Comments on: Sean Payton implicated in alleged Vicodin theft at Saints facility

By: Deb

Deb — Tue, 04 May 2010 14:29:06 +0000

@amusedbyeveryone …
I was taking your posts as a genuine request for information … then I saw your attack on another thread. So I’m in love with Ben and I’m a dude, yada yada yada? And you’re another junior-high student. My mistkae. Here’s my reply, in case you missed it:
amusedbyeveryone says: @deb you consistently distort and falsely characterize the facts
*No, I don’t. Just because you don’t like the facts, doesn’t mean I’ve distorted them.
1) The truth is that GBI report says they found male DNA. If that wasn’t semen, what was it ?)
*DNA is the genetic material found in nearly all forms of life; it can be used to distinguish one human from another. Semen is thick, white material ejaculated by men during sex. DNA is not semen. DNA can be found in semen as well as in hair, skin, saliva, and other substances. It takes only a miniscule amount of DNA to identify a specific person. The amount of male DNA found on the accuser was so infinitesimal it could not be tested for ID. The amount of semen produced by ejaculation or even during withdrawal would have been enough to test for identification.
2) you say “that woman” (who is probably better referred to as a girl since she was only 20
*She was a 20-year-old woman. The DA in his press conference described her as “20 and a half.” The legal drinking age there is 21. I know 20-year-olds who are married with children.
The fact is that from the very beginning she consistently maintained that Ben R. sexually assaulted her. She never changed her story
*Absolutely not true. When asked by police officers if she was raped, she said no. When asked if she’d had sex, she said no. When asked by hospital personnel if she’d been raped, she said no. Later, she said she was “kinda raped.” The next day she came into the station and gave a statement saying she had been raped. The medical exam disputes that statement.
3) by your own admission there was vaginal bruising and bleeding. “no rape” does NOT mean “no sexual assault.”
*Yes, something else could have happened. But she NEVER alleged digital rape, oral rape, or any other type of assault. The allegation was vaginal rape. And the medical exam shows no vaginal rape occurred. What she says happened did not happen.
Your mischaracterzations go on and on
*I haven’t mischaracterized anything. You have misrepresented the facts and my comments. I thought you were a serious poster asking for information, which I took time to provide. Instead, you’re just another junior-high idiot carrying on that: YOU’RE IN LOVE WITH BEN. YOU’RE MAKING IT UP. YOU’RE A DUDE. NO ONE SHOULD BELIEVE YOU.
No, I’m a rape survivor, a writer and researcher with a journalism degree who used to report in a country that didn’t have due process, and the sister and sister-in-law of criminal defense attorneys. I took the time to research the case because it mattered to me whether someone I’d cheered for six years had raped someone. And it mattered to me whether someone was being wrongfully accused. Unlike you, I take this stuff seriously. You’re just another rival fan–but more of a pig than most.

By: Deb

Deb — Tue, 04 May 2010 13:34:50 +0000

@amusedbyeveryone …
Thanks for the clarification. You must be new. I’m a rape survivor, so I’m aware of the distinctions. I was sober, fought like crazy, and didn’t need 13 hours and the help of two sorority sisters to decide what happened to me.
Now, here’s the thing: She alleged vaginal rape. She didn’t allege digital rape, oral rape, or some other manner of assault. She alleged vaginal rape. The DA said he wanted to be clear: That was the allegation and that’s the crime they were investigating. And that crime didn’t occur. So there’s a major credibility gap. What she says happened, according to the medical evidence, did not happen.
In addition, multiple witnesses say she followed him from bar to bar, pinching him and behaving provocatively to get his attention. The DA said once they were at the club, they were engaged in MUTUAL sexual conversation and conduct. The DA said it was two-way, him to her and her to him but he wouldn’t go into the “salacious” details. We know from multiple witnesses she was wearing a DTF pin and when asked what it meant, she told him she was “down to f–k.”
So … the vaginal rape she alleged did not occur. Whatever contact did occur, did not include semen. Those two things we know from the medical exam. Whatever happened took less than 10 minutes. We know that from multiple witnesses. And based on multiple witness accounts of her behavior all evening, what happened between them was consensual.
You don’t like Ben Roethlisberger and/or the Steelers. I get that. I don’t like that he’s been behaving like an entitled frat boy. I don’t like that he’s reportedly disrespected fans. I don’t like that when he should have been keeping a low profile because of the other case pending, he was out in a Satan t-shirt getting loaded, buying mega-rounds for bimbos, and fooling around in nightclub bathrooms. But he’s not a sexual abuser. That’s something I take very seriously. He’s a big, dumb oaf … but he’s not a rapist.

