Jonathan Vilma tries to tackle me on Twitter (missed)
Just because Jonathan Vilma can fly doesn't mean can get away with everything.
It’s not pretty when a person becomes so desperate and is caught up in denial that he turns delusional. That appears to be the case with New Orleans linebacker Jonathan Vilma.
Earlier today, I sent out a link to ex-Saint Anthony Hargrove’s declaration to the NFL that he was told to lie by assistant coach Gregg Williams and Joe Vitt in 2010 about the existence of the team’s “bounty” program.
That three page declaration, obtained by Yahoo, is listed below. It clearly illustrates the dishonesty and coverup in the Saints’ organization about the program, and as we’ve learned lies and coverups can lead to greater penalties that the crimes themselves might have resulted in.
Anyway, the one thing I didn’t expect to happen was that Vilma and I would get into a back-and-forth on Twitter. Vilma has been suspended for the entire 2012 season. He and NFLPA consider this NFL investigation a bunch of hooey. I’ve weighed on that here.
Meanwhile, back to the Twitter debate . . .
• Poking Tweet from @JeffSchultzAJC: Hey NFLPA and @JonVilma51, check this out (via Yahoo): http://yhoo.it/ISiYn0
• Response from @JonVilma51: he denied the existence of a bounty program…wats ur point. Nowhere does it say there was a bounty program. Ur reaching.
• Me again (imagine flabbergasted look): It says he was told to lie by coaches. Why would he be told to lie about program that didn’t exist? Can’t wait for your answer.
• Reader @Clete27 is among those who chimes in: Rea@JeffSchultzAJC @JonVilma51 If it didn’t exist, why was he instructed (repeatedly) to deny its existence?
• Vilma responds again: @Clete27 @jeffschultzajc I’m sorry if by responding to u, u thot I cared wat u think. U make no decisions in my world Idc wat u think
My role here is not to try to make sense of Vilma’s response, but merely to mock.
Hargrove, who now plays for Green Bay, was suspended for eight games. He admits to lying to the NFL back in 2010 when asked about the program the first time and recently came clean.
Here are two excerpts from Hargrove’s declaration that I find particularly interesting:
• Coach Vitt also told me that I should deny the existence of any bounty or bounty program, and he told me to remember that he was the person who “brought [me] into the League and brought [me] to the Saints.”
• The meeting lasted approximately 30 minutes, and during that time both Coach Williams and Coach Vitt told me that I should deny the existence of any bounty or bounty program to the NFL. Williams and Vitt repeatedly stated that they “care about me and … if we all stay on the same page about this, it will blow over.” They told me that when the NFL asked me about any bounty or bounty program, I should “just play dumb.”
The meeting was held on or before Feb. 24, 2010. Hargrove’s declaration was signed and dated April 13, 2012.
I’ll let you know if there are any updates on this Twitter debate.
But I can’t promise anything. Unlike Vilma, I actually have a job next season.
By Jeff Schultz
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261 comments Add your comment
Jimmy Crack
May 8th, 2012
7:28 am
OPEN is a Sain’ts troll trying to debase the AJC, and an angry one at that.
Denial, denial, denial, denial, denial, denial, denial, denial, denial.
Free hawk
May 8th, 2012
7:34 am
Vil-ma! Stop this crazy thing!
Jeff Schultz
May 8th, 2012
7:48 am
Coach, just got on. Couldn’t monitor after 11 last night. Deleting, banning now.
Jeff Schultz
May 8th, 2012
8:02 am
The commenting that degenerated last night was caused by only 1 or 2 readers (mostly one, with multiple screen names). Apologies to all who had to witness the idiocy.
DP
May 8th, 2012
8:41 am
Jeff, you might want to ask Vilma if he realizes that Gregg Williams has already copped to the whole bounty program. If not, maybe he can spend his season off back at Dah U retaking some courses he probably didn’t show up for while he was playing football.
DP
May 8th, 2012
8:42 am
And since Williams has already admitted the bounty program existed, why isn’t Vilma man enough to admit he took part in it? What is he, some kind of punk who is willing to do the crime but not to do the time?
Coach
May 8th, 2012
9:07 am
Jeff, I understand and thank you for banning. What I can’t understand is the people doing it in the first place. It really keeps people that want a logical discussion from participating. Back on topic, I think you may have added fuel to the fire with Vilma. Seems today his lawyers are addressing this “proof of” stuff with league officials.
Joey
May 8th, 2012
9:29 am
Jeff, I’m guessing this is the first time you broke a tackle by a NFL LB?
