Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Pat Williams says he doesn’t know if he can trust the NFL anymore—this after the league failed to tell its players that the over-the-counter supplement StarCaps secretly contained a prescription diuretic banned by the NFL. Pat and Vikings teammate Kevin Williams continue to face four-game suspensions to start the 2009 season if their ongoing appeal is overturned.
Pat is willing to take his medicine, so to speak, but he feels betrayed:
“Basically now I got to hold trust issues with the NFL. I don’t know if I can trust them now. If I did something wrong, I’m going …read more

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast
The five players who were busted for using StarCaps no longer have to keep wondering if they will be suspended. At least not for the next couple weeks and probably longer. U.S. District Court Judge Paul Magnuson extended his preliminary injunction against the NFL’s suspension of Kevin Williams (Vikings), Pat Williams (Vikings), Deuce McAllister (Saints), Will Smith (Saints) and Charles Grant (Saints) for violating the league’s anti-doping policy today. Judge Magnuson asked both sides to propose a schedule by December 22 to file pleadings in the case. That means the players are cleared to play …read more

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast
U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson blocked the NFL from suspending five players (Kevin Williams, Pat Williams, Charles Grant, Deuce McAllister and Will Smith) for violating the league’s anti-doping policy because he needed more time to consider the case after hearing several hours of arguments from the league and the NFL Players Association today. Afterward, the NFL released the following statement:
“Judge Magnuson made clear this afternoon that he needed more time to fully and carefully consider all of the briefs, arguments, and cases put before him. We welcome that scrutiny. We are confident that, once he …read more

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast
The NFL announced today the suspension without pay for four games of six players that violated the NFL Policy on Anabolic Steroids and Related Substances. The players specifically violated a longstanding provision of the policy relating to the use of diuretics and water pills, which serve as masking agents for steroids and are potentially dangerous to the health of players.
The policy states that the use of so-called “blocking” or “masking” agents, including diuretics and water pills, is prohibited and that a positive test will not be excused because it results from the use of a …read more

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Blogcasting the National Football League, Blogcasting the NFL
New Orleans Saints DE Will Smith signed a whopping seven-year, $63 million contract extension yesterday that will make him one of the NFL’s highest-paid defensive players. The guaranteed money is at $25 million. Upon completing the deal, Saints GM Mickey Loomis said:
“We are excited about getting this long-term contract done with Will. We view him as one of our core players and look forward to him having an impact on our defense for years to come.”
Yes, seven years to be precise. Will made the Pro Bowl in ‘06 and led the Saints …read more