By: DAS

DAS — Tue, 04 May 2010 10:33:23 +0000

Just to let everyone know, the Saints organization turned over the information of these allegations to the DEA almost a year ago. If they had something to hide, please tell me, would they do that? No.
And to the Dumbass(FAN) of Football
I’m sure the French knew it was “Hurricane Alley” in 1718 when they founded the city…
Child please.

By: supersaints45

supersaints45 — Tue, 04 May 2010 06:53:56 +0000

This is a non-story. The ex chief wanted money from the Saints, they refused, so now he files a civil suit. If he was so concerned about the law, he would have contacted the dea, fbi, or whoever long ago. To you ViQueen fans: Your team LOST! Get over it. You people should be thanking the Saints for saving you the embarrassment of losing another Super Bowl. Super Bowl titles: Saints 1 ViQueens 0. One other thing, if true, we’re talking about 130 pills over 4 months, which is about 30 a month between 2 people. That is not abuse. If you want an example of abuse, look at your beloved Mr. Favre. He was taking in 1 day, what the Saints people are accused of taking in 1 month. Can’t wait to the Saints kick the s.h.i.t out of the Queens on 9-9-10.

By: amusedbyeveryone

amusedbyeveryone — Tue, 04 May 2010 01:20:21 +0000

@Deb
One more thing, “no rape” does NOT mean “no sexual assualt.”

By: BigEasy

BigEasy — Mon, 03 May 2010 21:16:08 +0000

The only thing S. Payton is hooked on is “Juicy Fruit” gum…
Allegations by a disgruntled former employee who demanded 2 mil or he was going public…wow…that’s def on the up and up.
Seriously, move along people….in other news….

By: Deb

Deb — Mon, 03 May 2010 12:51:09 +0000

@amusedbyeveryone …
Okay, you asked …
I know Roethlisberger didn’t rape her for several reasons, but the first would be because the finding of the pelvic exam was that she didn’t have intercourse. The slight vaginal bruising and bleeding could have been caused by different activity. There was no semen or evidence of a condom. No intercourse = no sex = no rape. The issue of consent doesn’t come into play.
In addition …
According the DA, she was out of sight only 10 minutes. Taking her statement, she went to the bathroom, headed back, met Roethlisberger, became engaged in sexual activity in the hallway, wound up on the floor, got up, went into the bathroom, he followed, locked the door, she protested, he ignored her, both of them became disengaged from their clothing to the degree that intercourse was possible, they had intercourse, he left without saying a word, she fixed her clothing, and followed. All in 10 minutes. And if the bodyguard were blocking the doorway, where was he standing when they were rolling around the floor in the hallway?
According to the DA, Ben ejected a sorority sister from the VIP room. It has since been reported she was ragging him about the Nevada rape accusation. The DA said she tried to get back into the VIP room but Ben’s bodyguard was blocking the way. She and another sorority sister said their friend was too drunk to be at the party. The bodyguard wouldn’t relent. The club owner told the DA they complained to him. He showed them how to bypass the guard and check on their friend. He told the DA they did not bother to go.
Those two women are the ones who dragged the accuser to the police and insisted Ben had raped her. The accuser told police and hospital personnel she had not been raped. They are the ones who took her to the police station the next day when she changed her story to say she had been raped–even though the pelvic exam said otherwise. They are the only witnesses saying the bodyguard blocked the bathroom.
At the end of his 71-minute press conference, the DA said that if Ben were his son, he’d tell him to stop acting like an idiot. But he made a point of saying there was plenty of blame to go around and he hoped Ben and the accuser and the sorority sisters had learned a lesson. When asked if Ben was welcome back in Milledgeville, he said sure, if he keeps his nose clean. Those are not the comments of a prosecutor who believes a rapist is getting away for lack of evidence. No charges were filed because the investigation showed no crime was committed.