Steve O
May 8th, 2012
9:31 am
Jeff,
I have posting this before, but the AJC needs to require a registration to post on the blogs, with a unique screen name associated with one email address. That will stop most of the shenanigans here.
Joey
May 8th, 2012
9:36 am
1:39 am: “Gregg Williams never admitted to a bounty program ever existing and he didn’t name any players involved”
****************************************
So, dumbass, Williams accepted a “Suspended Indefinitely” judgement from the commissioner, and chose to NOT appeal? Sound like an innocent man to you?
If so that makes him as stupid as you . . .
ollie
May 8th, 2012
10:34 am
Jeff,you went after Vilma 1st taking cheap shots at him on twitter. he was defending himself..as expected….Plus your not the 1st blogger to do that..now go cover your team who just screwed Ovie Mughelli over by cutting him,samething your boss should do to you..an fire you for childs play..just saying
Mule
May 8th, 2012
10:36 am
10-2 over the last 12 games brah, that butt still hurtin’ huh?
watts
May 8th, 2012
10:42 am
When did sports ‘bloggers’ turn out into such smarmy little weirdos? Between this guy and Jeff Duncan, its like junior high school again.
Does anyone want to raise the level of what passes for discourse in the country anymore? Falcon fan. Saint Fan. Who cares. Aspire to be a little more than trolls on the internet ESPECIALLY if you are, I’m assuming, recieving some sort of paycheck for it.
keith
May 8th, 2012
10:44 am
You are reaching……Paid troll is all you are…..get a life. Funny how that is your opinion but a few serious national writers are taking same document as a very large hole in the NFL’s story.
frank
May 8th, 2012
10:47 am
You have a job, but its a crappy internet blogger. I’d hardly go bragging on that.
You also haven’t read the Hargrove document with any sort of critical eye and clearly are simply using it to support what you already believe. Hargrove does not say the Saints told him to lie, only that they told him specifically not to say there was a bounty system. Importantly, despite the NFL claiming otherwise, no where in the statement does Hargrove mention that there actually was a bounty program, nor does he say “The Saints asked me to lie.” In fact for all we know the Saints told him to say exactly what he would have said anyway. He certainly doesn’t make any mention that he would have had anything else to say if not for the meeting.
Its amazing to me what the internet has done to “reporting.” You work for a venerable newspaper but your writing sounds like a whiny teenager. “Haha, I got him!” “At least I have a job!”
This is what passes for journalism today, and people eat it up. Its a pretty sad commentary.
Free Vilma
May 8th, 2012
10:57 am
90% of the people who commented or are just fans never played the game football.. Its sad that people are just so naive to see the real problem.. LOL I can’t help but read all the bs ppl right especially jeff, who was probably in the year book club in high school, c’mon man.. So i guess opposing players are not trying to take Brees out the game.. Put an asterick, who cares.. as my boy williams would say, ” we knocked yall the F out” dont be mad… its football, funny how players arent complaining and only these year book club ppl are…. WHO DAT!!! ya heard
Free Vilma
May 8th, 2012
11:01 am
True Dat Who Dat
savannahga321
May 8th, 2012
11:15 am
Why did the NFL tell Mary Jo what’s her name to lie about this statement? She said it that the statement said that there was a bounty system. It does not. Why aren’t you harping on the NFL for trying to paint a picture instead of releasing FACTS.
Steve613
May 8th, 2012
11:26 am
What if there was no bounty program, and instead of Hargrove saying he didn’t know, he was told to say there was none? My point is, his declaration WOULD have been explosive if, anywhere, he said there WAS a bounty program that he was told to deny. I understand how you are seeing it, but legally there is no admission of guilt, and even a false denial of something doesn’t indicate of the existence of it. The falsehood could also be his KNOWLEDGE that there was no bounty.
Just like YOU don’t know if there was one or not. But if you make claims that there wasn’t, you’d be lying. But the fact that you’re lying doesn’t mean there WAS a bounty, it simply means you were lying about KNOWING there was no bounty.
Pete
May 8th, 2012
11:27 am
This is so overblown… Tony gives a statement about hiding a bounty program yet give no details about money exchanged, players involved, whether is was a performance program or was it a program to initially try to hurt a player such as Brett Favre which is the way the media has played it out to be. So because of this Decleration that proves absolutely nothing the Saints are fined, lose draft picks a head coach and players. Where it the real evidence ? Your article is reaching yet proves one thing… there is no clear cut evidence.
