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Re: Saints investigated for "Bounty Program"

Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 1:31 pm
by Cliff
Hard to not be a little bitter about this ...

Brett Favre 'bounty' pledges exists in league's evidence
The page is titled "Minny Game $$ QB [illegible] Out."

It shows pledges from Jonathan Vilma ($10,000), assistant head Coach Joe Vitt ($5,000) and linebacker Scott Fujita ($2,000) and "Smith" -- among others under "QB Pool" or "General Pool." Another Column is tagged "DB" and it shows players like cornerback Jabari Greer, safety Roman Harper and former Saints Darren Sharper and Tracey Porter pleading thousands of dollars for "Pick 6."
Link Here.

Re: Saints investigated for "Bounty Program"

Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 3:56 pm
by dead_poet
Some believe US District Judge will void discipline imposed on current and former Saints, NFL will appeal and suspended players will play.
Adam Schefter on Twitter

Re: Saints investigated for "Bounty Program"

Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 5:48 pm
by PurpleMustReign
dead_poet wrote: Adam Schefter on Twitter

They better not. That would really upset me. That will show that it is ok to cheat.

Re: Saints investigated for "Bounty Program"

Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2012 1:26 pm
by glg
PurpleMustReign wrote:They better not. That would really upset me. That will show that it is ok to cheat.
The reason they might get an injunction is that the penalty is very time sensitive (ie football careers are short), so if the NFL loses the case, Vilma will have been irreparably harmed by the suspension. Since a trial won't possible happen before the season starts, if the judge thinks there is merit to Vilma's claim, she has to issue an injunction. This is the same reason that Kevin and Pat Williams were allowed to play for a couple years while the Starcaps thing worked its way through the courts.

Note that the NFL did not respond with any evidence against Vilma and instead used a jurisdictional argument that Vilma doesn't have the right to sue under the CBA.

As others have said, if Vilma wins this round and gets an injunction and then a trial, he sure as hell better be right, because if the league's evidence shows he did contribute the money, he has now lied under oath, which is way more serious than any bounty.

Re: Saints investigated for "Bounty Program"

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2012 8:01 am
by dead_poet
Jonathan Vilma - LB - Saints
The NFL has offered to reduce Saints MLB Jonathan Vilma's year-long suspension to eight games as part of a settlement.

The league, NFLPA, and attorneys for the four suspended Bounty Scandal players have held ongoing settlement talks. To get his suspension cut in half, Vilma would have to drop his defamation of character civil suit against commissioner Roger Goodell. With another court appearance scheduled for Friday, there could be a resolution as soon as this week. Vilma's possible reduction could lead to shorter suspensions for Saints DE Will Smith (four games), Packers DT Anthony Hargrove (eight games), and Browns LB Scott Fujita (three games). Vilma has undergone three left knee surgeries since November, so there's still no guarantee he'd be available to play in 2012.

Re: Saints investigated for "Bounty Program"

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2012 11:08 am
by PurpleMustReign
dead_poet wrote:Jonathan Vilma - LB - Saints
The NFL has offered to reduce Saints MLB Jonathan Vilma's year-long suspension to eight games as part of a settlement.

The league, NFLPA, and attorneys for the four suspended Bounty Scandal players have held ongoing settlement talks. To get his suspension cut in half, Vilma would have to drop his defamation of character civil suit against commissioner Roger Goodell. With another court appearance scheduled for Friday, there could be a resolution as soon as this week. Vilma's possible reduction could lead to shorter suspensions for Saints DE Will Smith (four games), Packers DT Anthony Hargrove (eight games), and Browns LB Scott Fujita (three games). Vilma has undergone three left knee surgeries since November, so there's still no guarantee he'd be available to play in 2012.

this sucks. He is lucky he isn't getting a lifetime ban.

Re: Saints investigated for "Bounty Program"

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 2:56 pm
by dead_poet
In a stunning development, players suspended for their roles in the Saints' 2009-2011 Bounty Scandal have had their bans overturned on appeal.

Perhaps the most notable suspension lifted is RE Will Smith's. The Saints' best pass rusher will be able to start Sunday against the Redskins. Browns SLB Scott Fujita and Saints MLB Jonathan Vilma, among others, are now eligible to play football. Vilma has been away from the Saints rehabbing from knee surgeries, so it's unclear how much time he'll need to get back into the swing of things. Smith's return will make life quite a bit more difficult on Redskins rookie Robert Griffin III. Coaches Sean Payton and Joe Vitt, and GM Mickey Loomis' suspensions will remain intact.
Related: Scott Fujita, Jonathan Vilma
Source: Adam Schefter on Twitter Sep 7 - 3:35 PM

Re: Saints investigated for "Bounty Program"

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 4:17 pm
by NextQuestion
Sucks. I hope every visiting team chants bounty gate the entire time.

Re: Saints investigated for "Bounty Program"

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 8:24 pm
by glg
Vilma's getting a little ahead of himself in declaring victory here.

This was a ruling as an appeal through the CBA, not the federal courts, which have now suspended proceedings pending further action by the NFL.

It seems that the appeals panel (2 retired federal judges and a law professor) decided that Goodell shouldn't have heard the appeals himself. Rather, under the CBA, the appeals should have gone to the Special Master. So, they vacated the punishment. Despite what Mr. Vilma would like you to believe, they did not make a ruling on the merits of the NFL's case.

Goodell will now suspend them again (but unlikely to happen before this week's games), they'll appeal again, and it'll go before the Special Master. This will take at least a few weeks, during which time, they'll be able to play.