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NFL Slams Saints Over ‘Bountygate;’ Coach Suspended For 2012 Season
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The Saints Did In Fact Strategize to Injure Favre (I told you so)
Have you read the breakthrough novel of the year? When you are done with that, try:
In Search of Sungudogo by Greg Laden, now in Kindle
or Paperback
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Links to books and other items on this page and elsewhere on Greg Ladens' blog may send you to Amazon, where I am a registered affiliate. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, which helps to fund this site.
or Paperback
*Please note:
Links to books and other items on this page and elsewhere on Greg Ladens' blog may send you to Amazon, where I am a registered affiliate. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, which helps to fund this site.
There’s a poll on the NPR article you linked. I voted “not tough enough”.
If the Saints are required to turn in their rings for trying to hurt their opponents, then every team that has ever won a super bowl should do the same. The NFL is not two-hand touch.
Lee, did you read any of the links? I’m thinking not.
I think the thing that Goodell was most upset about is that he was lied to. The NFL investigated the allegationsin 2010 and were assured, by Payton and Williams, that no such program was going on. Then they kept doing it for two more years. As a boss, that would kid of piss me off and lead me to maybe consider suspending a guy for a year.
@Greg As a Saints fan I have known about this when it first became news weeks ago. The suspensions were all that is new today. Is what they did shameful? Immoral? Disgraceful? Yes to all of the above, but it isn’t against the rules. In my opinion todays suspensions were over the top (and will probably be reduced upon appeal) let alone taking away a well-earned championship.
Lee, everyone knew about this weeks ago. What they did was not only immoral but also illegal. It is unlawful in every state ypto intentionally injure someone. To do it for money is also illegal. I look forward to the grand jury probes
I’ve long thought that players in any sport who injure an opponent while committing a blatant foul should be suspended for one game longer than the injured player is out. If it’s a career-ending injury, it ends both careers. That doesn’t exclude the possibility of criminal prosecution, of course.
As I noted above, I don’t think it’s just what they did, but how they lied about it when initially confronted and the cavalier disrespect for the commissioner and the league going back to 2010.
Todd Bertuzzi assaulted a guy on the ice, once, in the passion of the moment, as far as I know was not paid or otherwise given incentive to do it, and got suspended indefinitely. He was reinstated after about a year and a half. He was also vilified throughout the NHL and was tried in civil court, although the charges were dismissed.
Saints players went out every Sunday trying to injure someone, irrespective of the game situation, got paid extra for it. This was not only condoned but encouraged and perhaps even funded by the coaching staff. When they were asked about they said it wasn’t happening, and even if it were, they promised, pinkie-swear, never to do it again. And then went out and did it again for two more years.
So why would these suspensions be reduced? Why should they be? How many Saints players should be suspended?
As a New Orleans native and lifelong Saints fan, I agree with this. What they did was wrong on all counts. I worry that the Saints players will now be subject to uncompensated attempts at injury as retaliation.
The answer to the problem of the delivery sack, which is what this is, is very simple. Give the quarterback the same protection as is given punters and place kickers, namely outlaw the delivery sack and assess a 15 yard penalty for violations. That will solve this particular problem.
What is a delivery sack exactly?
(… I mean, I know what it is in biology, but …)
Re Greg Laden @ #11
The delivery sack is a tackle or knockdown of the quarterback after he has released the ball. I first heard this term used by former Deadskin coach George Allen.
The more time I have to think about it, the more I disagree with myself from yesterday, at least to a degree. While they didn’t get the most flags this year, or inflict the most injuries, the intent to injure is pretty unforgiveable. Suspensions and fines are deserved, but not revocation of super bowl rings, especially for uninvolved players. We will see what happens to the players soon and I bet it is severe.