Jonathan Vilma sues Roger Goodell
 

NEW ORLEANS -- Suspended Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma has filed a defamation lawsuit against NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.


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The lawsuit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in New Orleans claims Goodell has made false statements about Vilma while discussing the NFL's bounty investigation of the New Orleans Saints.

Goodell has said Vilma was a leader of the team's bounty program that put up thousands of dollars for bounties on opposing team's star players, including on then-Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner and then-Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre during the 2009-10 playoffs.

Goodell has also suspended Vilma for the entire season. Vilma and three other players who received shorter suspensions all have appealed their punishments.

Vilma denies putting up money to knock any player out of a game.

His lawsuit asks for unspecified monetary damages.

New Orleans Saints' Jonathan Vilma sues commissioner Roger Goodell for defamation - ESPN

Related article.
Vilma sues Goodell for defamation | ProFootballTalk

Oh my... Time to put up or shut up Goodell. Lay your cards on the table and show us that you have more proof than just hearsay from a disgruntled former employee. If he doesn't then I don't see how he can be allowed to remain commish.

HELL TO THE YES! Go get his ass Vilma!

WOW... finally someone takes action!!!

now it gets fun.
:broccoli::broccoli::broccoli::broccoli::broccoli::broccoli::broccoli::broccoli:

nfl has to provide the proof in court, love it!
:lightsabres:

two thumbs up.
:itsgood:

The suit demands a trial by jury, as well, which is his right. I am so loving this!!!

Out frikin standing! I think the citizens of the state, especially New Orleans should file a lawsuit. Goodell's claims & statements about our team, which represents us & is identified with the city & it's citizens, have defamed us as a state, a city & has cast a shadow over the Super Bowl being hosted by New Orleans. I'm certain there is more than one lawyer who would be willing to represent us in a glass action suit.

It is time for us to fight back! Let's get the ball rollong now!

class action suit by the fans? remember we paid for the saints based on income the saints bring to the city. now the nfl is damaging the revenue the state can obtain. we do have the right to protect our tax based investment

any lawyers out there?

what is it 250 sigs to get the ball rolling

Sue he his A**!

This is awesome. I think the new name for this will be call GoodellGate!

or PettyBSGate

or IfalsifiedinfoGate

For your reading enjoyment: Vilma v. Goodell

Ohhhhh, and the jury will be from Louisiana, I take it? :) :) :) Way to go, JV! I think all players need to follow suit and sue him. I wonder how many lawsuits we could rack up on Goodell?

Give Vilma an Orange Wig.

Think I'm moving to Louisiana just for the odds of being picked on the jury! Bet Goodell will use the "I can't get a fair trial in New Orleans" bit....

And you would win that bet! He will use that. Fortunately he won't get a fair trail in New York either which would be an equaliser.

Good. He will be forced to submit his evidence just like every other citizen. I hope all the people who made statements and thought they would be protected feel like they are hiding behind a garbage can lid right now.

I wonder how much the unspecified monetary damages are?

All I can say is, DOUBLE DOWN, show your cards! Somebody is going to get bodyslammed in the court of public opinion:

Either -


Why do I get the feeling it's going to be a little lying and a little truth on both sides...............but the Commissioner should never lie about stuff like this EVER, not even a little bit.

:lightsabres:

Documents say he's asking for trial by jury and the court will decide the amount to be paid. Any which way about it, it must be over $75,000 to be in federal court.

Doesn't Vilma have to prove that it hurt him in someway to win? Like losing his job? :doh:

I read the documents, sounds like sponsors are dropping Vilma.
That's most likely the case.

I also think that losing (forfeiting) an entire year of pay on a multi-million dollar contract can pretty much be considered "hurt" even for a millionaire.

lets all sue him

As fans we should have the right to know why they're taking one of our key players off the field. Somebody else said that somewhere, and while I realize it's a bit over the top, I pretty much agree. If I were a season ticket holder I'd be even more pissed than I am from our here on the west coast. Seriously.

Thats right Roger...

Vilma wants...
One
Billion
Dollars!!!


http://collider.com/uploads/imageGal...tin_powers.jpg

About time Vilma get his ass out the NFL

I hope Vilma is going after 10-20X the amount his contract would be worth plus any bonuses...

Let the comissioner ask for a move (as long as it stays in Louisiana).

Finally. I wonder Why it took this long, I guess they wanted to wait till Goodell dug his grave.

Timing is EVERYTHING! Just when you thought it would die down, a big crap burger is delivered to Roger Goodell's house.

Notice the sounds of silence in the media.... that's the sound of jaws dropping to the ground...
http://th1197.photobucket.com/albums...h_jaw_drop.gif

Beat me to it ... LOL:bng:

I am tickled to death that he did this. Never, ever go down without a fight.

This is a funny response by ESPN ... as iterated by John Clayton

an attention grabber?!?!?! LOL

I'm lovin' it!!! :razz:

Jonathan Vilma will always be known as THE MAN WHO CHANGED THE WAY THE NFL DOES BUSINESS. After this, the commissioner will be required to meet with the player and verify proof of a violation BEFORE he publicly accuses him. This new fair system imposed will be known as "The Vilma Rule" and other players will have him to thank. Some of the people here posting should actually consider that Vilma didn't do what Goodell said before they spout off about him. Vilma knows there's no evidence, because he knows he didn't do what was claimed. Everyone who knows him says he's a man of integrity and he's proving it.

thanks vill, i think u have this man. goodell already looks ghostly. meaning u will be a ghost buster.

Goodell has to prove his statements are supported by fact. He will have to comply with discovery rules, which are fairly liberal in civil actions. Any leagu communication is fair game, and they will get to depose anyone, and ask anything that could be remotely relevant to the action. This is going to be a disaster for goodell and the nfl.

But how long will this take. Is the END of the Goodell Wall !!!

This is the best news I've had all day. It's 06:53 here in Germany. Nothing can top that today. Unlessssss. You know.

thanks Vilma for making my day

What a turn of events!!!!!

Great thing to have happened. That Black guy on ESPN is a total idiot. Who is going to throw their teammates or coaches under the bus. This guy is an example of becomming part of the rulling class after you have relatively made it. Vilma should make a whipping boy out of him bet he wouldn't call Vilma a coward to his face Vilma would make a fool out of him and have a lot more choice words to see if he really wanted to back that up. He is the coward. Now we will get to the truth unless they totally black us out.