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09-07-2012, 04:04 PM #1Veteran Poster
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Saints players win appeal versus NFL on bounty suspensions
Here we go again. Vilma already squawking.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/ey...ty-suspensions
Edit: Suppose this is in the wrong forum, my apologies.
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09-07-2012, 04:10 PM #2Veteran Poster
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Re: Saints players win appeal versus NFL on bounty suspensions
Wow....this is huge, and now Goodell look s a tad less mighty.
So what does this do for the Saints roster? I am sure they made their cuts to get to 53 players with these suspensions in mind.
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09-07-2012, 04:15 PM #3
Re: Saints players win appeal versus NFL on bounty suspensions
Finally, Goodell got taken down a peg. Unfortunately, the players had the chance to fight the redheaded spokesape but couldn't stay strong during the lockout and came back with their tails between their legs. How can the guy be judge, jury and executioner?
Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more, you should never wish to do less"--GEN R. E. Lee
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09-07-2012, 04:17 PM #4Legendary RSR Poster
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09-07-2012, 04:24 PM #5
Re: Saints players win appeal versus NFL on bounty suspensions
That's what I was alluding to. They players have no one to blame but themselves, but it is a lot of power for just one man.
Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more, you should never wish to do less"--GEN R. E. Lee
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09-07-2012, 04:27 PM #6Veteran Poster
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Re: Saints players win appeal versus NFL on bounty suspensions
It knocks Goodell down a little bit, in that he set out the punishments for a severe violation (that many thought were too stiff even for that violation), and now the violation has been massively downgraded to a mere "pay for performance" issue. It is going to be extremely hard to punish the players anywhere near as severely now that the violations they are being punished for are so much less serious.
That said, I think it would be very interesting to see what happened if Goodell simply said he is going to suspend Vilma for the year, Hargrove for 8, etc, (same punishments) for the pay-for-performance violation. Would be another "gate" category controversy. I doubt Goodell is interested in that, and he will likely reduce them fairly significantly (maybe by 75%).
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Re: Saints players win appeal versus NFL on bounty suspensions
I bet Sean Payton wishes they had a similar union...
It appears to only delay the suspension but then again that's better than nothing for the players. I doubt if Vilma plays this week though
World Domination 3 Points at a Time!
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Re: Saints players win appeal versus NFL on bounty suspensions
The fact is he didnt have enough evidence to punish them to begin with, imo but certainly not that harshly. You cant punish people on heresay and public opinion. He can lighten their punishment but theres nothing saying the players wont appeal that as well, which i believe is their right as well as the federal judges say. I do think this weakens him and the owners stance that he can be everything but until they sit down and agree to change it, he is within his right, no matter how wrong he may be.
I suggested that the players would win because from what i heard in the media they had no real evidence. I was crucified then for even saying that let alone for suggesting they may actually be innocent. Anybody want to step up and eat that crow?-JAB
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09-07-2012, 04:38 PM #10Veteran Poster
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Re: Saints players win appeal versus NFL on bounty suspensions
Not sure if players have been punished, and certainly not on this scale. I know a few coaches got fines or slaps on wrists for small bonuses for positive performances, but I can't remember any details. I recall Dick Vermeil getting fined for handing out bottles of wine (or something weird) for big plays of some kind. I'll have to look around and see if there is anything that is remotely comparable to this situation, but I doubt there is.
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09-07-2012, 04:38 PM #11
Re: Saints players win appeal versus NFL on bounty suspensions
First, this was an arbitrator's ruling. There is also a court case still in process.
Second, according to the ruling, Goodell is required to "make an expedited determination of the discipline imposed for violating the league's pay-for-performance/bounty rule". In other words, he can't dish out punishment for any cap violation issues, but he still has authority to punish the players for helping to operate the bounty system. He could theoretically do that tomorrow.
Third, there's nothing that indicates the teams will get a temporary roster exemption in case the players are "re-suspended".
IMHO, for Vilma, this is akin to a delay because the guillotine needs to be greased.
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Re: Saints players win appeal versus NFL on bounty suspensions
I knew this eventually was going to happen.
The league's evidence was never clear that there was a clear intent that those guys went out there intending to hurt guys with dirty play. At least none of what they presented would hold up in any court.
It never struck me as fair to basically take a man's entire yearly salary and pretty much ruin his reputation without giving him access to ALL of the "evidence" (basically all the NFL showed the media was circumstantial and while they claimed to have more, the players basically said they never got a chance to see it or examine it).
It all sounded like a salary cap issue...paying guys for hard hits between the lines that just happened to result injury...and there is a clear difference to me.
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