Sean Payton suspended for a year...

[Montaro]

Adam Schefter: Sean Payton suspended one year. Mickey Looms 8 game and $500,000 fine. Saints fined $500,000 and a second round pick in 2012 and 2012

I imagine he meant 2013.

[GRENDEL]

Per Adam Schefter

Adam Schefter ‏ @AdamSchefter
Sean Payton suspended one year. Mickey Loomis 8 game and $500,000 fine. Saints fined $500,000 and a second round pick in 2012 and 2012.

[CJLarson]

Wow, that's crazy.

[FlyerFanatic]

gregg williams suspended indefinitely. misses at least 2012 according to mortensen

[BigBenito]

Wow, they really dropped the hammer. I was expecting a slap on the wrist.

[DonnyMost]

holy crap.

that makes stern look like a nice guy.

[Joshfast]

Per Adam Schefter

Adam Schefter ‏ @AdamSchefter
Sean Payton suspended one year. Mickey Loomis 8 game and $500,000 fine. Saints fined $500,000 and a second round pick in 2012 and 2012.

http://i.imgur.com/8CgBy.gif

[Lil Pun]

Is that a second round pick in 2012 and 2013?

[moestavern19]

Gregg Williams suspended indefinitely, Sean Payton 1 year, Joe Vitt 6 games and fined 100k, GM Mickey Loomis suspended 8 games and they lose their 2nd round picks in 2012 and 2013.

Wow.

Don't **** with The Rog.

[ScriboErgoSum]

Wow. I have to say I respect Goodell for backing up his words with some harsh discipline. A year for Payton, a half season for the GM, and an indefinite suspension for Williams sounds about right.

My problem with David Stern is that actions often seem haphazard, but Goodell says something is forbidden and will lay the banhammer on those who cross the line.

[FlyerFanatic]

i dont get what suspending the GM does? i guess he can't have access to his office in the building to work with agents, and make potential deals?

[rhadamanthus]

Something weird about such massive penalties for a bounty but slaps on the wrists for head-to-head hits.

Strikes me as more NFL hypocrisy.

[DonnyMost]

i dont get what suspending the GM does? i guess he can't have access to his office in the building to work with agents, and make potential deals?

Imagine having Rick Smith suspended for the entire offseason and up to the trade deadline.

Talk about screwing up your FA/draft plans.

And throwing out HC and DC as well?

Good grief, Goodell just absolutely neutered that team.

Makes the Patriots penalties seem like child's play.

[moestavern19]

Gregg Williams isn't the DC anymore and it will probably be the first 8 games of the season for the GM, not the entire offseason.

[Hey Now!]

Like everyone else, "Wow"

I wonder if the Saints might now consider firing Payton. Going to lose him for a year, anyway - does it make sense to plug in an interim HC? What if they go 11-5 and have some postseaosn success? And how does this impact Brees' contract negotiations?

I'm pretty floored.

(And: the NFL bumped Tebow-to-the-Jets to page 2 - even better!)

[DieHard Rocket]

Something weird about such massive penalties for a bounty but slaps on the wrists for head-to-head hits.

Strikes me as more NFL hypocrisy.

Head to head hits are not always intentional and certainly not always malicious in nature. It's kind of natural football instinct to lower your head to go for a big hit. The bounties were set to deliberately trying to knock players out of the game.

[boomboom]

I think it was all too much. I'd suspect there's going to be appeals all over the place...especially since there's been no sort of precedent for something like this.

[BrieflySpeaking]

BAM!!

[SwoLy-D]

I missed the story behind this. New Orleans's players were coached to create injuries? :confused:

[moestavern19]

I missed the story behind this. New Orleans's players were coached to create injuries? :confused:

Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams implemented a "bounty" system in which players were given financial incentives if they knocked opponents out of the game.

It appears that Sean Payton and Mickey Loomis knew about it all along and tried to cover it up.

[Ziggy]

Holy crap man. Has there ever been anything like this in professional sports? Wow.

[emjohn]

Something weird about such massive penalties for a bounty but slaps on the wrists for head-to-head hits.

