OT: Saints players suspension

[Fitz Rulz]

Chris Mortensen ‏ @mortreport
Villma 1 year suspension, Hargrove 8 games, Will Smith 5 and Fujita 3 games #Saints


Darren Urban ‏ @Cardschatter
League release says part of evidence against Vilma was $10,000 bounty to knock Kurt Warner out of playoff game.

Full NFL release
http://nfllabor.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/5-2-12-saints-players1.pdf

 

[Shane]

Nice Vilma out for year.. LOVE IT!!

 

[Dback Jon]

They need to go further - award the Cardinals Drew Brees

 

[TJ]

Interesting. Vilma out for the year makes sense. So do the others. What baffles me is that the league reported that 22-27 players were involved and only four are receiving punishment. I expected more player fallout from this.


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[Gee!]

They suspended those four due to being in leadership roles and not cooperating with the bounty investigation.

 

[ARZCardinals]

They need to go further - award the Cardinals Drew Brees

lol!!! I agree

 

[Totally_Red]

Based on what we know now, these suspensions seemed justified, especially the one for Vilma.

Sorry Green Bay and Cleveland, it's buyer beware.

 

[CardsFan88]

Seems fair, although I'd think 3 games is a little light. You'd think the minimum should be at least the 4 games one gets when testing positive for something the 2nd time.

But an extra game isn't much to quibble over. For some reason I was thinking the list would be longer, perhaps it's not the whole list?

I guess overall it seems fair. Though again I thought more people would be on it.

 

[stewdog1]

I'm glad it was made clear that Warner and Favre were targeted. Everyone knew that they were trying to hurt them during both of those games.

 

[Fitz Rulz]

many players tweeting against the suspensions and you can expect of course J Harrison of Steelers is one of them

 

[Monty]

The players union could have grounds for appeal on this but I think they may find themselves between a rock and a hard place here. On the hand they would want to fight such tough and unprecedented suspensions on behalf their clients, but on the other hand they know Roger Goodell has a potential appeal killer in his back pocket.

Dont forget the large number of retired player suing the NFL for the concussions and damages they suffered while playing. Those cases are spearheaded by the NFLPA on the basis that the NFL didnt do enough to protect these guys while playing and that the NFL is now reaping the rowards for these guys putting their lives on the line.

Goodell can simply tell the NFLPA that they cant have it both ways. He simply should argue that these suspensions have been dished out to raise the importance of player safety in the game, a fundamental issue that the NFLPA is fighting in the aforementioned cases.

 

[desertdawg]

Interesting. Vilma out for the year makes sense. So do the others. What baffles me is that the league reported that 22-27 players were involved and only four are receiving punishment. I expected more player fallout from this.


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Maybe 3 or 4 or 10 of those players cooperated with Goodhell and sent Vilma down the river to save their own skin. Probably the same ones tweeting in Vima's defense.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Pretty funny that Hargrave tweeted awhile back that he knew nothing about a bounty system. Somebody must've hacked his account .

 

[NJCardFan]

They suspended those four due to being in leadership roles and not cooperating with the bounty investigation.

So the $10K Vilma put up to knock Kurt out was just window dressing?

 

[CtCardinals78]

Nice Vilma out for year.. LOVE IT!!

After hearing all the facts I think he got off too easy. It should have been an indefinite suspension like Williams.

 

[Darkside]

The players union could have grounds for appeal on this but I think they may find themselves between a rock and a hard place here. On the hand they would want to fight such tough and unprecedented suspensions on behalf their clients, but on the other hand they know Roger Goodell has a potential appeal killer in his back pocket.

Dont forget the large number of retired player suing the NFL for the concussions and damages they suffered while playing. Those cases are spearheaded by the NFLPA on the basis that the NFL didnt do enough to protect these guys while playing and that the NFL is now reaping the rowards for these guys putting their lives on the line.

