Saints players' bounty suspensions reversed

[ZeroTolerance 582]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8349080/sources-suspensions-jonathan-vilma-smith-scott-fujita-anthony-hargrove-overturned-arbitration-panel

 

Suspensions for four players connected to the New Orleans Saints' bounty scandal have been overturned by a three-man arbitration panel, sources tell ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

 

The ruling should clear Jonathan Vilma, Will Smith, Scott Fujita and Anthony Hargrove to start the season.

 

The panel's decision affects the players only, not suspended coaches Gregg Williams, Sean Payton and Joe Vitt.

 

The NFL Players Association and the four players had claimed in consolidated lawsuits that Goodell abused his authority and followed improper procedures in disciplining the players for a program that, according to NFL investigators, paid improper cash bonuses for tackles that injured opponents. The lawsuits sought to have the punishment handed down by Goodell thrown out. The arbitration ruling renders the lawsuits moot at this point.

[Kent 228]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8349080/sources-suspensions-jonathan-vilma-smith-scott-fujita-anthony-hargrove-overturned-arbitration-panel

 

Suspensions for four players connected to the New Orleans Saints' bounty scandal have been overturned by a three-man arbitration panel, sources tell ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

 

The ruling should clear Jonathan Vilma, Will Smith, Scott Fujita and Anthony Hargrove to start the season.

 

The panel's decision affects the players only, not suspended coaches Gregg Williams, Sean Payton and Joe Vitt.

 

The NFL Players Association and the four players had claimed in consolidated lawsuits that Goodell abused his authority and followed improper procedures in disciplining the players for a program that, according to NFL investigators, paid improper cash bonuses for tackles that injured opponents. The lawsuits sought to have the punishment handed down by Goodell thrown out. The arbitration ruling renders the lawsuits moot at this point.

 

I love it.

 

Goodell is a clown.

[Doozer 0]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8349080/sources-suspensions-jonathan-vilma-smith-scott-fujita-anthony-hargrove-overturned-arbitration-panel

 

Suspensions for four players connected to the New Orleans Saints' bounty scandal have been overturned by a three-man arbitration panel, sources tell ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

 

The ruling should clear Jonathan Vilma, Will Smith, Scott Fujita and Anthony Hargrove to start the season.

 

The panel's decision affects the players only, not suspended coaches Gregg Williams, Sean Payton and Joe Vitt.

 

The NFL Players Association and the four players had claimed in consolidated lawsuits that Goodell abused his authority and followed improper procedures in disciplining the players for a program that, according to NFL investigators, paid improper cash bonuses for tackles that injured opponents. The lawsuits sought to have the punishment handed down by Goodell thrown out. The arbitration ruling renders the lawsuits moot at this point.

[Reality 2,710]

Should have never been suspended in the first place. Now the players aren't in shape because they haven't be able to use the team facilities.

 

Thre should be some sort of repercussions for the league and Goodell.

[vegassandwich227 0]

so the players are reinstated but not the coaches? gotta admit, i've paid as little attention to this whole thing as i have possibly been able to, but i'm not getting how that's possible...if the coaches are appropriately suspended (which i assume they were to some degree because they didn't do any of the whining that the accused players did), there must have been some players who partook in the condemned activities...there seems to be a pretty decent inconsistency there, unless i'm missing something.

[skinsrule05 30]

so the players are reinstated but not the coaches? gotta admit, i've paid as little attention to this whole thing as i have possibly been able to, but i'm not getting how that's possible...if the coaches are appropriately suspended (which i assume they were to some degree because they didn't do any of the whining that the accused players did), there must have been some players who partook in the condemned activities...there seems to be a pretty decent inconsistency there, unless i'm missing something.

I would think it is just a matter of time before the coaches are cleared. How could they be guilty if there were no players doing anything wrong?

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

Time to pick up that saints D off the ww.

[loqutis 0]

Wow.... They have to overturn he coaches now

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

I would think it is just a matter of time before the coaches are cleared. How could they be guilty if there were no players doing anything wrong?

Yeah but the coaches dont have a union to back them. Maybe they can go through the same process but didnt they already say they would take the blame? Kind of hard to let the coaches off when they admitted to being involved.

[IndyTom 0]

Playing Devil's Advocate here...

 

They weren't cleared of not participating in the bounty hunting itself. The charges were tossed because Goodell "improperly abused his authority" and didn't follow procedures.

 

Where is the link that states they didn't do it?

 

[Kent 228]

Goodell should be fired immediately. There needs to be an investigation into his practices and procedures to make his arbitrary rulings.

[Buffalo Rob 0]

Small hit to the Saints offensive players in a fantasy perspective. I was a little higher on them in fantasy drafts this year thinking every week was going to be a shootout. There DEF is still weak but this definitely makes them a little bit better.

[giraldi02 470]

Maybe people fail to remember... the players APPROVED Goodell to be given this much power when they signed the most recent CBA. Perhaps DeSmith and the rest of his ilk should have represented the best interests of their clients rather than bill the hours relentlessly.

