A three-person appeals panel on Friday struck down the tough suspensions handed out by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to four current or former Saints players for the roles the league said they played in the team's bounty program, clearing the way for their participation in this weekend's season-opening games. While the players' immediate reaction made the ruling seem like a knockout blow to the NFL's allegations - suspended Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma tweeted: "Victory is mine!!!!" - the league made clear it was more of a technical knockout as the panel referred the matter back to Goodell and didn't make any determination on the accuracy of the allegations. The Times-Picayune obtained a memo sent by NFL executive vice president Jeffrey Pash to all team chief executives and club presidents re-affirming the league's stance on its findings for the Saints' alleged bounty scandal. the NFL stood firm with its findings and a decision to re-suspend the four players may come quickly. Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune
lol this whole process is an absolute freaking joke if they can be suspended again. The players really hecked up signing this CBA.
Last I'd heard, they were suspended for conduct detrimental to the team and pay for play. The appeals process for those two charges are different, so the judge favored to the players and told Goodell to choose one or the other. I don't see a way for the players to get out of this.
