Bill Parcells to coach SAINTS in 2012 ? (1 Viewer)

[Casting Couch]

ESPN reports : Source: Adam Schefter Twitter

Soon-to-be suspended Saints coach Sean Payton has approached Bill Parcells about filling in for him for the 2012 season.

There would be a number of stumbling blocks to the Saints making one of the greatest coaches in league history the greatest interim coach in league history, but the possibility should not be dismissed. Known for never staying in one place for too long, Parcells would be inheriting a readymade Super Bowl contender, and get one last chance to earn a third championship that proved surprisingly elusive after he left the Giants in 1990. Parcells, who was Payton's boss from 2003-05 in Dallas, last coached in 2006.

 

[SacramentoBob]

Great move on the part of the Saints if they do this.

 

[LC512]

This would completely cement the Saints' heel turn.

This has to happen.

 

[sspunisher]

This would completely cement the Saints' heel turn.This has to happen.

Hahaha.

 

[Gadabout]

We need continuity, not man boobs.

 

[Eminence]

This would completely cement the Saints' heel turn.This has to happen.

Haha, too good to get no-sold.

 

[SacramentoBob]

We need continuity, not man boobs.

You're talking about probably the greatest coach in NFL history here.

 

[Ghost Rider]

You're talking about probably the greatest coach in NFL history here.

Who, Parcells? No freaking way. And don't give me the "he's turned this many franchises around." I am sure many of the greats could have done the same thing had they bounced from team to team to team like Parcells did. The true greats like Walsh, Lombardi, Belichick, etc. should not be penalized for having all (or most) of their success with one team.

 

[Casting Couch]

We need continuity, not man boobs.

You're talking about probably the greatest coach in NFL history here.

Huh ?Not close. Evidently he is not even worthy of the Hall of Fame.

 

[Liquid Tension]

You're talking about probably the greatest coach in NFL history here.

Who, Parcells? No freaking way. And don't give me the "he's turned this many franchises around." I am sure many of the greats could have done the same thing had they bounced from team to team to team like Parcells did. The true greats like Walsh, Lombardi, Belichick, etc. should not be penalized for having all (or most) of their success with one team.

One could argue BB was the reason Parcells won his SB's. Then again, BB did struggle in Cle

 

[SacramentoBob]

You're talking about probably the greatest coach in NFL history here.

Who, Parcells? No freaking way. And don't give me the "he's turned this many franchises around." I am sure many of the greats could have done the same thing had they bounced from team to team to team like Parcells did. The true greats like Walsh, Lombardi, Belichick, etc. should not be penalized for having all (or most) of their success with one team.

One could argue BB was the reason Parcells won his SB's. Then again, BB did struggle in Cle

How many SBs has BB won without Romeo Crennell?

 

[JohnnyRobinsonForCanton]

I do think the Saints are doing a great job at trying to keep everything afloat and adding players like Lofton despite what has happened this off-season.

As long as they have Brees they will be good. I love the Lofton acquisition because the Saints' defense was what lost the game against San Francisco.

Parcells would be a good coach for this team considering his success and he would be inheriting a good team.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

You're talking about probably the greatest coach in NFL history here.

Who, Parcells? No freaking way. And don't give me the "he's turned this many franchises around." I am sure many of the greats could have done the same thing had they bounced from team to team to team like Parcells did. The true greats like Walsh, Lombardi, Belichick, etc. should not be penalized for having all (or most) of their success with one team.

One could argue BB was the reason Parcells won his SB's. Then again, BB did struggle in Cle

one oculd argue that BB has 3 superbowls because of the luckiest 6th round pick in NFL history

 

[JohnnyRobinsonForCanton]

^As well as a very good kicker.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

No way this happens. Parcells is up for the Hall of Fame, this would push that back another 5 years...most media feel he would get in 1st ballot right or wrong.

