Sean Payton implicated in alleged Vicodin theft at Saints facility
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Sean Payton denies abusing or stealing Vicodin
Posted by Mike Florio on May 1, 2010 4:45 PM ET
As expected, Saints coach Sean Payton has issued a statement regarding the report that he is one of the two unnamed Saints employees implicated in the abuse and/or theft of Vicodin.
"I have reviewed Geoff Santini's lawsuit and the unwarranted publicity it has received," Payton says in a statement provided to us by the Saints. "I have never abused or stolen vicodin or any other medication and I fully support the Saints' position in this matter as expressed by Greg Bensel yesterday.‬‪"
Payton's statement neither admits nor denies that he is the unnamed "Senior Staff Member A" from the lawsuit filed by former director of security Geoffrey Santini.
As we have explained, "Senior Staff Member A" allegedly received a quantity of Vicodin suggesting abuse of the painkilling medication. Santini's lawsuit does not specifically allege that "Senior Staff Member A" stole any pills.
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Sean Payton is expected to issue statement regarding Vicodin allegations
Posted by Mike Florio on May 1, 2010 4:21 PM ET
In the wake of a lawsuit identifying two unnamed senior members of the Saints' staff as recipients of unauthorized quantities of the painkiller known as Vicodin, we have reported that the two unnamed staff members are coach Sean Payton and assistant head coach/linebackers coach Joe Vitt.
We're told that Payton is expected to soon issue a statement denying that he stole Vicodin from the team's drug locker. Based on the precise language of the lawsuit, Payton's expected position is accurate. The precise allegation directed to "Senior Staff Member A" (i.e., Payton) is that he received sufficient Vicodin tablets to constitute evidence of abuse.
Paragraph 6 of the "Petition" filed by former director of security Geoffrey Santini alleges that trainer Scottie Patton told Santini that Vicodin pills were missing from the team drug locker. Paragraph 7 alleges that Santini noticed that "a large number of pills" had been dispensed to "Senior Staff Member A" and "Senior Staff Member B." Paragraph 8 alleges that Patton told G.M. Mickey Loomis that "omeone was stealing" the medication. Paragraph 8 also alleges that Patton said the amount of pills dispensed to "Senior Staff Member A" was sufficient to constitute abuse.
Paragraph 11 alleges that video from a hidden camera placed in the room after the issue arose showed that "Senior Staff Member B" had accessed the drug locker and removed pills from a bottle of Vicodin.
Thus, to be clear, the lawsuit alleges that Senior Staff Member A and Senior Staff Member Breceived sufficient amounts of Vicodin to constitute abuse, and that Senior Staff Member B was seen on video tape entering the drug locker and removing Vicodin pills. There is no specific allegation that Senior Staff Member A (i.e., Payton) obtained Vicodin directly from the drug locker. Instead, the only allegation pertaining to Senior Staff Member A is that he was receiving sufficient Vicodin tablets to constitute evidence of abuse.
In an eventual meeting attended by Santini, G.M. Mickey Loomis, and owner Tom Benson, Benson reviewed a memo regarding the situation and allegedly said that Senior Staff Member A and Senior Staff Member B "had placed the team in a bad position."
This clarification and elaboration does not change our earlier report regarding the identity of the unnamed senior staff members. Multiple sources have advised us that "Senior Staff Member A" as used in the lawsuit refers to Sean Payton and that "Senior Staff Member B" as used in the lawsuit refers to Joe Vitt.
Posted by Mike Florio on May 1, 2010 4:45 PM ET
As expected, Saints coach Sean Payton has issued a statement regarding the report that he is one of the two unnamed Saints employees implicated in the abuse and/or theft of Vicodin.
"I have reviewed Geoff Santini's lawsuit and the unwarranted publicity it has received," Payton says in a statement provided to us by the Saints. "I have never abused or stolen vicodin or any other medication and I fully support the Saints' position in this matter as expressed by Greg Bensel yesterday.‬‪"
Payton's statement neither admits nor denies that he is the unnamed "Senior Staff Member A" from the lawsuit filed by former director of security Geoffrey Santini.
As we have explained, "Senior Staff Member A" allegedly received a quantity of Vicodin suggesting abuse of the painkilling medication. Santini's lawsuit does not specifically allege that "Senior Staff Member A" stole any pills.
Permalink 8 Comments Back to Top
Sean Payton is expected to issue statement regarding Vicodin allegations
Posted by Mike Florio on May 1, 2010 4:21 PM ET
In the wake of a lawsuit identifying two unnamed senior members of the Saints' staff as recipients of unauthorized quantities of the painkiller known as Vicodin, we have reported that the two unnamed staff members are coach Sean Payton and assistant head coach/linebackers coach Joe Vitt.
We're told that Payton is expected to soon issue a statement denying that he stole Vicodin from the team's drug locker. Based on the precise language of the lawsuit, Payton's expected position is accurate. The precise allegation directed to "Senior Staff Member A" (i.e., Payton) is that he received sufficient Vicodin tablets to constitute evidence of abuse.
Paragraph 6 of the "Petition" filed by former director of security Geoffrey Santini alleges that trainer Scottie Patton told Santini that Vicodin pills were missing from the team drug locker. Paragraph 7 alleges that Santini noticed that "a large number of pills" had been dispensed to "Senior Staff Member A" and "Senior Staff Member B." Paragraph 8 alleges that Patton told G.M. Mickey Loomis that "
Paragraph 11 alleges that video from a hidden camera placed in the room after the issue arose showed that "Senior Staff Member B" had accessed the drug locker and removed pills from a bottle of Vicodin.
Thus, to be clear, the lawsuit alleges that Senior Staff Member A and Senior Staff Member Breceived sufficient amounts of Vicodin to constitute abuse, and that Senior Staff Member B was seen on video tape entering the drug locker and removing Vicodin pills. There is no specific allegation that Senior Staff Member A (i.e., Payton) obtained Vicodin directly from the drug locker. Instead, the only allegation pertaining to Senior Staff Member A is that he was receiving sufficient Vicodin tablets to constitute evidence of abuse.
In an eventual meeting attended by Santini, G.M. Mickey Loomis, and owner Tom Benson, Benson reviewed a memo regarding the situation and allegedly said that Senior Staff Member A and Senior Staff Member B "had placed the team in a bad position."
This clarification and elaboration does not change our earlier report regarding the identity of the unnamed senior staff members. Multiple sources have advised us that "Senior Staff Member A" as used in the lawsuit refers to Sean Payton and that "Senior Staff Member B" as used in the lawsuit refers to Joe Vitt.
Beast_from_East
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If there is no evidence, then it is just the word of a former disgruntled employee against the head coach of the SuperBowl champs.
Who do you think people are going to believe???
Who do you think people are going to believe???
SaltwaterServr
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Go Big D!;3386072 said:
There should be a paper trail to the Vicodin. X units come in, X units are prescribed to players. If X doesn't equal X, then someone has got to answer for the discrepancy unless you're the Steelers team doctor and the issue is steroids.
burmafrd
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As regards Bellicheat, its well known that Kraft used his muscle to prevent Goodell from doing much there. Also that was early on for Goodell and he had not had a chance to build a power base. NOW he can take action that the owners won't like but they cannot do anything about especially with all the labor talks ahead. He can just about do what he wants to for the forseeable future.