Source: NFL to suspend Payton, Loomis, Williams, and players

[polamalubeast]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/football-insider/post/severe-sweeping-penalties-under-consideration-in-saints-bounty-case/2012/03/04/gIQAThoDrR_blog.html



The NFL is considering severe, sweeping disciplinary measures in the New Orleans Saints’ bounty case that could include lengthy suspensions of Coach Sean Payton, General Manager Mickey Loomis, former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and player leaders of the scheme, a person familiar with the deliberations said Sunday.

The suspensions under consideration are a half-season or longer in some cases, the person said. Several other people in the sport said they expect Williams, now the defensive coordinator of the St. Louis Rams, to be punished severely.

[ShutDown24]

Good. They all should face unprecidented penalties.

[suitanim]

UNLESS they find out even more teams did this...if it gets "too hard" they'll back off and bury this...and by "they", I mean Goodell.

[Dino 6 Rings]

Funny, I had a guy in my office tell me how he thought the Saints were a bunch of thugs that hit late and go for helmet to helmet hurt the other guy type shots for the last few years...and this was in the lead up to his favorite team's (49ers) matchup against the Saints.

Guess he was right.

[st33lersguy]

At least he is considering punishing a non-steeler, but I will believe it when I see it

[JayC]

that soccer loving asshat must've gotten his black & gold teams mixed up

[The Patriot]

If he's considering suspending players, that could affect teams that Williams wasn't on, if they've signed former Saints, Bills, or Redskins players.

[zulater]

The reason they're going to come down hard on this is because apparently they approached the Saints with these allegations right after the 2009 playoffs were complete. That the Saint's denied the allegations at the time is one thing. But the fact that the evidence seems to indicate they continued the practice of paying bounties up to and including last season is another entirely, and why they deserve to be punished severely.

It's one thing to ignore a league wide memo ( if there ever was one distributed) which perhaps several other teams may or may not have done. But to be confronted with the allegation and not only lie and say you haven't done it, but then go and and practice business as normal afterwards takes it to whole new level. Whatever they get they deserve. But don't assume other teams will be punished as severely if they get found out later. The situation with the Saints was extreme.

[suitanim]

The reason they're going to come down hard on this is because apparently they approached the Saints with these allegations right after the 2009 playoffs were complete. That the Saint's denied the allegations at the time is one thing. But the fact that the evidence seems to indicate they continued the practice of paying bounties up to and including last season is another entirely, and why they deserve to be punished severely.

It's one thing to ignore a league wide memo ( if there ever was one distributed) which perhaps several other teams may or may not have done. But to be confronted with the allegation and not only lie and say you haven't done it, but then go and and practice business as normal afterwards takes it to whole new level. Whatever they get they deserve. But don't assume other teams will be punished as severely if they get found out later. The situation with the Saints was extreme.

IIRC, the Pats also tried to play the game of "Deny deny deny" about spygate as well.

[oneforthetoe]

My god .... how many first round draft picks is this going to give the Pats?

[X-Terminator]

My god .... how many first round draft picks is this going to give the Pats?

I'd say 3; 4 if Brady was one of their targets; 5 if Brady was actually touched.

[Dino 6 Rings]

I think the Patriots punishment is a lifetime ban on ever winning the SB again. I mean, 2 losses in a row in the SB to the Giants...that's pretty bad punishment.

There is no worse pain than Losing the Super Bowl. FCK YOU NEIL! and -3 IN TURNOVERS! EF YOU ALL!

see...I'm still in pain...the Pats fans will long suffer for their cheating.

[Kittyfish]

Well said, zulater, as always.

I've noticed several shows comparing Spygate to Bountygate, and asking which is worse in the opinion of the panelists. So far, Spygate seems to be "winning" - big hits seem to be par for the course in football (to mix sports metaphors) but they seem to really disapprove cheating.

[steelerdude15]

They all need to be punished for this.

[O'Malley]

Well said, zulater, as always.

