Goodell to testify at StarCaps hearing

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is expected to testify next week at a House subcommittee discussing the league’s anti-doping policy. Pat and Kevin Williams aren’t expected to testify.

When the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce subcommittee convenes its hearings Tuesday in Washington D.C. concerning the blocked suspensions of Pat Williams and Kevin Williams for violating the league’s anti-doping policy, Commissioner Roger Goodell is going to testify against them.

Both Goodell and NFL Players Association Director DeMaurice Smith are scheduled to appear before the committee to offer testimony. Both of the Williamses and three New Orleans Saints players were given four-game suspensions by the league, but they were blocked as court filings were made. In May, a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit filed by the union, but two claims made the Williamses attorneys claiming the suspensions violated Minnesota workplace laws were remanded back to state court.

Since then, the judge in the state court case has issued an injunction preventing the suspensions from being enforced until the state case is completed. That case isn’t scheduled to be heard until March 8, 2010. Last month a federal appeals court sided with the Williamses, which has allowed them to continue playing while the legal process runs its course.

The hearing, entitled “The NFL StarCaps Case: Are Sports Anti-Doping Programs At a Legal Crossroads?” will be chaired by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-California). The hearing will concern itself with whether the legal issues raised in the case will weaken performance-enhancing drug policies for professional sports.

Also scheduled to appear are Major League Baseball Vice President of Labor Relations Ron Manfred, MLB Players Association General Counsel Michael Weiner and Travis Tygart, CEO of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

The hearings are expected to last for at least two days. The Williamses are not expected to testify themselves at the hearings.

SATURDAY NOTES

The final injury report was released Friday and Antoine Winfield, as expected, was ruled out with his foot injury. Four players are listed as questionable – Percy Harvin (illness), Naufahu Tahi (knee), Jasper Brinkley (hamstring) and Bernard Berrian (hamstring). Five others are listed as probable – Brett Favre (hip), Ben Leber (calf), Karl Paymah (quadriceps), E.J. Henderson (knee) and Darius Reynaud (hamstring) – meaning there is a “virtual certainty” they will play.

The final Packers injury list has two players listed as out – WR Jordy Nelson (knee) and FB Korey Hall (calf). Two others are listed as doubtful – C Jason Spitz (back) and TE Jermichael Finley (knee). Three are listed as questionable – S Derrick Martin (hamstring), OT Chad Clifton (ankle) and DE Jarius Wynn (hamstring). And five others are listed as probable – QB Aaron Rodgers (foot), CB Charles Woodson (hip), LB Clay Matthews (jaw), OG Josh Sitton (hand) and OT Mark Tauscher (knee).

Harvin was selected NFL rookie of the week through fan voting for his performance last Sunday against the Steelers. He had three receptions for 42 yards and brought back a kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown to help keep the Vikings in the game late.

Pat Wiliams and Benny Sapp were hit by the fine police Friday. Williams was fined $5,000 for a flagrant facemask penalty on wide receiver Mike Wallace and Sapp was fined $5,000 for a hit out of bounds on quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.