Vilma is The Rebel With a Cause

I am not surprised with Goodell suspending those who have been
implicated to have been involved because Goodell has to protect The NFL
since the league has come under heavy scrutiny over the subject of
player safety which has resulted in pending lawsuits by former players
and recent suicides by former players including Junior Seau and Dave
Duerson. Goodell had to lay down the gauntlet to the other 31 NFL teams
that the notion of putting out bounties on opponents is unacceptable.
With the fallout that has resulted in Saints head coach Sean Payton
being suspended for the season, along with St. Louis Rams defensive
coordinator Gregg Williams being suspended indefinitely as he was the
mastermind for the bounties when he was the defensive coordinator in New
Orleans, Goodell sent a message to NFL coaches that they are held
accountable for the actions of players. Goodell suspended Saints general
manager Mickey Loomis eight games while Saints assistant coach Joe Vitt
received a six-game ban. Goodell took a page from The World Wrestling
Entertainment’s Vince McMahon. Instead of McMahon 3:16, Goodell 3:16
means “don’t cross the boss”.

The coaches implicated along with Loomis have accepted their punishment
and have now gone to bed without supper, but for Vilma and the other
players it has been totally different.

Along with Vilma’s suspension, Green Bay Packers defensive end Anthony
Hargrove has been suspended for eight games. Saints defensive end Will
Smith received four games while Cleveland Browns linebacker Scott Fujita
got a three-game ban. All players implicated have denied the
allegations which is unprecedented. NFL players have a much shorter
career than team executives which makes it important for the players to
challenge Goodell especially if they feel that they have been wrongfully
accused.

Since taking over the reigns as commissioner in 2006, Goodell has
suspended numerous players which has included the likes of Adam “Pacman”
Jones and Ben Roethlisberger. In most cases the players have accepted
the punishment because there was always a chance to get a reduced ban
for good behavior. For Bountygate, Goodell has heard the appeals of the
players and he is standing firm, but unlike the players whom Goodell
suspended before, this group is fighting hard against the goal-line
stand that has been put in front of them.

Vilma is suing Goodell for defamation for not allowing him to make a
living playing football and falsely accusing him of his role in the
scheme. The NFL’s Players Association has gotten involved by supporting
Vilma’s claims and the union and Vilma feel that The NFL hasn’t provided
enough evidence to implicate his involvement.

Vilma and his colleagues have an “us against the world” mentality which
is nothing new for him. Vilma played his college ball at The University
of Miami where The Hurricanes always had swagger and they had that
mentality. Vilma is standing up for himself the way that former Major
League Baseball player Curt Flood fought the system in the early 70s
which led to free agency. Unlike Flood, Vilma’s union is backing him
which can help to not make Vilma an outcast. More than likely, when
Vilma’s playing career is over he most likely will not receive a job
offer from the league or teams in a coaching capacity if he were to
choose to go that route.

Even with last year’s NFL Lockout, Goodell has never had his authority
as commissioner challenged the way that is now. In previous cases where
Goodell suspended players, they had to go through the judicial system
first before Goodell laid down his separate verdict. In this instance it
was Goodell policing his league. This situation will only get worse
before it gets better as I could possibly see this going as far as The
Supreme Court if The NFL does not supply The NFLPA will substantial
evidence to implicate the players involvement.

At 30-years of age, Vilma knows that the majority of his NFL career is
in the rear-view mirror and a year off at this point is extremely
crucial. If Vilma loses, the general public will look at him as just
another man that tried to fight the system and he lost while NFL players
will commend him for fighting what they see as an unfair system of
Goodell handing down punishment while he also hears their appeals. If
Vilma wins his suit against Goodell it will open up a new avenue for
players in their ability to challenge Goodell’s authority.

The NFL claims that the players had a chance to come clean and they
balked at it which is something that they deny. In a sport where
communication is key, somebody forgot to communicate which has led to
this standoff.