Teams New Orleans Saints - The Who Dats

[Exe Gesis]

Judge dismisses Vilma’s defamation lawsuit against Goodell

The bounty case is now over. Mostly.

Judge Helen G. Berrigan dismissed linebacker Jonathan Vilma’s defamation lawsuit against Commissioner Roger Goodell on Thursday. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello announced the development on Twitter.

Goodell and the NFL had filed a motion to dismiss the case on the grounds that the Collective Bargaining Agreement prevents players from suing Goodell personally for claims of this nature. Judge Berrigan agreed with the league that, under federal law, Vilma could not sue Goodell directly, but that any remedies must be pursued under the CBA.

Vilma claimed that Goodell told lies about the player’s involvement in the bounty case. Even if the case had been permitted to proceed, Vilma would have been required to prove that Goodell knew that the information was false or that he acted with reckless disregard to whether the information was true of false, since Vilma is a public figure.

Vilma will have 30 days to file a notice of appeal.

Even if Vilma chooses not to continue the lawsuit, there are still a pair of loose ends in the bounty case. Saints coach Sean Payton and former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams will at some point apply for reinstatement. There’s no guarantee their requests will be granted.

Last month, all player suspensions were overturned by former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

UPDATE 7:20 p.m. ET: Vilma’s lawyer, Peter Ginsberg, tells PFT that Vilma is considering his options.

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After dismissal of lawsuit, Vilma is considering his options

Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma has not reacted via Twitter to today’s dismissal of his defamation lawsuit against Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Vilma’s lawyer has provided a comment through more traditional means.

“We are obviously disappointed, strongly believe that the CBA does not give anyone — including a Commissioner — a license to misrepresent and to manufacture facts, especially at the expense of another person’s reputation,” lawyer Peter Ginsberg told PFT via email.

Ginsberg added that he and Vilma are “considering our options.”

The primary option at this point is to appeal the ruling to a higher federal court. Alternatively, Vilma could file a grievance under the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The remedies most likely would be very limited.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Report: Carmichael will turn down interviews, intends to stay with Saints

Earlier on Thursday there was a report that the Jaguars have requested permission to interview Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael for the same role on new coach Gus Bradley’s staff.

It doesn’t look like an interview will happen and not because the Saints will block Carmichael, whose contract with the team expires shortly. Larry Holder of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports that Carmichael is expected to turn down the Jacksonville request because his intention is to remain with the Saints.

Holder also reports that he’ll turn down an interview request from the Eagles, although we haven’t heard of any formal request being made before or after Chip Kelly was hired as the head coach.

Carmichael has been on Sean Payton’s staff since Payton took over as the head coach in 2006. It’s been one of the league’s most potent offenses in that period, a record that helped Carmichael get an interview for a head coaching job in Chicago this month. Another year and another powerful Saints offense could get him even more looks for the next step up the ladder at this time in 2014.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Sean Payton has been reinstated

The Saints have their head coach back.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello announced Tuesday morning that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has reinstated Payton from his suspension effective immediately. Aiello told PFT that there was nothing to report on Payton’s reinstatement a week ago while also refuting a report that there would be no action taken until after the Super Bowl. There was a meeting on Monday between Payton and Goodell, which led to the end of the suspension right away.

That means Payton is now free to attend the Senior Bowl, hire assistants to fill holes on his staff and otherwise resume the duties of being the head coach of the Saints. Per Aiello, he “acknowledged in the meeting his responsibility for the actions of his coaching staff and players and pledged to uphold the highest standards of the NFL.”

“We had a very productive discussion,” said Commissioner Goodell in a statement. “Sean fully complied with all the requirements imposed on him during his suspension. More important, it is clear that Sean understands and accepts his responsibilities as a head coach and the vital role that coaches play in promoting player safety and setting an example for how the game should be played at all levels. We are committed to delivering football that fans love and the safety players deserve. Coach Payton agrees and I look forward to working with him going forward to do that.”

