Yes, ladies and gentlemen, in just about four and a half hours, we're going to have a better idea of what the rest of the season holds for the defensive tackle tandem of Pat and Kevin Williams as it relates to their bogus suspensions. According to the Star-Tribune:
Two separate actions regarding the playing status of the two Pro Bowl defensive tackles, who were suspended four games by the NFL on Tuesday for using a banned diuretic, are on the docket for a 10:30 a.m. hearing before U.S. District Court Judge Paul Magnuson.
The NFL seeks to dissolve a temporary restraining order obtained Wednesday by the Williamses that allows them to play.
The NFL Players Association joined in the action and filed a lawsuit to block the suspension of the Williamses and three other players. The union is hoping the judge issues an order allowing the five to play. The NFLPA lawsuit argues the players' careers are "short and precarious so that being denied the opportunity to play in games is an irreparable harm which cannot be compensated with monetary damages."
The NFLPA's suit, when boiled down to its essence, pretty much says that the league's substance abuse policy has more to do with protecting the image of the league than it has to do with protecting the safety of the players. . .which, after seeing this recent ruling, is clearly the case.
I really can't add a heck of a lot to this that hasn't already been pounded into the ground here and in other places already. Hopefully I'll be getting home from work earlier today than I have the past couple of days so I can get something up on this during the afternoon, but until then, consider this your daily open thread for StarCap-alooza 2008.
Maybe at some point today, tonight, or tomorrow, I'll do something really crazy here. Something like. . .I don't know. . .talk about the Detroit Lions or something. Wouldn't THAT be weird? Talking about football games on a football blog? Heck, I might be onto something here.