NFL Responds to NFLPA's Paul Tagliabue Recusal Request

Just days after the NFL Players Association filed an appeal asking former commissioner Paul Tagliabue to recuse himself from the appeal of the New Orleans Saints' "Bountygate" suspensions, the league has fired back—and done so with force.

In a filing submitted Friday, the league stated that there is "no basis" for the NFLPA's request for Tagliabue to remove himself from the case, according to CBS Sports' Mike Freeman:

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NFL court filing: "The union admits that it has no basis to accuse Commissioner Tagliabue of anything nefarious..."

— mike freeman (@realfreemancbs) October 26, 2012"

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NFL filing: there is no bias based upon "the governing CBA provision, the relevant facts, or the law."

— mike freeman (@realfreemancbs) October 26, 2012"

Tagliabue, who served as the NFL commissioner from 1989-2006, had taken over the case after current league commissioner Roger Goodell stepped away amid controversy. 

In its recusal request, the NFLPA pointed out a potential conflict of interest and asked the court to appoint a neutral arbitrator to the case involving the suspensions of Jonathan Vilma, Scott Fujita, Anthony Hargrove and Will Smith. 

From a mere practical standpoint, having a former commissioner take over his successor's case does seem like a massive conflict. 

What's more, with the 2012 NFL season reaching its midpoint, we may have reached the point where the league should simply hand the case over to the court system.

A truly neutral arbitrator would come to a decision that neither side can quibble with and allow both parties to do something most fans did a long time ago—move on from the Bountygate scandal. 

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