Sean Payton suspended 1 year (2 Viewers)

[cobalt_27]

I fully understand that the NFL is attempting to change the culture of violence in the League, but crippling the Saints and reducing their capacity to compete in the NFL is an unfair way to go about it.

Unfortunate for the NO fans that their DC and HC were responsible for this program, lied about this program, deceived the NFL when told to stop operating this program. By definition, any punishment was going to cause adverse impact on the Saints. Sorry this upsets you, but you probably should be a lot more upset at Williams, Loomis, Payton, and Benson for exposing the team to the natural consequence of punishment, not to mention an abhorrent practice, in the first place, and then engaging in a cover up.

 

[Johnny Bing]

I hope this is not the end of the investigation, because if the buck stops here the judgment is highly unfair. These are professional athletes, not to mention adults who have just as much of a conscience as the coaching staff. I understand and agree 100% the staff is wrong for offering bounties, but I also feel it is unjust to turn the other way and say the defense players who committed these acts are innocent in the eyes of Goodell. A player could have easily stood up and said it is wrong to injure a player and get paid for it. To accept cash from coach for performing the hit on that player is just as guilty. IMO if you are going to fault the coaches, you have to punish the player also. They are grown men, who could have made the right decision.

Do you have any reason to think the players are not going to be punished?

Only time will tell, but I highly doubt they will see punishments similar to the coaching staff. If that is the case the Saints might just as well play Coach Gennero football this season if they are suspending for the year, because that is how I feel it should be punished. If you are going to punish the coach for offering it, you should punish the player just the same for implementing and accepting the money.

 

[Doug B]

TY Doug, and while it doesn't matter or really need to be said, I've always found the Saints fans to be very nice on these boards, they suffered a lot leading up to the 2009 season. I really hope they can keep moving forward. They still have a bundle of talent and a HoF QB.

Thanks for the good words. NFL allegiances need not lead to bad iFeelings when these kinds of things go down.I am cautiously optimistic that the Saints can get their feet back under them. Things look dark right now (lord, you should read beat guy Jeff Duncan already burying the 2012 Saints), but there are some silver linings:

a) It appears that OC Pete Carmichael is going to avoid suspension. I think he showed a solid ability to run the gameday ship last year when Payton was out with the knee injury. A lot of people felt like Carmichael's hand made the offense better than when Payton was on the sideline. Yes, Payton was in the coaches' box and involved during weekday prep ... but Carmichael's sideline authority was fairly free.

b) Saints fans can remember back to 2007 and 2008 when the Saints were spinning their wheels around .500. Payton wasn't performing any special magic back then to get the team over the hump. And if you blame the former DC and lack of defensive talent for those lost seasons ... well, I have hope in Spagnuolo as a DC. And the Saints' defensive talent (suspensions or not) is better now than it was in 07-08. Heck, un-suspendable Broderick Bunkley just signed today.

c) I've always believed that with an elite QB, a team can overcome a lot of sins -- both in personnel and in coaching. Now then, getting Brees signed to a new contract is critical. But once that happens (having faith over here), the Saints have a signigicant leg up over about 2/3 of the league just in having #9 under center.

 

[Doug B]

... you probably should be a lot more upset at Williams, Loomis, Payton, and Benson ...

I believe -- but can't prove -- that Benson's hands are clean.

 

[Multiple Scores]

Drafting Ingram looks even worse now. LOL

 

[Doug B]

Drafting Ingram looks even worse now. LOL

Yack :X

 

[Gadabout]

How is Sean Payton supposed to come up with a game plan for the super bowl in only ten days?

 

[Ministry of Pain]

And the Saints host the Super Bowl in New Orleans this year? I just saw that on the article Doug posted...this just gets worse.

This is a terrible story for the NFL...I think the casual fan is not going to understand all this and might even be a little turned off by the way Goodell handled it...CASUAL NFL FAN, NOT THE SHARK POOL!

 

[Gadabout]

And the Saints host the Super Bowl in New Orleans this year?

I think that's a tiny part in why Payton got suspended for the whole year. No way the Ginger would want to see us back in the big game this year.

 

[Tom Hagen]

Where does the money for the bounties come from?

You mean besides the twice convicted (3x?) felon who's friends with Payton?

Here's a fun fact I learned today, one of Ornstein's felony convictions was for trying to defraud the NFL out of $350,000. I'm guessing the league wasn't too happy with his involvement in this.

