RakeFight

September 7th, 2012 at 4:35 PM ^

Could the MGo Lawyers please translate this...

"Consistent with the panel's decision, commissioner Goodell will, as directed, make an expedited determination of the discipline imposed for violating the league's pay-for-performance/bounty rule. Until that determination is made, the four players are reinstated and eligible to play starting this weekend," the NFL said in a statement.

Kind of sounds like Goodell is still free to hand down a new punishment?  And this doesn't have to do with the players lawsuits which are now rendered moot?  Wut.

 

Erik_in_Dayton

September 7th, 2012 at 4:46 PM ^

The panel did not overrule Goodell, but asked for clarification on the reasons for his discipline -- was it salary cap related or conduct detrimental -- according to league sources. (I don't know how to block quote.)

To me that means that Goodell just has to explain himself better at this point.  My guess is that those suits won't be moot for long, though the panel could decide that the punishment was too harsh after receiving Goodell's explanation.  However, the panel apparently stated, "in our view the alleged bounty program was both an undisclosed agreement to provide compensation to players and an agreement to cause injury to opposing players."   So I wouldn't be breaking open the champagne if I were the players. 

 

LSAClassOf2000

September 7th, 2012 at 5:12 PM ^

Here's something from ProFootballTalk which expands on it a little - link

In essence, the ruling today was that the players were not punished within the terms of the CBA,  or at least it is not clear that this was the case.

The CBA, as I understand it, allows for a "System Arbitrator Hearing" should any of the articles which may require such a hearing be violated - most of those articles actually deal with compensation, of course. The purpose of the arbitrator would be so that each side could make its case regarding whether or not compensation agreements outside of the CBA and agreements in violation of its intent were entered into.

I think that the commissioner is allowed to enforce punishments if the arbitrator finds that there is a violation (the maximum fines and so forth are spelled out in the CBA), but not unilaterally, and this is where apparently the waters were murky, if you will. None of this affects non-players, of course, who are governed by their individual employment contracts, though I think they can appeal directly to the league through other channels. 

I might be mistaken, but the commissioner is allowed to rule if they believe there is intent to harm or on various other violations. That might be where this is headed since I assume Goodell will pursue this. 

 

profitgoblue

September 7th, 2012 at 5:23 PM ^

In terms of "regular" litigation, this is a court of appeals sending a case back to the trial court level for additional fact determination.  In other words, the appeal did not overturn the decision per se, but rather sent the complaint back to Goddell to come up with better reasoning and precedent to uphold the punishment.  Until then, the "convicts" are free to play.  But like everyone else has said, they may have won the battle but they'll still likely lose the war (have to sit out some games eventually).

turtleboy

September 7th, 2012 at 4:37 PM ^

To me, it seems like they they absolutely did it, but the NFL didn't do the right thing when seeking to punish them, so this feels like a push in a lose-lose situation. When I was watching the Saints take on the Vikings in the NFC Championship it seemed like they were overwhelmingly out to injure Favre out of the game. Guys rushing the pass throughout the game consistantly  charged after him with a full head of steam and then, instead of tackling him, consistantly "accidentally" fell down before reaching him and put their helmet on his knee or ankle. They did this not only instead of sacking the qb, but also after pass attempts they would target his knees and ankles by falling before they reached him if they were close enough. They fell down to blow out his legs it seemed a dozen times, it took him out of the game, ended his career, and they went to the Superbowl. It was obvious then that they were out to injure, instead of out to play, and later the audio clips come out from the D Coordinator. I think both sides are the bad guy in this one so nothing that happens here will make me happy.

Tater

September 7th, 2012 at 5:19 PM ^

Saints 1, Football 0.  The agents who run the NFLPA may have wanted these guys to get away with what they did, but the people they tried to injure may not be all that forgiving.  I hope Vilma likes being chop-blocked; I have a feeling he's going to see a lot of it for awhile.

BoFan

September 7th, 2012 at 11:37 PM ^

It's only an appeal for due process. But they're still and can be found guilty. Goodall could come down even harder. Hope he does.

#sendamesssge

cheesheadwolverine

September 8th, 2012 at 11:37 AM ^

I agree, in a sport whose very existance is at peril because it basically kills the people who play it, the Saints thing is the biggest scandal in the league's history.  This wasn't a ruling on the merits, and I hope it provides an opportunity for a much more fitting punishment than the original one later on.