I think this is a terrible decision by Payton and lends credence to the stories that he is Mr Arrogance which until very recently I never seemed to think about...but now I can kind of buy into it. He needs to not try and replace himself with another "Sean Payton"...best move would be to let Spags run things for 1 year. You hired him as your DC, let Brees handle the heavy lifting on offense, this should be easy.

 

[identikit]

This came from a fake twitter account, not Schefter's.

 

[pantherclub]

that would be a bonfire of epic proportions.

 

[SacramentoBob]

You're talking about probably the greatest coach in NFL history here.

Who, Parcells? No freaking way. And don't give me the "he's turned this many franchises around." I am sure many of the greats could have done the same thing had they bounced from team to team to team like Parcells did. The true greats like Walsh, Lombardi, Belichick, etc. should not be penalized for having all (or most) of their success with one team.

How did George Seifert do after he left the 49ers? How did Belichick do in Cleveland?

 

[SacramentoBob]

You're talking about probably the greatest coach in NFL history here.

Who, Parcells? No freaking way. And don't give me the "he's turned this many franchises around." I am sure many of the greats could have done the same thing had they bounced from team to team to team like Parcells did. The true greats like Walsh, Lombardi, Belichick, etc. should not be penalized for having all (or most) of their success with one team.

One could argue BB was the reason Parcells won his SB's. Then again, BB did struggle in Cle

How many SBs has BB won without Romeo Crennell?

?

 

[Casting Couch]

You're talking about probably the greatest coach in NFL history here.

Who, Parcells? No freaking way. And don't give me the "he's turned this many franchises around." I am sure many of the greats could have done the same thing had they bounced from team to team to team like Parcells did. The true greats like Walsh, Lombardi, Belichick, etc. should not be penalized for having all (or most) of their success with one team.

One could argue BB was the reason Parcells won his SB's. Then again, BB did struggle in Cle

one could argue that BB has 3 superbowls because of the luckiest 6th round pick in NFL history

One could argue that "luck" is part of the game. BB also had starting players like Reche Caldwell, David Pattern, Antwain Smith etc. who are now walking the earth with Super Bowl rings. You can attribute his success to "luck" but that is only the tip of a very monster iceberg. I would argue that over the course of his coaching career, Bill Belichick has had more success with lesser talent than any other coach in modern day NFL history.

 

[SacramentoBob]

You're talking about probably the greatest coach in NFL history here.

Who, Parcells? No freaking way. And don't give me the "he's turned this many franchises around." I am sure many of the greats could have done the same thing had they bounced from team to team to team like Parcells did. The true greats like Walsh, Lombardi, Belichick, etc. should not be penalized for having all (or most) of their success with one team.

One could argue BB was the reason Parcells won his SB's. Then again, BB did struggle in Cle

one could argue that BB has 3 superbowls because of the luckiest 6th round pick in NFL history

One could argue that "luck" is part of the game. BB also had starting players like Reche Caldwell, David Pattern, Antwain Smith etc. who are now walking the earth with Super Bowl rings. You can attribute his success to "luck" but that is only the tip of a very monster iceberg. I would argue that over the course of his coaching career, Bill Belichick has had more success with lesser talent than any other coach in modern day NFL history.

He had a lot of success with Bill Parcells talent he took over too. Seems like Parcells gets credit for at least one of the BB Super Bowls.

 

[Casting Couch]

You're talking about probably the greatest coach in NFL history here.

Who, Parcells? No freaking way. And don't give me the "he's turned this many franchises around." I am sure many of the greats could have done the same thing had they bounced from team to team to team like Parcells did. The true greats like Walsh, Lombardi, Belichick, etc. should not be penalized for having all (or most) of their success with one team.

One could argue BB was the reason Parcells won his SB's. Then again, BB did struggle in Cle

one could argue that BB has 3 superbowls because of the luckiest 6th round pick in NFL history

One could argue that "luck" is part of the game. BB also had starting players like Reche Caldwell, David Pattern, Antwain Smith etc. who are now walking the earth with Super Bowl rings. You can attribute his success to "luck" but that is only the tip of a very monster iceberg. I would argue that over the course of his coaching career, Bill Belichick has had more success with lesser talent than any other coach in modern day NFL history.

