With the NFL continuing to try to suspended the Williams Wall for 4 games over the past couple of years.It looks like that Viking fans still need to worry. because the Wall is nor through the clear for this season anyway.
Minnesota Vikings Kevin and Pat Williams are likely to play most if not all of the 2010 NFL season because of a ruling from the state Court of Appeals in their lawsuit over their four-game suspensions for taking a banned diuretic.
This is getting as bad as the Favre drama that we get every season. It just seems like that there will be no end to this case of the Williams Wall vs the NFL. I think that Phat Pat will be done this season, thus he will not have to serve a suspension if one is EVER handed down.
I was reading on PFT and an article caught my eye. It could be likely that the NFL could in fact suspend one player at a time. So this would mean the Vikes would be down the two starting defensive tackles for eight games with four game suspension a piece.Why would the league impose the suspension this way? I can see the league doing this so that the team is not down both of their star players at the same time.
With Albert Haynesworth voicing his interest in becoming a Viking. This could be an avenue that the Vikes would explore if this does in fact happen.This season there is no salary cap, so there would be no worries about going over the league salary cap. Pat Williams was pending retirement this past offseason at age 37. Haynesworth would be perfect for the Vikes 4-3 defense and does not really fit in the Redskins 3-4 defense transformation. The 'Skins want Haynesworth to be a nose tackle and he wants to remain a three-technique in a 4-3.
It will all depend on the suspends if and when the Wall would serve them. I think the Vikes could refuel talks with the sub 30 year old Haynesworth depending on the suspension structure.
This was bound to happen to a team that went 12-4 a season ago. With the flood gates opening up on Friday with the free agency period.
The Vikes lost Chester Taylor to the Bears as expected. Taylor signed a four-year, $12.5 million contract with the Chicago Bears on Friday afternoon. Taylor was a big part of Chilly West Coast offense being a great pass catching running back. With this loss the Vikes can sign a free agent if one surfaces to their liking. I think that sometime next season Taylor will be the starting running back for the Bears due to the ineffectiveness that Matt Forte was last season.
The Vikes also lost Artis Hicks the Washington Redskins who signed a three-year contract that will be worth a maximum of $9 million. Hicks has been a backup with the Vikes since 2007. Hicks is expected to compete for a starting guard job. Hicks knew that he had no chance to be a starter with the Vikings.
With these two losses owner Wilf has reassured the fans that the team is not cutting back with these two early losses. It is going to be interesting to see who will step up in place of CT next season.
More Vikes News: Williams Wall vs the NFL starts today.This has been going on for quite some time the NFL trying to suspend the Williams Wall. Roger the Hammer sure does not know when to quite. The case will be : At issue in Hennepin County Judge Gary Larson's courtroom starting Monday will be whether the NFL has to defer to Minnesota workplace law as it enforces drug policies. The NFL says its collectively bargained drug policy should trump state employment laws.
With the Williams Wall awaiting to the decision of the US Court of Appeals about the potential decsion about their suspension. Kevin and Pat Williams could be suspended for 4 games if the Court of Appeals rules in favor of the NFL in the StarCaps case. One thing is for sure, that is the Williams' will be playing for this Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. So this means the Williams Wall would miss the games against the Lions, 49ers, Packers and Rams. I do have to say without the Williams I could see the Vikes going 3-1 with no problems whatsoever. The only game, I see a problem is against the dreaded Packers. We will soon see what happens with the case.
Judge Gary Larson said today that the Williams Wall will be able to play during the appeals process of the Williams' testing positive of a diuretic. The NFL also cannot step up testing of them during that time. The linemen want a speedy trial so their will be a hearing on July 22nd. The NFL's request to put the state court matter on hold pending the league's appeal of federal claims -- a process that could take months.
On Fridays ruling in the Williams vs the NFL.Judge Paul A. Magnuson dismissed most of the claims made by Williams and fellow Vikings defensive tackle Kevin Williams, two stalwarts in the Minnesota defensive front who are facing suspension over their positive test for a banned diuretic.
U.S. District Judge Paul A. Magnuson remanded two of the claims to state court, but he threw out most of the Williamses' claims and dismissed a lawsuit brought by the NFL players union on behalf of the Williamses and three New Orleans Saints players also facing suspension.
With this ruling, the Williams Wall can get out of this without a suspension. This is due to the state law that protects employees from being suspended from testing positive on a single drug test. With the NFL winning round two after, Magnuson sided with the NFL agreeing that the players' are responsible with what they put into their bodies.
So with the ball set in motion for summer, now all the NFL will see if the Willaims Wall can outdue the NFL in state court. The plateau that the NFL wanted to avoid.
Pat and Kevin Williams are back in court over NFL suspensions. The union lawyers' said, new evidence shows a hot line for players to get information on such issues gave out false information about the supplement, and told players it was not banned. The NFL says that they are not required to list every banned sustance under the collective bargaining agreement.
It was also reported that: According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Peter Ginsberg, the attorney representing the Williamses in their lawsuit, said during a hearing last week that StarCaps were “freely distributed” in the Bills locker room and that “a number” of Buffalo players used StarCaps. Pat Williams played for the Bills from 1997 to 2003. Ginsberg did not say who allegedly dispensed the supplement and to which players.
I for one thinks that this is a bunch of crap. So under this theory, the NFL is saying that the USDA is not required to put everything that is put into our food on the label. It is the same principle. It is going to be interesting to see how everything starts off with trail due to start on June 15th.
The Case involving Vikings Kevin and Pat Williams, as well as 3 Saints player will be active for the remainer of the season including the postseason. It will take a while to get this mess sorted out. Full steam ahead for the Vikes not having to worry about losing the Wall this season at least.
Total Yards-260.8(29th NFL Rank)
Rushing- 78.3(30)
Passing- 182.5(26)
Defense:
Total Yards- 394.3(31)
Rushing- 176.9 (32)
Passing- 217.4(16)
Vikings: Offense:
Total Yards-326.1(16th NFL Rank)
Rushing- 141.2 (4)
Passing- 184.8(25)
Defense:
Total Yards- 293.0(8)
Rushing- 73.1(2)
Passing- 219.9(21)
With the Viking taking over the division last week they will be traveling to Detroit to continue their wrath to make it into the playoffs this season. The fans were celebrating on Monday, but then came Tuesday. Everything ended in an abrupt halt when the Williams Wall was announced and suspended for the last quarter of the season, barring a miracle of some kind happens. The Vikes need to do enough to stop the run, our backups will not stop the run the way the Williams; did. The Vikes did sign on player Jimmy Kennedy (which was just release last month by the Jags). The Vikes have Kennedy, Ellis Wyms, and Fred Evans to be the monsters in the middle this coming Sunday.
I just do not see the Vikes having much trouble stopping Detroit, they are one of the worst teams running the ball and passing the ball has not been a viable option for them either. The only real weapon the Lion have on offense is Calvin Johnson and Antonio Winfield that is all I have to say. Winfield has been one of the best shutdown corners the past few seasons. I just think that it is going to be weird heading into without the Williams Wall.
On the offensive side of the ball will be interesting. As of late the teams that were “determined” to stopping Adrian Peterson has not succeeded. He has been running over defenses running over 100 yards 7 times this season already. I can see AD continuing his quest to making the playoffs, possibly a MVP and the 1st Viking rushing title in team history. The Lions are one of the worst against the run, so maybe it will be a All Day running affair for Peterson and Taylor.
The passing game will need to enough to keep the Lions honest, but Frerotte has been doing a pretty good job passing the ball as of late. He has been throwing less INTS, that is the keep of every football teams to limits your mistakes.
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