Strikes me as more NFL hypocrisy.

No way. A team that knowingly greenlit headhunting? I don't think enough people get how incredibly bad this was.

I do expect to see the penalties reduced like Goodell has done several times (Roethlisberger). But Williams is going to be gone for double the time Payton will be...and I wouldn't be stunned if Goodell decided to blackball him for good, seeing as he did it in Washington too.

[basso]

Roger Goodell doesn't care about NOLA.

/kanye'd

[Rocket River]

He must have found out their put a bounty on one of is FAVORED players or Teams
i.e. The Astericks .. er. . the Patriots and Brady

Rocket River

[moestavern19]

The NFL is already facing its toughest challenge with former players and concussion lawsuits threatening to change the game forever, this kind of a scandal had to be addressed this way, Goodell really had no choice but to unload with both barrels on the Saints due to the current state of the NFL and the growing perception that this game is too violent to be played.

[Ricksmith]

Do the suspensions start immediately or when the season starts?

[LonghornFan]

Roger Goodell doesn't care about NOLA.

/kanye'd

That ish Cray.

[Harrisment]

Like a Boss

http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/sports/photos/2008/03/07/392-goodell080307.jpg

[Baqui99]

Love it. No place in the NFL for that crap.

I think the coverup by Payton and the GM really compounded things.

[moestavern19]

Do the suspensions start immediately or when the season starts?

Payton's is effective April 1st and he forfeits his 7 Million dollar salary for the season.

Loomis is only suspended for the first 8 games of the season, meaning he'll be able to handle all his duties up until the regular season starts.

[moestavern19]

Love it. No place in the NFL for that crap.

I think the coverup by Payton and the GM really compounded things.

No doubt. They were supposedly shown email evidence that Payton and Vitt were basically going around picking up Williams' **** to try and cover everything up.

[Xerobull]

http://tgem.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/dont-drop-the-soap.jpg

[Bandwagoner]

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rX7wtNOkuHo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[MadMax]

They lied and tried to cover crap up.

Unprecedented penalties, right? I don't recall ever reading or hearing about any penalites this extensive before.

[BleedsRocketRed]

Like they say, the cover up can be worse than the crime.

Man, what a come down by Goodell. I honestly respect that because he sticks to his guns, does not fold under pressure for $$.

You dont mess with the Rog.

Also, specifically targeted QB's were Aaron Rogers, Cam Newton, Brett Favre and Kurt Warner

[leroy]

Arrian Foster is on the SVP show right now and they were just talking about this. He made a great point. He said the "what if" in regards to the bounty program is what makes it wrong. What if they targeted someone like, for example, Arrian last season when he wasn't making life changing money and injured him...ending his career. Now, Arrian is an extremely intelligent person and would probably still be able to make a good life for himself and his family. But many of the guys in the NFL aren't like Arrian and not having that career could be devastating...all for a $500 or $1000 or whatever it was bonus to a defender.

The NFL did the right thing on these penalties.

EDIT: Funny comment from the Yahoo story on the penalties...

Teams paid thier players a bounty not to hit Mark Sanchez too hard and keep him in the game

[juicystream]

And James Harrison thinks the Commissioner just hates him...

I can't believe he threw the hammer down like this. Good for him sending a strong message.

[Blake]

The NFL is already facing its toughest challenge with former players and concussion lawsuits threatening to change the game forever, this kind of a scandal had to be addressed this way, Goodell really had no choice but to unload with both barrels on the Saints due to the current state of the NFL and the growing perception that this game is too violent to be played so that he can implement an 18 game season that no one wants other than him and some greedy owners who pretend to care about player safety.

fixed it for you ;)

[Baqui99]

Thought yall would enjoy this piece from the Times Picayune today. Saints fans are all pissed off at the local columnist for telling it like it is:

Don't blame the NFL Commissioner for today's punishment, it all belongs with the New Orleans Saints: Jeff Duncan
03/21/12 12:43PM

Don't blame the NFL or commissioner Roger Goodell for the sanctions levied against the New Orleans Saints today. Blame Sean Payton, Mickey Loomis, Gregg Williams and Joe Vitt.

