StarCaps update Mar 4
 

Judge swiftly denies NFL effort to return to federal court in StarCaps case
by Mike Florio
March 4, 2010 4:16 PM ET


Folks often complain that the justice system moves slowly. On Thursday, the speed of one Minnesota federal court properly should conjure visions of geese and grease.

A reader forwarded to us the Associated Press item from WCCO regarding the NFL's efforts to take the StarCaps case back to federal court. The blurb bore a time stamp of 1:41 p.m. CT, less than two hours before this posting.

So I wrote up our own item on the unexpected development, after sending out requests for more info to the NFL and attorney Peter Ginsberg, who represents Vikings defensive tackles Pat and Kevin Williams.

Per Ginsberg, Judge Paul Magnuson already has denied the NFL's request.

More:Judge swiftly denies NFL effort to return to federal court in StarCaps case | ProFootballTalk.com

NFL should let this go away. They were totally wrong by not listing StarCaps as banned. They won't of course, but they should.

Re: StarCaps update Mar 4
 

Does this mean that Will Smith will not be suspended for the first 4 games of the 2010 season?

I hope so. Goddell has already said that he will not treat Smith any different than the Williams.

Re: StarCaps update Mar 4
 

I think a suspension is still possible for Smith. Hard to tell.

Re: StarCaps update Mar 4
 

I think that would be the case. Goodell has already set the precedent and tied the two together when he said that they should and will receive equal treatment.

Re: StarCaps update Mar 4
 

UPDATE: Mar 6
Reporters escape StarCaps subpoeanas, so far | ProFootballTalk.com

Reporters escape StarCaps subpoeanas, so far
Posted by Mike Florio on March 6, 2010 3:32 PM ET
When the Minnesota court that is presiding over the StarCaps litigation recently ruled that Vikings defensive tackles Pat and Kevin Williams will have the ability to prove that the NFL violated state law by leaking the fact that they had tested positive for a banned substance, the reporters who broke the story immediately came into focus.

The best way to establish the source of the leak is to grill the person to whom the information was leaked. In this case, they were Jay Glazer of FOX and Josina Anderson of FOX31 in Denver.

But Brian Murphy of the St. Paul Pioneer Press has advised us that neither Glazer nor Anderson appear on the witness list submitted by the Williamses. This means that their lawyers either are confident they can prove the information through other means or that they realize that the reporters are likely to choose sitting in jail over spilling their guts.

Of course, it's possible that the league will call Glazer and/or Anderson, especially since one possible defense to the claim of breached confidentiality is that the information came from the NFL Players Association -- an intriguing concept that, if true, could have ramifications in the ongoing labor tussle.

Regardless of which persons testify and what they say, the confidentiality allegation represents an intriguing piece of a compelling case that goes to trial on Monday.

Re: StarCaps update Mar 4
 

What up with Will Smith ??? suspended 4 games 2010