New Orleans Saints bounty scandal appeals heard by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell - NFL News
Monday was full of drama as the National Football League (NFL) commissioner, Roger Goodell held appeal hearings over the suspensions he laid out on New Orleans Saints players involved in the bounty scandal.
New Orleans Saints linebacker, Jonathan Vilma, defensive end, Will Smith and former Saints players, Anthony Hargrove and Scott Fujita all arrived for the hearings with their representatives.
The hearings began in the morning and continued for an hour before the commissioner adjourned the hearings till the afternoon.
However, Vilma who is also suing Goodell for defamation in court refused the adjournment and along with his lawyer, Peter Ginsberg, left the hearings and did not return for the afternoon session.
Speaking to the media after leaving the hearing, Ginsberg called the entire thing “a sham” and said that nothing was provided by the league during the session that showed that Vilma is guilty of the accusations levelled against him.
The linebacker himself looked frustrated about the meeting and said.
"Roger Goodell has taken three months to tear down what I built over eight years,"
Adding further he said.
"It's tough to swallow. I have been linked to a bounty and it simply is not true. I don't know how I can get a fair process when he is the judge, jury and executioner. You're assuming it will be fair, but it's not."
The remaining three players on the other hand returned back for the afternoon session however, all three also maintained that they were innocent of the accusations and no evidence was shown that proved that they ever took bounties.
Speaking after the hearings, Scott Fujita said.
"The NFL's investigation has been highlighted by sensationalized headlines and unsubstantiated leaks to the media. I have yet to see anything that implicates me ... not in the last three months and not today. The NFL has been careless and irresponsible,
and at some time will have to provide answers."
Goodell had previously suspended Vilma for the entirety of the 2012-13 season while Hargrove faces an eight-game suspension.
Will Smith will be suspended for four games and Scott Fujita will face a three-game suspension.
More developments over today’s hearings are expected in the coming days.
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