It was their actions - or lack thereof - that led to the unprecedented punishment meted out today. It was their lack of institutional control that resulted in the worst black eye the organization has ever experienced. Their cavalier attitudes and carelessness left the league with no recourse and has caused irreparable short- and long-term damage to the organization.

Any hopes the Saints had of becoming the first NFL team to play in the Super Bowl on their home field in Super Bowl XLVII disintegrated with today's news.

There's no way the team can survive the loss of head coach Sean Payton for a full season, general manager Mickey Loomis for half a season and linebackers coach Joe Vitt for six games.

The Saints will win their share of games this coming season. There's still a lot of talent on the roster. But in a league where the competitive margin between teams is razor thin, today's news is fatal blow to their title hopes.

The sanctions announced by the NFL today were the worst ever administered to a head coach and general manager. You have to go back to 1963 when then commissioner Pete Rozelle suspended Alex Karras and Paul Hornung for an entire season for betting on football games and associating with known gamblers.

The sanctions also leave a host of unanswered questions:

What are the parameters of the suspension? Can Payton or Loomis have any contact with the club at all?

Who will coach the Saints in 2012? With interim head coach Joe Vitt suspended for six games, the likely candidates are defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo or offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael. Spagnuolo has head coaching experience. Carmichael has familiarity with the system.

How does the staff replace Vitt?

Who runs the club during first half of the regular season?

What's going to happen to the players involved?

When the bounty scandal first broke, numerous reports, citing NFL sources, said the penalties would be "unprecedented."

We now know those reports were accurate.



http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2012/03/duncan_take_on_bountygate.html

[percicles]

The Saints were two #1 draft picks away from being given the NFL equivalent of the Death Penalty.

Who dat!

[DonkeyMagic]

that's brutal, but I understand.

[rrj_gamz]

Love it. No place in the NFL for that crap.

I think the coverup by Payton and the GM really compounded things.

I tend to agree...I think its a long time and I am assuming he can appeal it but I'm not sure...I'm sure players are next...

[gmoney411]

No way. A team that knowingly greenlit headhunting? I don't think enough people get how incredibly bad this was.

I do expect to see the penalties reduced like Goodell has done several times (Roethlisberger). But Williams is going to be gone for double the time Payton will be...and I wouldn't be stunned if Goodell decided to blackball him for good, seeing as he did it in Washington too.

If you are encouraging it through legal hits it's really not bad at all.

[rhadamanthus]

No way. A team that knowingly greenlit headhunting? I don't think enough people get how incredibly bad this was.


I get it, I just don't see much difference between someone providing motivation for headhunting, and those who do it just because they can.

[Dubious]

As usual the cover-up made the punishment worse. (see Nixon, Dick)

The league has to be proactive to protect their own legal and financial interests. Players will be suing over the long term physical and mental damage the game causes, arguing that more of the profits should be going to long term care.

The league likes their profits.

[SacTown]

Favre should have had another super bowl. Dirty saints took him out.

[Ricksmith]

So the Saints don't pick until the 3rd round this year too? That's crazy. At least the GM will still be able to do the draft.

[Uprising]

Awesome.

Who Dat?!

[Uprising]

<script src="http://player.espn.com/player.js?pcode=1kNG061cgaoolOncv54OAO1ceO-I&width=576&height=324&externalId=espn:7719075&thruParam_espn-ui[autoPlay]=false&thruParam_espn-ui[playRelatedExternally]=true"></script>



NFL Network: http://www.nfl.com/videos/auto/09000d5d827c2af2/Commissioner-addresses-bounty-punishments

[Hey Now!]

I get it, I just don't see much difference between someone providing motivation for headhunting, and those who do it just because they can.
It was organizationally encouraged. There's also ample evidence that the Saints willfully ignored repeated warnings from the NFL to stop any bounty program, reportedly dating back several years.

