The Saints are about to get into a lot of trouble

[santeesioux]

Paying players to injure opponents

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7638603/new-orleans-saints-defense-had-bounty-program-nfl-says

 

[tlongII]

Totally classless thing to do. I hope Goodell reams them a new one.

 

[Sinobas]

And they had the nerve to bitch about the legal hard hits the 49ers put on their ass....

 

[MickZagger]

Slap on the wrist. I don't think the Saints have a reputation around the league as a dirty team.

It is funny to me how pussy the sport is these days. They need to give QB's a mini skirt and lipstick.

 

[julius]

Slap on the wrist. I don't think the Saints have a reputation around the league as a dirty team.

It is funny to me how pussy the sport is these days. They need to give QB's a mini skirt and lipstick.

there are websites for that

 

[PapaG]

They need to give QB's a mini skirt and lipstick.

 

[Minstrel]

That's a really good picture of Tom Brady. He's dreamy.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I'd support a lifetime ban on any coach that does that type of stuff. Also, a minimum 1 year ban for any player who collects money for it.

 

[Minstrel]

I'd support a lifetime ban on any coach that does that type of stuff. Also, a minimum 1 year ban for any player who collects money for it.

I don't think it's going to go that far, but I think the Saints are going to be hit with some pretty major sanctions. Loss of draft picks, maybe loss of cap space. And suspensions for Mickey Loomis, Sean Payton and Gregg Williams (who's now on the Rams) wouldn't be out of the question, either.

It's a double crime...not only did they break the league's safety guidelines (which are incredibly important to the NFL with all the concern now about the long-term effects of the hits players are taking) they also circumvented the cap with these under-the-table payouts.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

It's a double crime...not only did they break the league's safety guidelines (which are incredibly important to the NFL with all the concern now about the long-term effects of the hits players are taking) they also circumvented the cap with these under-the-table payouts.

I wonder if the players declared the payments on their taxes?

 

[MickZagger]

This is a league wide thing. Not just the Saints.

 

[Minstrel]

This is a league wide thing. Not just the Saints.

You get caught, you get hammered. I doubt the Timberwolves were the only ones trying to circumvent the salary cap, but they were ones dumb enough to put it in writing, got caught and suffered a massive penalty.

 

[MARIS61]

I believe felonies were comitted. The kind you go to prison for a long time for.

Same as a loan shark paying someone to have legs broken, or beating someone up and robbing them.

Where's the FBI?

 

[oldmangrouch]

The league will prattle about safety.....but what really has them annoyed is that someone circumvented their precious salary cap.

 

[huevonkiller]

Yeah this is going a bit far, although I am not surprised.

A thousand dollars per "Cart off"? Now that's fucked up.

 

[PapaG]

Knowing about these bounties now finally explains the late hits on Brett Favre during the 2009 NFC Championship game. I remember watching that game, and the refs could have thrown a flag so many times during that game.

I apologize for the 'music', but some of these hits are just ridiculous.

[video=youtube;6i1tkbcxIno]

 

[PapaG]

Always a great time to see the Favre at his most Favre-iest.

[video=youtube;CoJ_K4Mlt4w]

 

[PapaG]

I don't think it's going to go that far, but I think the Saints are going to be hit with some pretty major sanctions. Loss of draft picks, maybe loss of cap space. And suspensions for Mickey Loomis, Sean Payton and Gregg Williams (who's now on the Rams) wouldn't be out of the question, either.

It's a double crime...not only did they break the league's safety guidelines (which are incredibly important to the NFL with all the concern now about the long-term effects of the hits players are taking) they also circumvented the cap with these under-the-table payouts.

Is a pool consisting of player money circumventing the cap, though? The Saints weren't paying the players for hits.

 

[Minstrel]

Is a pool consisting of player money circumventing the cap, though? The Saints weren't paying the players for hits.