The Super Bowl is taking place in New Orleans, of course, and there’s been a lot of discussion about the frosty response Goodell was expected to receive from fans that felt he was overly punitive toward the Saints in response to the league’s bounty investigation. A float in one of the first Mardi Gras parades gives a hint of what Goodell might expect. The commish will probably still experience some uncomfortable moments in the Crescent City, but acting on Payton now could temper a little bit of the rancor sent in his direction.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Payton statement: “Mistakes were made”

As part of his Tuesday reinstatement from his year-long bounty suspension, Saints head coach Sean Payton acknowledged that something happened, and he should have stopped it.

“I am thankful today Commissioner [Roger] Goodell has granted me reinstatement,” the statement sent out by the Saints read. “As I stated back in March, I, along with Mickey Loomis, take full responsibility for all aspects of our football program.

“I clearly recognize that mistakes were made, which led to league violations.

“Furthermore, I have assured the Commissioner a more diligent protocol will be followed.

“Lastly, I feel we have learned from our mistakes and are ready to move forward. I want to thank our owner, Mr. Benson and all of our great fans for the overwhelming support throughout this past year.

“I am excited to be back as Head Coach of the New Orleans Saints!”

While Payton doesn’t strike us as a big exclamation mark guy, that’s what it says, and he’s doubtless at least very relieved.

Saints general manager Mickey Loomis seemed surprised by the timing, telling Larry Holder of the New Orleans Times-Picayune he didn’t know it was coming (which is unusual considering the Saints PR cranked out statements from Payton and owner Tom Benson within minutes of the announcement.

“We are all thankful that Sean Payton has been reinstated,” Benson’s statement read. “We have a lot of work to do and we are in the middle of it right now.

“He is our head coach and we welcome him back. We look forward to a great 2013 season and making another run at a World Championship for our fans!”

Benson’s also apparently a big expressive punctuation guy.

Of course, the timing is best for Roger Goodell, who now will be slightly less unpopular when he settles into New Orleans for a week of Super Bowl festivities.

 

[hayes]

Going to be great seeing him back.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Joe Vitt: I’ll forgive, but I’ll never forget what the NFL imposed on us

The NFL reinstated Sean Payton as head coach of the Saints today, which means Joe Vitt can officially move aside from his role as interim head coach and give the job back to Payton.

But Vitt can’t completely move on: In comments to the New Orleans Times-Picayune shortly after Payton was reinstated, Vitt said he’ll never forget, and he strongly suggested that he believes the NFL wronged him, Payton and the Saints.

“Listen man, it’s going to be kind of emotional,” Vitt said at the Senior Bowl. “He is my friend. . . . Will I forgive? Yeah, I guess I will forgive. But I will never forget what we’ve gone through and what this team has gone through with the sanctions and the penalties they’ve imposed upon us.”

Vitt’s comments indicate that he believes the penalties the NFL imposed on the Saints were unfair. But if Payton does, as he said in his statement today, “take full responsibility” for the Saints’ bounty program, then what was unfair about suspending him for the season? Vitt doesn’t say.

It’s obvious that the players and coaches on the Saints will never be on the same page as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell about the handling of the bounty program. And even as they say they’re moving on, they’re never going to forget that they think they were wronged.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Payton says there’s “no way” he was leaving Saints

In November, the disclosure that the long-term contract negotiated by the Saints and coach Sean Payton had been rejected by the league office spawned breathless reporting that Payton could be a free agent. (We reported at the time that the Saints were adamant that Payton will be back.)

It never happened, because the Saints and Payton secured permission to work out a new deal during his suspension. And work out a new deal they did.

Now, in his first comments since being reinstated by Commissioner Roger Goodell, Payton said he never would have left.

“There was no way I was going to another team,” Payton said, via Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com. “The issue was a minor technicality. There was a minor clause, [the media] had it right, there was a minor clause in there that wasn’t approved. What became more challenging really, was being out of the building and then trying to work through the specifics to get the contract done.”

The technicality arose from a provision that would have allowed Payton to leave if at any point Mickey Loomis no longer was the team’s General Manager. It’s unclear how that technicality was resolved.