 

Additionally...this does not focus on the players being innocent. This ruling instead states there is no clear identifying reason for the suspensions (either conduct detrimental to the game or salary cap violations). This is merely like the board game Sorry. Goodell and the NFL go back to the beginning.

[GettnHuge 1]

Should have never been suspended in the first place. Now the players aren't in shape because they haven't be able to use the team facilities.

 

Thre should be some sort of repercussions for the league and Goodell.

 

And then what happened...

 

http://assets.espn.go.com/pdf/2012/0917/greggwilliamsdocument.pdf

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8391657/new-orleans-saints-jonathan-vilma-meets-commissioner-roger-goodell

 

In Monday's meeting, the NFL gave Vilma a sworn affidavit from former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams that the New Orleans linebacker offered $10,000 to any teammate who knocked quarterback Brett Favre out of the January 2010 NFC Championship Game, a source with knowledge of the meeting told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

 

In the same affidavit, Williams confirmed the Saints had a pay-for-performance pool funded by the Saints players, the source said.

 

 

Before his meeting on Monday, Vilma said "I've got no expectations right now," as he entered NFL headquarters with his lawyer, Peter Ginsberg.

 

They came out a little more than three hours later, and Vilma called the meeting "very frank, very truthful."

 

 

 

 

Ouch

 

 

 

[Reality 2,710]

And then what happened...

 

http://assets.espn.go.com/pdf/2012/0917/greggwilliamsdocument.pdf

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8391657/new-orleans-saints-jonathan-vilma-meets-commissioner-roger-goodell

 

In Monday's meeting, the NFL gave Vilma a sworn affidavit from former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams that the New Orleans linebacker offered $10,000 to any teammate who knocked quarterback Brett Favre out of the January 2010 NFC Championship Game, a source with knowledge of the meeting told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

 

In the same affidavit, Williams confirmed the Saints had a pay-for-performance pool funded by the Saints players, the source said.

 

 

Before his meeting on Monday, Vilma said "I've got no expectations right now," as he entered NFL headquarters with his lawyer, Peter Ginsberg.

 

They came out a little more than three hours later, and Vilma called the meeting "very frank, very truthful."

 

 

 

 

Ouch

 

Not so much.

 

[Cruzer 1,992]

Ha I love it. Tag's just biatch slapped Goodell and reminded him his is bigger.

[santa*69 0]

Okay so you don't have enough evidence to prove the players particiapted and if you can 't prove the players participated how can you have a bounty. I mean this entire thing really needs to be looked at. I hope the player continue with court cases on this. I have a feeling it go thrown out because there is no proof and you really have to start looking at what was the motive for the commish?

[Patriotsfatboy1 1,432]

Okay so you don't have enough evidence to prove the players particiapted and if you can 't prove the players participated how can you have a bounty. I mean this entire thing really needs to be looked at. I hope the player continue with court cases on this. I have a feeling it go thrown out because there is no proof and you really have to start looking at what was the motive for the commish?

 

I understand it to mean that the players participated, but that it was condoned and pushed at the management level such that the players should not be punished. This allows both the NFL and players to save face, while the coaches continue with their suspensions.

 

Its like a tie in soccer.

[Joey Gladstone 33]

Goodell should be fired immediately. There needs to be an investigation into his practices and procedures to make his arbitrary rulings.

 

Agreed

[TimmySmith 2,782]

Let the lawsuits begin. The League went PC and it bit them. Last week the NFL tried to settle out of court with the players if the players admitted some guilt. The players, wisely, refused. Shows the NFL knew they were wrong all along.

[BunnysBastatrds 1,920]

Goodelle will pay the price when he comes in to New Orleans for the Super Bowl this year. That POS won't be able to eat one meal without thinking what kind of secret sauce is in it.

[montana 89]

And no one thinks that the reason it was passed along to Tag is because the Commish knew it was going to be a long & drawn out process where (in the end) the Commish would probably loose? He passed it Tag's way of saving face. He lost but didn't have to admit he was wrong or that he abused his authority.

He won by loosing. He's smarter than you give him credit for.

[santa*69 0]

And no one thinks that the reason it was passed along to Tag is because the Commish knew it was going to be a long & drawn out process where (in the end) the Commish would probably loose? He passed it Tag's way of saving face. He lost but didn't have to admit he was wrong or that he abused his authority.

He won by loosing. He's smarter than you give him credit for.

 

 

How is it going to be smart when Vilma drags him into court and he has to do and EUO on the entire thing. Smart? This is not over. I saw even Vitt is going in front of federal judge now. I think this entire thing is going to blow up. Remember this all started after the Farve game. If Minnesota wins that game if Minnesota beat the crap out of Brees like the Saints did Farve that night and the Saints complain it would have went nowhere. This is about someone the commish not liking another person Shaun Payton. Wait till they ask for his emails etc on the matter. I can't wait I really hope Vilma takes it all the way. I have a feeling NFL will settle with Vilma out of court eventually a nice chunk of change and an apology. I think if the coaches had any union etc to take up the fight for them the entire thing would be thrown out.