Comments on: Payton, Loomis issue joint statement

By: johnster67

johnster67 — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 18:15:55 +0000

This is all ridiculous. That said, what about if any teams dont do this, and they stay under the salary cap, then they really get screwed in this whole deal. I wonder what Reggie Bush got out of all this, you know he had to be in on it somehow, since it involved illicit funds.

By: gmsingh

gmsingh — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 12:23:15 +0000

Three words: Favre got screwed.

By: mitchitized

mitchitized — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 11:34:26 +0000

The problem isn’t the bounties, it’s that they got caught, and denied doing it, and got caught again.

Just like Watergate, what Nixon did was what every presidential candidate has done since the birth of this country. His mistake was getting caught, and then denying it.

What the Saints did, happens all the way down to the High School level, and I can guarantee you the vast majority of teams in the NFL have bounties in one fashion or another.

Let’s get the facts straight here: The punishment is for getting caught, denying it, and getting caught again.

By: dumplingsrbrown

dumplingsrbrown — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 10:07:32 +0000

Okay….so some of you Saints fans are seriously going to argue over the semantics of using the word cheating?

Technically you are correct, but thats similar to the difference of playing Monopoly and snagging an extra $100 from the bank after passing Go versus punching your sister in the face to make sure she doesn’t win.

Thank you for clarifying it to us! Wouldn’t want to mistake reprehensible and malicious actions “cheating”. The horror!!

By: miguel3557

miguel3557 — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 05:28:55 +0000

If these two jerks now acknowledge that the bounty practice they used for years seriously violated the integrity of the game, why didn’t they see this serious violation years ago and ended it then. These two jerks found the holy grail way, way too late, only after the practice was made public. Their absolution of the club’s owner is a great deal more pathetic and irritating than it is noble.

Instead of paying empty, cheap lip service to being accountable, these two jerks should quit the positions they have sullied for years. Payton should be barred by the league from coaching for at least five years.

By: billharford31

billharford31 — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 05:19:58 +0000

Somewhere in Nantucket, Bill Belichick is smiling.

By: prplpuzzetrz

prplpuzzetrz — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 04:13:16 +0000

What is even more sad & pathetic…. This is really no secret…. They flaunted their strategy before the Vikings game in 2009 NFCCG… And we saw the hits, and what did my Vikes do to counter the attack? On a far less competitive team???? Blow it!!!! Yes, dropped the ball, make mental mistakes…. That is what hurts most of all!!! Favre got his a$$ whooped and they didn’t fight back enough.
In the end, there will be a few fines, few suspensions , but aside from the behavior of some idiots, there will be a bigger story next month to hold our attention!! Like Jereny Lin etc. would have been fun to see the same kinda “fight” in my 09 vikes, maybe they would be holding the Lombardi

By: fusion3450

fusion3450 — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 03:20:05 +0000

always an idiot has to bring up katrina. we are so past that down here jackass

By: boobsmcgoo

boobsmcgoo — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 03:16:19 +0000

n001363 says:
Mar 6, 2012 9:47 PM
Saints fans. Losers, idiots, paper bag models. Your Lombardi trophy is tainted. We are haters. Can’t wait for the next category five hurricane to wipe out your dung heap of a city!

………………………..

You are a bad person.

By: nfl fan

nfl fan — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 03:01:09 +0000

You are both a disgrace to New Orleans, the Saints Organization and all NFL fans that pay their money in good faith. Your punishment can not be severe enough.

By: gcsuk

gcsuk — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 02:57:36 +0000

NOW does Darren Sharper shut up?

By: kimtrouard

kimtrouard — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 02:51:05 +0000

This is hilarious. Every team in the league has some form of these bounties or incentives for big hits and big plays. And, every team is trying to knock the opposing qb out of the game. Saints opponents are trying to knock Drew out as well. Simply because they used terms like “bounties” and “cart off” people are freaking out. This could easily be any NFL team in this trouble.
The best part is how the Vikes fans keep saying they were robbed of the SB, as if there wasn’t another game vs. another excellent team after the NFCCG.

By: boobsmcgoo

boobsmcgoo — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 02:48:07 +0000

Saints fan here. I am upset and embarrassed at the actions of my team. I can understand the trash talk from fans around the league…except the Viking fans. What a bunch of cry babies! Am I right, people,!? You want a Lombardi trophy? Stop crying, stop skipping your turn in the draft, stop signing Donavan McNabb, and stop trading draft picks for a former player, only to cut him two weeks later! Oh yeah, and patch that roof, losers!

By: n001363

n001363 — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 02:47:44 +0000

Saints fans. Losers, idiots, paper bag models. Your Lombardi trophy is tainted. We are haters. Can’t wait for the next category five hurricane to wipe out your dung heap of a city!

By: djstat

djstat — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 02:44:09 +0000

No news for a trial… What is the sentence commish?

By: n001363

n001363 — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 02:42:26 +0000

I want them out of the league for good. Anything less and the league is no better than than these coaches. The NFL will be the new pro wrestling. All a lie!

By: randygnyc

randygnyc — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 02:32:53 +0000

I’ve been saying for days that this has CRIMINAL prosecution written all over it. There seems to be a serious RICO violation here. Conspiracy to commit crimes (tax evasion, premeditated battery for money) with a convicted felon providing monetary influence. Say what you want but we haven’t heard the end of this just yet.

By: bassmaster357

bassmaster357 — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 02:21:19 +0000

As owner I would Fire everyone involved and as NFL Commissioner I would fine all involved with a hefty fine and ban all coaches and players from being on the sidelines and ever playing again in the NFL.This is all uncall for and should be punished by everyone.

