Why do you think Goodell dandles the carrot. Act nice and you get your 2nd round pick back next year. Seriously, why would he do that. If we were so bad…if we were out there hurting so many players. We deserve every bit of that punishment and MORE!!!

It is all a load of BS. Neither Williams or Payton have EVER admitted to a “bounty” system. Absolutely NO active or previous Saint player has admitted to a “bounty” system.

Yes, the Saints had a pay for performance system in place. Yes, Greg Williams is a bit of a nut and crosses the line with his rah rah speeches.

But the facts are the facts. In the three years of the said “bounty” program. Only ONE player was ever seriously injured or “carted off”. His name, Reggie Bush…of the New Orleans Saints. So if these defensive players were trying so damn hard to get said “bounty” money. Don’t we all think that at some point…at least ONE TIME…they would have been successful at hurting anyone from the opposing team?? Seriously…at least one. But the facts are the facts…it NEVER happened…not once.

So logic then starts to creep in. Perhaps they weren’t actually trying to hurt other players. Maybe they were running a “pay for performance” system, which Williams and Payton have admitted to. Also, many other players, both current and past, have admitted to having pay for performance systems in place as well. So one could easily argue, if the NFL actually investigated the league…they would quickly realize “pay for performance” is for the norm, than an exception. In Goodells press conference after the coach penalties were announced. I will directly quote him here. Roger Goodell – “Let’s be clear. We discussed it with the clubs today and I think it is fair to say non-contract bonus payments were happening around the league … and that’ll discontinue.”

What a second, so Goodell admits that similar “pay for performance” systems were in place across the league, but they will discontinue. So then as fans we are left to rationalize that the reason the Saints lost their Head Coach for a year, Assistant Head Coach for half the year, a 500K fine and two top draft picks…was because 3 years earlier the league inquired about a “bounty” system and the Saints didn’t do enough to stop said “bounty” system.

The NFL says it has 50,000 pages of evidence around this. Which always seemed ridiculous to me. Of those 50,000 pages of evidence, they were unable to provide any distinct evidence to the NFLPA exact player involvement in a “bounty” system. So the NFL says it needs more time to clearly put together its facts. THAT DOESN’T JUMP OUT TO ANYONE ELSE? The NFL had months to put this together. They all along said they would also go after the players. How do they need more time…after stating they had concluded their investigation?

I think the NFL thought it could strong arm all the internal pieces of the puzzle. They are running scared from the pending player suits. It is obvious the NFL covered up data on traumatic head wounds and blatantly lied at times to the players. This will come back to bite them and it is becoming obvious to the league. Making a statement, like what they have done to the Saints, is a Hail Mary of sorts to showcase how seriously the league takes player safety and the measures they are willing to take to protect the players.

But it is all BS. They didn’t care until they had a 1,000 players filing suit. The Saints had their hand in the “pay for performance” cookie jar that everyone else had already taken their cookie from. So we took it on the chin for all.

But as all Saints fans have pointed out from day one. We watch all of the games. Our defense was NEVER tough. It was never over the top hard hitting. And it was never taking players out or injuring them.

My coach in high school used to tell me to “go out there and kill that guy”. I never took him seriously. I knew he meant to do my job…to impose my will…to hit him as hard as I possibly could each down. I think Saints players heard what Williams said…and I think they did exactly what I did. Went out there, played football, hard, each down. But at no time did I ever see evidence of Saints players abusing other players. It simply didn’t happen.

The NFL needed and out. And the Saints were sitting there when they needed it. I’m glad not everyone is going along for the ride. This could get interesting.

As an FYI – Saints fans would like nothing more than to just have football back. But as a fan of this game, we are all in the same boat to a certain degree. If they get away with this…what or who is next?

Some of you need to learn how to be men. It will help you out a lot in your real life that doesn’t involve poking out your virtual chest in comment sections.

Semantics people Semantics! Call it whatever you want but a culture existed and a fund was established that encouraged and was to reward plays, hits etc outside the scope of the game with the intent to injure opposing players

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You’re basing this conclusion on what … Evidence that the NFL has been unable to produce after three years and three months of investigations? The word of a commissioner who just a few years ago stood up and perjured himself before Congress about the prevalance and severity of concussions in the NFL?

Sorry, but people with brains understand that something is not quite right and now we’re starting to see why. The truth is coming out, friend.

haha @ madd913 you pattern your life after a grumpy, jaded, atheist comedian?