 

[cobalt_27]

And the Saints host the Super Bowl in New Orleans this year?

I think that's a tiny part in why Payton got suspended for the whole year. No way the Ginger would want to see us back in the big game this year.

Are you delusional? Is this how saints fans are defending the bounty program, cart-offs, lying about it, covering it up, etc? Because Goodell doesn't like the saints? To be perfectly blunt, that is a very poor' borderline stupid, assessment

 

[fatness]

Gregg Williams

”Furthermore, I apologize to the players of the NFL for my involvement as it is not a true reflection of my values as a father or coach, nor is it reflective of the great respect I have for this game and its core principle of sportsmanship."

Actually Gregg, it is.

 

[encaitar]

... you probably should be a lot more upset at Williams, Loomis, Payton, and Benson ...

I believe -- but can't prove -- that Benson's hands are clean.

I think the fact that the organization only lost 2 2nd round picks and was only fined $500,000 is pretty much proof that Benson is clean. Payton is losing $8 million dollars from this thing. If the owner himself was found to be involved, I would shudder to think of the fine.

 

[duaneok66]

Gregg Williams

”Furthermore, I apologize to the players of the NFL for my involvement as it is not a true reflection of my values as a father or coach, nor is it reflective of the great respect I have for this game and its core principle of sportsmanship."

Actually Gregg, it is.

agree. Actions speak louder than words.

 

[cobalt_27]

... you probably should be a lot more upset at Williams, Loomis, Payton, and Benson ...

I believe -- but can't prove -- that Benson's hands are clean.

I think the fact that the organization only lost 2 2nd round picks and was only fined $500,000 is pretty much proof that Benson is clean. Payton is losing $8 million dollars from this thing. If the owner himself was found to be involved, I would shudder to think of the fine.

Benson very unlikely was aware of this, but that's sort of the problem, right? Not like this wasn't investigated years ago. Owner had for make sure this wasn't still going on.Isn't $500k the max fine the NFL is allowed to impose. I don't think this is a light penalty with the loss of two 2nd rounders is not light at all. But, the heavy penalties on everyone else were perfectly justified.

 

[DiStefano]

not sure it really made the Saints have a decided advantage. Should we go back and look at some of those Darren Sharper hits from the Super bowl run season?

Nice post, ty

The Wall Street Journal went back and looked at the Saints game film over a 54-game span and only found 18 injuries that the Saints were involved in (i.e. excluding guys pulling up lame with a hamstring injury). One injury every 3 games hardly seems like a notable difference from any other NFL team. That's where the NFL's sanctimony on this issue is completely hypocritical--there was no noticeable on-field impact associated with this.

But that's not really what it's about, is it? It's about intent to injure more than it's about successfully injuring, right?

I've heard interviews with former players who have stated that they INTENDED to injure their opponents in EVERY game. To say otherwise shows a complete lack of understanding of the nature of football.

The interviews you heard make an excellent argument for why the punishment was so severe.

I fully understand that the NFL is attempting to change the culture of violence in the League, but crippling the Saints and reducing their capacity to compete in the NFL is an unfair way to go about it.

Life's not fair. Deal with it.League really had no other choice here.

 

[Gadabout]

And the Saints host the Super Bowl in New Orleans this year?

I think that's a tiny part in why Payton got suspended for the whole year. No way the Ginger would want to see us back in the big game this year.

Are you delusional? Is this how saints fans are defending the bounty program, cart-offs, lying about it, covering it up, etc? Because Goodell doesn't like the saints? To be perfectly blunt, that is a very poor' borderline stupid, assessment

Not defending anything. I even threw the word 'tiny' in there. Don't get so mad bro.

 

[ATC1]

IMO, it is the full calender year as opposed to the full season that is a bit harsh. To not have Payton involved in FA, contract negotiations, draft picks, personel changes etc. puts a strain on the organization past the 2012 season.

I think it will ultimately force Tom Benson to fire Payton. The only problem with that is an unsigned Drew Brees. Brees twitted that he is close with Payton. If he is gone there is no chance Drew signs anything or even plays this season.

 

[Gadabout]

IMO, it is the full calender year as opposed to the full season that is a bit harsh. To not have Payton involved in FA, contract negotiations, draft picks, personel changes etc. puts a strain on the organization past the 2012 season.

