The commissioner feels strongly about the merits of the investigation and his subsequent punishment and intends to oblige the arbitration panel's request for an expedited decision, sources said, one that is very likely to come this week. Will Smith and Jonathan Vilma of the Saints, and Scott Fujita of the Browns are eligible to play Sunday, while the fourth suspended player, Anthony Hargrove, is a free agent at this time following his release by Green Bay. The likelihood of those penalties changing much is small. Goodell will provide the clarification on the initial player discipline, and detail how much of that determinaton was based on the salary-cap issues involved, and those matters pursuant to Artile 14 of the collective bargaining agreement, which are under the domain of the system arbitrator and not the commissioner. The league has also taken note of the fact that Stephen Burbank, the system arbitrator, noted in his rulings in the past this is not primarily a salary cap issu and, while players have complained about the fairness of this process, the fact that the suspended players were granted an opportunity to get game checks and play in Week 1 serves as a victory for them, but from the NFL standpoint, that's also being seen as a positive in that the process itself is clearly mindful of both parties. Source: CBS Sports
when I try to follow what the NFL says it is all double speak. Just ready for all this to be over either way.
guess lawyers and politicians both learn that way of talking. Both can talk for hours and not say a damn thing.
