Off Topic Board

Well put and I agree with your synopsis.

Given that, this is one incident that I believe warranted a post season ban. That would hold the entire team accountable for their actions, or inaction.

It will be interesting to see how they deal with the various players, but it seems impossible to nail every player who was involved.

BTW, what constitutes being involved in this program since the bounty was put out to the entire defense?

wow, Paul dee would be proud. Can any of you show any proof that they played the game any differntly than they would have otherwise? Did they have more personal fouls? Did they injure more players? I dont' know the answer to those questions but my gut is no. It was a symbolic motivational gesture. It was in poor taste. So is a lot of things they do (grabbing each other by the nuts, eye gouging, hazing, etc..)

Post season bans and year long suspension is totally excessive.

C'mon, Monkey...you're way smarter than that.

They're being held accountable for ignoring the NFL's policy on bounties, implementing a system that rewards injuring opposing players, and lying about their bounty system.

Sounds like you are only opposed to the punishment because serious injury couldn't be quantified.

In many ways they should be thankful for being exposed before an opponent was maimed, crippled, or killed as a result of their bounty system. They would likely then be looking at criminal charges instead of administrative punishment.

I am opposed to the severity of the punishment because I think they need to show the Saints did something different from the rest of leave on the field. I think they were doing the same thing every NFL defense does you just tried to kill the offensive player i think they all do it the saints just had a childish symbolic motivational ploy

Yes. I think when a bounty is tied to another player by name, he was likely targeted with more cheap shots.

I don't think others were necessary trying to injure other players named by a coach as targets. The compensation isn't what I have a problem with.

I don't dispute they're being held accountable but I can apply that to anything. You could execute them and you can say they're being held accountable. The question is does the punishment fit the crime?

As far as injuries go - players give maimed, crippled and killed every year by playing football - bounties aren't required

Pete's brother?

Anyway, a year suspension for a coach isn't as harsh as it is for a player. Coaches don't have the same short shelf life.

Too bad for him the League is the only game in town. Work for FOX/ESPN for a year, and then back, either at the Saints or elsewhere. There will be openings.

it will be interesting to see what the NFL has to say about him working around the league perimeter, such as being a broadcaster.

If I was Peyton I would take a true sabbatical, get away from the game, spend time with family, travel, do charity work, write a book. Such a rare opportunity for a coach. He has no money issues, and his job will be there when he gets back. Step away.

"Do you think the saints played differently than if the only reward was a pat on the back?"

Do you think the Saints would even have a bounty if THEY didn't believe it would motivate players to play differently?

Why give away money for nothing if they there's absolutely ZERO ROI? Of course players attempted to play differently as a result of the bounties. Intent matters in this instance.

"Do you think players on other teams try to knock players out and do they get praise from their coaches when they do?"

Apples and Oranges. They got busted for blatantly defying the league. You and I would likely be fired if we thumbed our noses at upper management and got caught blatantly ignoring them.

These guys aren't victims.They're volunteers who willingly rolled the dice and got bit in the ass.

Like I said earlier, if some player got crippled or killed as a result of a cheapshot because he had a bounty on him, the perpetrator would be facing criminal charges, along with the coaches and management who allowed the risk.

These guys got lucky for now and deserved whatever they got. They lose their right to claim the Commissioner was too heavy-handed when they blew him off.

I guess the bottom line to me is the saints committed a crime in the locker room not on the field. Taking draft picks and Payton impacts the field. I think the penalty should be limited to off the field (money and acts of contrition)

This is not at all like USC's sanctions. The NFL punished the perpetrator. The NCAA did not punish Bush, it punished USC. USC did not lie to the NCAA. USC did not continue behavior after it was told to stop. Comparing the two is nonsense.

Well, hell. Belchek cheated on the field and h got fined, right?