He had a lot of success with Bill Parcells talent he took over too. Seems like Parcells gets credit for at least one of the BB Super Bowls.

It's the system, Sac.

 

[duaneok66]

thread is hijacked . . .

sad.

I think Parcells is a good fill in, especially considering that he's not interested in a long term gig (age) at this time anyway.

 

[identikit]

thread is hijacked . . .sad.I think Parcells is a good fill in, especially considering that he's not interested in a long term gig (age) at this time anyway.

Was all based on a fake twitter account tweet.So not much of a thread IMO.

 

[Dawg Pound 69]

Doubt Parcells would want to come out of cushy retirement to take over a team which could possibly have Chase Daniel as starting QB. Brees holdout is seeming likely.

 

[Ghost Rider]

You're talking about probably the greatest coach in NFL history here.

Who, Parcells? No freaking way. And don't give me the "he's turned this many franchises around." I am sure many of the greats could have done the same thing had they bounced from team to team to team like Parcells did. The true greats like Walsh, Lombardi, Belichick, etc. should not be penalized for having all (or most) of their success with one team.

How did George Seifert do after he left the 49ers? How did Belichick do in Cleveland?

What does Seifert have to do with a conversation about the best coaches ever?And Belichick didn't do so hot in Cleveland, and yet his overall W/L coaching record still obliterates Parcells'. And he's done far better in New England than Parcells did anywhere.

 

[Doug B]

Brees holdout is seeming likely.

WAY too early to say that.

 

[rizzler]

Mark Ditka just tweeted he's going to be coaching the Saints!

woah!!!!

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

Mark Ditka just tweeted he's going to be coaching the Saints!woah!!!!

Mark?

 

[Gatorman]

Parcells would be a terrible fit for this saints team. They'd be better off giving the job to mike martz for a year than Bill Parcells.

 

[rizzler]

Mark Ditka just tweeted he's going to be coaching the Saints!woah!!!!

Mark?

Ya man!Read it on John Glazer's twitter.

 

[Doug B]

Parcells would be a terrible fit for this saints team. They'd be better off giving the job to mike martz for a year than Bill Parcells.

Not in these circumstances, unless he somehow failed to understand that he'd only be keeping the seat warm. Parcells would come in with the expectation of NOT remaking the team in his image.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

This is terrible from the standpoint that you want to make things right. I respect the fact Benson so far is backing his coach, but someone needs to have some sense there and allow either Spags to coach the team and either prove himself or not...most think he is lousy but he has a lot of talent in New Orleans.

If not him, I like the OLine coach better than the rest of the staff. I really think they need a defensive guy to work with the defense and let Brees run the offense for the most part.

 

[Doug B]

This is terrible from the standpoint that you want to make things right.

I'm curious as to your line of thinking. I don't think the Saints should concede the 2012 season as a "lost season".Is it -- in the grand cosmic and karmic sense -- "wrong" for the Saints to have a good season in 2012? I get the feeling from some corners that the Saints "deserve" to suck for a while. I'd counter that the franchise deserves nothing once the individuals are penalized. If the Saints can somehow wring out a successful season, I can't agree that that's somehow "incorrect" and "shouldn't be".

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

Im surprised that Payton has survived this long, as an owner Id be pretty PO'd.

 

[B-Deep]

Im surprised that Payton has survived this long, as an owner Id be pretty PO'd.

i am sure he is PO'dbut everytime he gets mad he just steps out of his office and sees that shiny trophy and gets right over it

 

[Ministry of Pain]

This is terrible from the standpoint that you want to make things right.

I'm curious as to your line of thinking. I don't think the Saints should concede the 2012 season as a "lost season".Is it -- in the grand cosmic and karmic sense -- "wrong" for the Saints to have a good season in 2012? I get the feeling from some corners that the Saints "deserve" to suck for a while. I'd counter that the franchise deserves nothing once the individuals are penalized. If the Saints can somehow wring out a successful season, I can't agree that that's somehow "incorrect" and "shouldn't be".