I think it will ultimately force Tom Benson to fire Payton. The only problem with that is an unsigned Drew Brees. Brees twitted that he is close with Payton. If he is gone there is no chance Drew signs anything or even plays this season.

Benson already came out and said he's standing by his guys. Can't imagine him changing his stance on that now.

 

[GregR]

I haven't seen this mentioned yet, but I suspect the primary reason that the Saints didn't get the additional cap space that the other 28 teams did was because of this scandal. It wouldn't make much sense to reward the Saints one week and punish them the next.

I don't know what (if anything) the Saints did with contracts, new or restructured, to push cap hits into the uncapped year in 2010.But they would have had the third highest cap hit if there had been a salary cap, according to a PFT article at the time. There was a big gap between the Redskins at $178.2 million, the Cowboys at $166.5 million, and the third place Saints at $145.0 million.However, the gap between the Saints and other teams wasn't as large, so it's probably not solely due to being 3rd highest. The Vikings were at $143.4m, Seahawks at $138.8m. The Raiders, who got hit like the Saints, would have been 8th if there was a cap, with $135.2m.I doubt they would mix punishments. My guess is the cap room punishment was a little from being 3rd highest in cap room, but probably more related to some contracts they wrote/restructured that year, or else the Vikings would have gotten hit with it before the Raiders did.

 

[BaBastage]

I think it will ultimately force Tom Benson to fire Payton. The only problem with that is an unsigned Drew Brees. Brees twitted that he is close with Payton. If he is gone there is no chance Drew signs anything or even plays this season.

I'd be shocked if Brees quit over this. If anything, I bet his loyalty to his teammates and fans brings him back more motivated than ever.But... as a 49er fan, I CALL DIBS!!!

 

[menobrown]

Saints

Redskins

Cowboys

Steelers

Not sure if the Steelers belong in this group but they've felt personally affronted by some of the new league rules and saw their star QB get what I think is the longest personal conduct suspension doled out by the NFL to a player who was never actually charged with a crime.

Either way hope Goodell has a nice safe and long contract because in the past few weeks he's seriously eroding his support.

That being said of all of these teams that might feel wronged by Goodell, I think the Saints have the least basis to be upset or contend no wrong doing but man did they get hammered in a stronger fashion than I ever though possible.

 

[Short Corner]

Lawsuits, baby, lawsuits. The NFL wants to be able to point out in court that they do not tolerate this and that they have harshly punished the evildoers. If you look down the road, with the ongoing concussion lawsuits, and the possible future injury lawsuits, they are covering their butt.

Could be done far more easily by just teaching players about the risks, having set procedures in place to deal with injuries, and making players sign a waver agreeing not to sue as a condition of employment.

Never heard of this outfit?

 

[ATC1]

I think it will ultimately force Tom Benson to fire Payton. The only problem with that is an unsigned Drew Brees. Brees twitted that he is close with Payton. If he is gone there is no chance Drew signs anything or even plays this season.

I'd be shocked if Brees quit over this. If anything, I bet his loyalty to his teammates and fans brings him back more motivated than ever.But... as a 49er fan, I CALL DIBS!!!

Drew was openly upset that the Saints slapped him with the Franchise tag after he almost ended his career with an injury playing with a franchise tag. In the end all things considered with the state of the Saints franchise, it's all about the money.

 

[GregR]

I'd be shocked if Brees quit over this. If anything, I bet his loyalty to his teammates and fans brings him back more motivated than ever.

I won't be surprised if the entire Saints team shows up with a chip on their shoulder and extra motivated in 2012, similar to the Pats after Spygate. Though the loss of Payton will hurt.

 

[GroveDiesel]

And the Saints host the Super Bowl in New Orleans this year? I just saw that on the article Doug posted...this just gets worse.

This is a terrible story for the NFL...I think the casual fan is not going to understand all this and might even be a little turned off by the way Goodell handled it...CASUAL NFL FAN, NOT THE SHARK POOL!

You're out of your mind. The casual fan sees that players were getting paid to intentionally hurt other players and 90% of casual fans are going to find that abhorrent. So I don't think there will be ANY negative views of Goodell and the league at all.

 

[Short Corner]

Wow....wow....just wow.Goodell is a god (so he thinks).This has been going on for decades.

So what? Just because people been shooting heroin forever you gonna let your child do it? Genocide is always going on, so it's ok. The it happens argument is weak. You get caught, you get punished.