Additonally - and this is never talked about but it's another reason for really lowering the boom: the bounties, organized and paid for by a member of the coaching staff, circumvented the salary cap. You cannot pay players bonuses that are not officially sanctioned and counted against the cap. Period. Huge, huge issue that is kind of secondary to the pay-for-injury angle - but it's a big one.

So it was a triple whammy. Payton is lucky to still have a job (assuming he does).

[Dubious]

It goes to the accountability of the league. They can't be seen as sanctioning violence, even though it is an inherent part of the game.
It exposes them to too much liability.

[bloop]

1) the team organization covered it up. hammer

2) incentives for hits is a secondary pay system. screw with the financials of player compensations. hammer

3) ignoring direct league directives. hammer

4) potentially injuring players during a time the league is trying to become more family friendly with concussions, injuries etc. hammer

5) liability from players, suffering career threatening injury from such a bounty hit. hammer.

NFL had no choice. this **** was just too egregious. even if this was Bud Selig with one of his cronies he'd have come down as hard

[moestavern19]

Wow. Warren Sapp on NFL Network reporting Shockey was the snitch. That guy will never play another game.

[ItsMyFault]

Damn, this just really takes the Saints out of contention for this coming year. Harsh ass penalties. NFL ain't playing with this.

Wow. Warren Sapp on NFL Network reporting Shockey was the snitch. That guy will never play another game.

lmao. Look for some New Orleans defense to get after him.

[moestavern19]

ProFootballTalk ‏ @ProFootballTalk Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
Whoever "snitched" on the Saints should not be "outed" -- especially not on the TV network owned by the NFL.


Lulz.

NFL knocks off the Saints and then ices the snitch.

Roger Goodell is Tony Soprano.

[Fyreball]

Wow. Warren Sapp on NFL Network reporting Shockey was the snitch. That guy will never play another game.

Damn, that's swag right there. Now that he's a Panther, he knew what was good for him. Between this and the God Bless America stuff, Shockey is a real boy scout.

[moestavern19]

Shockey will deny it vehemently but it won't matter because everyone already hates him.

[Uprising]

Everyone? Just the Aints fans and the offenders.

[ynelilvs99]

Payton's is effective April 1st and he forfeits his 7 Million dollar salary for the season.

Loomis is only suspended for the first 8 games of the season, meaning he'll be able to handle all his duties up until the regular season starts.

I didnt realize he made that much money. Thats gotta hurt.

[ynelilvs99]

EDIT: Funny comment from the Yahoo story on the penalties...

Teams paid thier players a bounty not to hit Mark Sanchez too hard and keep him in the game

lol on the Sanchez comment

[david_rocket]

are the rams going to fire gregg williams? or who is going to be the DC while he is gone (at least 1 year)

[Nook]

Love it. No place in the NFL for that crap.

I think the coverup by Payton and the GM really compounded things.

I take it you haven't watched football very long.

[Nook]

They lied and tried to cover crap up.

Unprecedented penalties, right? I don't recall ever reading or hearing about any penalites this extensive before.

The penalty is severe, although there have been multi season bans in the fast. RG is the most powerful commissioner in sports and is not a puppet for the owners, Selig would never do this.
RG is essentially changing the very culture of the game. He sees the increased injuries and the lawsuits from former players. He has to modify the game, and that means not over looking things like bounties. I think you will continue to see extremely hard punishment. The owners won't rebel because they know he maximizes their profit.

[hairyme]

Shockey will deny it vehemently but it won't matter because everyone already hates him.

I can't stand the guy, but if he was indeed the snitch, I would actually admire him for it. Whether anyone ever actually got hurt from this bounty policy is irrelevant -- the fact alone that coaches would encourage this is reprehensible.

From what I'm reading on the internets, it doesn't seem like many football fans are upset about Goodell on this one like they usually are with all of the so-called "putting players in skirts" policies. I think him dropping the hammer was a great authoritative move. Hopefully, people will begin to appreciate his intentions regarding player safety, even if the implementations are a little rough sometimes...

[desi tmac91]

Glad Goodell dropped the hammer on the Saints for this. No room in the NFL for that crap. The draft pick penalty was weak, only two seconds but the rest of the penalty makes up for it.

