Report: Joe Vitt: "Gregg Williams Wanted Players To Take Out Opposing Coaches"

Gregg Williams

((nola.com))

Really? Gregg Williams did what?

According to a report in Wednesday's New Orleans Times-Picayune, New Orleans Saints Assistant Coach Joe Vitt made some strong allegations against former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who is accused of running a bounty program.

Among the nuggets the paper found after obtaining Vitt's testimony with former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue: Williams once promised to reward players for knocking down or going for the knees of opposing teams assistant coaches if on or near the sidelines.

Vitt says he went behind Williams and told players to not even think about actually doing that.

The story goes on to describe former assistant Mike Cerrulo as a "liar" and "idiot" who scared his fellow assistant coaches and head coach Sean Payton.

Read the entire NOLA.com story RIGHT HERE

We find it less than coincidental that (a) the Super Bowl is about to be played in New Orleans where commissioner Roger Goodell is reviled and (b) Williams is up for a job as an assistant coach job with the Tennessee Titans.

If Vitt's allegations are even remotely true, Williams has no business ever coaching again. Yes, he served a 1-year suspension, but this may even be too much to get him back. Seriously, why would any time go through having him on their sidelines.

Sure, we get football is a violent game, and yeah, some odd things happen on the field. But going after coaches? Seriously?

The Shield Reissues BountyGate Suspensions

The NFL has re-issued the suspensions to the four players involved in the New Orleans Saints Bounty Gate investigation.

To wit:

Jonathan Vilma will be suspended a full season again,
Scott Fujita will be suspended three games again but it was reduced to one,
Will Smith will be suspended four games again and,
Anthony Hargrove will be suspended eight games again, but it was reduced to seven.

Those suspensions were overturned over a month ago by an arbitor who claimed that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell went down the wrong path in trying to investigate and suspend the four along with Saints coaches Sean Payton, Gregg Williams, and Joe Vitt. If Goodell were to follow proper protocol, the suspensions would have stuck and the arbitor intimated as much in his ruling.

Goodell resubmitted and, voila!

Here's the release from the league that was shared with Vilma:

“At our meeting, you confirmed that cart-offs and knockouts were part of a broader program in place among the Saints’ defensive players. You confirmed that these terms referred to plays in which an opposing player has to leave the game for one or more plays. You confirmed that, as Coach Vitt testified, an opposing player’s need for smelling salts under a trainer’s care was a consequence of the kind that the program sought to achieve and for which players were offered cash rewards from the incentive pool.

“I also find that you engaged in conduct detrimental by offering a substantial financial incentive to any member of the defensive unit who knocked Brett Favre out of the Saints’ 2009 NFC playoff game against the Vikings. (There is also credible evidence that you made a similar pledge regarding Kurt Warner in the immediately preceding playoff game against the Cardinals, but whether you made multiple pledges of that kind does not matter for purposes of the discipline that I have decided to impose.)"

The NFLPA, which probably, will appeal rather quickly (again) came back with this:

"For more than six months, the NFL has ignored the facts, abused the process outlined in our collective bargaining agreement and failed to produce evidence that the players intended to injure anyone, ever. The only evidence that exists is the League’s gross violation of fair due process, transparency and impartiality during this process. Truth and fairness have been the casualties of the league’s refusal to admit that it might have made a mistake."

The NFLPA has 72 hours to file their appeal and the players still, presumably, can participate in team activities until a final verdict is reached...

Ed Werder has more with FOSG Mike Hill and Michael Kim... and Werder's in your head...
((HT: ESPN))

"Bountygate" Suspensions Overturned

((HT: Fox8Live.com))

The suspensions of Jonathan Vilma, Scott Fujita, Anthony Hargrove, and Will Smith have been wiped off the books for now, thanks to a three-person appeals panel.

Leave it to Vilma to quote "Family Guy" on his Twitter feed:

"Victory is mine!!!! -stewie griffin"

The panel believes that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell overstepped his authority in hearing the appeals.

"Whether the commissioner tries to readdress the situation or not is his call," said Peter Ginsberg, Vilma's attorney, in a statement. "We are certainly hoping the appeals board has made it clear the commissioner tried to grab jurisdiction and impose penalties over an area he does not have oversight. ... The factual record in the court makes it clear he has acted in a biased and inappropriate manner."

NFL legal counsel Jeff Pash came back with the idea that "nothing in today's decision contradicts any of the facts found in the investigation into this matter, or absolves any player of responsibility for conduct detrimental. Nor does the decision in any way suggest what discipline would be appropriate for conduct that lies within the authority of the Commissioner."

Evan Andersen has the understandable reaction...
New Orleans Local News, Weather, Sports, Investigations

Smith and Fujita could possibly play Sunday while Hargrove can now look for an employer and Vilma could play in the next few weeks as he's still recovering from off-season surgery.

This now brings the HQ the question of Sean Payton and Joe Vitt- since Gregg WIlliams, apparently, signed his life away for his suspension.

Jus' axin...

Yahoo Sports: Anthony Hargrove admitted being told to deny

((ht: yahoosports/cole))

Why?

It just seems to be getting worse...and worse.

Just a week after Anthony Hargrove (now with the Packers), Jonathan Vilma and other Saints were suspended for their involvement with the New Orleans Bounty program, comes word today from Yahoo Sports that Hargrove signed a statement admitting being told to deny his involvement.

Yahoo's Jason Cole says that a declaration provided to the NFL by of all groups, the NFLPA quotes Hargrove as saying he was told in 2010 by coaches Gregg Williams and Joe Vitt that if were to be asked about any sort of "Bounty" system with the Saints, he should deny it.

The NFLPA says they provided the league the document to prove the players were acting under orders, but it what it does...is admit everyone's guilt.

Read more from YahooSports RIGHT HERE

OK.

This is getting stupid now.

We understand the NFLPA trying to stick up for their players, but they in fact are digging a deeper hole here. Yes, it sucks that Hargrove, Vilma and others are going to have to lose their livelihoods...albeit for a finite amount of time (they'll still make more than you and I ever will).

Really...while we get their attempt at trying to defend, this document admits their guilt. And everyone else involved. Just because they were allegedly pressured by coaches to deny participating doesn't make them any less guilty of doing it. Does it?

No, at this point everyone involved with this issue just needs to shut up. They just need to take their punishment like men, apologize and move on. The more they complain and try to prove their innocence, the deeper the hole gets.

Really guys.

Enough already.