You misunderstood me. I don't agree with it (money to injure players)....it has been going on for decades.....this is nothing new at all. That is football. Don't fool yourself. It is a very violent, take no prisoners game.

How do you know this? Money for INTs and fumbles is one thing. Money for big hits even is one thing. Money to take a guy out of the game or take him out on a stretcher? That's a crime: conspiracy to commit assault. If I were the local DA I would charge them with a crime.

This rhetoric is silly and this reasoning is flawed. If you want to charge conspiracy for a crime, you have to have a crime. This would imply that any hit where a guy got taken out of the game or out on a stretcher is assault (or, rather, battery since assault != battery). But, consent is a complete or partial defense, and activities within the rule of a game falls under that. Illegal hits MAY be battery, but you still have to prove several things including the fact that it was intentionally outside the rules of the game.I guess it's pretty obvious you're not a DA

I would be much more concerned with the civil suits.

 

[Short Corner]

Drafting Ingram looks even worse now. LOL

I thought he was a lock first ballot HOFer.

 

[duaneok66]

Drafting Ingram looks even worse now. LOL

I thought he was a lock first ballot HOFer.

no kidding.

 

[Disc Shark]

Where does the money for the bounties come from?

You mean besides the twice convicted (3x?) felon who's friends with Payton?

Here's a fun fact I learned today, one of Ornstein's felony convictions was for trying to defraud the NFL out of $350,000. I'm guessing the league wasn't too happy with his involvement in this.

It's no surprise that "Tom Hagen" would spot the rat. It's what a consiliere has to do. The NFL hates Ornstein, for good reason. I am sure that the NFL encouraged Payton to cut ties with him, but Sean did not. When evidence surfaced that Ornstein offered a bounty on Aaron Rogers (one of the League's superstars in the prime of his career), I'm sure the League office hit the roof. Now, it's not been shown that this offer was accepted or that there was ever a bounty for knocking Rogers out of the game (the 2011 season opener in Green Bay). Payton has claimed that he never read the e-mail (yeah, right). The League office does not like Payton. Those are among the motivations for the draconian sanction against Payton. Someone earlier in the thread asked, "Why no fine for Payton?" Well, he's about to lose $6-8 million due to the suspension. That's really quite a lot.I would point out that all the reports of misconduct by the Saints have been the NFL interpretation of the evidence it's collected. Frankly, I'd like to see the actual documents and statements that support the League's claims. If Payton files a lawsuit, I think we'll all see them. Payton's got 6-8 million reasons to file a suit. I don't think he can get any relief from the Leagues administrative process. He's not protected by any union, like the players are. He may have no real choice but to file.

As I've admitted before, I'm an unabashed Saints fan and New Orleanian since 1967. We know adversity - for centuries, up to and including the recent unpleasantness on and after 8.29.05. We will deal with this, however it comes out.

But if our head coach is going to be suspended for one full year, which, because of the timing, covers all of one year and a part of another, then there should be a similar investigation of all other NFL teams covering the same time period. If the practice was widespread, as I suspect it was (perhaps without direct involvement of the coaching staff), then the excessive penalties against the Saints are unjustified.

I'll bet that energetic and enterprising journalists will scour the country seeking interviews with former NFL players in the coming weeks and months. I'm willing to wager that similar bounty stories will surface from the distant and recent past, and maybe even the present. Nearly every former NFL player that I've heard interviewed in the last several weeks since the story initially broke has confirmed that similar bounty programs have existed for years. Everywhere. If you haven't noted this, then you are not listening or are in denial. If you believe that NFL defenders do not intend to maim their opponents every week, you are in denial. The self-righteousness of some of the commenters here is infuriating, especially those who are (or pretend to be) SHOCKED ... SHOCKED... to learn that NFL defenders would try to knock an opponent's QB out of a game. These people do not have the first clue about the nature of football.

Some of the haters are just anti-Saints, and I can deal with that. Every team or individual who is successful will create haters. I hate the Yankees (among others), for instance. The saddest of these are the continually-whining Vikings fans. Very sad, indeed.

As I also mentioned before, I will take the Super Bowl win and just deal with the current troubles. It's worth it. Many Saints fans have an inferiority complex (from decades of ineptitude) and a persecution complex (the League changes the overtime rule that's nearly 40 years old the first time benefits the Saints???). But we are also resilient and not afraid to speak our minds.

