They are reporting on KIRO that Adam Schefter is reporting that Sherman has hired his own attorney to fight the suspension and this may cause a delay in the hearing process.

That's the rumor, though its only coming from AS so far. Lets hope it's true.

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Saw this a couple days ago. Sherman has his own lawyers so the process is being delayed until they come up to speed. Schefter and others think it could delay the proceedings for awhile.

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"Pray to the LORD now...Seattle are a bunch of heathen atheist Canadians."
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I don't watch ESPN as much as I used to with the advent of the NFL network, so I hadn't heard it before. I hope it's true. If we can get this thing delayed long enough, it would really help us out.

The Good: We get Sherman for at least another game.

The Bad: Sherman has hired his own attorney, which means the league probably gave him a head's up that his appeal wasn't going to go well. (speculation on my part, but I can't think of a scenario where hiring your own attorney would be a good thing).

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If there is no Seahawk football in heaven, then we will never die.

Unless Sherman wised up to the fact that the NFL won't provide the evidence against him and as such, he's using a different avenue to force Goodell's hand as a couple other players have done.

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Does the NFLPA provide attorneys? Otherwise I'd think he would have to hire his own attorney.

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In the case of drug testing isn't the evidence "you tested positive for <insert PED>?" How is the league suppose to have evidence of that? The evidence is in the sample.

Not saying Sherman is wrong to hire an attorney, I just think it means the process isn't exactly going as smoothly as he thought it would.

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If there is no Seahawk football in heaven, then we will never die.

Sherman is going to try and get this carried over to next year.

He knows if he is suspended he won't make the Pro Bowl (which can affect his future earnings) and would hurt the Hawks chances in the Playoffs.

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This whole NFL isn't given them a chance is the wrong argument. They pissed in a cup the test came back positive which is negative for the player -- they were given the opportunity they were assumed to be innocent so they got tested..........

With that said. I am starting to think that this is purely a delay tactic. Sherman waited until today (think the hearing was set for the 14th which was said to delay the decision it beyond the buffalo games anyways). Now the hearing would probably get pushed at least another week which would let him play the 49ers game. Lets say he gets suspended for week 17, WC game, Division winner game and NCF championship but he would be back in time for the superbowl. Very nicely played

And it would also make week 17 we were without both players.....

Only problem with this scenario is that we beat the Rams, get a bye for the first week and he has to miss the SuperBowl too, because I think we still beat the Rams even with both of our CB out

Clearly it's a tactic to push this out until next year. I think it will probably work, when you get lawyers involved, things start moving in terms of months, not weeks or days. I think it's a smart move, and even though the NFL probably knows what he's up to, they are powerless to stop it. That's the American legal system. The suspension is probably unavoidable, but if it ends up being the first 4 games of next season we'll have Browner / Thurmond and an entire offseason to prepare for it, so Thurmond and Sherman can split reps with the #1 defense in training camp and it will be a competition to see which 2 of those 3 guys make the official tandem of starters after the 4 game suspension for Sherman.

If it gives us Sherman/Browner/Thurmond for the playoffs, and the above scenario to start next year, I don't think we'll skip a beat.

BTW, how sexy is the prospect of Browner/Sherman/Thurmond in a nickle package? Ho-leeeee shit.

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Delay tactic makes a little sense, but only from the Hawks side of things, not Sherman's.

If you're Sherman, why would you want to play in regular season games, but miss important and exciting playoff games? That's what makes me think he actually thinks he has a chance to beat the suspension.

Not sure how much communication there is between Sherman's camp and the Hawks, but from the purely selfish player side, delay tactic doesn't make any sense (unless it gets pushed all the way back to next year).

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If there is no Seahawk football in heaven, then we will never die.

I was thinking that this is going to get pushed back so he does his 4 game stint at the beginning of next season. We will have both of our big dogs for the playoffs PLUS Thurmond.

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Actually isn't the playoff salary payment just a bonus amount significantly less than what they get paid for regular games?

Now in Sherman's case not as applicable as he is low on the salary scale but interesting from the perspective of stars

Last year's playoff salaries

Wild Card
Division Winners (Broncos, Texans, Giants, Saints): $22,000
Wild Cards (Steelers, Bengals, Falcons, Lions): $20,000

Divisional Playoff Game $22,000

Conference Championship $40,000

Super Bowl
(Winning Team) $88,000
(Losing Team) $44,000

I think Sherman's contract is about $465,000 this season. That's about $29,000/week or $116,000 for a 4 week suspension. Assume we don't win the division, and he loses out on the lowest 4 games of the playoffs, he'd lose out on $104,000 or a savings of $12,000, but if we win the division, and he was suspended for the playoffs, he'd lose out on as much as $172,000 (assuming a superbowl victory).

Honestly I think it's one of two scenarios, he believes there was a mistake and he plans on never being suspended, or it's just a ploy to put it off until the beginning of next season (I am guessing the latter).

can he serve his suspension during the 4 preseason games?

i know i know.

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Adam Shefter reported that Richard Shermans delay could end up costing him more money . This year the game checks are 27,000 whereas next years game checks are at 33,000 a piece.

Maybe he is innocent . maybe they decided next year first four games would be best at worst.

Of course when he gets that new contract with a "workout" bonus in there, it'll all even out

Sherm may have a prescription for the drug. I doubt it, but it is possible.

Perhaps he is claiming that another prescription was in appropriately marked or something too.

Lots of different arguments to be made in either of those scenarios, and possibly a hundred others I can't think of.

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