I've noticed several shows comparing Spygate to Bountygate, and asking which is worse in the opinion of the panelists. So far, Spygate seems to be "winning" - big hits seem to be par for the course in football (to mix sports metaphors) but they seem to really disapprove cheating.

Spygate>"Bountygate" JMHO.....

[BigNastyDefense]

My big problem with this is that the NFL specifically went to the Saints and said we feel/know that you guys have a bounty program and we want you to stop it. The Saints denied such a program, which is fine to deny it even if it exists, but then you STOP it. It wasn't stopped, they went on with it business as usual, and that's my problem with it.

Now, maybe Mickey Loomis (Saints GM) went to the defense and told them that the NFL came to him and told him to put and end to it. Maybe Gregg Williams told him that whatever bounty program there might be, he would put a stop to it. And then instead of stopping it, any talk of bounties and any payments or pooling of money would be taken outside of the Saints facilities and be done in the privacy of players' homes. If that happens, and it was all kept hush-hush, then Loomis, Sean Payton, and anyone else could legitimately say that they didn't know it was still going on.

[BigNastyDefense]

Spygate>"Bountygate" JMHO.....

I completely agree with this. I don't agree with putting bounties on players, but I don't look at it as cheating because last I checked the defense's job is to hit offensive players. And they know that if they can get a good hit on a star player, it's good for the entire team because that player will think twice for the rest of the game...and if he goes out of the game, he may not want to come back. The reason there are rules against bounties is to keep teams from paying players outside the scope of their contract and to try to keep dirty plays out of the game as much as possible, though dirty players will always exist. It's also there to keep teams, players, and the NFL it's self out of legal trouble because bounties can bring charges on people.

However, Spygate was blatant cheating. And don't forget, the Patriots also practiced with players that were on the injured reserve list which is against the rules and is considered blatant cheating. Spygate was simply about getting an unfair advantage over the opposing team. And that's why most people are going to feel that Spygate was worse than what I am sure will be dubbed (if it hasn't already) Bountygate.

[ALLD]

I think the Patriots punishment is a lifetime ban on ever winning the SB again. I mean, 2 losses in a row in the SB to the Giants...that's pretty bad punishment.

There is no worse pain than Losing the Super Bowl. FCK YOU NEIL! and -3 IN TURNOVERS! EF YOU ALL!

see...I'm still in pain...the Pats fans will long suffer for their cheating.


The Patriots have the "Curse of the Bambino" all over them for cheating. How long will James Harrison's suspension be?

[SMR]

Spygate>"Bountygate" JMHO.....

You're far from being alone in that opinion!

[Butch]

How many of these so called hits were fined??? If they hit within the rules, as "Go To Hell" godell has determined from so called watching game tapes, then what's the big freakin' deal??? If they were fined multiple times then Hang 'em.

Spygate was a million times more grievous and led to a distinct advantage. It was so bad "Go To Hell" had to burn the evidence without anyone from an outside source seeing any of it.

If they get 1/2 year suspensions it will further my distaste for the way the NFL is being run into the ground especially if they were not fined for those so called bounty hits.

[O'Malley]

How many of these so called hits were fined??? If they hit within the rules, as "Go To Hell" godell has determined from so called watching game tapes, then what's the big freakin' deal??? If they were fined multiple times then Hang 'em.

Spygate was a million times more grievous and led to a distinct advantage. It was so bad "Go To Hell" had to burn the evidence without anyone from an outside source seeing any of it.

If they get 1/2 year suspensions it will further my distaste for the way the NFL is being run into the ground especially if they were not fined for those so called bounty hits.

This^X 1,000,000,000

[silver & black]

What a joke. The Patr*ots get away with blatant cheating to start a dynasty, and it all gets swept under the rug and the evidence burned, so no one could ever know how deep it went... but this douche bag is going to suspend a team's players and coaches for half a season for playing football and hitting hard? :rofl2:

I bet the Patr*ots defense had a "bounty system" too........ they just sucked so bad it didn't matter.:lol:

I'm really starting to hate this league. This league is in the throes of a hostile takeover by one guy...... and it's being allowed to happen. Pathetic.

