4 BIG QUESTIONS
4 questions that will tip the scales on Deshaun Watson's legal, professional future
Jun 9, 2022, 6:41 pm
The New York Times investigation of Watson raised more questions. Composite image by Brandon Strange
deshaun shade (1)
You know Deshaun Watson is having a bad week when his lawyer Rusty Hardin goes on radio and defends Watson (or as he explained later, men in general) having “happy endings’' during supposedly therapeutic massages as nothing unusual, certainly not illegal …
… and that’s the best thing that happened for Watson.
On Tuesday, the New York Times dropped a bombshell story by sports writer Jenny Vrentas alleging that Watson hired at least 66 different women for massages over a 17-month period, not the 40 women Watson claims during his 5-year career with the Houston Texans.
Watson has admitted finding some of the women on Instagram. Some worked at a massage business in a strip center on I-45. Some of the women he hired to massage him were not licensed to give massages in Texas.
The Times investigation was a brutal takedown of a superstar athlete at the height of his professional career.
The article quoted several women describing in graphic, lurid and degrading detail how Watson attempted to lure them into engaging in sex acts, succeeding in some cases.
“At least 66 different women.”
The number has continually risen since March 16, 2021 when lawyer Tony Buzbee announced on Instagram that he was filing a lawsuit against Watson for sexual misconduct. The current number is 24 active suits.
Watson has admitted to having sex with three of the masseuses, but insists that each time the act was consensual, initiated by the women, occurred after the massage and he didn’t pay extra for sex.
The New York Times investigation also claimed that the Houston Texans, if not knowing accomplices, were enablers in Watson’s massage spree. The article claimed that the Texans provided Watson with a membership at the Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa where he invited several of the women to hotel rooms for massage sessions.
The article alleges that a Texans staffer provided Watson with the nondisclosure paperwork that Watson insisted the women sign before he paid them. Tony Buzbee, the lawyer representing the two dozen women who filed civil lawsuits against Watson, now says he will include the Texans as defendants when the cases reach trial, most likely early in 2023.
Watson, the Browns and the NFL have declined comment about the Times article. The Texans say they have cooperated with various investigations into the Watson matter and will continue to do so. Hardin said, “we can say when the real facts are known this issue will appear in a different light."
The article noted that two grand juries in Texas declined to indict Watson on criminal charges. The article noted that the Harris County prosecutor for sexual cases spoke or emailed Hardin dozens of times before the grand jury decision, while contacting Buzbee only once. Buzbee has said he felt “duped.”
The Times article presents a much different side to Watson than the golden boy image he brought to Houston after winning the national championship with Clemson in 2017. The article describes Watson as a demanding, entitled athlete who hired masseuses with full intentions of having sex with them. The Times also interviewed several women who said Watson behaved properly and did not pursue sex with them. Most, however, said that Watson had sex on his mind during their encounters.
Watson and Hardin have said the parade of masseuses began in 2020 when the Covid pandemic arrived. The Times article says Watson started his pursuit of non-team affiliated masseuses much earlier.
Several of the women who accused Watson of aggressive, sexual behavior in the Times article have not filed civil suits against Watson so accusations by Watson defenders that these women are gold diggers don’t hold.
Reaction to Hardin’s comments about happy endings and the Times article have been swift and vicious. While some defend Watson and claim the masseuses and Buzbee merely are money grubbers out for personal gain, the overwhelming response has been against Watson.
Sports Illustrated has called for the Browns to sideline Watson until the civil suits are resolved. ESPN analysts say it’s time to stop using “comfortable language” like “inappropriate” and “misconduct” and call Watson what they believe he is, a sexual predator. Online comments call Watson a serial liar – to the media, to fans, the NFL, and prosecutors.
When announcing their trade for Watson, the Browns released a statement saying, “We spent a tremendous amount of time exploring and investigating the opportunity to trade for Deshaun Watson. He was humble, sincere and candid in our conversation.”
The Browns have had no comment since the Times article appeared. Watson has had no contact with the media since the press conference announcing his arrival in Cleveland, during which he said he has never “assaulted, disrespected or harassed any woman in my life.” He has denied all the accusations from the start.
Now some question if the Browns did any investigation of Watson before trading for the quarterback and rewarding him with an unprecedented 5-year, fully guaranteed $230 million contract.
Did the Browns investigate then what the Times article alleges now? If they did, and the allegations prove true, would they still have traded for Watson, and what would that say about their values? If they didn’t, what does it say about the organization’s professionalism?
Most important, will the Times article have an effect on the NFL’s decision what, if any, punishment will be meted out against Watson?