By: Gregjennings85

Gregjennings85 — Mon, 03 May 2010 09:16:09 +0000

“Well, heck. My jeans are bit muddier ‘en usual, but that aint nuthin’ a vicodin can’t fix…(mumph). Mmmm. That sizzle lets you know it’s working.”
-Brett Favre (circa 2002)

By: jonjonphenom

jonjonphenom — Mon, 03 May 2010 06:54:19 +0000

Fan of Football,
Were you gang raped in New Orleans or something? You seem like a bitter old man in regard to the great city.

By: amusedbyeveryone

amusedbyeveryone — Mon, 03 May 2010 02:48:23 +0000

Deb says:
May 1, 2010 1:27 PM
Oh for crying out loud!
You may not be a criminal lawyer, but you have a law degree and can read witness statements and investigative reports. You know as well as I do that no one raped either Andrea McNulty or that woman in Georgia
——————————————————–
Deb, I, too, read the witness statements from the Georgia case and wonder how you can so confidently state the “You know as well as I do that no one raped…that woman in Georgia.”
Can you point to anything in the witness statements that conclusively proves “that woman in Georgia” consented to the sex?
She says she didn’t. She went DIRECTLY to the cops. Only her and Roethilsberger were in that locked bathroom (and Roethilsberger’s “bodyguards” prevented “that woman’s” friends from intervening).
So, I just have to ask, how in the world can you so confidently claim that no one (ie, Roethisberger) didn’t rape her.
Since you claim to be so familiar with the reports and witness statements, please enlighten me as to the evidence of consent.

By: SayItAin'tSoFlorio

SayItAin'tSoFlorio — Sun, 02 May 2010 22:55:39 +0000

Deb:
It is supposedly being investigated on several fronts (NFL, AG, DEA, local law enforcement) but nothing has been done as of yet. To me, that says something, but could also mean nothing. A couple of those agencies take their time before they make a decision to indict or not.
The plaintiff’s lawyer has a good rep but I noticed (Google) that he is also representing a New Orleans suburban sleazeball ex-politician. It could be that the attorney decided that the plaintiff should ask for a lot of money (hence the “shakedown), figuring that he could always come down in his asking price to settle. That’s fairly common in civil cases, especially in a case with an NFL team involved. It still looks bad for the plaintiff though.

By: Deb

Deb — Sun, 02 May 2010 22:09:24 +0000

@SayItAin’tSoFlorio …
Thanks for the info–and for presenting it so well. Yes, I was preparing to hop back onto that well-worn soapbox But crusading is … wearying. I was able to argue the Roethlisberger cases with such vehemence because I did a lot of research and am confident about my findings. Work deadlines won’t permit me to devote that much time to anything on PFT over the next few weeks. Have to put my little nose back to the grindstone.
This whole thing still bothers me, though. If there’s irrefutable evidence, there should be a criminal investigation. I question anything coming out of a lawsuit–especially filed by a guy who’s already tried to shake down the team. If the video only shows Vitt, the plaintiff may be implicating Payton simply to raise the stakes. And if Vitt has a chronic condition and was stealing Vicodin, he needs help, not harassment.

By: SayItAin'tSoFlorio

SayItAin'tSoFlorio — Sun, 02 May 2010 18:35:24 +0000

Deb: No they were not explicitly named in the lawsuit. It was “reported” by the New Orleans Times-Picayune. I don’t know who their sources were, but the newspaper insists that the two unnamed suspects are Payton (SSMA in the lawsuit) and Vitt (SSMB). So Florio was not wrong in reporting what he did at the time of his post. However, he later identified the names, based on what he had heard and/or read.
This isn’t a Roethlisberger case, where there was no videotape of the actual event in the bar in Milledgeville. In this case, there was videotape of the culprit taking the Vicodin from the drug locker in a training room office. We can argue whether the two coaches should be named at this point or not, but all indications are that it was Vitt. Somebody would owe a huge apology to Vitt if the videotape identification is wrong, but I doubt if that is the case.
I agree with you that “implications” are not evidence of anything, and the lawsuit is certainly a one-sided document. Everyone is entitled to the presumption of innocence.