I think most see thru thr hiring as just a way that Sean can still have some input into the team...that's the disturbing part. Goodell handed down the punishment and it's like the Saints are still in denial about the whole thing. Personally if I owned the team the GM, Coach, and any one else suspended would be fired for now. I would openly tell Payton I would want to hire him back but New Orleans, the city, the fans, the players who are not suspended, they still must be given every chance to compete and i don't think grabbing your former mentor to coach the team is a good idea. You need someone that has no affiliation to Sean for now. Just my opinion DB, I'm enjoying your posts, think you're a terrific Saints fan and have been more than fair.

 

[B-Deep]

This is terrible from the standpoint that you want to make things right.

I'm curious as to your line of thinking. I don't think the Saints should concede the 2012 season as a "lost season".Is it -- in the grand cosmic and karmic sense -- "wrong" for the Saints to have a good season in 2012? I get the feeling from some corners that the Saints "deserve" to suck for a while. I'd counter that the franchise deserves nothing once the individuals are penalized. If the Saints can somehow wring out a successful season, I can't agree that that's somehow "incorrect" and "shouldn't be".

I think most see thru thr hiring as just a way that Sean can still have some input into the team...that's the disturbing part. Goodell handed down the punishment and it's like the Saints are still in denial about the whole thing. Personally if I owned the team the GM, Coach, and any one else suspended would be fired for now. I would openly tell Payton I would want to hire him back but New Orleans, the city, the fans, the players who are not suspended, they still must be given every chance to compete and i don't think grabbing your former mentor to coach the team is a good idea. You need someone that has no affiliation to Sean for now. Just my opinion DB, I'm enjoying your posts, think you're a terrific Saints fan and have been more than fair.

that's ridiculousanyone they hire is going to have input fro Payton, everyone knows that including the league

parclls is probably more likely to act on his own then some team lackey

 

[Moldy Potato]

This is terrible from the standpoint that you want to make things right.

I'm curious as to your line of thinking. I don't think the Saints should concede the 2012 season as a "lost season".Is it -- in the grand cosmic and karmic sense -- "wrong" for the Saints to have a good season in 2012? I get the feeling from some corners that the Saints "deserve" to suck for a while. I'd counter that the franchise deserves nothing once the individuals are penalized. If the Saints can somehow wring out a successful season, I can't agree that that's somehow "incorrect" and "shouldn't be".

I think most see thru thr hiring as just a way that Sean can still have some input into the team...that's the disturbing part. Goodell handed down the punishment and it's like the Saints are still in denial about the whole thing. Personally if I owned the team the GM, Coach, and any one else suspended would be fired for now. I would openly tell Payton I would want to hire him back but New Orleans, the city, the fans, the players who are not suspended, they still must be given every chance to compete and i don't think grabbing your former mentor to coach the team is a good idea. You need someone that has no affiliation to Sean for now. Just my opinion DB, I'm enjoying your posts, think you're a terrific Saints fan and have been more than fair.

Are you aware of the magnitude of the penalties that the Saints are facing?We are losing our Head Coach for a full year (including draft and offseason), our GM for 8 games, our Assistant Coach/Linebackers Coach for 6 games, multiple suspensions to defensive players, two second round draft picks, along with some very hefty fines (including Payton losing out on 5.8 million dollars). These are considered the harshest penalties in NFL history.

Yet we somehow people out there think we are getting off easy? Does not compute.

 

[Doug B]

Im surprised that Payton has survived this long, as an owner Id be pretty PO'd.

Tom Benson is privy to a perspective on this whole affair that none of us are. If Benson is, indeed, not angered to the point of cleaning house ... I think that is meaningful.

 

[B-Deep]

Im surprised that Payton has survived this long, as an owner Id be pretty PO'd.

