I think the fact that this was leaked to the public made the league more obligated to act.

So far as the violation itself… what a joke, the company should be sued by all these players since the ingredient wasn’t on the label and its not even a performance enhancing drug.

Two wins in their absence gets us in most likely . . . circle the wagons!

As the character Sportin’ Life sings in the Gershwin opera, it ain’t necessarily so. The players can take their case to a higher court. An injunction against the NFL to restrict them from proceding with the suspensions may be obtained on the grounds that there is a strong legal case against the NFL’s ruling and that a clear and present danger exists that the players are likely to suffer irrepairable damages if the actions were taken prior to the completion of a trial. Certainly, not going to a playoff game and being denied the income, prestige, and the chance at a Super Bowl, which cannot be restored retroactively by any court, is a plausible outcome of the present circumstances. There appears to be opposing views on whether the NFL made clear that StarCaps were banned. There is a question of whether the players can be punished for actions which may have been beyond their reasonable power to control, the league’s stated policy not withstanding. Whether the players are ultimately vindicated or not, the suspensions might at least be postponed. If I were a Viking, I’d be donating to the Pat and Kevin legal fund so I’d improve my shot at the playoffs. In fact, if such a fund were organized, I might donate myself anyway. Frankly, I don’t think a league where the officials are allowed to be imperfect but the players are expected to be dietary savants conforms with my idea of fairness. Come back with that there woman, Sportin’ Life! I think there’s gonna be a fight in the next scene.

What a bummer, but not a big surprise. I was hoping they would meet halfway (maybe a 2 game suspension) but the league is playing this one by the book. They can’t rule on intent, so they have to follow the laws they set down. There is definatly some grey area with what is known or unknown about the pills and what they contain and what someone taking them is really trying to accomplish. But ultimatly it comes down to the players themselves. These guys HAVE to know the risk of putting any damn thing into their bodies. Their bodies are their businesses, their product, their worth. They make millions, so would you jepordize your careers’ future on taking ANY medication without first consulting a doctor(s) and making sure it’s safe and clear of any NFL policies???
They are both vital parts to the team, I hope somehow we get them back for the post season….if we make it.

…when A. P. went down with his knee injury in Green Bay? Everyone was writing the Vikes off back then too. Well, the Purple went on a win streak that brought them to the door of the playoffs before faltering at the end. Don’t sell this team short. In the next few weeks we’re going to find out what they’re made of. We still have all our players on offense and have scored 30 or more points in our last two games. Like I said in an earlier post, all these predictions of gloom and doom should be posted all over the locker room. If that doesn’t get a team fired up, nothing will.