Saints paid players to hurt foes

[flipper]

Here is the most objective, well thought out story I have read on the issue to date: http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment...ritical/254936/

[james_walleye]

Give me a break. If every team and every player was out to hurt other players, someone would be carted off on every play. It would be pretty easy to blow out a running backs or WRs knee about anytime you wanted to.

[mnviking28]

Comparing what Robison did in the heat of the moment (while being taunted mind you) to the cheap shots that the Saints have pulled over the last 3 years is like saying someone that has a couple of beers is the same as someone that is a crack addict. They both are mood altering chemicals, so they must be the same right? If you look at Goodell's report, the Saints were in the top 5 in roughing the passer penalties and the top 6 for unnecessary roughness penalties for the last 3 seasons. Do you think this is a coincidence? If you have a team culture that promotes this type of behavior which is WAY outside the rules, plus you lie about it, you deserve whatever you get. I am all about a hard hitting football game-WITHIN THE RULES! Intent to injure was what this is all about. This garbage doesn't have a place in sports, no matter what level it is at.

[flipper]

So you think if a player is being taunted they have the right to kick someone in the gonads??? Too much purple kool aid on somebody's part.

[Ybone]

Nobody said he had the right, he got fined for it didn't he? There's a big difference between emotional reactions which happen every game and the planned injuring of your opponents with rewards for doing so.

[mnviking28]

That's exactly what I was trying to say Ybone. A reaction or losing your temper is one thing. Planning and rewarding for such behavior is entirely different.

[ozzie]

I love to read these comments cause the people that try to justify what the Saints were doing as no big deal sound so ignorant that their arguments are laughable.

The Saints are getting what they deserve but I wish there was someway to take away the Superbowl just to really show them that this was dumb on so many levels.

Remember when AP was on the bottom of the pile and the camera's caught the Saints player in 2010 grabbing his ankle and twisting it....I am sure there was nothing wrong with that huh flipper?? Purple kool aid or not the Saints were playing dirty and now they will pay for it.

[reinhard1]

The saints will be saving money this year. fined $500,0000 but dont have to pay Peyton 7 million. so $6,500,000 saved. the GM gets to stay until the first game and then sit out the first 8. nice, this way he can do the important job of sighnings ect. before the season. that's not a punishment, it's a hand slap. two second round draft picks? how about a first rounder instead. oh well. good luck.

[nofishfisherman]

I just can't understand how anyone can find any sort of justification for intentionally trying to injure an opponent.

Yes it is football and big hits and injuries are part of it. But intentionally trying to get someone carted off the field is just so far past the line of professionalism its unbelievable.

Why not just take it one step further and send out some 4th string linebacker as an enforcer to take out the Qb's knee or pick him up and slam him down on his shoulder after the play. Sure the LB you send out might get kicked out of the game and you'll lose 15 yards but I suppose thats a small price to pay for knocking the other teams QB out of the game. The LB who does it doesn't even have to worry about paying a fine since you just make sure the bounties are large enough to cover the fine plus some extra incentive money.

In baseball why not just start throwing at the head of the other teams best player. Yeah maybe you'll lose a pitcher for a game or two but you can just keep a no namer from single A in the bullpen for when you need to knock out their best player late in a close game. You won't even miss a player like that.

In hockey just take the enforcer roll one step further. Send out some goon with a weighted stick and tell him to start hacking at knees.

It really sounds like some of you may be in favor of these types of tactics. After all these are tough guy sports where the goal should be win at all cost, right? Who cares if we're watching 4th string Qb's playing in the super bowl every year. Afterall I'd love to see Surgeon Wynn finally get his shot at a super bowl.

[Getanet]

Have you guys seen that assistant Senate majority leader, Sen. Dick Durbin is setting up a Judiciary Committee hearing about bounties in professional sports?

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/bountygate-new-orleans-saints-senator-calls-hearing-032212

Now, generally speaking I think it's a joke for government to get involved in these issues. I thought it was especially stupid for the Roger Clemens-type investigations. But I will agree with one thing Durbin said:

''Let's be real basic about it here. If this activity were taking place off of a sporting field, away from a court, nobody would have a second thought (about whether it's wrong)...."It goes way beyond the rules of any sporting contest, at least team contest, to intentionally inflict harm on another person for a financial reward,''

If this was happening in a back alley, and someone got caught paying someone else to injury somebody, there would be no question that activity is illegal and the person should be prosecuted.

[PierBridge]

I like the results and if you think losing arguably the best coach in football for an entire season along with draft picks and player suspensions is a slap on the wrist you are kidding yourself, delusional actually.

The player suspensions are the difficult part with the Union being involved and all.

I will say one of the better lines was from one of Saints players who said "how about this bounty, I'll give 1 million dollars if you show me any play that resulted in any player being intentionally cheap-shotted or injured over the last 4 years from one of our players."

Like Goodell said, "paraphrase" it wasn't about the bounty so much, but the cover up and PR problems it has caused the NFL.