Regardless, the Saints said Payton wouldn’t leave and he didn’t leave and he now says that never would have happened.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Quite a reveal....

Vitt says Benson kicked NFL security chief “off the property”

The bounty case essentially is over, but bits and pieces of evidence continue to surface.

More than a few bits and pieces have come from the disclosure of a significant portion of the appeal hearing testimony from former Saints interim head coach and current linebackers coach Joe Vitt.

Among many other things, Vitt’s testimony before former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue sheds light on some of the contentious aspects of the relationship between the league office and the organization. Vitt says that, at one point, Saints owner Tom Benson told NFL V.P. of security Jeff Miller to leave the premises.

“Jeff Miller took a plane ride from New York down to New Orleans, and the way he talked to our owner, what he said to our owner made me want to throw up, to the point where Mr. Benson kicked him off the property and didn’t let him back on the property,” Vitt said, via the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

“This almost killed our owner. Our owner has done nothing but be a great owner in the National Football League the whole time he’s been in the league. . . . And now this guy takes a plane ride down and throws some documents in front of our owner’s face, and our owner has got to kick him out of the building? That’s what we’re dealing with. That’s fine.”

Vitt also explained that, even though notes generated by former Saints assistant Mike Cerullo indicated that Vitt had offered $5,000 to the alleged bounty on former Vikings quarterback Brett Favre, Miller didn’t believe it happened.

“The investigators, Jeff Miller in particular, acknowledged that I did not give any money to a bounty because he said to me, you know, we heard that your wife is so cheap that you have a hard time getting lunch money every day,” Vitt said. “That was his comment to me. And I said, well, your wife must have a pretty good sense of humor, too, with the clothes you’re wearing right now.”

Vitt also had some strong comments for Cerullo.

“Mike Cerullo is a liar,” Vitt said. “We’ll get some notes here from Mr. Cerullo. I’ll say this to you, Commissioner, and anybody that’s interested. I’m taking Mike Cerullo to court. I’m going to sue his ass for the things he said about me, the things he said about this football team. He’s going to be held accountable for everything he said. I make this offer again. If we want me to take a lie detector test this afternoon, I will do so. Or if you want me to do it tomorrow morning or tomorrow afternoon, I will do so. Mike Cerullo is a liar. A liar.”

Vitt also talked at length regarding coach Sean Payton’s decision after the 2011 season to part ways with defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. Payton began to sour on Williams after the head coach caught Williams texting draft picks to the media during the 2011 selection process.

“I would say the final straw was the last two weeks of the season,” Vitt said. “Gregg kept coming to Sean every day and wanted his contract extension and wanted his extension done. And Sean said, well, we’ll talk about it at the end of the season, well knowing what direction Sean was going in. And the last week of the season, it’s all in the papers, you know, Gregg has gone to St. Louis, it’s his best friend Jeff Fisher, you know, ba-boom, ba-boom, ba-boom, trying to squeeze Sean, trying to squeeze Mickey to get his contract. And the day after the playoff game that we lost against San Francisco, he went into Sean’s office and says I need to know right now, I need my contract, I’ve got to let Jeff know what I’m doing. And Sean said, you’re not going to get a contract here. I think it’s best go to St. Louis with your friend Jeff. And that was it. . . . It didn’t end pretty. It didn’t end nice.”

There isn’t much nice or pretty about Vitt’s testimony, but it’s compelling and interesting and he has the kind of passion that typically is exhibited by a guy who has been accused of things he didn’t do.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Any Saints fans interested in reading Drew Brees' autobiography should check out Amazon, as Amazon is currently "selling" the autobiography "Coming Back Stronger: Unleashing the Hidden Power of Adversity" for free (reduced from roughly US$16). Amazon's specials don't last too long, so if you're interested, go here now.

 

[Dirty Bird]

 

[Papa Juggs]

Saw America's Game today with the Saints recent superbowl win.

Have more respect for them now. Had no idea Reggie Bush was a Saint lol

Makes me wonder if Payton and Breesus can do it again.