By: Deb

Deb — Sun, 02 May 2010 15:58:52 +0000

@SayItAin’tSoFlorio …
Okay, I’ll admit it: I haven’t read the suit. I’m a Steelers fan and have been listening to full-length press conferences and reading complaints, witness statements, and investigative reports until my eyes are crossing. Don’t have time to delve into another one. But now I’m confused. Florio said Vitt and Payton were not named in the suit. Now you’re saying they were named in the suit.
I’m not interested in implications. Were they explicitly named in the suit, or not?

By: SayItAin'tSoFlorio

SayItAin'tSoFlorio — Sun, 02 May 2010 12:03:41 +0000

SimplytheBest:
Did you actually read the lawsuit, or did you just make some assumptions based on Florio’s posts?
It would be hard to state that there isn’t any evidence of wrongdoing, if you read the lawsuit. There are videotapes of one of the coaches (Joe Vitt) using the head trainer’s key to get into the drug locker at the Saints facility and steal the Vicodin, and not just one time.
There are also implications from two of the trainers (including the head trainer) and one of the team doctors that Sean Payton received some of the Vicodin tablets from Vitt. Not proof perhaps, but pretty revealing. All of that could and would be argued in court, if it comes down to it.
As for Benson not knowing about the issue, he was informed in meetings with the GM, Santini, etc. One of the allegations from Santini is that the GM (Loomis) lied to Benson about Payton having a medical condition requiring painkillers.
BTW, that “Santini guy” you refer to spent over 30 years in the FBI before he took a job with the Saints. Benson hired him in ’00, so I assume he has/had some trust in his work. I read somewhere that one of his most important cases involved Edwin Edwards, the ex-gov of Louisiana, who is now in federal prison in Texas. That might give him some credibility. Maybe not for you, but it works for me.
I’m not a lawyer (I’ll leave that to Florio), but, on the surface, it appears that there are a lot of potential candidates that could be in trouble. Payton, Vitt, Loomis, the team doctor (Amoss), the head trainer (Patton), one of the assistant trainers (Magnum or Mangum, spelled both ways in the document) and perhaps even Santini. Who knows? According to the lawsuit, NFL security and the local Attorney General are aware of the case, so I’m sure they’ll have a lot to say about where this whole thing leads.
As he states, Florio will keep us all apprised, even if we don’t want to be.

By: seatofmypants

seatofmypants — Sun, 02 May 2010 11:19:26 +0000

I am not a fan of “Fan of Football”, nor do i support anything he says, but here is some info from Wikipedia about New Orleans:
A recent study by Tulane and Xavier University notes that 51% of New Orleans is at or above sea level, with the more densely populated areas generally on higher ground. The average elevation of the city is currently between one and two feet (0.5 m) below sea level, with some portions of the city as high as 16 feet (5 m) at the base of the river levee in Uptown and others as low as 10 feet (3 m) below sea level in the farthest reaches of Eastern New Orleans.[37]

By: The Upsetter

The Upsetter — Sun, 02 May 2010 09:51:14 +0000

Sean Payton will be cleared of any wrong doing and Mike Florio will look like a fool once again.
Viking fans, I’m glad to see that NFC Championship still eats a away at your soul. I hope that feeling never goes away.
Fan of Football, although I’m sure you’re thrilled with all the attention you’re getting, you need a punch in the face to help get some perspective. Florio, you should censor Fan of Football. Him alone helps bring your website to new mind boggling lows.
Saints are champs and Sean Payton is my idol, all haters can go to hell.