Brent
May 8th, 2012
11:33 am
Please explain how a bounty program (if it did indeed exist is cheating). All they did was offer an extra incentive to hit the opposing players harder. Does that increase the risk of injury, yes it does, but how in the hell is it cheating. The Saints held no unfair advantage over their opponents they just had a little extra motivation to play harder and hit harder. Not saying the bounty program was right but it definetly was not cheating.
DP
May 8th, 2012
11:59 am
Brent, not that anything will convince you, but watch some of the lowlights of the Saints defensive players delivering cheap shots to Warner and Favre in the bounty playoff games. It was a joke. A defender got a personal foul penalty early in the game for crushing Favre into the turf after a HANDOFF to a running back.
Anybody who thinks what the Saints were doing is part of how football is supposed to be played is an unmitigated moron. How about if an opposing coach said “Hit Brees low and blow out his knee, I don’t care if it’s 5 seconds after the play and he’s looking the other way.” Would you morons be OK with that?
Nordnog
May 8th, 2012
12:14 pm
I don’t think I’ve ever seen an affidavit (declaration) where one of the articles is missing. Where is #6?
Jonathan Vilma
May 8th, 2012
12:42 pm
Hey Jeff. Yeah I can sit out and relax all year. Then I will be back for the 2013 season and will make more in 1 year than you will in your life. Don’t hate the playa hate the game you big internet sissy
Mookie
May 8th, 2012
12:43 pm
Report this : The Saints beat the Falcons 10 of the last 12 times !!!
Real American
May 8th, 2012
12:58 pm
This is simply embarrassing….for Schultz.
john marks
May 8th, 2012
1:19 pm
It is amazing how everyone up in Atlanta, Jeff, is using any way possible to bring down the Saints to potentially help the Falcons win a game or to gain any kind of edge. Using social media to try to get into the minds of the Saints organization to weaken them for a win. hahahahahahahaha now thats funny. I cannot wait to we play you guys twice this year. I only wish I was on the team to be able to have my payback on the field for all the things you guys are saying. Its going to be real fun. I promise you. Keep talking Jeff. Keep motivating us. Heck, the two falcon games will be played like the Superbowl this year.
Brent
May 8th, 2012
1:22 pm
DP, I am far from being a moron and if you think those hits are vicious watch some of the all time greats. It was a playoff game and even Warner and Favre said they weren’t mad and didn’t feel any different of the way the game was played. Two older NFL quarterbacks took some shots in a playoff game, really? Is that something new. They may have hit them hard or late even but penalties were called where the NFL’s referees deemed necessary, but still how is it cheating? The Saint’s had no unfair advantage in either one of those games. So don’t talk to me about that is not how the game is supposed to be played. The game is all about the biggest and fastest men in our society making big plays and big hits. If there was a bounty program I am not saying it was right but even if it was done it is still not CHEATING.
Michael Smith
May 8th, 2012
1:22 pm
Shultzie…has your journalism stooped so low ? This is really childish….SHAME ON YOU
TruDatWhodDat
May 8th, 2012
1:25 pm
With or without Vilma the Saints are going to destroy the Falcons. I know it sucks for the Falcons to be our Little Brother in the NFC South but such is life. We even picked up your BEST defender to replace Vilma…ouch. Even with the taint on our team WE ARE GONNA whip you. I think you guys are upset that we didn’t have to take out a “bounty” on Matt Ryan to beat you like a drum the last few seasons. RISE UP or SHUT UP!!!
dav
May 8th, 2012
1:49 pm
What happen to statement #6, it is missing. Also statement #3 has a big gap in it. Though the sentence flows well, not sure why a gap would be there. Statement #13 looks like it was added at a later time since the font is different from the rest of the declaration. It could all mean nothing but…
Turbo
May 8th, 2012
1:51 pm
Falcons fans are the biggest homers ever. all the punishment in the world will not keep the Saints from trouncing on you.
Turbo
May 8th, 2012
1:56 pm
Schultz: LOOK VILMA, MORE HEARSAY!!!! HEY LOOK OVER HERE PLZ!!!! HEARSAY!!!!
Jonathan Vilma
May 8th, 2012
2:07 pm
LMAO at Jeff’s title to this article. How many of you guys clicked on it expecting to see a huge fight went down on twitter? Jeff doesn’t want a piece of this and he knows it!
whodat70816
May 8th, 2012
2:12 pm
LMAO….
Absolutely nothing will change from all of this bounty-gate stuff.
The Saints will continue to own the Falcons.
The Saints defense will pose once agin on the Falcons logo in that circus tent.
Matt Ryan still won’t be able to lead his team to victory in a playoff game.
