Vilma walks out of appeal with Goodell - NFL

Halo · 06-18-2012, 11:53 AM

Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma walked out of a hearing with the NFL on appeal of his year long suspension saying, "the process is not fair."

Vilma's attorney, Peter Ginsberg, says the NFL requested an adjournment to Monday afternoon, but he and Vilma refused. Ginsberg says Commissioner Roger Goodell failed to present the evidence on which he based his decision to impose the player's suspension.

Vilma says he doesn't know how he can get a fair hearing when Goodell is "judge, jury and executioner."

From WWL.com

UPDATE FROM USA TODAY - The three other suspended players Scott Fujita, Anthony Hargrove and Will Smith arrived at roughly 10 a.m. with NFLPA lawyers Tom DePaso and Richard Smith. The three players hustled past media without comment but issued a statement via email 10 minutes prior to arriving:

We have purportedly been disciplined by the Commissioner for alleged activities that the National Football League has grossly misrepresented to the public.

We are in attendance today not because we recognize the Commissioner's jurisdiction to adjudicate regarding these specious allegations, but because we believe the League would attempt to publicly mischaracterize our refusal to attend. We will not address the substance of the NFL's case because this is not the proper venue for adjudication, and there has been no semblance of due process afforded to us.

As veteran players of 11, 9 and 9 years in this League, we are profoundly disappointed with the NFL's conduct in this matter. We know what the NFL has publicly said we did, and the Commissioner has chosen to try to punish us and disparage our characters based on semantics, not facts. Words are cheap and power is fleeting.

Shame on the National Football League and Commissioner Goodell for being more concerned about 'convicting' us publicly than being honorable and fair to men who have dedicated their professional lives to playing this game with honor.

From USA TODAY

06-18-2012, 11:53 AM	#1
Halo Site Donor MONTHLY Join Date: May 2002 Location: New Orleans, LA Posts: 20,860 Blog Entries: 45	Vilma walks out of appeal with Goodell - NFL Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma walked out of a hearing with the NFL on appeal of his year long suspension saying, "the process is not fair." Vilma's attorney, Peter Ginsberg, says the NFL requested an adjournment to Monday afternoon, but he and Vilma refused. Ginsberg says Commissioner Roger Goodell failed to present the evidence on which he based his decision to impose the player's suspension. Vilma says he doesn't know how he can get a fair hearing when Goodell is "judge, jury and executioner." From WWL.com UPDATE FROM USA TODAY - The three other suspended players Scott Fujita, Anthony Hargrove and Will Smith arrived at roughly 10 a.m. with NFLPA lawyers Tom DePaso and Richard Smith. The three players hustled past media without comment but issued a statement via email 10 minutes prior to arriving: We have purportedly been disciplined by the Commissioner for alleged activities that the National Football League has grossly misrepresented to the public. We are in attendance today not because we recognize the Commissioner's jurisdiction to adjudicate regarding these specious allegations, but because we believe the League would attempt to publicly mischaracterize our refusal to attend. We will not address the substance of the NFL's case because this is not the proper venue for adjudication, and there has been no semblance of due process afforded to us. As veteran players of 11, 9 and 9 years in this League, we are profoundly disappointed with the NFL's conduct in this matter. We know what the NFL has publicly said we did, and the Commissioner has chosen to try to punish us and disparage our characters based on semantics, not facts. Words are cheap and power is fleeting. Shame on the National Football League and Commissioner Goodell for being more concerned about 'convicting' us publicly than being honorable and fair to men who have dedicated their professional lives to playing this game with honor. From USA TODAY Attached Thumbnails
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