NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says, 'We're in the right on mer...

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's authority to discipline players under the league's collectively bargained drug-testing policy has been thwarted by the lawsuit filed by Vikings defensive tackles Kevin and Pat Williams, who are suing the league in Hennepin County District Court to overturn four-game suspensions.

[COVikingFan]

Mr. Goodell, both of your faces contain a forked tongue. Why don't you tell everybody what this is really about...you're not getting your own way on this so you're having a tantrum...just like any other spoiled brat that's not getting what he thinks he should.

[taxed2much]

This has gone on long enough both sides call it a draw and put it behind

[Mark]

COVikingFan your right on the money! Goodell is acting like he got his ego bruised. Let it go, man..The NFL knew the suppllement was no good and didn't tell the players!

[Your Mammy Roger]

GIVE IT ROGER!!! YOUR A LLOOOOSSSEEERRRRR!

[Clancy]

If dog fighting is illegal, why not the case of people fighting? Mr. Goodell seems to have sunk his teeth into something that should be let go of. This isn't a dog fight. I hope we as humans?, are not looking for blood. Put a muzzle on it, let it go. Devote the rest of your time to come up with with an equitable program,that will protect players who unwittingly take an over the counter diuretic that does not list all ingredients. Don't try to convince anyone that we all should read the labels on every item we consume. I don't think you do Mr. Goodell, nor myself. I would hate to think that I would spend most of my day reading labels. Kind of like washing ones hands after touching any item, until it gets so bad we do nothing but wash our hands all day long. Why not drop the case against the William's, wash your hands and let it go?

[JohnP]

I think the NFL has to acknowledge that this one fell through the cracks.
If there is a suspension or compensation issue, then the Manufacturer should have the culpability of punitive damages to the players or the league. The FDA should fine the manufacturer for non-disclosure.

This was not a case where the players intended to skirt the policy. The NFL doctors knew about this exact product, but failed to make an effort to notify the teams or players. A blanket policy saying the players are responsible for everything they put into their bodies is too vague. It should be "knowingly" put into their bodies, which if the NFL issued a warning for this product, the whole case could have been avoided.

This is like punishing a rape victim for someone putting a date-rape drug in their drink.

Under a new CBA, the NFL must provide communication on new products they knowingly have deemed improper. The NFL has to be more transparent in regulating their drug policy uniformly. One such solution would be to have a scaled system of drug abuse penalties... There should be a difference between marijuana use, crack use, steroid use, and supplement use that only contains an ingredient that can be interpreted as a masking agent. If this was any of the players first such offense, then you should not throw the book at them. A masking agent penalty should be a strong warning that counts as a 1st offense strike, but not as a suspension. Then the player could undergo extensive testing until the matter is dismissed.

The NFL has money to burn, they should hire nutrition specialists to work with the teams and players/union to help the players especially at the beginning of each year, not try to setup sting operations to trap unsuspecting or innocent persons. If the players are properly educated, then it should be an open/shut case. This case is vague on so many merits.

[Clancy]

Kornback Rattler wrote:

The Viking players cheated, bottom line. They need to be suspended.

Let the one that has never sinned cast the first stone. Guess who said that?

[JohnP]

If this case is allowed to continue, then the League is making it open season to follow any player you don't like around and slip something into their drink that contains a banned substance. Peyton Manning for example...
Would you punish a Manning or a Brady for a first time offense? I don't think so!

[COVikingFan]

Clancy wrote:

<quoted text>Let the one that has never sinned cast the first stone. Guess who said that?

And go one further, the NFL was never specific in banning this supplement and if the label didn't indicate that the banned substance was present that's akin to expecting someone to toe a line that the league keeps moving. The NFL needs to chalk this one up to experience and make sure that next time they clarify what is acceptable and what's not, no surprises. This witch hunt, headed by the commissioner, is a monumental waste of everyone's time.

[JohnP]

COVikingFan wrote:

<quoted text>akin to expecting someone to toe a line that the league keeps moving.

This is almost impossible to comply/enforce.
If you eat poppy-seed bagels, it could trigger a false positive for heroin. There are so many elements in our food supply, the FDA cannot even keep up with it. This has to be attacked from an opposite approach so the players are not left vulnerable.
The FDA needs tighter regulation on supplements and labeling. In a world where people die every day because manufacturers do not list ingedients, such as peanuts which some people are deadly alergic to, and with the improvement in science, they should be able to determine the difference between abuse and accidental use.

[JohnP]

Kornback Rattler wrote:

<quoted text>
I dont care. Guess who said that? They cheated, they need to pay the price.

Why are you in such a hurry to be judge and executioner? Is the world this black & white to you, or do you have a political indifference towards one of the players and/or teams involved. Your agenda seems to be narrow-minded, without letting due process complete it's course.

If anyone thought these players intended to cheat the policy, you would have to stand in line for the butt-kicking to begin. I do not personally feel this is necessarily a state vs. federal issue, in as much as that was the opportunity available at the time to the players and their attorneys. There should have been some type of arbitration up front to mitigate this issue.

I do not feel comfortable with a system that has the final say-so to police itself, any more than anyone thinks congress should have the right to vote themselves a raise. I believe that sports should lose their anti-trust exemptions and that employees of any business (which the NFL is) should be able to go through the legal process if their needs are not being met.

Does the NFL have a forensic scientist wiling to get on the stand and admit that they knew there was a banned ingredient, but failed to notify the players union? You are assuming beyond a shadow of doubt that these players willfully and knowingly experimented with banned sustances. If you have legal experience, express your arguments, but why do you pass judgement when you neither anyone else knows the full story. For the moment, all evidence points to the NFL being ticked off that anyone had the audacity to challenge its implicit authority. It seems to have very little to do with taking steroids.