By: fusion3450

fusion3450 — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 02:16:22 +0000

this shows how many of you fear the saints. all the run them out of town, ban them from playoff games, strip their title talk. they did not cheat. they did not get flagged. they did not get fined. clean hits. stop crying. damn. its been over 2 years. this is a media driven thing going on here and there scape goats

By: pnthrz1

pnthrz1 — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 02:14:48 +0000

BountyGate, Brees Tag Issue, the ‘Aints shall fall again.
Feel good over that, Who Dey Nation, when Cam sees you twice a year, as the Panthers rise to dominate the division.
Now about those pesky Falcons….

By: fusion3450

fusion3450 — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 02:12:39 +0000

do some research before running you head

By: northsidesteel

northsidesteel — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 01:11:48 +0000

I can appreciate the uproar of fans, I have to post again that while the fact that any organization would support this type of action is questionable at best, any sort of bounty in the NFL has to be consider more of an office pool. Few of us can imagine what goes on during a play for anyone on the field. Coverages, route running, and blocking assignments are all predetermined and assigned. The thought that any of these well paid men would abandon those assignments to pick up $1500 dollars, is laughable. I don’t deny that one might give a extra twist of an ankle or eye gouge during a fumble pile up, but these men don’t try to ruin one and others careers on a play by play basis.

By: flaccodelic

flaccodelic — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 01:05:22 +0000

“This has brought undue hardship on Mr. Benson, who had nothing to do with this activity. He has been nothing but supportive and for that we both apologize to him.”

You apologize for making him be supportive?

By: melikefootball

melikefootball — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 01:03:32 +0000

If they take full responability than they should both step down.. Typical pro sports they feel all they have to do AFTER the fact is to say I’m sorry and i take the blame.. Then step down!

By: besdayz

besdayz — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:16:25 +0000

Where is the Joe Gibbs story about paying directly players? How about covering this issue without hypocrisy and implicate everyone in the NFL who did this?

By: Carl Gerbschmidt

Carl Gerbschmidt — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:14:05 +0000

By the way, Sean, thanks for picking the Aints over the Packers. Oh, and also thanks for kicking in some of your salary so you could prevent GWill from getting on the plane to interview Green Bay!!!

By: saintsstillwillwin

saintsstillwillwin — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:08:27 +0000

I thought Brett Farve threw a pick when he could have ran 5 yards set up a 25 yard field goal and go to the Superbowl. I will admit THE NFL AND THE REFS were watching the same game and blew a lot of calls on brett. Kurt Warner was sacked once and popped trying to tackle a DT who he tossed a pick to. P.S. Mike Vick doesn’t hurt himself every year, but of course that’s fine.

By: saintsly

saintsly — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:06:19 +0000

ackattack22 says:
Mar 6, 2012 6:35 PM
@ningenito78… So bounties are OK with you? Then I guess you won’t have a problem if all 31 of the other teams put a bounty on Drew Brees. How about $5,000 to knock him out of the game, $10,000 to knock him out for the season and $15,000 to end his career? If and when that happens, remember not to complain because apparently, as you put it, “that’s what being on a football team at any level entails”. Get ready Saints…cuz you know what they say about KARMA. It’s coming!
……………………………………………………………………………
No sir I wouldn’t………These players are already paid millions to do exactly that. It’s in their contract. I am not nieve to think that Brees is untouchable but he had great protection. Remember the Dallas game where Brees was on his ass all nite long and being driven into the ground by Demarcus Ware ? No crying here. That was just great football and I would love to see it again. If he made 50K for his night, it was worth it because he ate Brees up. We lost and that was that. No crying here……..Fool !!!!!

By: miamisaint3255

miamisaint3255 — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:06:19 +0000

NFL is forever changed, no longer will hard hits be celebrated and helmet to helmet hits and long time health effects down the road are only ok for the interior linemen.

But while it is not the NFL of earlier better days, it is still an exciting game to watch.

And make no mistake about it, while the Saints are going to be seriously penalized, the most prolific offense in the history of the NFL is coming back in ’12 and even if suspensions keeps this team from reaching their potential during regular season in Ws and Ls, they will likely still make playoffs and be at full strength then (if no major injuries) and they will be very dangerous team, no different than this year.

Brees is going to sign a long-term deal and while saints have cap room problems this year, they don’t the following few years after, so this is a team that will be contending for 4 more years or so. Report of the Saints complete demise are silly and only eye catching for the be all end all “click” and page view on the internet.

Defense was bad last year and will likely be bad again in ’12, but that offense is just prolific, can’t really be stopped (regardless of whether Nicks and / or Colston come back). If Saints do lose Nicks and Colston, look for some adequate replacements anyways.

By: racerx2k11

racerx2k11 — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:02:24 +0000

“We acknowledge that the violations disclosed by the NFL happened under our watch. We take full responsibility”

What exactly are they acknowledging here? That the bounty system happened under their watch? This is the sort of statement I would expect from someone not culpable, like Benson.

“This has brought undue hardship on Mr. Benson, who had nothing to do with this activity. He has been nothing but supportive and for that we both apologize to him.”

So, you are apologizing for the hardship brought upon Benson? He’s not supporting you because you are ethical or moral, he’s supporting you because you doubled the value of his franchise.

“These are serious violations and we understand the negative impact it has had on our game. Both of us have made it clear within our organization that this will never happen again, and make that same promise to the NFL and most importantly to all of our fans.”

Again, no apology in here to the NFL, the players injured or had their potential earnings impacted, or even the fans.

Why not include the line,

“We had zero to do with the preparation of this statement. This was crafted by team council to generate maximum emotion, with admitting to as little as possible in the vaguest of terms. We felt this was necessary due to the onslaught of pending civil litigation about to come our way”