While we waited for the judge's decision on Jason Shirley's request to postpone his re-trial until after the NFL season, we wondered briefly if Shirley's status as an unsigned rookie (no NFL contract, therefore not an "NFL employee") would fall under punishment within Chancellor Goodell's Personal Conduct Policy.

We assumed that he would, if anything, be punished if found guilty. But we didn't know for sure. So I read the Personal Conduct Policy and found, under the policy section " Persons covered by Policy", Shirley would be subject to discipline which says: "(iii) all rookie players once they are selected in the NFL College Draft."

On Friday, the judge rejected Shirley's plea to postpone his re-trial until after the season setting the date, August 27 -- in truth, postponed from June 25. August 27 is a Wednesday; the Bengals play at Indianapolis the following night. The date is bad in that the trial will likely spill into the team's first game; and more depending on the length of the trial and its outcome.

Training camp breaks on August 15.

You can find all Jason Shirley posts regarding his case, here.