With both Pat and Kevin Williams now going through the appeals process for their four-game suspensions handed down by the NFL for violating the league's substance abuse policy, there is a lot of "taking sides" going on right now. In one camp are the "oh, steroids...suspend them up the wazoo" people, while others think "hey, maybe the Williamses DO have a legitimate complaint". Of course, without being privy to the details of the case, it is difficult (i.e. impossible) to know exactly what is going on. However, I usually find myself in the "suspend up wazoo" camp (even if it involves my favorite team). The reason? There is so much deception going on involving the steroids issue right now, that being firm on the issue (even if it screws a few people over) is, at least in my opinion, the best policy.
I mean, look at Barry Bonds...he's still trying to defend himself, saying that he never "knowingly" took steroids. What a joke! Roger Clemens went through the same process. Sammy Sosa forgot how to speak English when asked about 'roids, and Mark McGwire "won't talk about the past". Really, the only two guys to ever come clean about their substance use lately have been Jose Canseco and Jason Giambi. Canseco is a nut and can't be given much credit (besides getting people thinking about the topic), so really I only respect Giambi for his honesty.
I know those are all baseball examples, but the same principle applies to NFL players as well. Since it has become standard operation procedure to lie your way through steroid accusations, I really can't get too much in the corner of the Williams boys, as I know there is a great chance that both of them are just liars who want to play and cash their paychecks.
In all honesty, I wish they hadn't appealed their suspensions at all, as now they could stretch into the playoffs, where the Vikes need them the most.
