Bountygate Punishment for the Saints

[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by CRedskinsRule

Put it this way, I could see Vinny doing this easily, but I would put forward that if the NFL had told Joe Gibbs this needed to stop, he would have stopped it the first time, and not lied about it and covered it up.

I'd bet my house if this was going on and Gibbs found out about it the league wouldn't have to ask him to stop it. He'd have stopped it himself and maybe fired everyone.

If there's one NFL personality that this type of activity doesn't fit it is Joe Gibbs...and maybe Tony Dungy. Those guys wouldn't have put up with this crap at all.

[FRPLG]

And the answer to everyone who say "well other teams do it" is...they're the ones who got caught.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by over the mountain

I havent read everything there is on this but imo giving an incentive to take a player out doesnt mean encouraging your players to play dirty.

Imo it means encouraging hard hits within the rules.

Hearing alot of players comment on radio, theyve all hinted at some kind "bounty" on every team.

punishment seems really harsh and arbitrary. Two game suspension and a draft pick would have been fine.

An legit appeal process should be put in place for discipline actions.

I think when you're paying for players to get knocked out of the game, the line between playing hard clean football and dirty football has been seriously blurred.

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by over the mountain

I havent read everything there is on this but imo giving an incentive to take a player out doesnt mean encouraging your players to play dirty.

Imo it means encouraging hard hits within the rules.

Hearing alot of players comment on radio, theyve all hinted at some kind "bounty" on every team.

punishment seems really harsh and arbitrary. Two game suspension and a draft pick would have been fine.

An legit appeal process should be put in place for discipline actions.

Let's not forget that the biggest reason for such a harsh penalty isn't exactly the bounty program itself, but the fact that the Saints denied they had one and then later it was discovered they had lied about it. That's where the harshness of this punishment is coming from. If the Saints had admitted it from the beginning, the punishment would probably have been steep, but I don't think you would have seen coaches being banned from the league indefinitely.

[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

I think when you're paying for players to get knocked out of the game, the line between playing hard clean football and dirty football has been seriously blurred.

The line has been unequivocally crossed.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by FRPLG

And the answer to everyone who say "well other teams do it" is...they're the ones who got caught.

It's hilarious that people think that's a valid excuse.

[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

It's hilarious that people think that's a valid excuse.

Yes. If we end up getting dinged for it then it'll probably be deserved. If I am Snyder I am doing everything in my power right now to investigate this internally and be forth-coming beyond reason. Get in front of it.

[Alvin Walton]

So Sean Peyton is now a tainted coach.
Does he ever come back?
Do they look for a new head coach ASAP?

[IrMitchell]

My only problem with this is the timing, it should have been a little bit sooner. Otherwise, penalties are fully warranted.

Coach Williams will get reinstated next year if he plays it right. Saints won't miss a step without Payton, their offensive coordinator has a lot of experience with that team, the defense under Spags won't be a problem.

[irish]

Originally Posted by FRPLG

Yes. If we end up getting dinged for it then it'll probably be deserved. If I am Snyder I am doing everything in my power right now to investigate this internally and be forth-coming beyond reason. Get in front of it.

You sure arent Sntder because there's no way he'd be forthcoming about anything related to the Skins.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by FRPLG

Yes. If we end up getting dinged for it then it'll probably be deserved. If I am Snyder I am doing everything in my power right now to investigate this internally and be forth-coming beyond reason. Get in front of it.

Skins are already in the clear. Per Charlie Casserly when he talked to the league he said the Saints are the only team that will be punished.

The big thing here is the Saints were warned, continued the behavior, and covered it up.

[MTK]

Posted by Ruhskins a few pages back, worth repeating...

For all the conspiracy theorists that believe the Redskins will get punished...

Charley Casserly ‏ @CharleyCasserly
NFL tells me that they did not find a system in Wash, buffalo and Tenn where players had bounties offered to injure them.

[SmootSmack]

As I understand it, every team has to submit in writing to the league offices by the end of next week any info they have on possible similar bounty-like situations and proof that it has been stopped...or something along those lines

[NC_Skins]

Originally Posted by hail_2_da_skins

Roger Goodell has lost his mind. These suspensions are too harsh. The cap penalties on the Cowboys and Redskins was too harsh. Under Goodell's watch the game is getting weaker and weaker. ............. ... The Saints might not have a team. What about Williams former teams. Are the Bills and Redskins going to be penalized. This reeks!

Originally Posted by Evilgrin

Crap decision because way to many other teams do it, and it's been going on in the NFL forever. Goodell is a moron, get rid of him.

Originally Posted by DCtoAZ

You really think that is deserved ?? You gotta be getting me man .. this is football ... 99% of the NFL players don't think this is deserved .. this is by far the most BS move the God-dell has ever done ... the fact that SpyGate didn't get the hoodie suspended and this blows a team away for a YEAR .. ........ ...........the Shield is out of control with power.

Originally Posted by skinsfan69

Mr. Commish needs to really have some of his power stripped away. The guy is an idiot. What the Saints did was wrong. But you're going to take away peoples way of making a living? For something that's been going on since the start of football? Really? ........

Some of you really need to talk less and read more. This isn't about your perception of what they are trying to do with football. This isn't about a bounty system that Gregg Williams has been doing for years on end. This isn't about a man drunk with power trying to exert his will on the game we all love. This isn't about any of those things. This is about a coverup, lying, and deception. The initial "punishment" from the NFL was a simple warning..."don't do it". That's it. Nothing. Zilch. Why? Because they do know that many teams do it. However, when they approach you about it, you acknowledge it, and change your course of action.

What did the Saints do? They lied about it. Denied it. Covered it up for a grand total of 3 years. THIS is what this is about, not the actual bounty which you all keep harping on. I think we all know that the coverup on scandals generally make things worse. Take a look at the MLB steroid scandals. Do people even talk about the guys that came out and admitted it? Nope. Who do we harp on? They guys that are trying to cover it up.

Stop. Think. Stop overreacting. Goodell is doing the job he's paid to do, and with the blessings of the owners, even if it doesn't always pan out for them. Goodell has shown throughout his tenure so far that he will not accept being lied/deceived to. Vick did it and got slammed. Pacman Jones did it and got slammed. What did you think was going to happen when the Saints did it? Arrogance is the cause of a many man's downfall. I feel no pity for any involved.

[freddyg12]

NPR is even covering this story & the Tebow trade, the best explanation I heard was that the league is using this as a legal strategy to show that it is serious about player safety. NFL is facing recent suits from players & the research on concussions is not looking good for the game in general.

Same thing Mike Wise said in his column today; Goodell is using this both as a warning for any future occurences, and to clearly set the NFL's stance on player safety.