Tom Benson is privy to a perspective on this whole affair that none of us are. If Benson is, indeed, not angered to the point of cleaning house ... I think that is meaningful.

on one hand i have decades of futility, fans with bags on their headson the other i have one of the best teams in the league and a super bowl

hmmmmm

tough choice

he might be well and rightly pissed, and still think the best thing for the franchise is keeping Payton

if he thought otherwise teams would be lining up to give Payton his second chance

 

[Doug B]

Yet we somehow people out there think we are getting off easy? Does not compute.

I actually think the Saints are getting off "easy", in the sense that the penalties still leave the Saints in a position to compete.Earlier on, I had expected Goodell to hand down a cosmetic punishment, one that would look (fairly) harsh but actually be not all that problematic to overcome. In fact, I had thought that Payton and Benson met with Goodell the week of March 12th for the express purpose of planning and negotiating just such a punishment.

When the punishments were announced, I was originally thinking "Oh no, I was a mile off. They're hammering the Saints through Payton's suspension.". But the more thought I've applied to it, and the more I consider the options the Saints have, the more I think that Payton's suspension may well have been the cosmetic punishment.

Think about it:

a) Loomis will be able to GM right up until the regular season opener. Then he gets two months off. So he gets to work on the Brees contract right up through camp, if neccessary. He also continues to helm the draft, to sign UDFAs, and to pick over pre-season waivers.

b) While Joe Vitt is a nice rah-rah guy, he's still fundamentally a LB coach. Nevertheless, he gets to work with Spagnuolo and the new defensive players all through OTAs and training camp. Something tells me that the Saints defense can survive Vitt being out from the opener through to mid-October.

c) Jonathan Vilma facing an 8-16 game suspension? Hello, Curtis Lofton, who happens to be four years younger and cheaper. Not a heart-and-soul guy yet like Vilma, no. But I'm anxious to read the book Lofton will write for himself in New Orleans. Meanwhile, all the money Vilma would've earned during his weeks off will come off the Saints' 2012 books.

d) Other defensive players facing suspensions? I'll eat my hat if anyone besides Vilma gets over two games. Even if not staggered, though, I'd bet the Saints will lose no more than 3 or 4 starters at a time. More info needs to come in, but these "secondary" player suspensions don't look automatically crippling to me.

...

So that leaves Sean Payton. It's speculation to say that Benson explicitly offered up Payton as a sacrificial lamb to Goodell. But if there was any planning of the punishment, and Benson was at least allowed to offer an opinion ... perhaps "Sean Payton off for the season" would be a reasonable answer to the question "What 'knockout punch' could we best withstand? What can we best work around?"

 

[Doug B]

He might be well and rightly pissed, and still think the best thing for the franchise is keeping Payton.

That too.As far as I'm seeing, Benson is not taking much media heat at all for not cleaning house. PR-wise, being willing to keep Payton is not an untenable position for Benson.

 

[B-Deep]

He might be well and rightly pissed, and still think the best thing for the franchise is keeping Payton.

That too.As far as I'm seeing, Benson is not taking much media heat at all for not cleaning house. PR-wise, being willing to keep Payton is not an untenable position for Benson.

i also wonder if there is some fear that if you fire Payton for an offense during the super bowl winning season, if it somehow invalidates that win or taints itif his crimes are so egregious that you cannot allow him to coach anymore, how could you feel pride about a super bowl you won during those very crimes? isn't celebrating that win sort of hypocritical?however, if it was an error, maybe even a horrible one, that can be punished and atoned for. Well, we are all human, we all err and ask forgiveness. In time this will healperhaps not, but it occurred to me

 

[Tanner9919]

You're talking about probably the greatest coach in NFL history here.

Who, Parcells? No freaking way. And don't give me the "he's turned this many franchises around." I am sure many of the greats could have done the same thing had they bounced from team to team to team like Parcells did. The true greats like Walsh, Lombardi, Belichick, etc. should not be penalized for having all (or most) of their success with one team.

