Drew each $47.95 for being pinheads.
@eneumann824 – what military were you in? The one I was in would just physically whoop your tail until you made the personal decision to not be late again. The only thing I saw soldiers get documented for was a positive drug test, promotion or an award.
I had a Costanza line ready with Hot for Teacher as my contingency reply. Both taken.
Tardiness sucks.
Please…. just let this guy walk… Let him be someone else’s head-ache.
It was Cleveland who gave this guy a chance, and they are the ones who’ve been burned by him the most.
Forcing him to remain with the team another year is not a good situation, if he doesn’t want to be there.
Maybe Bellichek can get a full year’s worth out of this punk, but it will be fool’s gold. It won’t last. Good riddance.
Well no nobody is going to really want Josh Gordon now because apparently he can’t conform to probation standards, loves to drink and drive while either high or drunk, and can’t take any responsibility whatsoever. Look I’m all for legalization of pot and drinking beer to have a good time but come on this guy is a clown.
I demand the Patriots be investigated. They obviously have something to do with this.
Lol wut
Its simple, late to a walk through give him a fine like most teams do. Suspend him because the team wants to own his rights for 2 more years. That’s why their is a grievance. Cleveland is cold and horrible and we wants out !
C’mon Josh Gordon! You know you were late and the Browns surely told you about it. Even if they didn’t, you had no business being late — ever!
I wish the NFL would throw you out of the league and be done with it.
Holy Cow…WOW!!! I’ll try that line on my boss the next time i’m late…oh wait I’ve never been late because I know what time I’m supposed to be at work (MY RESPONSIBILITY)!!!!!!!
Still, the Browns would have been wise to dot all their i’s and cross all their t’s and put something in writing to let Gordon know he was on thin ice.
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No MDS, no. If anyone should have been dotting Is and crossing Ts it was the idiot who has been in trouble his entire career. He knew what time to be there and he knew he was late.
Amazing how nothing is ever Josh Gordon’s fault yet he is always in trouble…
What an idiot
The Browns should consider themselves lucky he made an appearance at all.
This one is easy. I am a union guy, but in this case, common sense dictates that this idiot was being cut some slack that he should have appreciated and in turn cleaned up his act. Instead, he was given and inch, and took a mile. Screw him … he screws it up for the rest of us who try and belong to a union and at the same time understand that common sense is the ticket.
Who would want him? What’s the worry the guy is finished and will wind up in Washington anyway.
If that’s all he’s got he isn’t winning that grievance, how many second chances does he think he gets or did no one tell him how many second chances he’s already had…this is a sad case.
Unfortunately, more eye-opening evidence to drop this guy and let him play in Canada…
Tough to wake up on time with all the weed he smokes. The cloud of Art Modell hangs over the sorry browns franchise until idiots writers in cleveland do the right thing and vote him into the hall of fame. Until then you are stuck with trash like gordon, manziel, and no winning seasons.
This is the perfect time to say C’MON MAN!
This guy should just be gone. I’ve heard enough.
There are a thousand guys ready to take his place.
Next up.
For this guy ” there is no cure for stupid ” he makes Beetle Bailey look like the best solider in his outfit, time to cut there loss and move on. I guess Ray farmer is still happy he got the GM job instead of going south. Bill
So there is no possible way a well run team like the Brown is trying to do him dirty?
Seriously people, you think the stoner came up with this all on his own? This is the NFLPA making a stand. And they should. This isn’t about Gordon, it’s about the fact that the team suspended him one game, but actually cost him a year before free agency. May not sound like much to people here. But if (and forget the fact that it’s Gordon and he’s probably gone before 2017 anyway, this could be anyone) you allow a team to take away a year of “service with a one game suspension in a meaningless game where the player has no importance (cleveland wasnt playing for a playoff spot), this precedent could become common place.
Rookie contracts pay some of these guys 6-900,000 a year. For some of these guys that put in their 4 or 5 years, and have cut a role out for themselves we are talking a raise of 10-20 times their previous deal. Everyone can claim that the players are all overpaid, that’s a different discussion, but the precedent that this could set is NOT good for the players. Terrible for the union and should most definitely be fought on the principle alone.
this guy has no brains, if your late, you shouldn’t be told you should know, what a stupid, guy………
He was never in time for his classes…
He wasn’t in time for his dinner…
Then one day… he wasn’t in his time at all.
So he didn’t know that he wasn’t allowed any alcohol on probation, and now he doesn’t realize that his chronic tardiness was a problem. It seems to me that all of Josh Gordon’s problems are the fault of nobody other than Josh Gordon.