[tallanvor]

Damn, that's swag right there. Now that he's a Panther, he knew what was good for him. Between this and the God Bless America stuff, Shockey is a real boy scout.

He's a free agent. I wonder what this rumor does to his value.

Glad Goodell dropped the hammer on the Saints for this. No room in the NFL for that crap. The draft pick penalty was weak, only two seconds but the rest of the penalty makes up for it.

To the Texans, 2-time pro bowler DeMeco Ryans was worth a 4th round draft pick and a 3rd round swap. Losing 2 second round picks is not 'weak'. It's the worst part for the Saints imo.

[desi tmac91]

To the Texans, 2-time pro bowler DeMeco Ryans was worth a 4th round draft pick and a 3rd round swap. Losing 2 second round picks is not 'weak'. It's the worst part for the Saints imo.

Perhaps I should have phrased that better, I'm well aware of the value of second round picks in this league but I was expecting more draft picks lost or a first rounder. Maybe I'm too harsh.

Either way I'm happy with the punishment.

[tallanvor]

Perhaps I should have phrased that better, I'm well aware of the value of second round picks in this league but I was expecting more draft picks lost or a first rounder. Maybe I'm too harsh.

Either way I'm happy with the punishment.

my bad. misunderstood.

[emjohn]

http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g428/ChaseMan89/roflbot2.jpg

[DonnyMost]

Wow. Warren Sapp on NFL Network reporting Shockey was the snitch. That guy will never play another game.

That makes WAY too much sense to not be true.

[A_3PO]

Wow. Warren Sapp on NFL Network reporting Shockey was the snitch. That guy will never play another game.
That should not have happened.

[moestavern19]

That should not have happened.

Yeah, Florio ripped into The Rog for that one.

If it had happened on BSPN that would have been one thing, but to have Warren Sapp come on the Media outlet ran by the NFL and call Shockey the snitch is just a huge mistake.

[DonnyMost]

Yeah, Florio ripped into The Rog for that one.

If it had happened on BSPN that would have been one thing, but to have Warren Sapp come on the Media outlet ran by the NFL and call Shockey the snitch is just a huge mistake.

It should cost Sapp his job.

Ironic that his twitter handle is @QBKILLA.

[moestavern19]

It should cost Sapp his job.

Ironic that his twitter handle is @QBKILLA.


I love Sapp, but I suppose after he tweeted it the cat was out of the bag and they decided to let him speak his piece.

[Ricksmith]

Perhaps I should have phrased that better, I'm well aware of the value of second round picks in this league but I was expecting more draft picks lost or a first rounder. Maybe I'm too harsh.

Either way I'm happy with the punishment.

They already don't have a 1st rounder this year, and now they lose their 2nd round pick and next years 2nd rounder.

[REEKO_HTOWN]

Saints fans in denial make me sick. If this happened to the Texans I would hope fans own it and not look as disgusting.

[GRENDEL]

I probably missed but how did Warren Sapp find out Shockey was the one who snitched?

[emjohn]

The next thing to watch for is player punishments. I don't know if the NFL will only target guys organizing things (Vilma) or if they'll go after the actual head hunters (Harper).

http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2012/03/penalties_still_to_come_for_ne.html

[DonnyMost]

I don't see how it is illegal for players to do this.

Having coaches/management running this operation, circumventing the salary cap, etc., is one thing.

But if players decide to get together and reward one another for knocking other players out of the game, what NFL rule is that violating, and how can the NFL reasonably expect to police that?

Saints fans <strike>in denial</strike> make me sick.

They're a sorry lot to begin with.

[juicystream]

I probably missed but how did Warren Sapp find out Shockey was the one who snitched?

A source close to the situation.

[emjohn]

But if players decide to get together and reward one another for knocking other players out of the game, what NFL rule is that violating, and how can the NFL reasonably expect to police that?

At bare minimum, it's still circumventing the cap - players can't receive under the table compensation, period.

And it is Goodell, who is happily stretching the very limits of what he can throw down under the "good of the game" umbrella.