One could argue BB was the reason Parcells won his SB's. Then again, BB did struggle in Cle

One could argue Parcells is the reason BB even exists as a head coach in the NFL..signs of a great coach?students/disciples do well after they leave the 'teacher'. Parcells has Sean Payton, Bellichick, Coughlin, among others.

Bellichick's guys are Mangini ( so good he's now an espn analyst) , Crennel ( lots of SB rings , none as a head coach), McDaniels ( so good as a HC he's now back in NE as an OC), Saban who left the NFL to go back to college, Weis who like Crennel has loads of SB rings, but can't cut it as a HC, in the NFL OR in college..

you don't think Parcells could win anything without BB as his DC? his Dallas teams were pretty good, he couldn't win with Romo then, and the Cowboys still can't win with Romo..

others have said that the coaching greats could go to other teams and do as well as Parcells has..

Shanahan hasn't with Washington, Seifert failed in Carolina, Lombardi did OK in Washington, Jimmy Johnson pretty much failed in Miami, Ditka stunk in N.O., etc..

Holmgren is one of the few coaches to do what Parcells has done, bring two different teams to the SB..and if not for a costly Keith Byars fumble against Denver in the AFC Championship Game, Parcells *might* have brought the Jets to the SB as well, three different teams..

poeple are just hating on Parcells..

if he goes to the Saints, you can bet

a) Ingram has a much, MUCH bigger role in this offense since Parcells loves bellcow RBs.

b) improving the defense will be the focal point of his coaching

c) the Saints will go very DEEP into the playoffs, perhaps the SB..

 

[psychobillies]

Yet we somehow people out there think we are getting off easy? Does not compute.

I actually think the Saints are getting off "easy", in the sense that the penalties still leave the Saints in a position to compete.Earlier on, I had expected Goodell to hand down a cosmetic punishment, one that would look (fairly) harsh but actually be not all that problematic to overcome. In fact, I had thought that Payton and Benson met with Goodell the week of March 12th for the express purpose of planning and negotiating just such a punishment.

When the punishments were announced, I was originally thinking "Oh no, I was a mile off. They're hammering the Saints through Payton's suspension.". But the more thought I've applied to it, and the more I consider the options the Saints have, the more I think that Payton's suspension may well have been the cosmetic punishment.

Think about it:

a) Loomis will be able to GM right up until the regular season opener. Then he gets two months off. So he gets to work on the Brees contract right up through camp, if neccessary. He also continues to helm the draft, to sign UDFAs, and to pick over pre-season waivers.

b) While Joe Vitt is a nice rah-rah guy, he's still fundamentally a LB coach. Nevertheless, he gets to work with Spagnuolo and the new defensive players all through OTAs and training camp. Something tells me that the Saints defense can survive Vitt being out from the opener through to mid-October.

c) Jonathan Vilma facing an 8-16 game suspension? Hello, Curtis Lofton, who happens to be four years younger and cheaper. Not a heart-and-soul guy yet like Vilma, no. But I'm anxious to read the book Lofton will write for himself in New Orleans. Meanwhile, all the money Vilma would've earned during his weeks off will come off the Saints' 2012 books.

d) Other defensive players facing suspensions? I'll eat my hat if anyone besides Vilma gets over two games. Even if not staggered, though, I'd bet the Saints will lose no more than 3 or 4 starters at a time. More info needs to come in, but these "secondary" player suspensions don't look automatically crippling to me.

...

So that leaves Sean Payton. It's speculation to say that Benson explicitly offered up Payton as a sacrificial lamb to Goodell. But if there was any planning of the punishment, and Benson was at least allowed to offer an opinion ... perhaps "Sean Payton off for the season" would be a reasonable answer to the question "What 'knockout punch' could we best withstand? What can we best work around?"

Is that how it works? A suspended players salary is off the books?

 

[psychobillies]

He might be well and rightly pissed, and still think the best thing for the franchise is keeping Payton.

