On March 23, 2007, I responded to the idea of a broad document called the Personal Conduct Policy, which has the power to suspend anyone in the NFL -- including Jesus Christ:

My question is, will Roger Goodell over-react? Will he do something for the sake of doing something? If so, then the blind leading the blind could prove disastrous. In time, players could demand more protection from the Union creating a division in player/ownership harmony.

I believed that while the document, or rule, or whatever it's called, was implemented with good intentions, it would eventually set a precedence of faulty and dynamic conjecture without a basic standard in which to rule from. Especially considering that the Bengals were quickly (and unfairly) becoming the poster children of "lacking character", I found myself ranting on Goodell all season long -- calling him Chancellor because of this unchecked level of authority that he gave himself all in the name of virtue. Back in October of 2007, I wrote in response to Johnathan Joseph receiving a surprising one-game suspension:

The Chancellor gets what he wants. A completely confusing interpretation of one's personal beliefs of "conduct", the unstable course of punishment and the document of conducting personal conduct on a dangerously lucid scale.

A few posts later, I wrote:

The confusing nature of one man's belief system of ethics and morality is enough to cause migraines to the tenth power. And the inability to view things on an issue-by-issue basis from others, is even more nauseating.

I bring this up because my long held believe that the players, as a group, will eventually have issue with Goodell's unchecked authority on conduct issues. Then today happened.

The NFL players union wants to talk about commissioner Roger Goodell's power to discipline players when talks on a new collective bargaining agreement begin, union chief executive DeMaurice Smith said, according to USA Today.

...the amount of authority Goodell wields under the conduct policy -- which was written with the assistance of NFL players and late union executive director Gene Upshaw -- has raised concerns among players.

"That's something that's very important to the players that we intend to raise," Smith said, according to the report. "You will increase the understanding of fairness if people are involved in a way that they understand why.

"If you imagined a world where our court systems were not public and people meted out justice and all you heard was what the result was, well, they might even get the decision right -- but there would be a sense that it wasn't fair because you couldn't see why things were," Smith said, the newspaper reported. "I think that same underlying philosophy is true here."

Will this be a big issue with the Collective Bargaining Agreement? On one hand, the players could refrain from having any problem with it, worried that any discontent on a rule that penalties law breakers would hurt them in the minds of public opinion. On the other hand, having too much authority weighted with a single man without a standard ruling hand, is risky and potentially controversial (depending on the issue). Either way, I don't see it causing much issue in the negotiations when portions of billions of dollars are being negotiated towards the players. But the players are having issue with it. That much we do know.

We speculated on Monday that the league won't likely punish Leon Hall because of his reduced charge of reckless operation of a vehicle after initially charged with a DUI. There's also the issue that being a first time offender, that Hall could be slapped with a fine. From the beginning, I've believed that the league's revised personal conduct policy was good with intentions, but terribly dangerous in practice. There was too much room for the league to hand discipline that would be deemed unfair, depending on your last name and the team that you played for.

As former best friend James Walker writes, the league could still discipline Hall.

Despite his drunken driving case being reduced this week to a misdemeanor charge of reckless operation of a vehicle, the former first-round pick could face a fine or suspension before the 2009 season.

"Yes, he is still under review for potential discipline," NFL spokesperson Greg Aiello said Tuesday. "Pleading to a lower charge doesn't prevent you from discipline."

The league is expected to examine the facts of the case and determine what to do next with Hall. According to the Bengals, Hall hasn't had any additional transgressions with the law. That could work in Hall's favor, because the NFL typically grants leniency to first-time offenders.

On Monday, Leon Hall pleaded guilty to reckless operation of a vehicle after his lawyer, Ed Perry, and the Clermont County Prosecutor's office reached a plea agreement, writes Steve Kemme. Clermont County Municipal Court Judge James A. Shriver sentenced Hall to 30 days in jail, suspending 27 days, forcing him to spend the other three days in a "residential driver intervention program."

Hall also must serve 64 hours of community service, pay a $250 fine and donate $500 to the USO (United Services Organization), a non-profit group dedicated to boosting the morale of American military troops around the world by providing entertainment, recreation and other services.

The league is unlikely to punish Hall since the sentence was reduced to a reckless operation, and no DUI conviction was made. However, that's not concrete by any means. Quite frankly, the league can do whatever the hell they want.

Later on, Hall said, my bad folks.

"Today I learned that my charge was amended and reduced to Reckless Operation of a Vehicle," Hall said. "I regret that I placed myself in that situation, and I want to apologize to my family, the Cincinnati Bengals organization, my teammates, the Cincinnati community and Commissioner Goodell. I have learned a very valuable lesson and I look forward to the upcoming season.