Perhaps they don’t have time clocks at whatever White Castle he will be working at shortly.
My Boss doesn’t need to tell if I’m late, I would already know . you see, I am paid, which makes me a professional, not an amateur
Josh Gordon is stupid. He also has zero guidance and it appears that he has no one in his life giving him advice. My guess is the guy never plays an NFL down again.
Only the Browns.
He’ll be late for his own funeral.
Gordon should change his name to Stacks Edwards.
The problem, you Jackwagon, is that you were habitually late and YOU didn’t see the problem! But then again, I guess we don’t know you.
Since it is abundantly clear Josh has NO idea of his standing in the Brown’s organization, the front office folks need to hold one LAST meeting with him, on Josh’s timetable of course. It must be held in the locker room shower to further explain and clarify the salient points using visual aids, and should proceed along these lines: 1) Convene the meeting directly in front of the shower, making CERTAIN an intern films the entire meeting for documentation purposes 2) Turn on the water full blast 3) Explain to Josh that the water circling, then descending down the drain represents his CAREER 4) End of meeting, do you have any questions before you EXIT THE BUILDING Josh? 5) Film Josh signing document testifying he understood ALL facets of the meeting and comprehends the main idea 6) film security as they lead Josh out of the building and off the property.
so who cost him the first 10 games?
Reading this reminded me of a story that Rodney Harrison told about competing with Tom Brady over who would arrive at the team facilities earliest in the morning. This is what separates the contenders from the pretenders. It would appear that Josh Gordon just doesn’t have a flippin’ clue about what it takes to succeed, not just in football, but in Life in general. As someone mentioned above, he really needs to grow up…
I’d be surprised if he wasn’t verbally admonished in front of his team mates and other coaches for showing up late. Coaches don’t let things like that go. It’s all about commitment at the pro-level. Gordon is trying to get away with what they can prove because the stakes are high, but my guess is that they’ll string in a list of people that all saw him get chewed out. If that didn’t happen, then the Browns deserve to lose – and it explains why they do.
U talkn’ bout pratice, practice?
The best football players are seen & not heard! What’s the point of reporting about a player that can’t even get reinstated for over another year?
I bet they didn’t have to tell him to cash any of those checks
Hahahaha! I didn’t even read the article. This guy is a loser and will be out of the league and forgotten in two years. I hate people like this and have no sympathy for him. Bye loser.
This guy is lucky he’s not banned yet. he should be happy he’s still on an NFL team. A privilege buddy you don’t deserve even though you helped me out in fantasy ha..
Gordon is right, if you are breaking company rules and policies you have to be told, ask any HR dept head how they handle discipline and they will tell you once a person breaks the rules he is to be told what rule he broke and then sign a paper which states he was told of the infraction and what the next step would be if said infraction is broken again….. The Browns can’t even suspend someone correctly smh…I feel for you Browns fans….you move up in the first round to take a substance abuser, your new GM is being investigated for texting play calls to the OC who quit the team after the season because of it, your starting QB is a FA, your owner is a crook, and your best WR continues to find new ways to get suspended by the league and team….wow even Raider fans are laughing at you guys…..
I’ll bet he’s not late for the grievance hearing!
Obviously when you walk into a meeting everyday and everyone else is there already, they MUST be early for coffee and Oreos…
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jvw1982 says:
Feb 17, 2015 10:17 PM
Gordon is right, if you are breaking company rules and policies you have to be told, ask any HR dept head how they handle discipline and they will tell you once a person breaks the rules he is to be told what rule he broke and then sign a paper which states he was told of the infraction and what the next step would be if said infraction is broken again…..
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I’m sorry man, but I’ve been in the military, been a government employee and worked for a private business…they all tell you the rules and regulations during interviews, before you’re hired or immediately when you’re accepted in. I can’t fathom an employer letting you work for 3 years and then docking or firing you with the reason that you’ve been breaking the rules that we didn’t tell you about. That’s madness. You might want to talk to your HR department, supervisor, owner, what have you if you have no idea if what you’re doing is against company policy.
Somehow, I don’t think that dotting I’s and crossing T’s is something the Browns do with any regularity.
With nods to Van Halen and Seinfeld, this is the best pft post ever!
Hope he can do community service and be able to play. I don’t like tardiness but sitting out the majority of the season was very serious time to serve.
The only problem is I don’t trust Haslam or the Browns. My gut inclination is that they decided to do this so he does not accrue a year towards free agency.
