13°c Light rain showers
18°c Cloudy with sunny breaks
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
NFL bounty 'evidence' challenged
NEW ORLEANS -- The agent for suspended defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove says the NFL has used semantics, but not hard evidence, as the basis for punishing current and former Saints players in its bounty investigation.
In a statement emailed to The Associated Press on Sunday, on the eve of sanctioned players' appeal hearing, agent Phil Williams asked dozens of questions of the NFL, including whether league investigators made Hargrove a central figure in the bounty probe because his past drug suspensions made him an "easy target."
Williams also asked why the NFL released evidence strategically rather than sharing as much information as possible in a matter that has harmed players' reputations, and why the league made examples out of a select few players when many players around the league have taken part in performance pools.
"If these men have committed such grievous crimes that you have determined that their careers should be in danger and... their names sullied, why be so secretive about the 'evidence' that you use to condemn them?" Williams' statement said. "Do you actually have any concrete evidence that any player from another team was injured as a result of a "bounty" and that a player from the Saints was therefore paid accordingly? ...Is it possible that the overwhelming majority of this pressing dilemma is about semantics?"
Hargrove, now with Green Bay, has been suspended eight games. Saints linebacker and defensive captain Jonathan Vilma was suspended the whole season, while Saints defensive end Will Smith was suspended four games and former Saints linebacker Scott Fujita, now with Cleveland, was suspended three games.
All four players have appeal hearings scheduled before NFL commissioner Roger Goodell today.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the statement by Hargrove's agent.
The Saints also have been punished harshly as an organization, including a full-season suspension of head coach Sean Payton.
-- The Associated Press
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 18, 2012 C2
More Football
- Back to Top
- Return to Football
More Football
(1 of 4 articles for this month)
A tough act to follow
05/16/2013 1:00 AM 0There are tough encores in sports, but just imagine what is staring the Toronto Argonauts in the mug today after ...
Poll
Most Popular Football
- New Blue stadium lives up to the hype; now it's up to you
- Argos release ex-Bomber Brink
- Bombers training camp opens June 2
- Blue sign draft picks Fitzgerald, Pavlopoulos
- New GM Ed Hervey says Edmonton Eskimos have upgraded their offence
- Bills DE Mario Williams fails in bid to mediate with former fiance over ring dispute
- CFL gains when draft picks go south
- Bombers handing off opening-day ball to fans
- Bombers load camp roster with two DBs, LB, receiver
- Buck's No. 1, aims to prove durability
- New Blue stadium lives up to the hype; now it's up to you
- Argos release ex-Bomber Brink
- Bombers training camp opens June 2
- Bombers sign three defensive players
- Game ball to tour communities before grand opening of new Bomber stadium
- Bombers load camp roster with two DBs, LB, receiver
- Bombers pick Fitzgerald, Pavlopoulos
- CFL gains when draft picks go south
- Blue's Burke emphasizes work ethic
- Blue sign draft picks Fitzgerald, Pavlopoulos
- Bombers detail parking plan for new stadium
- Bomber boozers will change or they 'won't be here': GM Mack
- Hall turning heads at Bomber mini-camp
- Bombers are watching you
- CFL draft pick Mulumba would be proud to be a Bomber
- Bomber security to wave wands this season
- Bomber GM silent on Tebow's CFL prospects
- Bombers boast record season-ticket sales
- Blue in the red: Bombers to report a loss of almost $800,000
- Packers prospect a risky pick
- Game ball to tour communities before grand opening of new Bomber stadium
- Bombers handing off opening-day ball to fans
- New Blue stadium lives up to the hype; now it's up to you
- Super Bowl MVP to speak in Winnipeg
- CFL gains when draft picks go south
- Argos release ex-Bomber Brink
- Bombers detail parking plan for new stadium
- Bombers tackle parking issue
- Game ball to tour communities before grand opening of new Bomber stadium
- Blue in the red: Bombers to report a loss of almost $800,000
- Hall, Clement go to school
- Blue Bombers board of directors accepting nominations
- Bomber security to wave wands this season
- Bombers handing off opening-day ball to fans
- If it was up to me, I would have kept Brink and Elliott
- Going all-in on Buck a risky gamble for Bombers
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.