[DonnyMost]

At bare minimum, it's still circumventing the cap - players can't receive under the table compensation, period.

And it is Goodell, who is happily stretching the very limits of what he can throw down under the "good of the game" umbrella.

Actually, it isn't, because the payment isn't coming from the team, it's coming out of a player's pocket. If a players chooses to give money to another player for performing well, the league can't say jacksquat about it. (Is it "circumventing the cap" when Arian Foster took his OL out for steaks at Brennan's after the Colts game last year?) As long as the payments or rewards aren't coming from the ownership, or being funneled through management, then it isn't affecting the cap in any way.

I just think Goody might wanna chill with the ban hammer on players. He could wind up getting sued for going overboard on them, as his legal grounds are getting ever-shakier.

[weslinder]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/football/nfl/03/22/bounty.senator.ap/index.html

Senator calls hearing to examine bounties in NFL


WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Senate wants to grill the NFL about bounties. And the NBA, NHL, NCAA and Major League Baseball are invited, too.

Sen. Dick Durbin is setting up a Judiciary Committee hearing about bounties in professional football and other major sports in the wake of news that New Orleans Saints players received extra cash for hits that hurt particular opponents.

The assistant Senate majority leader, an Illinois Democrat, said Thursday he wants to examine whether federal law should make such bounty systems a crime...

[leroy]

Actually, it isn't, because the payment isn't coming from the team, it's coming out of a player's pocket. If a players chooses to give money to another player for performing well, the league can't say jacksquat about it. (Is it "circumventing the cap" when Arian Foster took his OL out for steaks at Brennan's after the Colts game last year?) As long as the payments or rewards aren't coming from the ownership, or being funneled through management, then it isn't affecting the cap in any way.

I just think Goody might wanna chill with the ban hammer on players. He could wind up getting sued for going overboard on them, as his legal grounds are getting ever-shakier.

From what he said in his statements, he's discussing player punishment with the union before doing anything. I'd expect a few players (Scott Fujita and Johnathan Vilma for example) to get some form of punishment.

[Hey Now!]

I don't see how it is illegal for players to do this.
Conspiring to injure players? In the midst of hundreds of lawsuits from former NFL players, Ginger is going to drop a massive hammer on guys, I guarantee it. After yesterday's news, it wouldn't shock me if Vilma gets a year, for starters.

[emjohn]

Actually, it isn't, because the payment isn't coming from the team, it's coming out of a player's pocket. If a players chooses to give money to another player for performing well, the league can't say jacksquat about it.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/saints-penalties-less-bounties-more-nfl-002103069.html
....each team must certify every league year, in writing, that there are no "pay-for-performance" incentives and no other non-contract bonus payment. More than just the concern about bounties, there's a legitimate concern here that certain teams (and most certainly the New Orleans Saints) have been or could be paying their players under the table in ways that circumvent the salary cap, violate the collective bargaining agreement, and will probably draw the interest of the Internal Revenue Service.

It's a cap violation and not allowed. Gregg Williams was chipping in himself, and it's believed Payton did too. A big reason the Saints are getting pounded is that this wasn't a pure-player run pool, it was run by the DC and sanctioned by the HC and GM.

Guys giving gifts and picking up the check on their own initiative aren't the same as $1000 for a sack.

[rhadamanthus]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/football/nfl/03/22/bounty.senator.ap/index.html

Jesus christ. Solve some real problems you jackasses.

[Major]

Actually, it isn't, because the payment isn't coming from the team, it's coming out of a player's pocket. If a players chooses to give money to another player for performing well, the league can't say jacksquat about it. (Is it "circumventing the cap" when Arian Foster took his OL out for steaks at Brennan's after the Colts game last year?) As long as the payments or rewards aren't coming from the ownership, or being funneled through management, then it isn't affecting the cap in any way.

I just think Goody might wanna chill with the ban hammer on players. He could wind up getting sued for going overboard on them, as his legal grounds are getting ever-shakier.

