According to Ed Werder
 

According to a source, the NFLs evidence is based on a lie. Supposedly GW gave Vilma 10k to give to the players, but the money was never handed out. Vilma supposedly gave the money back to GW. Also according to the source, the NFLs investigation is basically a joke and revolves around the NFL trying to accumulate leverage over the NFLPA.

Wow, ain't that some sheet!

It's about to get DEEP!! :popcorn:

Real deep. And I am loving it!!

Bring on the federal judges...

who is Ed Werder?

nm, wiki says he works for ESPN

This has gone so far beyond football. SUE SUE SUE is all I can say. This one-man justice system is out of control. Hell, I'm almost glad the Saints Organization and players will be key in dismantling it!

Yeah, I caught a couple minutes of "NFL Live" earlier when Ed Werder was talking about this source. After they finished reading the quote from whoever this source is, Merril Hoge naturally had to say something snide and stupid. He said "oh so it's a joke that nothing was going on before those two playoff games, but the playoff games didn't matter?"... Or something to that effect. Apparently, this source is saying that there were no bounties in place until the playoffs in '09, at least that's how Werder is reporting it. But Vilma contends that no bounties were ever happening, and when you consider that no one was ever carted off the field, I'm inclined to believe him.

That's where Hoge's comment was stupid, because he's assuming that just because this source says money was supposedly put up, that the players actually took the money and then tried to hurt someone. There is still no evidence of that. Not that any of us have been shown, for sure.

Well Goodell already used the "Destroy the Evidence" card with Sypgate. If there IS evidence he damn well better produce it, and it better be damning. He can't destroy it THIS time. People will say, "Again?"

Nope, it's time to **** or get off the pot Roger. Looks like you're out of TP bro...

Plus the fact that the league never told the Saints PLAYERS that a bounty system was being investigated.

If the league had told the Saints players, especially the defense, that any bounty/pay-for-performance programs were illegal and players involved would be subject to heavy fines and/or suspensions, that would have ended it.

I'm innocent. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

I'm not saying I *believe* this, it's just something I've been kicking around this afternoon....see what you think....but I am starting to wonder if maybe the Vilma with $10,000 thing actually DID kinda happen, in some form or other, a joke or just for show or something, but the "evidence" the league has of it happening, was obtained illegally, without consent, ie. a secret recording, someone in the room wearing a mic or hidden camera, or a Pamphilon-type situation where someone in the room pretended to turn their recorder off and agreed to NOT be recording, but then recorded it anyway... maybe they got security cam footage or audio of the meeting that was obtained without proper permission, or it was given to them by someone who wasn't really supposed to have it, something furtive and secret like that -- which would be in a VERY legal grey area.

Because the league is NOT law enforcement, just like you and me they have to abide by the rules, get permission to record conversations or film, and stuff like that. I mean out on the field, they can film or record anything -- fair game -- but in team meetings? That's kind of murky, what the league or a person really can and can't do, recording or filming players and so forth, or even just being in the room if they're not supposed to be there.

It's just a theory, but IF it were true, it would TOTALLY explain why the league are so FIRM about saying their facts and evidence are correct, but so tight-lipped and secretive about actually releasing it or letting people see it. The obsessively secretive way they've handled this whole thing would make sense then, if the "evidence" they had was all based on something they weren't supposed to have. Just a theory I'm kicking around, who really knows.

I'd be happy to be wrong but IDK, I get a VERY weird feeling from this insistence they have ironclad "evidence" but then not showing it to anybody or even saying what IT is. And saying they have it, but doggedly keeping every shred and whiff of it away from the players' union, THAT is really starting to make them look like the league are "guilty" of something, or hiding something, or there's a problem with the evidence, it's getting really odd and strange now. It's not very transparent, that's for sure.

I mean, we pretty much know by now, that Hargrove's suspension was based solely and totally on that one single (and to me, inconclusive) "Favre is done" comment recorded in the NFC Championship game as their "proof." That was it... You would think they would almost have to have something similar for the other players to be suspended, for an even longer time....the question I'm starting to wonder about is, if by some bizarre fluke it's true or partially true, and they really DO have some kind of ironclad smoking gun on this stuff, how did they obtain it. That may be the hangup here.

Well if this is what they have, its not admissible in court ... so they're screwed anyway.

I am starting to wonder if they have any more "confession's". We just found out today for the first time that Hargrove gave a written confession as to the existence of the pay for performance.

If they have more confessions, it would explain why they are not showing there evidence. Just a thought.

This is a JOKE !

Do you have a link?

I wonder if the league has suspended Williams indefinitely as they have him under the thumb.If he wants to coach again he either has to do/say want the league wants or he has too risk backing the players and union and Hoping that the charges are thrown out.

Yeah, that's exactly what Darren Sharper said on ESPN when they interviewed him yesterday.

Yeah, that's exactly what Darren Sharpers said on ESPN yesterday

I wouldn't be surprised, this whole thing seems like it's been tried in the media & court of public opinion without anything substantial or real to back it up.