 

[Disc Shark]

And the Saints host the Super Bowl in New Orleans this year?

I think that's a tiny part in why Payton got suspended for the whole year. No way the Ginger would want to see us back in the big game this year.

Are you delusional? Is this how saints fans are defending the bounty program, cart-offs, lying about it, covering it up, etc? Because Goodell doesn't like the saints? To be perfectly blunt, that is a very poor' borderline stupid, assessment

Yeah, the NFL does not like Sean Payton. Sorry if you are unarmed with any facts.

 

[cobalt_27]

And the Saints host the Super Bowl in New Orleans this year?

I think that's a tiny part in why Payton got suspended for the whole year. No way the Ginger would want to see us back in the big game this year.

Are you delusional? Is this how saints fans are defending the bounty program, cart-offs, lying about it, covering it up, etc? Because Goodell doesn't like the saints? To be perfectly blunt, that is a very poor' borderline stupid, assessment

Yeah, the NFL does not like Sean Payton. Sorry if you are unarmed with any facts.

Well. Suck it up bro.

 

[Disc Shark]

And the Saints host the Super Bowl in New Orleans this year?

I think that's a tiny part in why Payton got suspended for the whole year. No way the Ginger would want to see us back in the big game this year.

Are you delusional? Is this how saints fans are defending the bounty program, cart-offs, lying about it, covering it up, etc? Because Goodell doesn't like the saints? To be perfectly blunt, that is a very poor' borderline stupid, assessment

Yeah, the NFL does not like Sean Payton. Sorry if you are unarmed with any facts.

Well. Suck it up bro.

I am, "bro".

 

[Borat]

@ the Saints and their fans. This is the point where your franchise goes back to being disgraceful again. Hope you enjoyed the ride! :hi:

 

[mozzy84]

I fully understand that the NFL is attempting to change the culture of violence in the League, but crippling the Saints and reducing their capacity to compete in the NFL is an unfair way to go about it.

Unfortunate for the NO fans that their DC and HC were responsible for this program, lied about this program, deceived the NFL when told to stop operating this program. By definition, any punishment was going to cause adverse impact on the Saints. Sorry this upsets you, but you probably should be a lot more upset at Williams, Loomis, Payton, and Benson for exposing the team to the natural consequence of punishment, not to mention an abhorrent practice, in the first place, and then engaging in a cover up.

no doubt, they are lucky to have a super bowl trophy still. Can't wait to see what players get suspended and fined.

 

[fatness]

"Tonya Harding Kicked Out Of NFL"

 

[DropKick]

I think the penalty is appropriate although Bellicheat should have gotten the same and the HC in Oakland a few years ago who broke the jaw of an assistant should have gotten something similar for assault. I don't have a problem with the penalty but it is another example of the NFL not being consistent with penalties. The same thing happens on the field every week of an NFL season. Some teams get nailed for late hits or dangerous hits or holding penalties, while other teams (NE and GB to name two) get away with murder.

So why is it the NFL (or at least its officials) favors some teams, including the Packers and Patriots?

 

[Herb]

The saddest of these are the continually-whining Vikings fans. Very sad, indeed.

You're right, we are sad.

We're sad that the scab from this wound has been torn off. We're sad that we, as long suffering fans of a downtrodden franchise (something Saints fans can understand) watched a great chance for a title slip by the wayside in a game where a worthy opponent was playing outside the rules. We're sad that a game we love has been tarnished by a few mavericks who decided the rules of fair play, sportsmanship and decency didn't apply to them. We're sad that a great, feel-good story about an underdog team from a wrecked city rising up and conquering the sporting world has been tarnished. And we're sad that a few fans, misguided and blinded by their allegiances, can't understand how pathetic Payton, Williams, Loomis et al really are and are unwilling to admit to themselves how pissed off they'd be if Jared Allen had been doing to Brees that whole game what Vilma and Co. were doing to Favre.

I hate the Packers and Bears because of decades of hard- fought rivalry.

I hate the Cowboys, Steelers and Patriots because they're great teams that get too much love and attention, but deserve respect.

Now I hate the Saints Taints because they're cheating thugs that don't deserve the recognition, adoration and title that I thought they'd earned.

But at least the Taints have a Lombardi in their trophy case. Nothing more important than that, right?

