Comments on: Vilma files appeal of yearlong suspension

By: foul83

foul83 — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:59:45 +0000

Good. The players shouldn’t get any more than 4 games. They were just doing what they were told by their employer.

Slapping the coaches, gm and owner makes more sense for the harsh penalties. In other words, attack the head.

By: bigjdve

bigjdve — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:47:57 +0000

We may not have seen the evidence, however the NFL says there is.

There are a couple interesting parts to this.

1. Vilma, his lawyer, and the PA aren’t stating that Goodell is wrong. They are saying that he shouldn’t be able to hear the appeal.

2. Last year during the lockout, there was alot of complaints from the players with regards to the fact that Goodell got to hear the appeals. However that being stated, those same players went and signed the CBA that allowed him to keep that power.

3. Since the PA and players all gave Goodell that power, they can’t complain that he has it now. They should’ve thought about that then. They have a contract now.

By: cwmorga

cwmorga — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:38:37 +0000

@stopyourlies says: May 7, 2012 12:31 PM

Is it the word “literally” or “executioner” that you have trouble with? I promise that literally no one will actually be executed.

@mike83ri says: May 7, 2012 12:29 PM

Goodell doesn’t execute anyone, so literally doesn’t mean what you think it means.
——————————

An executioner is “1. one who executes”.

Execute means “1. to carry out; accomplish: to execute a plan or order.”

So yes, as I said before, he is LITERALLY the judge, jury, and executioner. Thanks for playing though.

By: booker1974

booker1974 — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:17:12 +0000

There’s still no evidence of a true bounties, only “pay for performance” for big plays and turnovers, which the players and coaches have admitted to. The “bounties” on Favre and Warner are reportedly based on a locker room gag in which Williams gave Vilma $10000 to offer for Warner, and then repeated naming Favre the next week. Locker room theatrics — the money was immediately given back to Williams and was never paid out, and at least Vilma, if not other, if not everyone, understood it wasn’t sincere. Payton caught wind and told them to stop — notice there is no allegation of a bounty against Peyton Manning in the Super Bowl. The “bounties” on Rodgers and Newton are based on emails from Mike Ornstein to Payton that Ornstein said were jokes and Payton said he never read.

This is a witch hunt out of Monty Python.

“The Saints turned me into a newt!”

“A newt?”

“I got better.”

“Burn them anyway!”

By: bucfandango

bucfandango — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:14:35 +0000

Putin just won another re-election where he was the only one on the ballot. His people also counted all of the ballots to ensure fairness. Democracy at work.

By: andyreidisarrogantandfat

andyreidisarrogantandfat — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:59:09 +0000

The day of the appeals hearing:

Ok Mr. Vilma the appeals committe , I mean Mr Goddell, will see you now.

Vilma: Thanks for hearing my appeal Mr……

RG: No. Leave.

Vilma: Allrighty then. thanks for your time sir.

Get a real system in place to hear these appeals. this is a complete joke. He has way too much power. The league will regret this at some point sooner than later.

By: tropicpurple

tropicpurple — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:59:06 +0000

The commissioner as this power because the players gave it to him in the CBA.

By: blackcatsluck

blackcatsluck — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:58:13 +0000

Vilma just wants the list of names so he can start applying the price tags.

By: dublindemonszfl

dublindemonszfl — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:56:40 +0000

Hey Vilma, I hear Bryant McKinnie knows where you can get a loan. Will 4 million get you thru the year?

By: bchapman2011

bchapman2011 — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:49:46 +0000

Taking a full season away from a 30 year old player is too extreme. The coaches that implemented the system should be judged harsher and Payton received a year. I would give Vilma 1/2 or 3/4 of a season.

By: cantonbound13

cantonbound13 — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:49:05 +0000

He & Greg Williams should be banned for life.

By: goodolebaghead

goodolebaghead — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:48:51 +0000

1. No proof it ever took place before Aug4th. If you don’t know the importance of that date, you shouldn’t bother posting since you don’t know all the details in this case.

2. The NFLPA doesn’t protect players bodies or players from other players. It is strictly there to represent the players from a financial stand point and to help protect them from the league’s attempts at collusion.

Everyday there’s someone on here posting dumb statements, unaware of these facts.

By: mitchdms

mitchdms — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:48:37 +0000

The NFLPA has clearly read the CBA since that is exactly the grounds under which they are challenging Goodell’s authority. Everyone seems to thing that the CBA provides Goodell unlimited authority over every matter. There are limits built into the CBA, and that is what the NFLPA is saying. The argument that they signed it so they should shut up doesn’t really hold much water in this case.

Anyway, I’d hope that if accused of wrongdoing and potentially losing our jobs, any one of us would expect to have an opportunity to see and discuss the evidence that led to the decision. It is really simple fairness. You don’t have to believe Vilma to believe in that.

By: jpmelon

jpmelon — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:41:57 +0000

The NFL policy book is not the constitution. The NFL is a business and it has it’s own policies that the players agree to adhere to when they agree to become employees of their respective clubs.

