The NFL still hasn't given up on the idea that it will eventually be able to suspend Minnesota Vikings defensive linemen Kevin Williams and Pat Williams for violating its drug policy in the StarCaps case. There remains the chance the league will further appeal the decision by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals that upheld a federal judge's decision that the players could not be suspended. But on a conference call with reporters Monday afternoon, NFL union head DeMaurice Smith said the union and the NFL have had discussions about the drug policy in light of the StarCaps case, and he thinks there's a chance this could result in changes to the policy.
"I believe there is a resolution to this matter that can be collectively bargained," Smith said. "I do not think the only solution is continued litigation."
The back-and-forth between the courts and the NFL continues regarding the four-game suspension of the Minnesota Vikings' two gargantuan defensive tackles, Kevin and Pat Williams. Thursday, Hennepin County District Court granted the players' request for a temporary restraining order, which means the players cannot be suspended at this time.
Late last season, Williams and Wiliams -- All-Pro defensive tackles -- were slapped with a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's drug policy. They had tested positive over the previous summer for bumetanide, a diuretic which is considered a masking agent for steroids. Neither ever have tested positive for any steroid, and it's easy to see why they'd be taking something to control their weight. This is what they say they were doing.
This is a good thing, this ruling that came down Saturday in the StarCaps case. You may not see it that way if you're a fan of the Minnesota Vikings, who now face the first four games of their season without their Pro Bowl defensive tackles. Or if your team is the New Orleans Saints, who've likely lost their starting defensive ends for those first four games.
But if you're the kind of person who thinks pro athletes (and, by extension, the children who admire them) should be discouraged from taking drugs to cheat at their games, you have to look at today's development as a positive.
Those five players -- well, four if McAllister doesn't sign somewhere -- will be forced to sit out the first quarter of the season for their respective teams.
The Vikings should know by the time training camp begins whether they'll be missing two of the keys to the defense when the season begins. A U.S. District Court judge set a June 15 trial date for Pat and Kevin Williams lawsuit against the NFL.
The Williamses are suing because they were facing four-game suspensions for testing positive for a diuretic. The diurectic is banned by the NFL because it can be used to mask steroid use. But in this case, the players are claiming that they didn't know that the Starcaps they were taking contained the banned diruretic, and the supplements they were taking were used to try to make weight.
The AFC and NFC Pro Bowlers were announced a short while ago, and why make some pointless comment you are sure not to laugh at when we can just give you the rosters instead? Here goes.
One day after a 35-14 mudhole-stomping of the Arizona Cardinals that left some of us (myself included) thinking the Vikings had the look of a potential Super Bowl contender, a big cog to the team's highly-touted defense is on the shelf.
Defensive tackle Pat Williams, one-half of the famed Williams Wall, suffered a broken scapula that will keep him out from two to six weeks. He was playing only thanks to a court order that put off an NFL suspension that would have kept him and fellow tackle Kevin Williams out for the rest of the regular season.
Jimmy Kennedy, signed by the Vikings when they thought they may lose both starting tackles to suspension, should see increased playing time with Pat Williams out.
This certainly doesn't have the impact that losing both Williamses would have had, but it could not come at a worse time for Minnesota. The Vikings need one more win to seal up the NFC North title, and they have to deal with the Atlanta Falcons this Sunday at the Metrodome. It won't be easy to do that without a key part of their top-ranked run defense.
Great news for Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints fans. Maybe.
A federal judge has blocked the suspensions of five players, including Vikings Pro Bowl defensive tackles Pat and Kevin Williams. The five were banned for the last four games of the NFL regular season after testing positive for a banned diuretic over the summer and eventually having their appeals heard and denied.
The legal process started Wednesday, when the Williamses (not related) took their case to a district court in Minneapolis. There they convinced a judge to issue a temporary restraining order blocking the suspensions and allowing the two to return to practice.
Both tackles have returned to practice, and actually were at the Vikings' facility Friday instead of at the hearing over this latest legal action.
As expected, the NFL Players Association has filed suit in federal court asking that suspensions of six players be overturned.
From the Associated Press story via Access Vikings:
The NFL Players Association is suing to block five of the six player suspenions for violating the league's anti-doping policy. The suit field in federal court is on behalf of Kevin and Pat Williams of the Vikings and Charles Grant, Deuce McAllister and Will Smith of the New Orleans Saints. The five players were suspended for testing positive for a banned diuretic that can be used as a masking agent for steroids. The diuretic was in a supplement that did not list the diuretic as an ingredient.
ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports the union is going to ask for a ruling by Friday, meaning that the involved teams are left twisting in the wind regarding the availability of their players.
Houston's Bryan Pittman isn't included in this lawsuit.
This filing comes less than 24 hours after a Twin Cities judge issued a temporary restraining order to block the suspensions of the two involved Vikings.
Hennepin County District Court Judge Gary Larson has granted a temporary restraining order against the NFL. The order effectively halts the four-game suspensions against defensive tackles Pat and Kevin Williams for the use of a banned diuretic. The two took their situation to court Wednesday after the NFL announced their suspensions some 24 hours earlier.
While this ruling does allow both players to return to the Vikings' practice facility in Eden Prairie, it doesn't lock them into being available for Sunday's game against the awesome winless Detroit Lions. According to both Twin Cities reports, Larson is going to schedule a more extensive hearing for the next few days, and the NFL could conceivably appeal the judge's order.
So far, there has been no word of any attempts by the other four suspended players to take similar action.
The NFL still hasn't given up on the idea that it will eventually be able to suspend Minnesota Vikings defensive linemen Kevin Williams and Pat Williams for violating its drug policy in the StarCaps case. There remains the chance the league will further appeal the decision by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals that upheld a federal judge's decision that the players could not be suspended. But on a conference call with reporters Monday afternoon, NFL union head DeMaurice Smith said the union and the NFL have had discussions about the drug policy in light of the StarCaps case, and he thinks there's a chance this could result in changes to the policy.
The back-and-forth between the courts and the NFL continues regarding the four-game suspension of the Minnesota Vikings' two gargantuan defensive tackles, 
This is a good thing, 
As you may recall, five NFL players were slapped with respective four-game suspensions late last season -- though they never served them while their legal claims were being heard in court. Friday, a 
The Vikings should know by the time training camp begins whether they'll be missing two of the keys to the defense when the season begins. A U.S. District Court judge 
Bad news Monday for the Minnesota Vikings.
Great news for Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints fans. Maybe.