 

[guderian]

The saddest of these are the continually-whining Vikings fans. Very sad, indeed.

You're right, we are sad.

We're sad that the scab from this wound has been torn off. We're sad that we, as long suffering fans of a downtrodden franchise (something Saints fans can understand) watched a great chance for a title slip by the wayside in a game where a worthy opponent was playing outside the rules.

How so??? Weren't there a bunch of refs on the field to monitor the play???

 

[Agent575]

Anything less would have not been a successful message sent.

Defending wrong-doing by saying it has been going on for years is idiotic.

Looking forward to seeing the players get theirs now.

Goodell is doing a great job here for the betterment of the game going forward.

PS. I am from Minnesota but my opinion has zero to do with that game. The Vikings had just as much to do with the end of the game as anything the Saints were doing.

 

[ArcticEdge]

The saddest of these are the continually-whining Vikings fans. Very sad, indeed.

You're right, we are sad.

We're sad that the scab from this wound has been torn off. We're sad that we, as long suffering fans of a downtrodden franchise (something Saints fans can understand) watched a great chance for a title slip by the wayside in a game where a worthy opponent was playing outside the rules. We're sad that a game we love has been tarnished by a few mavericks who decided the rules of fair play, sportsmanship and decency didn't apply to them. We're sad that a great, feel-good story about an underdog team from a wrecked city rising up and conquering the sporting world has been tarnished. And we're sad that a few fans, misguided and blinded by their allegiances, can't understand how pathetic Payton, Williams, Loomis et al really are and are unwilling to admit to themselves how pissed off they'd be if Jared Allen had been doing to Brees that whole game what Vilma and Co. were doing to Favre.

I hate the Packers and Bears because of decades of hard- fought rivalry.

I hate the Cowboys, Steelers and Patriots because they're great teams that get too much love and attention, but deserve respect.

Now I hate the Saints Taints because they're cheating thugs that don't deserve the recognition, adoration and title that I thought they'd earned.

But at least the Taints have a Lombardi in their trophy case. Nothing more important than that, right?

 

[wadegarrett]

Reportedly Payton loses around $8 million this year by being suspended. Saints lose a second round pick this year (and next) so they don't have to pay the player that would have been drafted. Not sure if Loomis or assistant coach Joe Vitt are being paid during their suspensions (doubtful). The players will probably lose games and money for their upcoming suspensions.

The Saints were fined $500,000 by the NFL.

Are the Saints actually saving themselves more than $10+ million?

 

[Tiger Fan]

The saddest of these are the continually-whining Vikings fans. Very sad, indeed.

You're right, we are sad.

We're sad that the scab from this wound has been torn off. We're sad that we, as long suffering fans of a downtrodden franchise (something Saints fans can understand) watched a great chance for a title slip by the wayside in a game where a worthy opponent was playing outside the rules.

How so??? Weren't there a bunch of refs on the field to monitor the play???

The rules they broke were off the field. And the severity of the punishment is from the cover up and lies, not for the bounties themselves

 

[saintfool]

the message from Roger is pretty clear: the cover-up is worse than the crime.

if they had stopped it and not lied about it then the penalties would have likely been less harsh.

 

[Drop]

No coach for you! Come back, 1 year.

 

[Godsbrother]

the message from Roger is pretty clear: the cover-up is worse than the crime.

if they had stopped it and not lied about it then the penalties would have likely been less harsh.

Yeah it is a good thing Roger was so forthcoming with the evidence in the Spygate affair. Oh wait, he covered up the details by destroying the evidence so that it could never be reviewed.The Saints deserve to be punished but Goodell sucks.

 

[gianmarco]

the message from Roger is pretty clear: the cover-up is worse than the crime.

if they had stopped it and not lied about it then the penalties would have likely been less harsh.

When I initially heard about the bounty program, I was pretty disgusted by it. Since then, it seems this is very commonplace and isn't necessarily meant to intentionally hurt other players but just as a way of encouraging hard play. I'm not a football player, never was, and I'll probably never get that mentality but from hearing and reading from lots of players and coaches, that's just how it is. I get that.

After reading about how the Saints willfully covered it up and essentially gave the NFL a big "#### you" to keep doing what they were told to stop, they deserve the penalty. Let it be a lesson to them and to every other team that, whether or not you like the rules or Goodell, you better follow them or be prepared to accept some harsh penalties.