Thanks to Behind the Steel Curtain (who lavishes in throwing our Bengals pride into a blender, uncorking that sonabitch at high speed and laughing like Dr. Evil), the previous report that Gary Russell was cut because of a salary cap casualty proved false.

In fact, you'll love this.

By way of Steel City Insider, Gary Russell was reportedly waived from the Steelers, "after police found marijuana during raid of house where he was staying."

Here's where this can be tricky. First, I can't actually read the report -- I'm broke. And an account with Scout.com would make me broker. Second, this by no means condemns Russell; wrong place, wrong time argument -- or the Jamal Lewis "you can use my cell phone" argument. We just don't know.

This story seems to be in development stages and we'll update when we find them (aka, Google News searches every hour).

Begin disapproving, disappointment and finger waving. Now.

On Monday, Clermont County Judge James A. Shriver ruled that Leon Hall is allowed to drive his car to and from work and to medical appointments. The granted request was given to Hall while the case will be continued on May 11.

If found guilty, Hall faces up to 180 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,075. He would have to serve at least three days in jail or a residential alcohol-treatment program. He also faces a fine of up to $150 if found guilty of driving left of center.

Ed Perry, Leon Hall's lawyer, represented Chris Henry and Deltha O'Neal when they were busted with drinking and driving. Perry was able to have their charges reduced to a guilty plea of reckless operation.

“(Leon Hall) stated that his wife had told him that he needed to get home because she was having a baby,” Trooper N.J. Pabin wrote. “Mr. Hall admitted that he had been drinking.”

The Enquirer made no effort to follow up on his "wife having a baby" angle -- supposedly because it could cast a simplified light on a DUI charge. Or perhaps it makes celebrity appear more human. The reaction would be, "Hall was about to become a daddy? I hope he names his boy after me!" rather than "big ol' bad Bengals football player stopped from unleashing incurable virus that kills populations by the millions in a 24-hour period. Jack Bauer will receive an award for his action."

In no way do we support breaking the law (did you read that Janet Napolitano?). Nor do we offer reasons that drinking and driving is excused under any circumstance (did you read that Andy Kennedy?). However, why the Enquirer won't follow up, or even mention it beyond the quote of a Trooper, is beyond me.

However, it was important to get this little blurb in:

The police report didn’t indicate what he was doing out at that hour.

Don't you want ask yourself, "What business is it of theirs?"

Former Bengals defensive lineman, and media-in-training rookie, John Thornton, found this little nugget in which Miami Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter is admitting to his many personalities.

Inside the mind and body of Joey Porter there's usually a heated battle between the good guy on his shoulder and the bad one.

The good guy is named "Corporate Joey" and the trouble maker and helmet thrower is dubbed "Peezy."

That's right, the Miami Dolphins' Pro Bowl pass rusher admits he's got multiple personalities. Or better yet, different persona's.

Apparently other personalities are hiding, like "I'll take a couple of guys and jump you from behind at a black jack table" Porter.

Porter wasn't suspended, rather fined three-game checks, which further proved that justice is only justice when you're not a Cincinnati Bengal player.

Here's how things work on CJ. I stand on a soap box, getting all preachy. I make a point, two points, I get emails from people helping support my arguments. I find what others write, and tell them how stupid they are. Then, within 24 hours, my argument is thrown back into my face. Whether or not Leon Hall's excuse was legitimate, or excusable, the fact it happened like some universal "humility stick" can't be ignored.

While in a Clermont County courtroom Friday morning, Leon Hall's attorney, Ed Perry, "entered a not guilty plea on his client's behalf to charges of operating a vehicle under the influence and driving outside of his lane."

Hall's preliminary hearing is set for April 20.

Do you ever have those moments where you slap yourself in the head for making a point, only to have it countered and punched right back in your face? For the past day, we've defended the Bengals and how the national media unfairly characterizes the Bengals as the official terrorist-sponsoring team in the NFL.

Then the Enquirer's Barrett Brunsman (and Leon Hall) totally makes me look like an idiot.

Bengals cornerback Leon Hall is to be arraigned in Clermont County Municipal Court on Friday on charges that include driving under the influence of alcohol.
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Hall, 24, also was cited for driving left of center after being pulled over at 3:11 a.m. on April 5 on Ohio 125 in Union Township by Trooper N.J. Pabin of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Bengals spokesman, Jack Brennan said “We were aware of the charge. Anybody can get charged with anything. We don’t feel it’s appropriate to comment on a legal matter that’s not resolved.”

Hall told the Ohio State Highway Patrol that his wife had called him, asking to come home, saying that she was having a baby. The Enquirer didn't follow up on that. So we're not sure if it was lame-ass excuse or if he was super-serial.

If you guys want to point and laugh at me, I'll take it. This time.