Commissioner Roger Goodell's new conduct policy is clearly sending shockwaves throughout the NFL. If, this time last year, Ahmad Carroll was stopped by police and found to be carrying a 9 mm pistol and 11 pink pills (ecstasy), would the Jags have cut him immediately? Doubtful, especially considering Carroll was the fifth Jag arrested since September '06.
More interesting, though, is how fans are going to react as their favorite teams begin adjusting to the new standards of conduct. Carroll, for example, was an easy decision for the Jags, as he was used sparingly in 2006. What if Dunta Robinson was caught in a similar situation? Travis Johnson? Mario Williams? Matt Schaub? Andre Johnson? Jacoby Jones?
Let me be clear that I am by no means suggesting in any way that any of the Texans that I just named would ever be susceptible to such behavior, but for the sake of discussion, I think it would interesting to consider our reaction as Texans' fans in the event that one of them was arrested in a similar fashion. At some, Chief Goodell's new policy will swing back a bit, as fans begin to voice their concern that they are wanting to watch the best football players perform every Sunday in the fall, not necessarily the best citizens.