NFL won't announce Pryor appeal ruling Thursday

Sept. 14, 2011GUTIERREZ ARCHIVE
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UPDATE -- 10:30 a.m.: According to an email from NFL spokesperson Greg Aiello, commissioner Roger Goodell will not issue a ruling Thursday following the hearing with Raiders QB Terrelle Pryor on his five-game suspension. There is no announced timetable for a resolution of the appeal.

Paul Gutierrez
CSNCalifornia.comRaiders rookie quarterback Terrelle Pryor's appeal of his five-game suspension without pay will be heard by the NFL on Thursday, according to the NFL Network.Pryor, taken by the Raiders in the third-round of the supplemental draft on Aug. 22 and signed on Aug. 25, has not been able to practice with the team since his suspension began on Sept. 3He has been taking the field to work with a personal quarterback coach only after team drills are complete at the Raiders' Alameda facility.According to Pro Football Talk, "Look for Pryor's camp to argue that the labor deal doesn't allow suspensions to be imposed against players for actions occurring before they became employed by the NFL. Moreover, the CBA contains no provision that would allow the Commissioner to delay a player's entry to the NFL via the draft process." He would also be paid retroactively any game checks missed should his appeal by won.
While Pryor faced a five-game suspension by the NCAA for his role in a memorabilia-for-cash-and-tattoos scandal at Ohio State had he returned to the Buckeyes, the NFL slapped him with its five-game suspension for "decisions that undermine the integrity of the eligibility rules for the NFL draft."Semantics, many say, claiming the NFL was enforcing rules of a foreign entity.NFL commissioner Roger Goodell levied the penalty against Pryor while applying Article 8.6 of the Constitution and By-Laws, allowing Goodell to "take appropriate steps as he deems necessary and proper in the best interests of the league whenever any party or organization not a member of, employed by or connected with the league is guilty of any conduct detrimental to the league, its member clubs or employees or to professional football."While on suspension, Pryor, who can attend team meetings, does not count against the Raiders' 53-man roster.Pryor has vacillated from the beginning on whether he would appeal the suspension or not.