Williamses vs. NFL resumes

Williamses vs

Williamses vs. NFL resumes

Williamses vs. NFL resumes

Vikings defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams today will ask the Minnesota Court of Appeals to permanently block the NFL from suspending them four games because the league violated state drug-testing laws when it tried to punish them in 2008.

The 10 a.m. hearing before a three-judge panel is the next frontier in the two-year legal fight between the Williamses and the NFL, which is struggling to preserve its authority to discipline players under the collective bargaining agreement.

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The Williamses are scheduled to attend the 40-minute inquiry in St. Paul before heading to Winter Park for a 12:50 p.m. practice.

The league has been unable to suspend the Williamses since they tested positive for a banned substance that was in the weight-loss pills they were using called StarCaps.

Shortly after the Williamses sued the NFL in December 2008, the Food and Drug Administration recalled the over-the-counter diuretic because it was tainted with bumetanide, a potent prescription drug the NFL and players association classify as a masking agent for steroids.

The Williamses have never been accused of taking steroids.

At issue today is the temporary injunction Hennepin County Judge Gary Larson granted the Williamses after their March trial.

Larson concluded that the NFL violated Minnesota law by failing to notify the Williamses within three days that they had failed tests. The judge also scolded the league for playing "gotcha" by failing to disclose

it knew StarCaps was tainted with bumetanide three years before the Williamses were tested.

Still, Larson ruled the Williamses were not harmed by the league's failure to disclose and declined to award damages. Therefore, the NFL argues, the injunction should be dissolved. That would free the league to suspend the Williamses for four games, which it has been trying to do since Dec. 2, 2008.

The Court of Appeals is not expected to issue a ruling before the end of the 2010 NFL season, which means the Williamses should be able to play for the Vikings the rest of this season without the threat of a suspension hanging over them or the team.

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court denied the NFL a hearing that would have determined whether federal labor law protects the league's drug-testing program from state lawsuits such as the Williamses'.

Pat Williams wants to play: Pat Williams, 38, isn't likely to retire, after all, but whether he plays for the Vikings next season is another issue.

Williams, the NFL's oldest defensive player, told the Associated Press on Tuesday that he plans to play "a couple more years" despite hinting in the offseason that 2010 could be his last.

Angelo Wright, Williams' agent, said Williams loves playing for the Vikings but will weigh all options after 2010.

Williams will be one of a handful of high-profile free agents for the Vikings, including linebacker Chad Greenway and wide receiver Sidney Rice. All-Pros such as running back Adrian Peterson and defensive tackle Kevin Williams could want long-term extensions soon.

Wright said the Vikings haven't discussed an extension with him, or with representatives of any Vikings that he knows of in light of a potential lockout in 2011.

"Whether Pat stays in Minnesota could depend on the composition of the team," Wright said. "If coach (Brad) Childress is coaching next year, I assume they'll stay with a 4-3 defense. If you have a coaching change, they might want to run a 3-4 defense. There are a lot of factors. There are a lot of teams that can use an inside run stopper who is still playing at a high level."

Williams, who has 20 tackles and a forced fumble through nine games, has kept his body fresh over the years after serving primarily as a backup in Buffalo his first four seasons, Wright said.

Williams plays from 30 to 45 snaps per game for the Vikings, who are deep at defensive line.

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