Yes he should have known he was late when he walked in, but certain people should have got rebates at Pilot Flying J. As others have said, the company should document everything to the T. Failure to do so reflects poorly on the company.
Was Gordon late, 100% without a doubt he was.
Somehow, I don’t think that dotting I’s and crossing T’s is something the Browns do with any regularity.
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Cleveland press reporting Browns have documented JG’s “schedule.”
LOL, yeah, I bet he isn’t tardy for the hearing.
So there is no possible way a well run team like the Brown is trying to do him dirty?
—-LOL. How in the world can one dirty this clown???
Loser…..
I’m sorry man, but I’ve been in the military, been a government employee and worked for a private business…they all tell you the rules and regulations during interviews, before you’re hired or immediately when you’re accepted in. I can’t fathom an employer letting you work for 3 years and then docking or firing you with the reason that you’ve been breaking the rules that we didn’t tell you about. That’s madness. You might want to talk to your HR department, supervisor, owner, what have you if you have no idea if what you’re doing is against company policy.
______________________________________________
With all your work experience, apparently you have never enjoyed the protection of a labor agreement. That is, a right to be represented by professional counsel.
The first thing a new CEO does before accepting the position is to negotiate an employment contract. The only way ordinary employees have a right to counsel is to organize into a labor union and come to agreement with an employer over wages, benefits and working conditions.
I don’t know if Gordon will win his grievance buy his counsel will make a strong argument on his behalf.
Maybe Josh Gordon can become Jimmy Haslam’s new chauffeur. This would be a win – win – win for the Browns. Helping Josh to become a good citizen, Jimmy would get some value for the $ millions already invested in Josh and keep a close eye on him as a close mentor and Jimmy would be late to his own press conferences.
@phiddysent I was in the Army. Now back in the day, wall to wall counseling (if you know what I mean) was done to handle problem soldiers. Nowadays, it is a more kinder gentler military that frowns down on such practices hence the paper trail. The problem with that is that problem soldiers normally don’t takes things seriously until they get hammered with an Article 15, but at least they can’t say they weren’t warned.
What, I have to open my mouth to put food in it, nobody told me that. I could have starved…
They set up a meeting to discuss the tardiness problem, but he never showed up.
Most teams levy a fine for things like being late. Do the Browns not do this? I bet it would have cleaned up his behavior quickly. Also, do they need more tardies to argue he is suspended? He missed the walk-through! That’s all the excuse they need to be suspended for the game!
If I were the Browns, I would not cut, nor trade this guy. I would just sit him on the end of the bench. Let him get out of shape and just rot. Give him 2, 3, or whatever years he has left and just rot. Surely there must be some provision under the IR policies.
You can’t very well trade him for anything of value. If you cut him, he gets another chance and a shot at a new contract. Don’t “enable” this behavior. Just sit him and let him rot. Even the players will, eventually, avoid him.
If he suddenly wakes up, make him “earn” the right to play.
I did over 30 years in the Army as an enlisted soldier and as a warrant officer. I’ve dealt with US military personnel (and their dependents), foreign military personnel, US civilian personnel, foreign nationals, and contracted services. Only the foreign nationals would’ve tried anything like this, and it wouldn’t have been tolerated either.
DO NOT GIVE INTO HIM!
I’m gonna use that excuse with my boss at work…see how that goes…
Next time the NCAA tells you that they shouldn’t pay those wonderful student athletes because they are being graciously gifted with an education…
Laugh your balls off. This is the outcome.
MORON!!!! You have to be “told” you are late???? When you are supposed to be there at a certain time and you get there after that certain time…you are fricken late.
If Cleveland (or any team,) would pull something sleazy just to keep a guy an affordable RFA instead of UFA then they’d be beyond stupid. For one, they can pretty much kiss that player goodbye and (if he doesn’t get suspended,) they can just reserve a table in the training room for the players unspecified season long muscle injury. Then there’s other FA’s. I know the best and brightest on any job market always go to the employers who try and rip off their employees.
Point is, IF Cleveland did suspend Gordon for no other reason but to keep him an extra year with a RFA contract, then Cleveland is being run by some of the dumbest human beings in sports. Now, I don’t think for a second that a organization run by Captain Rebate wouldn’t pull sleaze and that the contract probably did have some part in the decision but I want to give them the benefit of the doubt that their management wouldn’t cut their own throats over a few extra bucks. Not because I don’t think they’re incompetent, I wanna give them the benefit of the doubt just because Browns fans have had to deal with this sort of garbage for way to long.