Saints Bounty Program **Payton suspended 1 year / Williams indefinitely**

[silverbear]

I have a problem with it because ten years ago this draws no penalty whatsoever.

So, your argument is that NFL discipline should not change with the times??

The Saints arent being punished because the NFL has grown a conscience or even because bounties are inherently evil (though they are unauthorized bonuses and that is against NFL rules). They are being punished to set a legal precedent for their lawyers to point to in the future.

Excellent... well done, Roger...

 

[The30YardSlant]

So, your argument is that NFL discipline should not change with the times??

Not when it comes to the very nature of the game, contact.

 

[Joshmil53]

Oh, the stories I could tell...here are just a couple that popped into my head:

Saints fans throw bottles (Dec. 2001)

Cops: Saints fan shoots two 49ers fans after loss (Jan 2012)

Some of the others are not news stories; just personal anecdotes from going to the Superdome as a Cowboys fan...got many beers thrown at me over the years.

I didn't think they were that bad...then I went to Saints Report.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

Don't get me started on unions...

I think you and I might be a lot closer to the same thinking on that topic then we've been on this one.

Or one could argue that the NFL has needed a hard-nosed sheriff slapping down those who abuse the game... one could further argue that this is a clear message that you don't lie to the league office... maybe now, teams will start to take him seriously...

I salute Goodell for what he did...

Good points. I agree.

 

[InmanRoshi]

Vilma was specifically named in the NFL’s report for putting up $10,000 of his own money to anyone who injured Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre in a Jan. 24, 2010 playoff game in New Orleans. Kluwe recalled it was obvious something out of the ordinary was going on.

Read more:http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcsouth/post/_/id/32804/punter-ban-jonathan-vilma-for-life

I am shocked, SHOCKED, that a former Hurricane could be in the middle of this.

 

[perrykemp]

Goodell is incredibly petty and arrogant for handing down a worse punishment just because someone had the audacity to not tell him everything.

In my world, the corporate world, lying to your boss or bosses gets you fired. I don't find the punishment surprising at all.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

In my world, the corporate world, lying to your boss or bosses gets you fired. I don't find the punishment surprising at all.

In pretty much any world, or work enviroment, lying to your boss or bosses will get you the boot.

I'm not sure why anyone would think that it would be different in the business of the NFL just because it's the NFL.

 

[cajuncocoa]

I didn't think they were that bad...then I went to Saints Report.

Try living here and being a fan of another team.

 

[The30YardSlant]

In my world, the corporate world, lying to your boss or bosses gets you fired. I don't find the punishment surprising at all.

He's punishing an entire franchise worth hundreds of millions of dollars to a worse degree than he would have otherwise because Sean Payton lied to him. This isnt equal to firing a single or even a group of employees. As a commisioner, he shouldnt be handing down spiteful, emotional judgements because his ego took a hit.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

He's punishing an entire franchise worth hundreds of millions of dollars to a worse degree than he would have otherwise because Sean Payton lied to him. This isnt equal to firing a single or even a group of employees. As a commisioner, he shouldnt be handing down spiteful, emotional judgements because his ego took a hit.

Ummm from what I've read this is because the entire Saints orginization lied and tried to cover things up, not just Payton.

How do you know how much he would have punished them if Payton hadn't known about it and it was the other parties involved that lied and hid it? You don't know.

Payton got a 1 year because he lied and covered things up. Everyone involved who has lied and tried to cover things up, including the GM and the Linebackers coach, and the DC at the time have all been individually punished for their roles in lying and covering things up.


It's not like he let those involved skate and only hit the Saints owner and team with fines.


If they hadn't been lying, and had done as they were told, they'd likely have gotten absolutely nothing more than, at most, a slap on the risk. I don't know that for sure but I feel like it's a pretty good bet.

Instead they lied, they continued to do it, and then they tried to cover it up. Not just one person but from top to bottom people involved lied and tried to cover it up.


That's going to get you fired in any other company or business without question. The NFL is no different in that regard and they're getting punished accordingly.

 

[Red Dragon]

As a commisioner, he shouldnt be handing down spiteful, emotional judgements because his ego took a hit.

"Ego" is not the issue here, it's failure to cooperate with the "law" in the matter. Imagine that you are a defendant, and you commit perjury in federal court. As a result, the judge gives you a heavier sentence than he would have otherwise (had you been entirely truthful.) Would you say, "Oh, the judge is just giving a heavy sentence because the perjury happened to sting his ego?" No. You would have been penalized because of attempting to obstruct the legal process.

 

[Red Dragon]

he shouldnt be handing down spiteful, emotional judgements because his ego took a hit.

Let's imagine that Goodell was a cold-blooded person who never felt a twinge of emotion whatsoever. Would you still consider a penalty of two draft picks, $500,000 fined, head coach suspended for one year, former DC suspended indefinitely, to be inappropriate?

 

[cajuncocoa]

Sean Payton releases a(nother) statement:

"I share and fully support the League's concerns and goals on player safety. It is, and should be paramount. Respecting our great game and the NFL shield is extremely important to me. Our organization will implement all necessary protections and protocols, and I will be more vigilant going forward. I am sorry for what has happened and as head coach take full responsibility. Finally, I want to thank Mr. Benson, our players and all Saints fans for their overwhelming support."

http://content.usatoday.com/communi...payton-i-will-be-more-vigilant/1#.T20YS9UxnjU

 

[Arch Stanton]

Bill Jones SportsPage
Greatest quote in Cowboys history: @JimmyJohnson : "oh, I would've gone after Buddy but he put his big fat rear end in locker room!"

Bill Jones SportsPage
RT“@JimmyJohnson: Does anyone wonder that Greg Williams and Jeff Fisher come from Buddy Ryans staff of alleged bounties?”

 

[burmafrd]

Not when it comes to the very nature of the game, contact.

I take it you are unaware that football was almost banned in the early 1900's due to deaths and injuries? Back in the days of the flying wedge?

So it has changed quite often over the years already.

 

[cajuncocoa]

Bill Jones SportsPage
Greatest quote in Cowboys history: @JimmyJohnson : "oh, I would've gone after Buddy but he put his big fat rear end in locker room!"

Bill Jones SportsPage
RT“@JimmyJohnson: Does anyone wonder that Greg Williams and Jeff Fisher come from Buddy Ryans staff of alleged bounties?”

Not surprising at all. I read somewhere the GW once said Buddy Ryan is one of his heroes.