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Jonathan Vilma, the New Orleans Saints' middle linebacker who has been a central figure in the bounty scandal which has embroiled the franchise and the NFL since the league brought the allegations to light in March, revealed on his Twitter feed Wednesday evening that ESPN is working on a "character study" of Vilma and suspended defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.




New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma talks with the media at a press conference on Thursday, July 28, 2011 at the Saints training facility in Metairie.

Williams is indefinitely suspended by the NFL for organizing and administering a pay-for-performance bounty program during his tenure with the Saints from 2009-11. Vilma originally was suspended for the season by the league but earlier this month a three-person panel lifted that suspension - likely just a temporary reprieve - and sent the matter back to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

On Wednesday night Vilma posted a photo of a letter sent to one of his former teammates with the New York Jets from an ESPN producer asking for an interview about Vilma. The letter said the sports network was preparing a "character study" of Vilma and Williams that would run this weekend. The post included the producer's email account and phone number.

The central allegation against Vilma is that during the playoffs following the 2009 season - which ended with the Saints winning the first Super Bowl in franchise history - that Vilma offered $10,000 to any Saints player that knocked Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner out of the divisional playoff game. The NFL said that offer was repeated in the NFC championship game when the Saints played the Minnesota Vikings and quarterback Brett Favre. The league last week released affidavits from Williams and former Saints defensive assistant Mike Cerullo backing those allegations and others raised in the league's investigation.

Both quarterbacks took a severe beating from the Saints but finished the games. Vilma has disputed the allegations and has filed a defamation suit against Goodell in U.S. District Court in New Orleans.

While Vilma is eligible to play he is currently on the physically unable to perform list. The Saints have started the season 0-3 and have the worst run defense in the NFL.

Three other current or former players also were suspended by the league - defensive end Will Smith (four games), Browns linebacker Scott Fujita (three games) and free agent defensive tackle Anthony Hargrove (eight games). Those suspensions also have been lifted by the appeals panel - likely just a temporary situation as Goodell will be able to reinstitute the penalties if he chooses.

Several weeks ago ESPN's "Outside the Lines" ran a lengthy and rather unfavorable - if not particularly insightful - profile of suspended Saints Coach Sean Payton. Earlier this spring, the same ESPN reporter/producer who did the piece on Payton filed a report alleging that Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis had the ability to listen in on the communications of opposing teams when they played in the Superdome prior to Hurricane Katrina. The Dome was seriously damaged during the storm and its aftermath and underwent a massive renovation.

The Louisiana State Police recently called a press conference to announce they found no violations in their investigation of the allegation.

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WhoDat!656

Classic, "Throw it against the wall and see if anything sticks!" reporting!

Shoe.

In other words, ESPN's general M.O.

Has Benson/Loomis sued them yet over the wire tapping BS?

Can't wait till Benson starts selling cars out of ESPN HQ

SmashMouth

ESPN’s Attempt at Jonathan Vilma Character Study Fails after Vilma Finds Out


With all the hype about the terrible replacement refs, it seems as if everyone forgot about the other NFL drama the last couple weeks. Well the New Orleans Saints just welcomed themselves back into the news thanks to Jonathan Vilma.
Except it isn’t completely Vilma’s fault. Allegedly ESPN’s “Feature Producer,” Barry Abrams has contacted NFL players via mail, asking if they would be interested in participating in a “character study TV Feature” for SportsCenter on Jonathan Vilma and Gregg Williams.
Abrams made just one small mistake when deciding whom to send it to,Eric Barton. Barton was teammates with Vilma back when they played for the New York Jets.

Vilma was one of the New Orleans Saints players involved with the bounty scandal and Williams was the defensive coordinator. Williams is indefinitely suspended by the NFL for arranging a pay-for-performance bounty system from 2009-2011.
Original allegations claimed Vilma offered $10,000 to any Saints player that knocked out Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner from the divisional title football game. He was also accused of doing the same to Minnesota Vikings quarterback, Brett Favre in the NFC Championship game. Earlier this month Vilma’s suspension was lifted, as well as the other players.
So this “character story” that was going to be aired would have been the good guy vs. bad guy story since the case is still not yet over. Clearly the information to Barton got out and Vilma had access to the letter shortly afterwards.
Vilma was not very thrilled at ESPN’s “secret” attempt, as he made it well known to the Twitter world what had happened as he tweeted the picture. Abrams’ phone number and email address were in the letter and numerous fans tweeted they were going to contact him. Shortly after that the phone was turned off and we will have to wait and see what ESPN has to say about the dilemma.

Read more at ESPN Character Study on Jonathan Vilma fails after Vilma finds out

TXGSP

I love the fact the phone number and e-mail address were made public.

Did the whole ESPN e-mail system get taken down?

If not, there were some people slacking off...

Seer1

Barry Abrams aka roger godell?