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...
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.
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.
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.
<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
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).
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.
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
Wow. Warren Sapp on NFL Network reporting Shockey was the snitch. That guy will never play another game.
Damn, this just really takes the Saints out of contention for this coming year. Harsh ass penalties. NFL ain't playing with this. lmao. Look for some New Orleans defense to get after him.
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.
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.
EDIT: Funny comment from the Yahoo story on the penalties... [rquoter]Teams paid thier players a bounty not to hit Mark Sanchez too hard and keep him in the game[/rquoter] lol on the Sanchez comment