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I’d rather be a grumpy jaded atheist that tries to understand the truths of the world and think for myself than a mindless sheep getting led around by the nose and believing everything they are told.

4. In each of the 2009-2011 seasons, the Saints were one of the top five teams in the league in roughing the passer penalties. In 2009 and 2011, the Saints were also in the top five teams in unnecessary roughness penalties; in 2010, the Saints ranked sixth in the category.

That simply wasn’t true (but no one ever challenged)

The Saints are going to sign him as an undrafted free agent, so they can beat the hell out of him in practice. LOL

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to follow your attempt on humor im quite sure the Saints will beat the hell out of him when they play the Patriots in the preseason to make sure its taped. LMMFAO

Truth like Greg Williams already admitting it?

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do you read facts? or do you just hear and believe what you want to? what EXACTLY was admitted?
and call saints fan inbreds? have you ever been down here? or just watch tv and think everybody is what you see there too?

“Taking the element of coercion to the next level, the NFLPA also is arguing, we’re told, that the players were coerced into lying to investigators about the existence of a pay-for-performance/bounty pool.”

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/04/21/nfl-frustrated-by-nflpas-tactics-in-bounty-investigation/related/

The person guilty of coercion , resigned …..

Greg did apologize later, but I don’t think he ever mentioned the word “bounty”. I think he said “pay for performance”. …everybody is saying that Greg Williams and Sean Payton apologized for a bounty program, when I don’t think that they actually have. I think they’ve apologized for a “pay for performance program” (greg williams) and for “letting it continue on my watch” (sean payton).

…so, like I said, somebody feel free to correct me, but I’m not sure that the Saints ever apologized for a “bounty” program, and don’t feel that one existed in the manner that the league has described (which is probably why the suspensions were so long – the Saints wouldn’t admit to evils to the extent that the league wanted them too).

Truth like Greg Williams already admitting it?

Saints fans and anybody interested in the truth of this situation have been doing just that since this whole thing started, and they are about to be proven right.

Gregg Williams Statement:

“I want to express my sincere regret and apology to the NFL, Mr. Benson, and the New Orleans Saints fans for my participation in the ‘pay for performance’ program while I was with the Saints. It was a terrible mistake, and we knew it was wrong while we were doing it. Instead of getting caught up in it, I should have stopped it. I take full responsibility for my role. I am truly sorry. I have learned a hard lesson and I guarantee that I will never participate in or allow this kind of activity to happen again.”

Sean Payton Statement:

“I share and fully support the League’s concerns and goals on player safety. It is, and should be paramount.

Respecting our great game and the NFL shield is extremely important to me.

Our organization will implement all necessary protections and protocols, and I will be more vigilant going forward.

I am sorry for what has happened and as head coach take full responsibility.

Finally, I want to thank Mr. Benson, our players and all Saints fans for their overwhelming support.”

Neither admitted to a bounty program or lying, and other than GODdell’s statement’s, no evidence has been released. So all you “know it all’s” who say they know exactly what happened are just blowing hot air.

Notice the last paragraph in the article says UPDATE at 4:00PM ET.

The original article stated Hummel WAS running the investigation and still does state that: The update says he wasn’t running the investigation.

The majority of comments here were made prior to the update. So those people assumed (correctly from the info at that time) that he WAS running it. We now know he wasn’t.

Aint’s? Just a guess, but if you’re a seahawks fan, when was the last time your team was even remotely relevant

Answer: jan 8, 2011.. If my memory serves me correctly, Lynch was relevant that day

I’d watch where you are throwing stones there chief.

IF and that’s a big if. The wiretapping story has any merit Mickey Loomis was sending calls to YOUR head coach (saints DC 99-04).

There is no evidence of a “bounty” program, just a bad decision by the head coach not to end a half-hearted effort at a “pay for performance” program when told to do so. For that, he was suspended for a year and the team lost two second round draft choices. All of this for a “bounty” program that resulted in ZERO Cart-Offs and ZERO Knock-Outs over a three year period.

The average NFL player outweighs me by 100 pounds and could probably knock me out by looking at me, but if I wanted to, I could easily take out their knee while they were walking down the street. Just run into them and dive at their knee from the side. Pop. The absurdity of Goodell’s “bounty” allegations is beyond ludicrous. There was a half-assed “pay for performance” program and a loud mouthed Defensive Coordinator, that is all.

When this all comes out, Goodell will be the one with egg on his face.