Category Archives: New Orleans Saints

NFLPA To Appeal Arbitrator Bounty Ruling Against New Orleans Saints

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New Orleans Saints

While the NFL arbitrator has ruled that Roger Goodell, NFL commissioner has the authority to punish the New Orleans Saints players as it relates to  Bountygate, the NFL Players Association thinks otherwise.

Below is the statement by the Players Association:

The NFL Players Association will appeal today’s decision to the Appeals Panel provided by the CBA for the review of all system arbitrator decisions.

Any pay-to-injure program runs counter to the health and safety principles we stand for as players. However, none of the players punished in this case have seen a shred of evidence justifying the NFL’s punishment.

In the opinion, system arbitrator Stephen Burbank wrote, “[I]t is important to emphasize – with respect to all of the Players – that nothing in this opinion is intended to convey a view about the underlying facts or the appropriateness of the discipline imposed.”

The union believes that the players are entitled to neutral arbitration of these issues under the CBA and will continue to fight for that principle and to protect the fair due process rights of all players.

Arbitrator Rules In Favor Of NFL In Bounty Grievance.

 

New Orleans Saints Bounty: Arbitrator Rules In Favor of NFL

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New Orleans Saints, Saints, NFL arbitrator, bounty

Bad news for the New Orleans Saints football team?

The latest:

From NFL.com

Special Master Stephen Burbank rejected the NFLPA’s grievance against the NFL on Monday and reaffirmed Commissioner Roger Goodell’s authority to suspend four New Orleans Saints players, according to the league.

Goodell has suspended Saints defenders Jonathan Vilma (one season) and Will Smith (four games), along with current Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove (eight games) andCleveland Browns linebacker Scott Fujita (three games) for their roles in the scheme, which was implemented from 2009 to 2011. Fujita and Hargrove were members of the Saints during that time span.

“System Arbitrator Stephen Burbank upheld the commissioner’s authority under the Collective Bargaining Agreement to impose “conduct detrimental” discipline on players who provided or offered to provide financial incentives to injure opponents,” league spokesman Greg Aiello said in a statement to NFL.com. “He also upheld the commissioner’s authority to impose such discipline against players who obstructed a league investigation.

The System Arbitrator thus confirmed the commissioner’s authority to suspend Mr. Fujita, Mr. Smith and Mr. Vilma. He invited the commissioner to clarify the precise basis for his discipline of Mr. Hargrove who, among other things, was found to have lied to the league’s investigators and obstructed their investigation.”

The four players suspended in the bounty case are Jonathan Vilma, Will Smith, Scott Fujita and Anthony Hargrove.

Separate from this is a grievance filed before arbitrator Shyam Das that questions whether the NFL can suspend players for actions that took place before the new CBA was signed.

Saints Bounty Scandal: Arbitrator Rules In Favor of NFL – SB Nation Atlanta.