 

[JeffDunne]

Had no idea Reggie Bush was a Saint lol

Probably the most hyped signing in the past decade (aside from Tebow).

Bush was a very good player in New Orleans. He never lived up to the hype (who could) but never really got the credit he deserved.

Darren Sproles was better value anyway.

 

[St Kilda Death]

Testing time is now, seahawks and panthers.
Hopefully sproles back in.
Was that brees least yards for the season? Must have been less than 100% after getting his neck elongated last week.
Still threw 2td 0 int.
Hope they need the spirit level out a few times at centurylink field!

 

[emmjay1990]

Gotta love the outcome today, especially Bree's running in a TD at the end! Given the first half of the season, I thought we had a playoff position in the bag yet it came down to today's game. In fact, we lose today and we're out and we win and Panthers lose, we could've clinched NFC South. Bizarre.

Anyway, would've preferred Dallas as Wildcard round playoff opponent but NFC will be putting up Seahawks or 49ers as the Super Bowl chances IMHO for this conference.


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[emmjay1990]

Looks like One HD will have the Saints game (and all playoffs?) live on Sunday. Was just about to fork out another whatever or GamePass....thank goodness. Just wish Kenny Vacarro was in....

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[emmjay1990]

First away playoff win (apparently)! Thought we were gone midway through third when our defence looked leaky. Impossible task against Seattle next week but admirable season to date.


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[JeffDunne]

Never say never.

Stranger things have happened

 

[emmjay1990]

True, like Colts winning after KC had a humongous half time lead. Who would've thunk it.


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[JeffDunne]

True, like Colts winning after KC had a humongous half time lead. Who would've thunk it.

GG

 

[Exe Gesis]

SAINTS WOULD HAVE TO FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE A GOOD SHOT AGAINST SEATTLE.

REVENGE FOR A FEW YEARS AGO TOO.

CANT ASK FOR MORE FROM THE FATES.

 

[emmjay1990]

Damn.....they'll give Coulston heaps because of the forward pass but the game was shot before that. The intercept hurt and maybe getting one those field goals...if only. Now, who to follow for the rest of the playoffs! 49ers looking good!

 

[Narkee]

Saints supporter checking in!

 

[St Kilda Death]

Wtf happened.

 

[drawza]

It is frustrating this season, knowing we have lost a few games either in overtime or in the last two minutes of the game, and right at the end. Belief still strong that we can do it.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Tom Benson makes record donation to Hall of Fame
Posted by Mike Florio on November 24, 2014, 6:42 AM EST

Getty Images
The Pro Football Hall of Fame has embarked on an ambitious plan to construct a Hall of Fame Village. Saints owner Tom Benson has given the project an enormous chunk of seed money.

As reported last night by Peter King of TheMMQB.com on NBC’s Football Night in America, Benson has made an historic donation to the Hall of Fame.

A statement released confirming the $11 million gift reveals that the Hall of Fame will rename the venue that hosts the annual Hall of Fame game and enshrinement ceremony as the “Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.” Of Benson’s gift, $10 million will be used to upgrade the facility that also serves as the home for two high school teams and two college teams.

The other $1 million from Benson will be devoted to the Hall of Fame’s Legends Landing Program, which is intended to provide assistance and housing for Hall of Famers and former NFL players who are in grave financial need.

“My donation to the Hall of Fame was an easy decision,” Mr. Benson said in a statement. “It was a right decision and it was a decision that I believe will have great impact on the current game and help foster a better game in the future while also having direct and tangible impacts on the Legends of our game with the Legends Landing.”

Mr. Benson, who purchased the Saints in 1985, also sent a letter to his fellow owners requesting that they match his $1 million gift to the Legends Landing Program.

“While recognition for a gift like this is nice, it is not the point,” Benson said. “The point is understanding what is behind the plans for the Hall of Fame Village. . . . Once I learned them I wanted to play a role. . . . I feel this small part I am playing here is my way of saying thank you to the great game of football.”

It’s a great gesture, and here’s hoping that others who have benefited from the game of football will follow Mr. Benson’s lead.