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So where does one turn now in Houston for mediocre, overpriced salsa? I kid, I kid. While wondering if Breggy Baked Beans are on the horizon. Congrats to Alex Bregman and agent Scott Boras for landing an on its face outlandish three-year 120-million dollar contract with the Boston Red Sox. With deferred money part of the deal the contract will be valuated in the neighborhood of “only” three years 90 million. Would Bregman have taken that from the Astros if offered? The Astros’ six-year 156-million dollar proposal was 26 mil per season. Bregman has the right to opt out after each of the first two seasons of his BoSox deal. If his decline (while still a very good player) of the last two seasons continues, or even if he holds steady, there is near zero chance of Bregman opting out unless he hates life in New England. At the end of the three years, will Bregman be able to land a three-year 66 million-dollar deal when he’s about to turn 34 years old? That plus the 90 mil with deferrals accounted for in his new deal would total 156 million. Massachusetts taxes personal income of just over a million dollars and upward at a nine percent rate. Playing half his games in the Bay State, Bregman will pay Massachusetts tax on half his salary.
Reminders...
Bregman obviously had an excellent Astros’ career, among non-pitchers he is top 10 all-time, but the excellence was frontloaded. Over Bregman’s first three big seasons he compiled a .289 batting average and .924 OPS. Elite numbers. Over the five seasons since: .261 and .795. Good, nothing legendary. After his monster MVP runner-up 2019 season (stats aided by the juiced balls of that season) Bregman was on a strong early Hall of Fame track. Now not so much, without some offensive resurgence. Fenway Park should suit Bregman well. He’ll bang singles and doubles off of the Green Monster, though the much higher than Crawford Boxes wall will not goose his home run numbers. In his time with the Astros Bregman mashed at Fenway with a .375 batting average and 1.240 OPS. That’s in a statistically not very significant 98 regular season plate appearances.
It is myth that Bregman in the postseason was some relentless hitting machine. He posted phenomenal numbers over seven Division Series batting .333 with an OPS over 1.000. Over 68 American League Championship Series and World Series games: batting average .196, OPS sub-.700.
For his career, Bregman’s worst month of performance by far has been April (plus any days in March, .737 OPS). In 2024 Bregman was baseball garbage into mid-May. Should a typical slow start happen again, we’ll see what the Fenway faithful patience level is. By far, Bregman’s best batting month has been August (.992 OPS). As it works out, both Astros-Red Sox series are in August this year. First in Boston August 1-3 then in Houston August 11-13.
Who's on third?
Over the last two seasons combined, new Astros’ third baseman Isaac Paredes has been as good offensively as Bregman. That includes Paredes pretty much stinking for two months in Chicago after being dealt from the Rays to the Cubs. Paredes, who turns 26 years old on Tuesday, was an AL All-Star last season. Bregman, who turns 31 March 30, was last an All-Star in 2019. The defensive drop-off from Bregman to Paredes is a fairly steep one.
There is no question that Bregman’s official departure weakens the Astros via a domino effect. Had Bregman wound up staying here, Paredes would have shifted to second base with Jose Altuve primarily in left field. Now, 600-plus plate appearances that Bregman would have taken project to be divided among Mauricio Dubon, Ben Gamel, Zach Dezenzo, and others. That projects as a substantial offensive downgrade. The lineup net result of the Astros’ offseason is negative. Christian Walker and Paredes joining the infield in lieu of Jon Singleton and Bregman is fine. Kyle Tucker out, hodge-podge in in the outfield, oh boy.
Alex Bregman is an unquestioned gamer, leader, and would seem to have the temperament to take well to the more intense baseball environment of Boston relative to that in Houston. Yankee fans should reeeeally love him now!
New beginnings
Considering baseball wasn’t invented until more than a century later, the poet Alexander Pope did not have baseball in mind when in 1732 he wrote “Hope springs eternal (in the human breast).” It works though. Other than the Chicago White Sox and Colorado Rockies, Major League teams have convened in Florida or Arizona thinking if things break right this could be their year! I’d probably put the Miami Marlins in with the ChiSox and Rockies. Many Astros’ fans are strongly disgruntled over the departures of Bregman and Kyle Tucker. This team still has “gruntlement” potential. The batting order appears Morganna-level (Google as necessary) top heavy, but one through five stacks well versus most other lineups. In the American League only the Mariners, Yankees, and maybe Royals have starting pitching rotations that should rate above the Astros’ rotation. Let the countdown to Opening Day begin!
Spring training is up and running. Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
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