That too.As far as I'm seeing, Benson is not taking much media heat at all for not cleaning house. PR-wise, being willing to keep Payton is not an untenable position for Benson.

i also wonder if there is some fear that if you fire Payton for an offense during the super bowl winning season, if it somehow invalidates that win or taints itif his crimes are so egregious that you cannot allow him to coach anymore, how could you feel pride about a super bowl you won during those very crimes? isn't celebrating that win sort of hypocritical?however, if it was an error, maybe even a horrible one, that can be punished and atoned for. Well, we are all human, we all err and ask forgiveness. In time this will healperhaps not, but it occurred to me

What would be the point in firing Payton or Loomis? They would be hired in the same position for another program in a heartbeat. They might even make more money. Benson would only be hurting himself by doing so.

 

[B-Deep]

He might be well and rightly pissed, and still think the best thing for the franchise is keeping Payton.

That too.As far as I'm seeing, Benson is not taking much media heat at all for not cleaning house. PR-wise, being willing to keep Payton is not an untenable position for Benson.

i also wonder if there is some fear that if you fire Payton for an offense during the super bowl winning season, if it somehow invalidates that win or taints itif his crimes are so egregious that you cannot allow him to coach anymore, how could you feel pride about a super bowl you won during those very crimes? isn't celebrating that win sort of hypocritical?however, if it was an error, maybe even a horrible one, that can be punished and atoned for. Well, we are all human, we all err and ask forgiveness. In time this will healperhaps not, but it occurred to me

What would be the point in firing Payton or Loomis? They would be hired in the same position for another program in a heartbeat. They might even make more money. Benson would only be hurting himself by doing so.

i was not arguing they should fire them

 

[Herb]

Yet we somehow people out there think we are getting off easy? Does not compute.

I actually think the Saints are getting off "easy", in the sense that the penalties still leave the Saints in a position to compete.Earlier on, I had expected Goodell to hand down a cosmetic punishment, one that would look (fairly) harsh but actually be not all that problematic to overcome. In fact, I had thought that Payton and Benson met with Goodell the week of March 12th for the express purpose of planning and negotiating just such a punishment.

When the punishments were announced, I was originally thinking "Oh no, I was a mile off. They're hammering the Saints through Payton's suspension.". But the more thought I've applied to it, and the more I consider the options the Saints have, the more I think that Payton's suspension may well have been the cosmetic punishment.

Think about it:

a) Loomis will be able to GM right up until the regular season opener. Then he gets two months off. So he gets to work on the Brees contract right up through camp, if neccessary. He also continues to helm the draft, to sign UDFAs, and to pick over pre-season waivers.

b) While Joe Vitt is a nice rah-rah guy, he's still fundamentally a LB coach. Nevertheless, he gets to work with Spagnuolo and the new defensive players all through OTAs and training camp. Something tells me that the Saints defense can survive Vitt being out from the opener through to mid-October.

c) Jonathan Vilma facing an 8-16 game suspension? Hello, Curtis Lofton, who happens to be four years younger and cheaper. Not a heart-and-soul guy yet like Vilma, no. But I'm anxious to read the book Lofton will write for himself in New Orleans. Meanwhile, all the money Vilma would've earned during his weeks off will come off the Saints' 2012 books.

d) Other defensive players facing suspensions? I'll eat my hat if anyone besides Vilma gets over two games. Even if not staggered, though, I'd bet the Saints will lose no more than 3 or 4 starters at a time. More info needs to come in, but these "secondary" player suspensions don't look automatically crippling to me.

...

So that leaves Sean Payton. It's speculation to say that Benson explicitly offered up Payton as a sacrificial lamb to Goodell. But if there was any planning of the punishment, and Benson was at least allowed to offer an opinion ... perhaps "Sean Payton off for the season" would be a reasonable answer to the question "What 'knockout punch' could we best withstand? What can we best work around?"

very very

 

[Doug B]

Is that how it works? A suspended players salary is off the books?

Base salary only, but yes, per Jeff Duncan.