Williams' attorney: NFL punishments inconsistent

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The attorney for two Minnesota Vikings stars is telling a judge in Minneapolis the NFL applied its rules inconsistently in punishing the players.

Attorney Peter Ginsberg says in his opening statement that the reputations of Kevin Williams and Pat Williams have been tainted by the league's use of its anti-doping program.

He says that before the Williamses tested positive for a banned diuretic in 2008, other players had tested positive for the same substance and escaped punishment.

The players are suing the league over its anti-doping policies after the league tried to suspend them. The trial is to settle

labor issues, including whether the NFL violated a state

confidentiality law over the tests.

NFL attorney Daniel Nash told the judge that the league complies

with all Minnesota laws. He didn't comment on previous cases.

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