I'm sure I wasn't the only one who was upset when Pat and Kevin Williams managed to finish playing the '08 season by getting an injunction against the NFL last December.  It seems, however, that they may only have postponed the inevitable.  For those of you are just tuning in, a brief refresher:  Pat and Kevin Williams, along with three Saints players, tested positive for a banned substance (a masking agent) found in the weight-loss supplement they were taking to avoid triggering contract penalties (weight limits).  The court granted them an injunction while it considered the players' arguments, which are now coming forward.  This is where things start to look good for Viqueens haters everywhere.

Now, their new line is that when Pat Williams was with the Bills ('97-'03), that the pills were handed out in the locker room to all the players, making him think that they were NFL approved.  Naturally, the Bills deny the claim, implying in a statement that this is something Williams' lawyer simply made up. The line in the story that makes me think that there might be more than just smoke here is:

tI remains to be explained what motivation a team official would have to distribute a supplement designed to allow a player to skirt team rules without a competitive edge. 

Yes, and I would like to hear this explanation.  Overall, it seems like they are just putting off the inevitable suspension, as people seem to think over at PFT. Goodell may be as hateful as any sports commissioner, but this is one area where I support strict penalties.  Football needs to keep itself clean or at least keep its image clean, otherwise someone else will clean it up  - see MLB for details.

Thoughts?  I think this can definitely cost them a game or two, although their first four of the season aren't all exactly the toughest competition (@CLE, @DET, SF, GB).  In any case, it's always good to seem them squirm.