Finally

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson finally had his appeal to play hearing in front of an arbitrator. Shyam Das conducted the hearing yesterday regarding the effort to reinstate Peterson from the Commissioner-Exempt list. He was supposed to be removed from the list following the settlement of his legal situation. Peterson accepted a plea deal of no contest to one count of misdemeanor reckless assault on November 4. The fact that the NFL failed to reinstate him then despite agreeing back in September that they would was the reason for the hearing yesterday. By rule, a decision must come by November 22. Seeing as the NFL has repeatedly shown a preference for making up their own rules it's fortunate that the decision will be made by the arbitrator. Das has said that decision will be made quickly. That would be a pleasant change. Nothing else in this process has been done in a timely manner. A source says that decision will be made by Wednesday, if not earlier. Even better.

Multiple reports indicated that the league would be suspending Peterson on Monday as punishment for his plea deal. The league didn't so maybe they won't. Who knows what the NFL is doing these days. They say that Peterson hasn't faced discipline despite missing the past nine games because he was still paid for those games. Whoever made that claim probably never played football. Missing nine games is a punishment. To say that it isn't a punishment is simply stupid. Peterson should probably face some sort of fine but any additional suspension would be excessive. The manner in which Peterson worked to recover from his 2011 knee injury is an indication of how much football means to him. He busted his ass to return faster and better than anyone ever has. He couldn't miss a game then. He doesn't want to miss games now. Not being able to play in nine games was a punishment. Hopefully, he won't have to miss any more. He doesn't deserve to miss any more.