The Staints will still have a SB under their belt to the Falcons’ zero.
And Schultz will still be nothing more than an Atlanta Falcons Cheerleader.
WHO DAT!
Greg Williams
May 8th, 2012
2:17 pm
I have a $10,000 BOUNTY for whoever helps Jeff Schultz learn to write
saints fan
May 8th, 2012
2:42 pm
Falcons fans must accept the fact that the Saints are superior.
Tom G
May 8th, 2012
2:43 pm
Where is Point # 6 ?
Any reason why it was omitted?
MIKE
May 8th, 2012
3:08 pm
DIRTY TERD FANS STILL LOOKING FOR FIRST TROPHY. I HOPE THEY WAIT A LOOOOOOONG TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
John
May 8th, 2012
3:11 pm
Well since it seems most people are being moronic on both sides of the issue. As a saints fan, yes there were bounties, yes it was covered up. There may have even been bounties to take players out. Fact is, this was all SPOKEN WORD. Not actions on the field! Wise up and quit being homers/haters. The crime doesn’t match the punishment, point blank. These are motivations for warriors, have any of you played sports? Quit following vague images the media paints, read the facts, and determine your own conclusion. Well for some of you, just throw away your keyboard.
John
May 8th, 2012
3:11 pm
Taints? Aints? Typical loser’s lament. Yes, as a lifelong Saints fan I am embarassed by the “allegations” and partial truths from all concerned parties. It truly amazes me how people generally distrust the media, but in this case, are taking the crap spewed by “reporters” without all the facts as gospel. The bottom line is that people believe what they want to believe. I also find it funny that a team with no Lombardi trophies, no playoff wins in years, a team owned by the Saints the past 6 seasons has fans calling the Saints the “aints”. Hello, pot, I’d like you to meet kettle.
Saintnation
May 8th, 2012
3:12 pm
So let me get this straight…. you send the man a smart-aleck tweet then post his response on your “blog” and declare yourself the winner? Thats rich, why dont you have a chat with him in person? Or better yet, let JV concede the tweet war and you guys have a boxing match.
John
May 8th, 2012
3:12 pm
two different John’s btw
thiebaud
May 8th, 2012
4:02 pm
“Unlike Vilma, I actually have a job next season.”
Zing! Good one, unless you consider the balance of your respective bank accounts. Unlike Vilma, you actually need a job next season. You fart.
otownsaint
May 8th, 2012
4:18 pm
All of you (Jeff Shultz included) just hate the Saints cause they kick your a$$ every year. You need Goodell to bring the hammer down on them cause you know you don’t have a chance to beat them any other way. It must really suck being a Falcants fan!! Ha ha ha!!!!
Falkor
May 8th, 2012
4:40 pm
I am an educated adult male who doesn’t believe in Stereotyping, but in my entire life, I have met 2 Saints fans who didn’t come across as blatantly ignorant, smack-talking, sandy vaginas. That’s 2 total, and I’m in the GA dome for every home game, and I’ve been to a Falcons-Saints game in the SuperDome.
They are every bit as rude in our stadium as they are in theirs. No class whatsoever, and being proud of an ignorant and childish mantra of “Who Dat” pretty much sums up exactly what I am talking about.
I have one point: No woman has ever claimed to be raped in the GA Dome, but there are dozens of women who were raped in the SuperDome during Katrina.
Way to show your true New Orleans, what a fine city you are. The Saints culture lacks the same intelligence as the decision to build a city below sea level.
Enjoy that Superbowl title b/c it’s about the only place you can hand your hat.
And if intelligent Saints fans are offended by being lumped with the ignorant criminals then try to quiet the Who Dat smack-talkers, they are making you look bad
Grammar Police
May 8th, 2012
4:44 pm
@ FALKOR
For a self-proclaimed intelligent male, you sure have a lot of grammar errors in your rant. You are a typical DBAG failcant fan
Jonathon Vilma
May 8th, 2012
4:55 pm
Hey Jeff,
No response??? Guess I win this back and forth argument. Thanks for the laughs babygurl
whodat70816
May 8th, 2012
5:32 pm
@Falkor….The Who Dat Nation owns that Circus Tent you call a stadium. I too have been to many many Saints vs. Falcon Games both in the Super Dome and the Circus Tent. Don’t act as if your fellow Falcon fans are angles….because they are just as rude.
Jeff Schultz
May 8th, 2012
6:12 pm
Folks — I’ve banned 3 people on this blog and will continue to do so. You should know where the line is — don’t cross it.