Jonathan Vilma Releases Statement On Suspension – Clearly Not Happy

It was announced earlier today that Jonathan Vilma would be suspended for one year for his alleged part in ‘Bountygate’. He has now issued a statement on the matter…and he is CLEARLY not happy with Roger Goodell. The words ‘send a clear message to the commissioner‘ are used in the statement. Do yourself a favor and see what Jonathan Vilma has to say on the matter.

I’ve always appreciated Jonathan Vilma’s appreciation for the game from what I could see from the outside looking in. In interviews he was always well spoken. While on the field he was an animal (that I never saw any evidence of intentional injury), and on the sidelines a guy that you could tell cared about the game. He joked with his teammates and coaches, and was pissed off when they weren’t playing well. This paragraph is all my personal opinion. You may think what you will. Here’s what Jonathan Vilma himself had to say on his suspension for the entire 2012 season. This is the full text originally posted on ESPN.com:

“I am shocked and extremely disappointed by the NFL’s decision to suspend me for the 2012 season. Commissioner Roger Goodell has refused to share any of the supposed evidence he claims supports this unprecedented punishment. The reason is clear: I never paid, or intended to pay, $10,000, or any amount of money, to any player for knocking Kurt Warner, Brett Favre or any other player out of the 2009 Divisional playoff game, 2010 NFC Championship Game or any other game.

 

“I never set out to intentionally hurt any player and never enticed any teammate to intentionally hurt another player. I also never put any money into a bounty pool or helped to create a bounty pool intended to pay out money for injuring other players. I have always conducted myself in a professional and proud manner.

 

“I intend to fight this injustice, to defend my reputation, to stand up for my team and my profession, and to send a clear signal to the commissioner that the process has failed, to the detriment of me, my teammates, the New Orleans Saints and the game.’’

 

And my opinion still hasn’t changed. What do you think about the situation, and more specifically do you feel the same or completely different than Vilma?