I think the Saints will come out of this fine as long as they can lock up Brees. It will be interesting to see how much of an impact Payton truly had.

For the Vikings fans that are now complaining about sour grapes from the hits on Favre as a result of this..... I watched the same thing happen this year from the 49ers and it's part of the game. There was nothing on the field that couldn't be controlled by the refs. As stated above, this is about the cover-up, not about what happened on the field.

 

[sho nuff]

I think the penalty is appropriate although Bellicheat should have gotten the same and the HC in Oakland a few years ago who broke the jaw of an assistant should have gotten something similar for assault. I don't have a problem with the penalty but it is another example of the NFL not being consistent with penalties. The same thing happens on the field every week of an NFL season. Some teams get nailed for late hits or dangerous hits or holding penalties, while other teams (NE and GB to name two) get away with murder.

BB was told to stop his behavior? Then lied about it to the league and instructed his assistants to lie about it as well?As for NE and GB getting away with murder...

 

[sho nuff]

Where does the money for the bounties come from?

You mean besides the twice convicted (3x?) felon who's friends with Payton?

Here's a fun fact I learned today, one of Ornstein's felony convictions was for trying to defraud the NFL out of $350,000. I'm guessing the league wasn't too happy with his involvement in this.

It's no surprise that "Tom Hagen" would spot the rat. It's what a consiliere has to do. The NFL hates Ornstein, for good reason. I am sure that the NFL encouraged Payton to cut ties with him, but Sean did not. When evidence surfaced that Ornstein offered a bounty on Aaron Rogers (one of the League's superstars in the prime of his career), I'm sure the League office hit the roof. Now, it's not been shown that this offer was accepted or that there was ever a bounty for knocking Rogers out of the game (the 2011 season opener in Green Bay). Payton has claimed that he never read the e-mail (yeah, right). The League office does not like Payton. Those are among the motivations for the draconian sanction against Payton. Someone earlier in the thread asked, "Why no fine for Payton?" Well, he's about to lose $6-8 million due to the suspension. That's really quite a lot.I would point out that all the reports of misconduct by the Saints have been the NFL interpretation of the evidence it's collected. Frankly, I'd like to see the actual documents and statements that support the League's claims. If Payton files a lawsuit, I think we'll all see them. Payton's got 6-8 million reasons to file a suit. I don't think he can get any relief from the Leagues administrative process. He's not protected by any union, like the players are. He may have no real choice but to file.

As I've admitted before, I'm an unabashed Saints fan and New Orleanian since 1967. We know adversity - for centuries, up to and including the recent unpleasantness on and after 8.29.05. We will deal with this, however it comes out.

But if our head coach is going to be suspended for one full year, which, because of the timing, covers all of one year and a part of another, then there should be a similar investigation of all other NFL teams covering the same time period. If the practice was widespread, as I suspect it was (perhaps without direct involvement of the coaching staff), then the excessive penalties against the Saints are unjustified.

I'll bet that energetic and enterprising journalists will scour the country seeking interviews with former NFL players in the coming weeks and months. I'm willing to wager that similar bounty stories will surface from the distant and recent past, and maybe even the present. Nearly every former NFL player that I've heard interviewed in the last several weeks since the story initially broke has confirmed that similar bounty programs have existed for years. Everywhere. If you haven't noted this, then you are not listening or are in denial. If you believe that NFL defenders do not intend to maim their opponents every week, you are in denial. The self-righteousness of some of the commenters here is infuriating, especially those who are (or pretend to be) SHOCKED ... SHOCKED... to learn that NFL defenders would try to knock an opponent's QB out of a game. These people do not have the first clue about the nature of football.

Some of the haters are just anti-Saints, and I can deal with that. Every team or individual who is successful will create haters. I hate the Yankees (among others), for instance. The saddest of these are the continually-whining Vikings fans. Very sad, indeed.

As I also mentioned before, I will take the Super Bowl win and just deal with the current troubles. It's worth it. Many Saints fans have an inferiority complex (from decades of ineptitude) and a persecution complex (the League changes the overtime rule that's nearly 40 years old the first time benefits the Saints???). But we are also resilient and not afraid to speak our minds.

You really like trying to make every excuse you possibly can for this don't you?

 

[FunkyPlutos]

Maybe to ease Vikings' fans pain, they should be forced to have Childress as interim head coach?!?!?