Saints

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by popanot

What if someone knocked out Schaub or Foster with a cheap-shot only to find out a player on the other team got a bonus check for it? Shameful, really.

You mean like Jared Allen (who went after Schaub's knees) or Drayton Florence (who gave Schaub a blindside KO after an interception)? Don't know if those were bounties but they were definitely cheap shots and what angered me most is that we didn't fight back. If someone cheap-shots your QB, you END THEIR CAREERS. You don't ask the refs to do it. You don't ask the league to fine them. You take care of your own business and you put them in the hospital. THAT'S how you stop other teams from cheap-shotting your guys.

I still remember Kyle Turley going postal on some Jets player who tried to hurt Aaron Brooks. And while he got fined and ejected, I guarantee you that sent a message to every other team in the league and there were probably 31 other starting QBs around the league that would have wanted Kyle Turley on their OL after seeing that.

[popanot]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

You mean like Jared Allen (who went after Schaub's knees) or Drayton Florence (who gave Schaub a blindside KO after an interception)? Don't know if those were bounties but they were definitely cheap shots and what angered me most is that we didn't fight back. If someone cheap-shots your QB, you END THEIR CAREERS. You don't ask the refs to do it. You don't ask the league to fine them. You take care of your own business and you put them in the hospital. THAT'S how you stop other teams from cheap-shotting your guys.

I still remember Kyle Turley going postal on some Jets player who tried to hurt Aaron Brooks. And while he got fined and ejected, I guarantee you that sent a message to every other team in the league and there were probably 31 other starting QBs around the league that would have wanted Kyle Turley on their OL after seeing that.

I don't disagree with this at all. And yes, you'll always have ass-hat individuals like Allen and Florence. However, the Saints deal is damn near criminal in its organization and goal. It's disgusting to think a player who makes hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars, and is in a small fraternity of players would knowingly accept a measley ~$1K or so to potentially ruin the career of another player.

Now players are coming out and saying Williams did the same thing in Washington. Like I said, the NFL should ban that a-hole for life. People will obviously have differing opinions on this, but mine is the NFL should come down hard wherever it has the power to on this.

[barrett]

It doesn't suprise me at all since Williams is a Fisher guy. I know many in Houston still love Fisher, but his teams are dirty and undisciplined. Fisher teams had 167 personal fouls in his 10 years with the Titans, the next highest in the league in that span was 136.

Other teams may have bounties, but I would hope it is unique that a coach as high up as a coordinator was running it and they have documentation that allowed them to be caught. This was not "the game of football." Football is a profession played by professionals. This is organized, sanctioned, approved, and rewarded dirty play. One of the hits that payed out literally ended Kurt Warner's career (last play he ever played they leveled him on the back side of an INT return).

I hope the punishment is severe. I think this is far worse than spygate. Though probably similar in that the Patriots were the worst cheaters (everyone steals signs, just without video), and the Saints are just the worst of those with a bounty system.

1st round pick sounds about right for the franchise. Player fines for all involved. Lengthy suspension for Williams and the unnamed position coach.

[Keith]

I'm all for docking a team a 1st round pick as a penalty... that sends a message to the top of the organization... but I don't think that would sit well with the players' union.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by Keith

I'm all for docking a team a 1st round pick as a penalty... that sends a message to the top of the organization... but I don't think that would sit well with the players' union.

I'm not really sure how the Union sees it. On the one hand they lose the first rounder and the 1st round contact. But player injuries have to be a serious priority for the Union. What kind of money do guys like Warner and Favre get paid if they aren't getting cheap shotted by Roman Harper and the like.

If I'm the union, I want to see the organization and the coaches hit hard (to protect players going forward) and the players slapped on the wrist.

[painekiller]

Forget the union, there is talk that this will be looked at as a capital offense. It is outside the rules of the game and as such falls under a criminal act. Williams and players could be looking at criminal charges.

And I am fine with Williams being suspended for life.

[edo783]

Originally Posted by Keith

I'm all for docking a team a 1st round pick as a penalty... that sends a message to the top of the organization... but I don't think that would sit well with the players' union.

True they may or may not care, but to come down in anyway seen as supporting it would be a MAJOR PR blunder, so I doubt they do.

[NBT]

Well, Greg Williams trained under Fisher, and he is going back to be with Daddy. Expect St. Louis to be the next bully.

[barrett]

Wow....

Saints coach Sean Payton has been suspended for one year, former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was suspended indefinitely, general manager Mickey Loomis was suspended for eight regular-season games, the team was fined $500,000 and lost two second-round draft picks (one in 2012 and '13) as a result of a bounty program conducted by the team during the 2009-11 seasons.

There was a lot of talk that the Saints have played fast and loose the past 5 years under Payton and disregarded numerous NFL rules. Then they were explicitly told by the NFL before last season to stop the bounty program and they completely blew the league off. Then the NFL ends up dealing with brain/concussion questions all year. Add it all up and the NFL just murdered the Saints, the same team that was sold to America as heroes for the previous 5 years.