[Vike Mike]

THIS IS SO STUPID!!!

THe NFL KNOWS that they didn't take steroids.
THE NFL KNOW that StarCaps didn' label the drug right
THE NFL KNOWS that they didn't inform that players ABOUT StarCaps.

LET IT GO!!! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!!!!!!!!

ROGER GOODELL...I hope you realize that you are sounding like an idiot in from of the United States Congress. Even THEY KNOW the the NFL is WRONGLY p[unishing these men for something that they DID NOT DO!!

ANSWER: Put StarCaps on the list. Use this as lesson learned.

AND MOVE ON!!!!!!

SOMEONE NEEDS TO BACK DOWN!! And I seriously don't think that either side is going to! And that is scary!!

The WIlliams' SHOULDN'T back down because they did nothing wrong...the NFL KNOWS IT, THE REST OF THE COUNTRY KNOW IT, CONGRESSS KNOWS IT and THEY KNOW IT!

Therefore: The NFL NEEDS to realize where they went wrong and correct it for the future. This isn't a matter of pride here guys! It's no big deal!

Roger Goodell NEEDS to be replaced because he's turning the NFL into the PANZY-F-L!

[JohnP]

Kornback Rattler wrote:

<quoted text>
I think it's been proven over time that athletes will cheat at every opportunity. It also seems the only ones crying about this are the viking fans.

Hey, you already have your mind made up... don't let something simple like facts get in the way of your judgement.

[JohnP]

My concern with the whole issue is if the players took a random unknown substance and it was found to contain a banned substance, then they should deserve whatever punishment.

BUT... this was a substance that the League KNEW about & withheld information from the players association.

This would be like driving down the highway and the Police pull you over and give you a ticket for speeding... But, they took all the speed limit signs and put them in the trunk of their car.

Breaking the rules is never a safe bet, but it is hard enough to follow rules that are visible, what about the ones that are intentionally hidden from you?

[Judge Dredd]

Korn Rattler,
You obviously are unaware of the facts making yourself appear to be ignorant. I use "appear" very loosely in your case.
It has nothing to do with Viking fans because the Saints players should not be suspended either.
The league knew well enough about the product but they are not in the business of helping the players avoid suspension, they are in the business of catching players using banned substances.
Plus if you knew any real detail about the case you will know that the substance Buteminade (however it is spelled - sue me I cannot spell it off the top of my head) is not a good masking agent for steroids.
Several "testing" experts have already stated that this product is easily detected so a player would be stupid to use this product to mask steroids (google it).
The Vikings players are trying to make weight. If you knew anything about the types of clauses that are in these "big boy" contracts you will know that they have to maintain a certain weight all year or be fined excessively (sometimes by the pound - google it if you do not believe me).
And for those who think the Viking players should just take the punishment, remember that they will be suspended without pay. So the first year when it test results came back and they were suspended, Pat Williams was going to lose way more than Kevin Williams.
You cannot blame the players for trying to delay this as long as possible because we are talking about their money.
It would be in the best interest of the league to work out some type of deal with all the players for this one specific product since the league doctor knew it contained this substance.
It does not have to involve all products just the ones they know contain banned substances.
Imagine if a player died from taking this product and it was proven that this substance was a leading cause an the league knew about it beforehand but chose not to tell the players?
Talk about a lawsuit!
The league is in the wrong and they have enough lawyers who should have been on top of all of the states policies for workplace drug testing when they did the last CBA.
This is a billion dollar business. And the NFL is not in every state. There are 32 teams and there are 3 teams in California. So that is even less than 32 states to check the policies.
The league is lazy plain and simple and they got caught with their pants down (something you should be able to relate to).
I am the law!

[Mad Dog Gus]

The league is drawing a line in the sand, and Minnesota crossed it. We can bet that the NFL will now encourage the Vikings to move to LA.

Messing with upper management usually means they will get even.

Look at what's happening to the Vikings on the field...players getting fined for very little, flags being thrown everywhere against the purple.

The Williams wall should take their suspensions and the Vikings should get on with it....crossing the boss isn't a good plan, even when they're flat out wrong!

[Roger Goodell]

Maybe I didn't do my job and notify the Union and the players about Starcaps. Yes, I probably am an idiot and a prick but... I'M RIGHT ON THE MERITS! I'M RIGHT ON THE MERITS! and so is my BUTTkissin buddy Kornback Rattler.

[VikingGolfer]

Kornback Rattle wtote, "I think it's been proven over time that athletes will cheat at every opportunity. It also seems the only ones crying about this are the viking fans".
Why shouldn't we cry Goodell was in the wrong here he knew that a year ago that the Williams were taking starcaps and did nothing about it until we had a chance to win the NFC North. Then he tried to protect is beloved Packers and tried to unequal the playing field by trying to suspend the Williams for doing nothing wrong. So Minnesota had the right to protect these players and their team. Simple as 123 and Goodell needs to go abuse of power he is using simple as that..
John P. wrtoe "This is like punishing a rape victim for someone putting a date-rape drug in their drink".
Yep totally agree and thats why Goodel the so call God needs to go he was totally in the wrong here. He may think he is right in his own mind but we Minnesota fans know better.

[ColoradoVikingFa n]

Kornback Rattler wrote:

<quoted text>
I think it's been proven over time that athletes will cheat at every opportunity. It also seems the only ones crying about this are the viking fans.

You're a closet Packer fan aren't you? Don't be bitter, it's perfectly okay for you to be stinging a little bit from the series sweep by the Vikings this year.

[BigSky Viking]

Hey roger...beter to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.