By: SimplytheBest

SimplytheBest — Sat, 01 May 2010 23:56:35 +0000

Wow, this is my first visit to this site and I must say I surely was not expecting such childish remarks by NFL intelligent fans, but here we are clear as day, one moron after moron (see I can do it too). This is very sad to know really.
Anyway, to those Saints haters and the sick and tired of New Orleans fans, this is just something that you just have to stick your chest out and take the bullet on, we “The New Orleans Saints”, football team and fan base globewide OWN THE TITLE OF CHAMPION for this year, you nor anyone else can EVER change that, you may not like it, you may not agree with it, but you cannot ignore something that is a plain and simple FACT OF LIFE! Now about this story of drug theft and abuse.
Don’t you people see that the former employee went to the Saints for a big pay day and they refused to play ball with him, that’s the entire gist of this situation. Hear me out here.
For one thing if ANY of this was true and could be proven, the this Santini guy would be a very rich man today and living on some tropical island having the time of his life, because I guarantee you that there is no way on this planet that Tom Benson would allow any team or organization that he owns be labled as drug users and abusers and petty thieves for said drugs, he would have given this guy a salary for life and we would have never heard a word of this ever.
But that’s not what happened, what happened was this Santini guy went to the Saints with some half baked story about evidence that he didn’t have and the Saints knew he was lying, therefore when he requested big bucks, they flat out told him to take a hike, go public with whatever he thinks he has, because they know the true facts and nothing he claims can truly hurt them in the end.
Of course some of you will say, wait, they were still going to discuss it with him just before he went public, so why would they do that and the simple answer is that paying something comparable to the waves he could cause with just an accusation, it may have been easier on the team in the long run to pay him a pittance and be done with the matter altoghether, but it appears he demanded way, way or as Greg Bensel put it and “exorbinant” amount of money to remain silent, that’s when they Saints cut him off altogether and told him give it your best shot, but we know the facts and we ain’t got nothing to hide, sure we’ll have the initial wave of oooh’s and aaaaah’s (which is what you are doing right now) but it will all be resolved in our favor as we truly have nothing to hide and that is what will ultimately come out with this entire ordeal.
Trust me, Benson would not allow drugs to become a part of the Saints vocabulary, if he has anything to say about it, but when you’ve done nothing wrong, sometimes you have ride out the rapids to reach the calm of the lake to relax on.

By: banikane

banikane — Sat, 01 May 2010 21:53:31 +0000

Sean seems like a nice guy, but every time I see him on the sidelines on sunday he looks like he’s on drugs. I’ve been on oxycotin(similar vicodin) for about 10 yrs for chronic pain from failed partial spine replacement surgery. I know what that look is. Sean has it, I’ve felt that way for last couple of years and this confirms it for me. Hope it’s not true for him, he’s f**k’d if it is.

By: realheavyd

realheavyd — Sat, 01 May 2010 21:47:47 +0000

RE: I would just like to welcome all the Saints fans to the wonderful world of rude comments, put downs, New Orleans jokes, bad puns, sick jokes, idiotic comments, asinine and inane comments, etc., that Steelers fans have been experiencing since the Big Ben story broke back in March.
————————————————–
Truth be known, Saints fans have endured similar “rude comments, put downs, New Orleans jokes, bad puns, sick jokes, idiotic comments, asinine and inane comments, etc.” to these for all 40+ years that New Orleans has fielded a pro football team and it took finally winning a SB to stop most of those from coming in with the exception of a more than just a few bad apples amongst Vikings and Colts fans so far this year!
Sadly enough, it will most likely take them winning several more in a row before the majority of these idiots stop trying to put down this winner of a team. If this is the cost of becoming a winner in the NFL, I believe that we as Saints fans can certainly handle ourselves quite well through it all after all that we have endured over these many, many years so far already…
Thanks again for your kind words Mr. pghsteve!

By: Beast Of The East

Beast Of The East — Sat, 01 May 2010 20:21:28 +0000

Florio- I remember the time when which now seems like so long ago when this site was about supplying die hard football fans that were going through off season withdrawals with something to fill the void. Now look at what it has become. Look at some of the classy folks that are now on this site.
Fan Of Football is literally a waste of space. His name should be fan of hate. Obviously he is just one example of hundreds of people that get you all the clicks you want for those advertising dollars.
What I honestly feel you started as a passion and love for football has taken a dramatic turn for what I cannot quite describe.
So keep on writing your articles in a way to attract the type of people you now have roaming this site and forget the love and passion of football.
Congratulations Florio, you are the new gossip King to go along with Joan Rivers. I cannot believe you took what could have been the greatest football site ever and turned into a TMZ. And for what? A buck.

