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The NFL, which conducted an on/off investigation of the Saints defense's alleged use of a bounty system for three years and reportedly compiled some 5,000 documents in the process, released only 200 of them Friday in a cache that represents what the league plans to use at an appeal hearing Monday in New York. An attorney for Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma and others sources favorable to the players who reviewed the evidence appeared stunned by its paucity. While cautioning not every piece of paper has been reviewed, the sources said the thin packet offered zero evidence Saints defenders maliciously tried to injure opponents between 2009 and 2011 or ran an organized system of bonuses for such sinister play.


Peter Ginsberg, left, the lawyer for Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma, says Roger Goodell 'made a dreadful mistake' in suspending his client.
The NFL said it had fully complied with the evidentiary rules of its collective bargaining agreement and declined further comment. The league had no obligation Friday to make public any evidence it doesn't plan to present Monday.

There does appear to be evidence the Saints engaged in activity that violates the collective bargaining agreement's rules on compensation, a charge consistent with the sort of pay-for-performance scheme the Saints have acknowledged existed. But the dearth of compelling evidence on the much more serious charges shouldn't come as a complete surprise because that was always an illusion, according to New York litigator Peter Ginsberg. He will represent Vilma, suspended without pay for the 2012 season, at Monday's hearing and in his federal defamation lawsuit filed in New Orleans against NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

To Ginsberg, the scant dossier made sense. He said it clearly buttresses the argument the Saints bounty scandal is a miscarriage of justice. In particular, the fact the NFL reportedly didn't offer a piece of evidence supporting its claim Vilma offered $10,000 to any teammate who took out an opposing quarterback in the 2009 playoffs is proof, not that the NFL is withholding, but that is has nothing.

"There could be nothing credible about that because it never happened," Ginsberg said.

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