The Times-Picayune
New Orleans Saints' attitude contributed to the punishment handed down by the NFL
03/22/12 8:20AM
Jeff Duncan, The Times-Picayune
"It's our universe."
Anyone who's dealt with the New Orleans Saints in the Sean Payton era has heard the phrase more than once. It's a favorite of Saints executives, who often directed it to the uninitiated or unwitting who dared question their authority.
It's one thing to act this way to the media or opponents; it's altogether different to do so toward your boss.
In essence that's what Payton did with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and league officials when they accused the Saints of running a bounty program.
Essentially, the Saints told Goodell: "It's our universe" and to go away.
Payton and the Saints now will pay the price for this hubris.
The same arrogance which helped propel Payton and the Saints to unprecedented heights on the field the past six years helped undercut them off of it. They became corrupted by their own perceived omnipotence, and their greatest strength became their most debilitating weakness.
"A combination of elements made this matter particularly unusual and egregious," Goodell said in a damning report released by the league Wednesday. "When there is targeting of players for injury and cash rewards over a three-year period, the involvement of the coaching staff, and three years of denials and willful disrespect of the rules, a strong and lasting message must be sent that such conduct is totally unacceptable and has no place in the game."
The outcry from many Saints fans in the aftermath of the announcement was predictable. It also was disturbingly misguided.
Don't blame Goodell or former Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey or the media for this. Blame Payton, General Manager Mickey Loomis, former New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and linebackers coach Joe Vitt.
It was their actions -- or lack thereof -- that led to the historic discipline meted out by the league. It was their lack of institutional control that produced the biggest scandal in league history. Their cavalier attitudes and carelessness exacerbated the problem and undoubtedly increased the discipline against the team. Their insouciance left the league with no recourse and has caused irreparable short- and long-term damage to the organization.
This wasn't a mistake. A mistake is a typo in a league memorandum. This was conspiracy, institutional insubordination of the highest order.
The bounty program violated Goodell's well-documented mission to improve player safety in the NFL and potentially exposed the league to more lawsuits from players. But the cover-up by the team's front office disrespected Goodell and his seat of power. From the outset of the investigation, the Saints acted with blatant disregard for the NFL office.
"Clearly we were lied to," Goodell said on the NFL Network. "... We were misled ... there were denials. Meanwhile, there continued to be risk to our players and to the integrity of our game. It called for a very significant and clear message."
The investigation also exposed one of the best-kept secrets of Payton's tenure: His dysfunctional relationship with Williams. The two maintained a professional working relationship, but Payton never trusted his defensive coordinator. That was clear in the NFL report, which said one of Vitt's primary roles "was to monitor the activity of Coach Williams. This was based on the direction of Coach Payton, who apparently had less than full confidence in Coach Williams."
If the reports are true that the Saints' front office tried to paint Williams as a rogue vigilante to the league office during the investigation, you can rest assured Williams did likewise to them behind closed doors.
Again, Payton's imperiousness came back to haunt him. The one-year suspension will cost him at least $6 million in salary. The damage it has caused the organization is incalculable.
The Saints undoubtedly will win their share of games this season. They remain one of the most talented teams in the league, and Wednesday's events provide suitable motivational fuel. But in a league where the competitive margin among teams is razor thin, the sanctions are a fatal blow to their title hopes.
The loss of Payton for a full year, Loomis for half a season and Vitt for six games will be insurmountable.
In addition to the suspensions, next month's NFL draft has essentially been rendered irrelevant. With zero picks in the first two rounds, the Saints have little hope of landing an impact player to bolster their foundering defense.
When the bounty scandal first broke, numerous reports -- citing NFL sources -- said the penalties would be "unprecedented." They were.
The sanctions announced by the NFL were the worst administered to a head coach and general manager. You have to go back to 1963 when then commissioner Pete Rozelle suspended players Alex Karras and Paul Hornung for an entire season for betting on football games and associating with known gamblers to find something remotely comparable.
The Saints can appeal the penalties, but the appeal must be made to the commissioner's office. Essentially, Goodell is judge, jury, executioner and appellate judge on this one. Their chances at a successful appeal are less than completing a Hail Mary pass.
Goodell said the harsh discipline was needed to send a loud message to the rest of the league.
"We need to change the culture," he said. "This is another step in changing that culture; this type of behavior is not going to be tolerated."
The Saints and Payton would be wise to do likewise on Airline Drive.
It's not the Saints' universe after all, it's Roger Goodell's.
Welcome to the new world order.
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