By: realheavyd

realheavyd — Sat, 01 May 2010 19:41:58 +0000

RE: “I would just like to welcome all the Saints fans to the wonderful world of rude comments, put downs, New Orleans jokes, bad puns, sick jokes, idiotic comments, asinine and inane comments, etc., that Steelers fans have been experiencing since the Big Ben story broke back in March. Big Ben is certainly a moron, maybe a criminal, and Sean Payton might be one or both or neither, but it won’t matter. Stories like this just provide an opportunity for losers to pile on the fans of winning teams. Notice all of the comments asserting that the Saints cheated their way to the SB. Savor your Vince Lombardi trophy, and may you win many more (so long as it is not against the Steelers.)”
————————————————–
Thanks for the well wishes pgsteve, and I feel for you regarding the Big Ben crap that is all over the news right now as well.
I hope your team gets back to their winning ways too, but not at the expense of my Saints, of course!
Peace bro!
D

By: realheavyd

realheavyd — Sat, 01 May 2010 19:38:37 +0000

“I have reviewed Geoff Santini’s lawsuit and the unwarranted publicity it has received,” Payton said in the statement. “I have never abused or stolen Vicodin or any other medication and I fully support the Saints’ position in this matter as expressed by Greg Bensel yesterday.”
Payton is not named in the lawsuit, but sources have confirmed that he is the one referred to as “Senior Staff Member A,” who allegedly was recorded as having been dispensed a large number of Vicodin pills despite having no medical condition.
Payton is not accused of being involved with the theft of any medication.
Vitt, who is referred to as “Senior Staff Member B” was allegedly caught on hidden camera as having stolen Vicodin pills from a locked drug cabinet. Vitt was also recorded as having been dispensed a large number of Vicodin pills, though he apparently had an undisclosed painful medical condition.
http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2010/05/new_orleans_saints_coach_sean_75.html

By: pghsteve

pghsteve — Sat, 01 May 2010 19:30:29 +0000

I would just like to welcome all the Saints fans to the wonderful world of rude comments, put downs, New Orleans jokes, bad puns, sick jokes, idiotic comments, asinine and inane comments, etc., that Steelers fans have been experiencing since the Big Ben story broke back in March. Big Ben is certainly a moron, maybe a criminal, and Sean Payton might be one or both or neither, but it won’t matter. Stories like this just provide an opportunity for losers to pile on the fans of winning teams. Notice all of the comments asserting that the Saints cheated their way to the SB. Savor your Vince Lombardi trophy, and may you win many more (so long as it is not against the Steelers.)

By: Kay Bee

Kay Bee — Sat, 01 May 2010 18:31:44 +0000

SEAN PAYTON HAS THE FACE OF A DRAG QUEEN. Lol. Aints fans this question is for you: Does Sean Payton wear guy liner and lip gloss during post game interviews?? I have a feeling this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to skeletons in Payton’s closet.
—————————————————-
The Lombardi Trophy is sitting at the top of his closet.

By: Highway703

Highway703 — Sat, 01 May 2010 18:18:05 +0000

Great this stupid story will be on this website for months who cares!!!!!!

By: dlmcc0909

dlmcc0909 — Sat, 01 May 2010 18:09:31 +0000

Running stories like this and blowing it up in the media, is EXACTLY why morons continue to make ridiculous allegations against high profile targets. This guy clearly wanted a payout because he didnt like being let go. And by you posting this stuff and other media sites running it, you continue to allow this kind of thing to go on. People wouldnt make false claims against high profile athletes if the media would wait to find facts before running a story. We are way too lawsuit and payout happy in this country its just pathetic.

By: Kay Bee

Kay Bee — Sat, 01 May 2010 17:59:15 +0000

Hilarious !! A year ago you couldn’t pay a Taints fan to post on this MB and now they are out in force.
-_______________________________
We were busy celebrating our Super Bowl run.

By: Cannon

Cannon — Sat, 01 May 2010 17:55:51 +0000

By: Passrusher76

Passrusher76 — Sat, 01 May 2010 17:22:34 +0000

You saw a bloated green blob? I think that would qualify as Rex Ryan.