Saints bounty suspensions vacated

Berrigan’s decision was based on the fact that Vilma argued that Goodell made statements about him being involved in the Saints’ bounty program in an “individual capacity,” but he was suing Goodell as the commissioner and all statements made by Goodell were connection to the NFL’s investigation. She said that Vilma’s claim was preempted and should be dismissed.

She also said that she was not pleased with the league’s process of investigation and charging players, though.

The NFLPA statement read:

Tagliabue was appointed by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to hear the player appeals after Goodell reissued suspensions that were overturned by an independent arbitration panel overseeing the case as a fiscal matter related to the CBA. The players association asked Tagliabue to recuse himself from hearing the appeal in November over a conflict of interest. The former NFL commissioner refused.

Ginsberg’s statement drives home the news that his client intends to pursue a personal defamation suit against NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. The statement reads:

(h/t Pro Football Talk)

Peter Ginsberg, Vilma’s attorney, confirmed his client’s decision to continue with the suit immediately after Tagliabue’s decision was announced. Breer relayed Ginsberg’s statement via Twitter:

Vilma is suing for damages he claims were done to his personal reputation in the league’s report on the bounty case as well as comments made by Goodell.

This made for one happy Saints quarterback.

An appeal hearing overseen by former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue vacated the discipline for the four players suspended by the NFL for their role in the New Orleans Saints bounty case. The decision, an official ruling on behalf of the NFL, reverses the punishment for Scott Fujita, Anthony Hargrove, Will Smith and Jonathan Vilma.

Tagliabue supported the league’s findings in the case, but noted the role played by the coaches and the Saints organization in a tersely worded statement.

The meeting has been scratched for the time being in part because of delays and complications caused by the storm, Hurricane Sandy, that is bearing down on the East Coast.

Another factor for the meeting’s postponement is the controversy of the suspended players calling for former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue to recuse himself from the hearings. After current commissioner Roger Goodell recused himself from hearing the appeals, Tagliabue took his place, but the players are contesting he has a conflict of interest as well.

The Players Association has asked for a response from Tagliabue over the issues raised. The union also dangled the possibility of further legal action if the matter was not resolved.

Goodell succeeded Tagliabue as the league’s commissioner. The commissioner recused himself from the matter last Friday at the request of the NFLPA, appointing Tagliabue to take his place.

Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue will oversee the latest round of appeals after Roger Goodell recused himself. Hearings are scheduled for Oct. 30 at a location that has not yet been determined.

DeMaurice Smith, executive director of the NFLPA, revealed the news Friday afternoon. The NFL later confirmed:

Goodell explained the decision in the statement released to the media:

However, Canal Street Chronicles wonders if Vilma will actually be ready to play come Sunday’s 1 p.m. kickoff:

A poll currently on Canal Street Chronicles asked fans whether they think Vilma will actually play Sunday. As of 1:20 p.m. ET on Monday, 84 voted “Yes” and 83 voted “No.”

Vilma also filed a motion Monday in a Louisiana court to vacate his suspension, which was originally supposed to last all season.

Vilma, 30, played in 11 games for the Saints last season. The linebacker racked up 39 solo tackles and 18 more assisted tackles. He also had four fumble recoveries, including one that went for a touchdown.

Breer also tweeted that the players were avoiding the enforcement of the appeals, and that the latest appeals were a stopgap solution.

Hargrove, if he finds a team, faces a reduced two-game suspension, Fujita’s penalty was reduced to a single game from three, Smith’s suspension stayed at four games and Vilma remains out for the season, though his status on the PUP list will now allow him to collect a paycheck.

Fujita’s statement was aggressively critical of the Goodell’s reasoning for what remains of his punishment -- that he didn’t report former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams to the league:

Fujita didn’t stop there: He expounded on the very issue Goodell is using to advance the Bounty Gate suspensions -- player safety -- with a laundry list of accusations against the commissioner that Fujita believes are detrimental to the health of current players:

The NFLPA responded in scathing fashion to the ruling, insisting that the players are innocent. Furthermore, the association says that the players who have been suspended are having their rights as players infringed upon, and that the league has a vendetta against the players.

The union vows to look into options to fight the ruling and continue to act in the interest of the players suspended.

The NFL was prepared to suspend each of the players until the players appeal made Goodell go back to the table on discipline.

The issue went back to the NFL commissioner for further consideration and to make sure that the suspensions were handed out on the basis of player conduct rather than accepting payments. Commissioner Roger Goodell has complete jurisdiction over player conduct under the terms of the CBA.

The NFL had sworn affidavits from former Saints officials, including former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, that pinned the players to the actions cited by the NFL. Players were shown that evidence in meetings with Goodell following the CBA panel’s decision.

The players were in New York for face-to-face meetings with Goodell and other NFL officials to discuss the suspensions and fines that were recently lifted by an appeals panel. The two players were at the NFL offices for roughly three hours, according to NFL spokesman Greg Aiello.

For more coverage, visit Saints blog Canal Street Chronicles. Stay tuned to SB Nation’s NFL hub for all of your pro football needs.

The meeting, which was to discuss Fujita’s suspension, which had been temporarily overturned, was going to take place in New York City. But Fujita couldn’t make the trip as he continues to rehab a knee injury.

Another option to meet was considered. Another tweet from La Canfora:

According to a report from Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, Williams indicated that he altered and revamped an extant pay-for-performance program and that his system never paid players for injuring specific opponents or for hits that resulted in penalties. The former Saints defensive coordinator stated that no illegal hits were rewarded, even if they were mistakenly called by referees. He also testified in the document that specific players were never targeted. Williams signed the affidavit for the NFL as the league prepared for meetings with the four players initially suspended for the bounty scandal.

For more coverage, visit Saints blog Canal Street Chronicles. Stay tuned to SB Nation’s NFL hub for all of your pro football needs.

Vilma took to Twitter to call into question the veracity of the Williams affidavit, imploring his followers to “do the math” and compare his nine sworn affidavits which directly conflict with the one in question. He then fired off the tweet saying Williams was bullied into signing it on Friday:

Vilma’s attorney, Peter Ginsberg, also came out in the media and claimed the allegations by Williams were false:

Related: Can Spagnuolo Save the Saints from Slow Start?

The panel’s decision rests on the little matter of undisclosed compensation that the players were said to have received as part of the Saints’ bounty program. The role of the commissioner in handed down discipline for conduct was untouched by the ruling. It also reaffirmed that the league’s case against the players still stood.

Here is the statement from the NFL:

According to NFL.com, both sides are very open to the meeting.

“We have accepted Commissioner Goodell’s invitation to meet with him to share information and hopefully resolve this matter appropriately,” Vilma’s lawyer, Peter Ginsberg, said Tuesday.

Pamphilon was also questioned about his love for the game of football. He says that what he is trying to do is help make the game safer than it already is.

For more on the Saints, head over to Canal Street Chronicles. This Storystream has all the updates from the entire Bountygate case.