Goodell can simply tell the NFLPA that they cant have it both ways. He simply should argue that these suspensions have been dished out to raise the importance of player safety in the game, a fundamental issue that the NFLPA is fighting in the aforementioned cases.

Very insightful point here IMO. You're totally right, the NFLPA is going to have to pick its poison with this one. My guess is they'll appeal, since their responsibility is to all the players. But the fact is their position has been weakened across the board. They got taken to the woodshed during the lockout (I think it was poorly handled and that they overplayed their hand) and then with all the lawsuits and the bounty scandal and now this. Their position has weakened considerably in the past 2 years. Hasn't been a fun ride for them.

Then when you consider moving to an 18-game schedule their position is all over the place. They're being totally outmaneuvered in my opinion, morally, ethically and legally.

 

[az1965]

Chris Mortensen ‏ @mortreport
Villma 1 year suspension, Hargrove 8 games, Will Smith 5 and Fujita 3 games #Saints


Darren Urban ‏ @Cardschatter
League release says part of evidence against Vilma was $10,000 bounty to knock Kurt Warner out of playoff game.

Full NFL release
http://nfllabor.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/5-2-12-saints-players1.pdf

 

[splitsecond]

One thing that always needs to be remember is that the NFL has an anti-trust exemption granted by Congress. The NFL has got to crack down on controversies hard, even if it means the players union wins on appeal. All it takes is Congress perceiving the NFL as lax on a controversial subject and they can start looking at the exemption. With all that is happening with the retired players coming after the NFL over concussions/injuries, this was an absolute no brainer.

 

[desertdawg]

Watching the replay of the Dan Patrick show on fox sports, they said Kurt Warner will be on after the break to discuss the Saints game in the playoffs. Should be real soon.

 

[desertdawg]

Wow good stuff from Warner, said he didn't think the Saints were trying to hurt him in that playoff game, he said the week before he did think the Packers were going after his head in the game "going high". Said nobody in the NFL questioned him at all about the Saints game, but he did believe Goodell must have a lot of facts to hand down those types of penalties.

Also he was asked if he and his wife ever discuss the hits Warner has taken in his career and the effcts it may have on his future. Kurt said "We seldom do".

None of this is in order by the way!!!

 

[Totally_Red]

Wow good stuff from Warner, said he didn't think the Saints were trying to hurt him in that playoff game, he said the week before he did think the Packers were going after his head in the game "going high". Said nobody in the NFL questioned him at all about the Saints game, but he did believe Goodell must have a lot of facts to hand down those types of penalties.

Also he was asked if he and his wife ever discuss the hits Warner has taken in his career and the effcts it may have on his future. Kurt said "We seldom do".

None of this is in order by the way!!!

Nice recap! Thanks for posting. There seemed to something extra in the legal hit he took after throwing the interception late in the first half. The Cardinals defense was pathetic for both the Saints game and most of the Packers game the previous week.

 

[DoTheDew]

many players tweeting against the suspensions and you can expect of course J Harrison of Steelers is one of them

Ridiculous players. They complain constantly about the rising level of injuries but as soon as Goodell takes steps to make the league safer they are outraged. Can't have it both ways. Either it's a violent league with few rules protecting the players, or it's a safer league with suspensions for violence.

 

[52brandon]

Ridiculous players. They complain constantly about the rising level of injuries but as soon as Goodell takes steps to make the league safer they are outraged. Can't have it both ways. Either it's a violent league with few rules protecting the players, or it's a safer league with suspensions for violence.

"Smarter" helmets? It would seem to be the most accepted remedy but they unfortunately don't seem to exist, so that's the first hurdle I guess lol

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

Warner has been full of class, but he knows McCRay's hit may have been technically legal, but it was completely unnecessary AND INTENTED TO INJURE IMO...

 

[AZ Native]

Warner has been full of class, but he knows McCRay's hit may have been technically legal, but it was completely unnecessary AND INTENTED TO INJURE IMO...

No doubt!