Supposedly, Payton's agent and Reggie Bush's agent kicked money into the pool. Also, the knockout/cart-off pool was mostly player funded, but I was under the impression that the money for interceptions and fumbles wasn't. The NFL invoked "pay for performance" which generally implies player compensation.

 

[PapaG]

Supposedly, Payton's agent and Reggie Bush's agent kicked money into the pool. Also, the knockout/cart-off pool was mostly player funded, but I was under the impression that the money for interceptions and fumbles wasn't. The NFL invoked "pay for performance" which generally implies player compensation.

Ah. I guess I'm not as outraged about this as some of the talking heads on TV seem to be, but I do wonder what the refs in that NFC Championship game were thinking by not flagging obvious late hits on the QB. The one where Favre hands the ball off and still gets smoked is such a dirty play, it probably called for an ejection, let alone a personal foul.

 

[PapaG]

Rumors are that Gregg Williams is going to be banned from the NFL. Sucks for the Rams, who did nothing wrong.

Since Mickey Loomis and Sean Payton allegedly knew about this as well, shouldn't they both be banned, too?

 

[Minstrel]

Ah. I guess I'm not as outraged about this as some of the talking heads on TV seem to be, but I do wonder what the refs in that NFC Championship game were thinking by not flagging obvious late hits on the QB. The one where Favre hands the ball off and still gets smoked is such a dirty play, it probably called for an ejection, let alone a personal foul.

I'm not morally outraged by the Saints, because I'm pretty sure it's widespread. I do think it's something that the NFL needs to come down on, because I think that while the NFL is a violent sport (and should be), there's a clear line in intent between wanting to hit hard to make the ball-carrier think twice the next time and wanting to cause injury.

Like the Timberwolves back in the day, I think the Saints are going to be made an example of to try to scare other teams into stopping.

 

[Minstrel]

Rumors are that Gregg Williams is going to be banned from the NFL. Sucks for the Rams, who did nothing wrong.

Since Mickey Loomis and Sean Payton allegedly knew about this as well, shouldn't they both be banned, too?

I'd be surprised if Williams got banned, but I could see him being suspended for a full year.

I think Loomis and Payton will get smaller penalties because they didn't institute it themselves. As higher-ups, they carry responsibility but not as much as the actual wrong-doer.

 

[tlongII]

I'm not morally outraged by the Saints, because I'm pretty sure it's widespread. I do think it's something that the NFL needs to come down on, because I think that while the NFL is a violent sport (and should be), there's a clear line in intent between wanting to hit hard to make the ball-carrier think twice the next time and wanting to cause injury.

Like the Timberwolves back in the day, I think the Saints are going to be made an example of to try to scare other teams into stopping.

I do not think it's widespread. I see no way that several teams are engaged in paying for purposefully injuring opponents. That may have been how it was in excess of 10 years ago, but no longer with the increased emphasis on player safety.

 

[Minstrel]

I do not think it's widespread. I see no way that several teams are engaged in paying for purposefully injuring opponents. That may have been how it was in excess of 10 years ago, but no longer with the increased emphasis on player safety.

Seems to be a split of opinion among players...some are saying bounty systems are pretty common, others are saying they've never seen such a thing in the NFL.

 

[PapaG]

Rumors are that Gregg Williams is going to be banned from the NFL. Sucks for the Rams, who did nothing wrong.

Since Mickey Loomis and Sean Payton allegedly knew about this as well, shouldn't they both be banned, too?

Sean Payton suspended for the entire 2012 season.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

The NFL dropped the hammer on the Saints!

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Holy shit and WOW!

Crazy punishments! Interesting to see where the Saints go from here.

Too bad the Niners couldn't have stolen Brees away!

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

Suspended without pay for an entire season is gonna cost Sean Payton some serious $$$.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Suspended without pay for an entire season is gonna cost Sean Payton some serious $$$.

He should spend the year volunteering with the Ducks. Sean and Chip could learn a lot from each other.