NFL: Saints Bounty Thread

[RFlagg]

(07-01-2012 03:52 PM)Drathdon Wrote:  15 days left to sign a deal for Brees.

Tick...tick...tick...
Tick...tick...tick...

Looks like other players hit with the tag this year aren't happy with Brees.

Quote:If the Saints aren’t treating franchise-tagged quarterback Drew Brees with good faith, then other franchise players could argue that their respective teams have opted to defecate on their respective foreheads.

Len Pasquarelli of the Sports Xchange has gathered quotes from unnamed franchise players and/or their unnamed agents regarding their reaction to Brees’ contention that the Saints’ failure to sign him to a long-term deal traces to his role in last year’s CBA talks.

Said one franchise player: “Nothing against Drew, but he’s kind of become [the union's] fair-haired boy.” The agent for another franchise player said the NFLPA has been treating Brees “like some kind of a Messiah or something.”

As we pointed out recently, the Saints have offered on multiple occasions long-term deals that would make Brees the highest-paid player in the history of the game. Meanwhile, franchise players like Ravens running back Ray Rice and Bears running back Matt Forte have gotten nowhere, with their teams possibly intent on requiring them to play the 2012 season under the franchise tag.

Other franchise players waiting for long-term deals that may or may not come before the July 16 deadline are Chiefs receiver Dwayne Bowe, Lions defensive end Cliff Avril, Jaguars kicker Josh Scobee, and Broncos kicker Matt Prater.

Lost in Brees’ beef with the Saints is that the Saints, like any other team, have the right to squat on the player’s rights under the franchise tag and not sign him to a long-term deal. Although, technically, it would be a violation of the labor deal if the Saints specifically refuse to sign Brees to a long-term deal because of his union activities, the NFLPA would need pretty strong proof of malicious intent, when the Saints are otherwise acting fully and completely within their rights.

The good news for Brees is that at least one person — Pasquarelli — is buying the story that Brees had nothing to do with the NFLPA’s effort to claim that the Saints are trying to stick it to their star quarterback. Pasquarelli may be the only one who falls within that specific category.

[TeamPlayer1]

(07-01-2012 03:52 PM)Drathdon Wrote:  15 days left to sign a deal for Brees.

Tick...tick...tick...
Tick...tick...tick...

All of the taints fans are on their knees chanting "Breesus, Breesus dear Breesus! HA! HA! HA!

[RFlagg]

And Vilma has filed ANOTHER suit against Goodell.

Quote:Saints LB Jonathan Vilma files another lawsuit, NFL calls it 'improper'


In May, shortly after Roger Goodell suspended Jonathan Vilma for the 2012 season for his role in the Saints bounty scandal, the New Orleans linebacker filed a defamation lawsuit against the NFL commissioner.

It's been nearly two weeks since Vilma and his lawyer walked out of a grievance hearing with Goodell, and Saturday night Vilma filed another lawsuit against the NFL, this time claiming that Goodell failed to make a timely appeal ruling for the Vilma's year-long suspension, the Associated Press reports.

More details via the AP:

The lawsuit … also asks for a temporary restraining order to allow Vilma to continue working if Goodell upholds the suspension. The suit contends Goodell has undermined "the integrity of the NFL and the Commissioner's office" by handing down punishments to Vilma and others based on evidence that is either flawed or cannot be substantiated.

Vilma's latest suit contends that the players accused in the bounty scandal have only seen less than one percent of the 18,000 documents the NFL says it has. The linebacker also suggests that some of the league's evidence is flawed, including typed copies of handwritten notes implicating the players in the pay-for-pay scheme.

"The NFL's alteration of other documents evidences that the NFL cannot substantiate the suspension, and undermines the integrity of the process," Vilma's suit states.

Specifically, the lawsuit asserts that former Saints assistant coach Mike Cerullo had an axe to grind with the organization after he was fired following the 2009 season. Cerullo also allegedly resented that his Super Bowl ring was made with cubic zirconia instead of diamonds. The suit states that Cerullo created the handwritten document "well after the 2009 NFC Championship game and in an effort to gain revenge against the Saints."

There's more: Vilma's suit contends that a "close associate" of Cerullo has confirmed that Cerullo retracted his previous claims about the bounty program "in a communication directly with Goodell that occurred in April 2012." However, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello has denied that any of the key witnesses in the bounty investigation have retracted their statements.

Finally, Vilma says that the league has instructed former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who was suspended indefinitely for his role in the bounty scheme, to not speak with suspended players, coaches, or officials as a condition of his reinstatement at some point in the future.

In an email to ProFootballTalk.com, the league calls Vilma's latest lawsuit "improper."

“We have not yet had an opportunity to review Mr. Vilma's improper effort to litigate a matter that is committed to a collectively bargained process,” Aiello said. “There is no basis for asking a federal court to substitute its judgment for the procedures agreed upon by the NFL and NFLPA, procedures that have been in place, and have served the game well, for decades.”

Personally, I think this is making Vilma look worse and worse.

[Drathdon]

It is becoming more and more clear from the carefully chosen language these players and their reps use that they are guilty. They are just hanging onto the hope that they can get off on a technicality by henpecking every word and whatnot they can, and ignore the overall picture.

"We're suing because you can't prove we did it" is far from "We're suing because we are innocent" and they know it.

[phocis850]

Does anyone care anymore?

[JDaveG]

Really? Vilma thinks this all boils down to a dude who was crying about fake diamonds in his Super Bowl ring?

Really?

[papachaz]

(07-02-2012 10:11 AM)phocis850 Wrote:  Does anyone care anymore?

only from this aspect

"Dear OffSeason,
I LOVE YOU!"

your friend,
Papachaz

[TeamPlayer1]

I feel extreme joy in every pain that a saints fan is feeling. Hate is the most honest emotion and it is never faked.

[mdrake34]

So was Guido banned or has he chosen not to show his face?

[papachaz]

(07-02-2012 05:19 PM)mdrake34 Wrote:  So was Guido banned or has he chosen not to show his face?

from looking at the moderator logs, he hasn't been banned. guess that means either he's ashamed to show his face, he's reorganizing his 'conspiracy' posts, or he's mad at phocis for coming to his board and making fun of them all......but i will say, SHHHHH, don't call the troll back