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Technically, hitting a hammer is just another way to hit wood if you’re with me.
Former Raiders coach Jon Gruden has secured a major preliminary win in his lawsuit against the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell. Through Katelyn Newberg of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, District Judge Nancy Allf denied the NFL’s motion to dismiss the case and, more importantly, the NFL’s motion to force the arbitration.
It means (if it remains) that Gruden’s case will be in an open court, not in the NFL’s manipulated secret kangaroo court.
It is also a victory for fans and the media, as it means that a much greater degree of transparency will be applied to the fight. It means that except for a quick and easy solution, we’ll find out who leaked the emails that forced Gruden out and more.
“We’re going to let the process take care of itself,” Gruden said outside the room, via AJ Perez of FrontOfficeSports.com. “Good luck to the Raiders. Go Raiders. I have nothing [else] to comment. This process will do itself. It’s good to be back in Las Vegas. I’m going to see friends tonight. “
The NFL has tried to argue the contents of the emails, which were obviously inappropriate. Gruden’s lawyers have filed a lawsuit over alleged NFL efforts to force Gruden out by giving emails to the media.
Making the sentence more powerful is the fact that Judge Allf sentenced from the bench. This does not happen often. It happens when the right decision is so clear from the written submissions and the applicable precedent that there is nothing that can be said or done in public hearing to change the outcome. It’s the closest thing a judge can make to pointing football at a losing game.
Through Washington Post’s Mark Maske, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy says the league will appeal the ruling. Of course he will. He will fight and scratch to try to keep this case out of the public and open court.
The NFL, for example, led its efforts to force the relocation litigation of St. Louis in arbitration to the United States Supreme Court. Look for the league to do the same here.
The NFL hates losing in court. The best way to avoid losing in court is to push the fight to its own internal processes, where the outcome is certain and the facts remain hidden.