I think you could have two problems here:

1. Players could then sue each other. This would be no different than me putting a bounty on your head - and I'm pretty sure there's something illegal about it or at least something where you could sue me if you got injured as a result.

2. The IRS could have some fun here. Players giving each other money for any reason would count as gift income and would be taxable.

But beyond that, the NFL has general good-behavior clauses that they use to suspend people, and I imagine putting a bounty on another players' head could be interpreted to violate that.

[DonnyMost]

From what he said in his statements, he's discussing player punishment with the union before doing anything. I'd expect a few players (Scott Fujita and Johnathan Vilma for example) to get some form of punishment.

That is probably the best way to go about it to avoid getting sued into oblivion. Any player that tries to sue the league, or the NFLPA, after getting a punishment handed down in conjunction WITH his union would be committing career suicide.

Conspiring to injure players? In the midst of hundreds of lawsuits from former NFL players, Ginger is going to drop a massive hammer on guys, I guarantee it. After yesterday's news, it wouldn't shock me if Vilma gets a year, for starters.

I'm not saying he isn't going to do it, I'm asking for somebody to show me the NFL rule, or hell, even the State rule that says players can't give each other money for actions performed in-game. Hard to prove "conspiracy to injure", btw, since "knocking someone out of the game" doesn't have to entail injury. There's a crapton of wiggle room there for lawyers to have fun with if Goodell gets too trigger happy.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/saints-penalties-less-bounties-more-nfl-002103069.html

It's a cap violation and not allowed. Gregg Williams was chipping in himself, and it's believed Payton did too. A big reason the Saints are getting pounded is that this wasn't a pure-player run pool, it was run by the DC and sanctioned by the HC and GM.

Guys giving gifts and picking up the check on their own initiative aren't the same as $1000 for a sack.

In the case of players paying players, no, it isn't. I know it wasn't a purely player run pool. But I want to know what exactly he's trying to punish people for. Is it the lying? Accepting money from coaches/management? "Conspiracy to injure"? Because those (in descending order), I believe, have more stable footing for punishment than being involved in a player-pool. But, if there's some NFL rules that incriminate guys like Vilma, then who knows how far it could go.

Either way, I think there are going to be some lawsuits. Too much money at stake, and this is uncharted water for the league.

[Hey Now!]

There's a crapton of wiggle room there for lawyers to have fun with if Goodell gets too trigger happy.
Sorry, DM - aside from message board lawyering, I don't think the players have any ground to stand on. He's the commissioner of the league; if he can fine an unintentional hit, he can absolutely lower the boom on players conspiring to cause injury (which is what it is - you can't knock a player out without there being an injury of some sort).

[DonnyMost]

We'll find out when Goodell tells us what he is actually punishing them for. If he is indeed the one dishing it out, and not the NFLPA.

[ItsMyFault]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/football/nfl/03/22/bounty.senator.ap/index.html

lmao. These idiots have nothing better to do?

[CJLarson]

Just showed on ESPN that Payton has approached Bill Parcells about coaching Saints.

[A_3PO]

Just showed on ESPN that Payton has approached Bill Parcells about coaching Saints.
This is self-preservation. He wants to ensure the hire is only temporary. Gotta make sure the seat is open next year.

[J.R.]

Sean Payton's appeal denied and suspension begins April 16.

[713]

Mark my words. Saints will still come out that division in 1st.

[BrieflySpeaking]

Mark my words. Saints will still come out that division in 1st.

well yeah, I'm pretty sure he's going to find a way to talk to the team. It's not like Goodell is taking his cell phone away.

[Ziggy]

Mark my words. Saints will still come out that division in 1st.

Its possible. Its also possible than an unhappy Drew Brees + a shoddy defense - coaching staff = disaster.

[noscrusir]

They will franchise Brees this year and next. Then he'll clearly be too old for that huge contract. What's he gonna do, sit out? Too bad since it seems like he deserves the big money.

[Fyreball]

They will franchise Brees this year and next. Then he'll clearly be too old for that huge contract. What's he gonna do, sit out? Too bad since it seems like he deserves the big money.

He'll still be getting big money.....just for 2 years instead of 6.