Williams wall

[Badger]

Exactly right, it's a waste of money the NFL should be paying for. They did all the checks on the substance they were supposed to do. Even calling the NFL to verify and were told it was not banned. It's on the NFL.

Many players send supplements in for lab testing before they decide to take them.

Because supplements are so loosely regulated and monitored, the NFL and NFLPA have increased their efforts to warn and educate players. The league instituted a supplement certification program, through which players can attain approved supplements.

The league's steroid policy goes into specific and thorough detail about the risks of supplements.

"Despite these efforts, several players have been suspended even though their positive test results may have been due to the use of a supplement," the policy reads, using bold and italicized letters to emphasize the next sentence. "Subject to your right of appeal, if you test positive or otherwise violate the Policy, you will be suspended. You and you alone are responsible for what goes into your body. Claiming that you used only legally available nutritional supplements will not help you in an appeal."

Players are responsible for what is in their bodies, and a positive test result will not be excused because a player was unaware that he was taking a Prohibited Substance. If you have questions or concerns about a particular dietary supplement or other product, you should contact Dr. John Lombardo at (614) 442-0106. As the Independent Administrator, Dr. Lombardo is authorized to respond to players’ questions regarding specific supplements. You may also contact the NFL/NFLPA Supplement Hotline at (866) NFL-SUPP or [email protected]. Having your Club's medical or training staff approve a supplement will not excuse a positive test result.

This is certainly in dispute, as the NFL responds that "the Policy encouraged players to contact Dr. Lombardo if they had any questions, and the record clearly established that none of the players challenging their suspensions here had done so."

[fishyguy]

It is a bad situation for the players and the NFL and I see the NFL's point, but..... The players did not contact Lombardo directly but they did follow most of the other steps. It is a fine line the NFL is standing on to say the players did not properly do their due dilligence on this. In my eyes, both the NFL and the players messed up here. The NFL shouldn't make it so difficult to get a clear answer and if they can't manage their own drug program then it is also difficult to ask the players to go without error.

If I had a issue at work and spoke with the President of our division, talked to the employee hotline, spoke with human resources, read the employee manual and determined that all indications said I was fine to take a particular action, then someone tells me I shouldn't have and I was facing a suspension over it and their best reason was I didn't call the Director of Human Resources directly, I would be rather upset and feel like it may not have been all my fault.

If it was just the Williams boys who had this issue, then you certainly could point some fingers at them but this mistake was made by more than a handful of players. The NFL has to take some responsibilty here.

[PierBridge]

The logical result if these guys win is ridiculous. It'd mean that any substance not explicitly on the banned list is fair game to use. We all know that there are new 'supplements' that hit the market all the time, so this would all but gut the PED ban that's in the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

I sure we hope we win and the latest injunction helps a bit but if we lose and the appeal goes quickly and we end up losing the Wall mid-to late season for 4 games thats going to hurt!

And no the Williams did not call the NFL and ask if they could take this supplement and No the NFL did not say "sure guys go ahead"...LOL!

I'm sure they were just trying to lose Water weight and not masking Roids!..chuckle chuckle!

[Scott K]

Quote:

The NFL has succeeded in convincing the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Paul to hold oral arguments in the StarCaps case on August 18.

The league is aiming to postpone the state claims until the federal appeals are resolved. The players are due back in court on Wednesday where a judge will determine whether the league's motion for a stay will be granted. The upshot is that we should know by early September whether the Williams Wall will be eligible to play the first four games.

Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press

Related: Pat Williams

[goblueM]

they should have just gotten it over with the 1st 4 games

Browns, Lions, 49ers, Packers. Hardly running powerhouses. Now they are gonna be suspended mid or late season when it REALLY matters

[Scott K]

Quote:

A Minnesota judge ruled Wednesday that Vikings DTs Kevin Williams and Pat Williams can play the entire season unless a federal court claims jurisdiction over their lawsuit challenging the NFL's drug-testing policies.

The players requested either a preseason trial or a delay until after the season. The state judge agreed to postpone the trial until 2010. A federal judge has ruled that the U.S. District Court does not have jurisdiction over the case, but the NFL will appeal that decision in an Aug. 18 hearing. The Vikings are a top-five fantasy defensive as long as the Williamses are playing. Aug. 5 - 10:59 am et

Source: Minneapolis Star-Tribune

[PierBridge]

Huge!

[Scott K]

Things are looking good, if only Sage will step up and be a good QB!