Jonathan Vilma's Suspension Appeal Is Wasted Effort by Saints LB

Jonathan Vilma clearly disagrees with the year-long suspension handed down to him by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, but he's got to come terms with reality. 

He's wasting his time; there's no way he's going to win his appeal in this case.

Goodell came down with harsh punishment on Vilma and other Saints players and staff to send a clear message.

Bounties will not be tolerated and are contradictory to the safer environment the NFL front office is trying to structure across the league. 

With concussions and the potential lasting effects of repeated head trauma at the forefront of the everyone's minds due to the recent suicide of Junior Seau and the enormous lawsuit being filed against the NFL by former players, the league will not sway in its decision. 

Sure, he, along with other other individuals, may not agree with the penalties, but at this point it doesn't matter. 

The players union filed a grievance that Goodell doesn't have the power to hand down suspensions for any aspect of the case that occurred before the new CBA was signed. 

Come on, guys. 

The league's decision to suspend Vilma for an entire year is justified at its root, anyway.

During this period of heightened awareness about what injuries can do to players in the long run, anyone purposely trying to hurt other players and illegally providing money to guys that do so, should be severely punished.

While it may not be totally fair in the eyes of Saints fans, their middle linebacker was named the ringleader of the bounty system in New Orleans and was caught.

Certainly, the league should provide evidence as to why Vilma was named the ringleader, but I highly doubt Goodell picked Vilma's name out of a hat.   

Vilma would be better off laying low during the 2012 season. 

He'd save a lot of his own time and energy. 

Follow @ChrisTrapasso