The lawyer might be setting everything up for a future lawsuit, but the NFL does not need to share their evidence or provide Vilma with anything other than the punishment and the option to appeal the punishment. If Vilma doesn’t like the way the NFL does business, there is nothing that stopped him from signing a contract within the UFL instead.

By: bozorocks

bozorocks — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:40:42 +0000

“The names and identification of all persons interviewed by the NFL”

In other words, he wants to know who rated him out.

By: crubenst

crubenst — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:37:10 +0000

Its clear Vilma just wants names so he can try to intimidate his accusers and maybe call them “rats” like Warren Sapp. This is a privately run company, not the USA, so due process is not applicable. Vilma is not going to jail, he’s being suspended from work. And there are “whistle blower” laws which actually protect the guys who came forward. Goodell might actually get into legal trouble by giving Vilma the names.

By: stopyourlies

stopyourlies — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:31:44 +0000

“He’s quite literally the judge, jury, and executioner.”

Is it the word “literally” or “executioner” that you have trouble with? I promise that literally no one will actually be executed.

By: mike83ri

mike83ri — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:29:12 +0000

cwmorga says:
May 7, 2012 12:07 PM
@nyyjetsknicks says: May 7, 2012 11:54 AM

Because he hears the appeals. He’s quite literally the judge, jury, and executioner.

———————

Goodell doesn’t execute anyone, so literally doesn’t mean what you think it means.

By: purplegreenandgold

purplegreenandgold — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:28:28 +0000

thejuddstir says:
May 7, 2012 12:04 PM

I could tolerate the constant stories about Brett Favre retiring or not retiring better than these crybaby Taints. They got caught, take your medicine like the man you “claim to be”. I think it’s time for the NFL and Goodell to tell the entire Taints organization that “enough is enough, you keep whining and crying like the beatches you are and we are going to start increasing the suspensions and fines”. It is time for the NFL to bring the hammer DOWN!
===================================
im no doctor but have you maybe thought about not reading every story that appears about the saints and then commenting on every story that appears about the saints. by the way the nfl has already gave the ruling on the matter and its in the appeal state right now.

By: cakemixa

cakemixa — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:28:03 +0000

I wish I could have seen all the proof that most of you commenting against the Saints have obviously seen to be so sure about this.

By: jimyritz

jimyritz — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:27:26 +0000

Love the bitching about Goodell’s power and the rules…Next time read the CBA….

No different than the Franchise tag–the players hate it–Hello, you voted for it…

if you don’t like it go wash cars….

By: azcard

azcard — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:21:07 +0000

cwmorga says:
May 7, 2012 12:07 PM
@nyyjetsknicks says: May 7, 2012 11:54 AM

How is Goodell a dictator when there is an appeals process?
——————–

Because he hears the appeals. He’s quite literally the judge, jury, and executioner.

___________

however, vilma was invited to meet with goodell before the suspensions came out but opted not to…why not?

By: daysend564

daysend564 — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:20:36 +0000

blsdwnstr says:
May 7, 2012 12:14 PM
There is no evidence the Saints hurt anyone outside the bounds of the rules
===========================
Thats just because their defense was just that bad. They tried their damnedess, but failed.

By: mornelithe

mornelithe — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:16:16 +0000

Guess maybe there are a few people in the NFLPA who probably should have read the CBA they were signing. Oh well, every player, guilty or innocent appeals a punishment, this is no different.

By: nyyjetsknicks

nyyjetsknicks — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:15:29 +0000

cwmorga says:
May 7, 2012 12:07 PM
@nyyjetsknicks says: May 7, 2012 11:54 AM

How is Goodell a dictator when there is an appeals process?
——————–

Because he hears the appeals. He’s quite literally the judge, jury, and executioner.

__________________

Yup, I look like an idiot now… Lol

By: blsdwnstr

blsdwnstr — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:14:12 +0000

There is no evidence the Saints hurt anyone outside the bounds of the rules

By: purplegreenandgold

purplegreenandgold — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:11:57 +0000

no matter what anyone thinks and says this is purely the first step in the process… before you can move on to the next phase(if you can)you must appeal to the commish. nothing more nothing less. will this appeal get a different ruling “no” however its part A of the process.

By: desertviking64

desertviking64 — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:11:04 +0000

“No soup for you!, Come back one year!”

By: thejuddstir

thejuddstir — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:08:32 +0000

I also think it’s a conflict for the NFLPA to involve themselves in representing a handful of players who have attempted to harm the rest of the players who belong to the NFLPA. You hear the players talk about wanting more player safety but then they balk at the NFL trying to penalize the worst offenders. They want to have their cake and eat it too and it’s not gonna work that way. In essence, the rest of the players of NFLPA are paying their dues to the union for the union to represent a few players who were paid to assault them………go figure.

By: cwmorga

cwmorga — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:07:13 +0000

@nyyjetsknicks says: May 7, 2012 11:54 AM

How is Goodell a dictator when there is an appeals process?
——————–

Because he hears the appeals. He’s quite literally the judge, jury, and executioner.