[flipper]

I'd like you with limited reading skills to understand that I have never said I thought it was ok. What I am saying is that it is much more widespread than many of you realize (or admit) and that Goodell picks and chooses which teams, coaches, and players he wants to punish not based on what they do but based on his own personal bias.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

I love it when guys say this type of activity is widespread..... So apparently the NFL is just a big prison riot with everyone trying to injure the next man across from him and coaches paying them for it. Sounds about right to me!

[zepman]

The "systems" are in place in Saintsville Pier. Peyton is a good coach but he doesn't do squat with the defense and he's got Brees, who can call just as good of game from the line, as he can from the sideline. They have 2 former head coaches on staff who are more than capable of handling the day to day activities.

IMO, the Saints franchise got off easy.

[james_walleye]

I'd like you with limited reading skills to understand that I have never said I thought it was ok. What I am saying is that it is much more widespread than many of you realize (or admit) and that Goodell picks and chooses which teams, coaches, and players he wants to punish not based on what they do but based on his own personal bias.

Dude you must have some sick connections to personally know this kind of info. Bet Ur source would be pi##ed if he knew you were leaking info like that on a fishing website.

[Antero]

\ What I am saying is that it is much more widespread than many of you realize (or admit) and that Goodell picks and chooses which teams, coaches, and players he wants to punish not based on what they do but based on his own personal bias.

And you KNOW this how?

[LMITOUT]

Anybody notice that outside of a few others (who only want to keep their jobs on NFLN) the only ones really whining about this are Vikings fans and players? Everybody else thinks this is a joke.

Pier is right. The penalties derive from the Saints not acknowledging the Commissioner a few years back, not from the "shocking" revelation of bounties, which aren't shocking in the least. Favre got hurt because he was old and slow, not because of a bounty.

Newsflash: Defensive players hit offensive players and it isn't always clean, bounty or not, and it has been happening for DECADES.

I hope the Saints make a run at the SB this year just to rub it in the faces of all those who believe this is some horrible incident when in reality it's nothing but a yawner, but I have a feeling that the NFL has just buried this franchise...all for nothing.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

Saints had a bounty on rodgers too and thats a fact... Im sure you wouldnt care if Rodgers would have gotten folded up like a cheap lawn chair by the saints and there were players on the sidelines saying "gimmie my money!" Youd be screaming bloody murder like an elementary school girl.

Who is whining? Nobody.

Just saying the saints got what they deserved. Theyre lucky no first rd picks were takin'

Vikings fans are the only ones whining... LOL!

[LMITOUT]

Why would I care about Rodgers?

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

Maybe you dont care about anyone.. All NFL players are out there just to mame eachother right? Gettin paid off to take eachothers knees out. Happens all the time! No biggie!

[james_walleye]

Anybody notice that outside of a few others (who only want to keep their jobs on NFLN) the only ones really whining about this are Vikings fans and players? Everybody else thinks this is a joke.

Pier is right. The penalties derive from the Saints not acknowledging the Commissioner a few years back, not from the "shocking" revelation of bounties, which aren't shocking in the least. Favre got hurt because he was old and slow, not because of a bounty.

Newsflash: Defensive players hit offensive players and it isn't always clean, bounty or not, and it has been happening for DECADES.

I hope the Saints make a run at the SB this year just to rub it in the faces of all those who believe this is some horrible incident when in reality it's nothing but a yawner, but I have a feeling that the NFL has just buried this franchise...all for nothing.

Lol why don't you take a split second and take a look outside of a MN based website and get your facts straight before you post such drivel......

[LMITOUT]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/New-O...ypocrisy-030512

I believe this is outside of MN.

Cry me a river. Vikings lost. They aren't getting the Lombardi Trophy. Get over it.

[james_walleye]

Wow one thing. I'm not going to waste my time on this. Only a moron or someone that clearly hasn't looked around much thinks this is exclusive to vikings fans.

[LMITOUT]

Yeah, the entire league is outraged...

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

What? you mean we're not getting the lombardi???

Geez... why not?

[Triple_D]

List of teams we know had bounties on them from Saints:

Cardinals (Warner)

Packers (Rodgers)

Vikings (Favre)

Panthers (Newton)

But only the Vikings were affected and are whining?

Are you for real?

There are probably more that we don't even know about. If the rest of the league and fans aren't upset they should be.

[hawgchaser]

Quote:

Anybody notice that outside of a few others (who only want to keep their jobs on NFLN) the only ones really whining about this are Vikings fans and players? Everybody else thinks this is a joke.

No, actually I haven't noticed that. I "roll" on about 4 to 5 hours sleep per night so have been following this for about 3 hr a day. Conservatively, my estimate is that opposition to the bounty practice on ESPN/NFLN and social media is 3 to 1...4 to1 is probably more accurate. I'm not a Vikings fan, but definitely don't see the "outrage" to be a localized phenomena. Then again, I've never believed that the one who yells the loudest wins the argument.

[LMITOUT]

If the rest of the league and fans aren't upset they should be.

Doubt it. They understand this thing is nothing but a witch hunt.

Who is calling for the lifetime ban of players? Oh yeah, Vikings whiners.

[james_walleye]

Just keep proving that you haven't read anything outside of Minnesota lol. Good stuff.....

[LMITOUT]

Just keep proving you're naive. lol.