Football

Jonathan Vilma Attends "Sham" Hearing with NFL Commissioner

NEW YORK, USA (defend.ht) - New Orleans Saints Linebacker Jonathan Vilma met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday and after an hour-long meeting was not content as the commissioner refused to show evidence of Vilma's involvement in the Saints bounty case.

Vilma's attorney, Peter Ginsberg, said it was the NFL that requested to adjourn Monday's meeting that he called a "sham" with no basis for his client's year long suspension being provided.

For his part, Super Bowl Champion Vilma said "Roger Goodell has taken three months to tear down what I built over eight years. It's tough to swallow. I have been linked to a bounty and it simply is not true... I don't know how I can get a fair process when he [Goodell] is the judge, jury and executioner. You're assuming it will be fair, but it's not."

CBSSports.com columnist Mike Freeman obtained a list of the evidence that the NFL submitted to the NFL Players Association and said that "the evidence isn't all that convincing."

But Freeman cautions and says "the NFL likely has the goods but is holding back... but what they turned over to the union, from what I've seen doesn't prove a whole lot."

Goodell has also suspended Saints Head Coach Sean Payton for the whole season, Saints Assistant Head Coach Joe Vitt for six games. General Manager Mickey Loomis for eight games, and Goordinator Gregg Williams, now with the Rams, indefinitely.

Three other players were also heard on Monday for their appeals. They also dispute that they were involved.