[O'Malley]

What a joke. The Patr*ots get away with blatant cheating to start a dynasty, and it all gets swept under the rug and the evidence burned, so no one could ever know how deep it went... but this douche bag is going to suspend a team's players and coaches for half a season for playing football and hitting hard? :rofl2

I bet the Patr*ots defense had a "bounty system" too........ they just sucked so bad it didn't matter.:lol:

I'm really starting to hate this league. This league is in the throes of a hostile takeover by one guy...... and it's being allowed to happen. Pathetic.

Couldn't have said it better, though I've tried!

[BlacknGoldBabe]

This^X 1,000,000,000

O'Malley dear, I'd quadruple that number!!

I'm sick and tired of the same old schtick when it comes to cheating in ANY form. If you're caught with your hands in the cookie jar, well you deserve what the hell you get.

[Count Steeler]

Maybe in the year 2030, someone will make a movie about Spygate, hopefully premised on the memoirs of the "greatest QB of all time". I'm hoping the shame and guilt will be too much for at least 1 Patriot* to bear and we will finally get the whole truth.

Goodell should have been turfed for that 1 act alone. Instead he gets a contract extension.

[fansince'76]

What a joke. The Patr*ots get away with blatant cheating to start a dynasty, and it all gets swept under the rug and the evidence burned, so no one could ever know how deep it went... but this douche bag is going to suspend a team's players and coaches for half a season for playing football and hitting hard? :rofl2:

I bet the Patr*ots defense had a "bounty system" too........ they just sucked so bad it didn't matter.:lol:

I'm really starting to hate this league. This league is in the throes of a hostile takeover by one guy...... and it's being allowed to happen. Pathetic.

Couldn't agree more.

[katmandu]

The NFL is considering severe, sweeping disciplinary measures in the New Orleans Saints’ bounty case that could include lengthy suspensions of Coach Sean Payton, General Manager Mickey Loomis, former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and player leaders of the scheme, a person familiar with the deliberations said Sunday. I say BAN Williams from the League permanently, Suspend Payton for a year, Fine Loomis $250,000 and Suspend the players involved for 4 games each.

[O'Malley]

Side note... Brees livid and won't sign franchise tag!!!!! Saints back to Aints?

[Godfather]

I don't see why this is such a big story.

If it didn't get flagged or fined, it was a clean hit, and the league determined it to be completely legitimate.

If the hit drew a fine for being dirty, the offender lost his bounty payment and didn't benefit.

[katmandu]

I don't see why this is such a big story.It's all about Sportsmanship and Integrity.....or lack thereof.

[tube517]

It's all about Sportsmanship and Integrity.....or lack thereof.

No, it's about Goodhell covering his ass with his "concern" for injuries.

[steelerdude15]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVKKRzemX_w

Saints, Louis Armstrong, and jazz. It ain't easy in the Big Easy these days. :chuckle:

[SteelerFanInStl]

What a joke. The Patr*ots get away with blatant cheating to start a dynasty, and it all gets swept under the rug and the evidence burned, so no one could ever know how deep it went... but this douche bag is going to suspend a team's players and coaches for half a season for playing football and hitting hard? :rofl2:

I bet the Patr*ots defense had a "bounty system" too........ they just sucked so bad it didn't matter.:lol:

I'm really starting to hate this league. This league is in the throes of a hostile takeover by one guy...... and it's being allowed to happen. Pathetic.

Agreed 1000%. I'm SO f'ing tired of Goodell and his shit.

[ALLD]

It is about corporate liability of the NFL. They are being constantly sued by former players.

[steelerdude15]

It is about corporate liability of the NFL. They are being constantly sued by former players.

Which they shouldn't be allowed to because they knew what they were getting themselves into.

[Count Steeler]

Wonder if any lawyers are going to latch on to this and sue the Saints for conspiracy to commit battery.

Yes football is a violent sport and injuries occur, but intentional attempts to injure and maim should be dealt with severely.