Comments on: Vilma, Hargrove, Smith, Fujita plan appeal and legal battle

By: wiley16350

wiley16350 — Thu, 03 May 2012 12:51:32 +0000

Actually, it has everything to do with it. Because these players should have never been playing in those games to begin with. Just like they won’t be playing in any this year. They were involved in illegal activity that, had they been caught at the time, they wouldn’t have been allowed to play. THAT’S why everyone north of that mess Hurricane Katrina left lying you call “home”, thinks the Saints Super Bowl is one big fat stinking joke.
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To add to my point, you want to use if’s such as “if the Saints players would have been suspended then they wouldn’t have won the superbowl” well my if is “if the Saints wouldn’t have had bounties, they still would have won the superbowl” It’s all in how you look at it. But ultimately the question is, were the Saints the best team that year? With or without bounties they would or could have been. But you want to take away 4 of their players so that you can say they weren’t good enough and don’t deserve it. The “if” game is the only way you can win the argument. The Saints were a good enough team to win, with or without the bounties. But the only way they weren’t good enough to win the superbowl is “IF” the NFL had suspended the players prior to the superbowl.

By: wiley16350

wiley16350 — Thu, 03 May 2012 12:34:19 +0000

Actually, it has everything to do with it. Because these players should have never been playing in those games to begin with. Just like they won’t be playing in any this year. They were involved in illegal activity that, had they been caught at the time, they wouldn’t have been allowed to play. THAT’S why everyone north of that mess Hurricane Katrina left lying you call “home”, thinks the Saints Super Bowl is one big fat stinking joke.
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I’ve got news for you, I am not a Saints fan and I do not live down South. Your statement that the players shouldn’t have been playing in that game is wrong. For it to be true, it would have meant that the NFL had suspended them prior to the game, which they obviously did not. The Saints did not break rules by allowing the players to play. My point is that the bounties didn’t make the Saints a better team and wasn’t the reason they won the superbowl. The closest thing it came to helping them was against the Vikings. However, Favre throwing his last pass up for grabs had a lot to do with that. And it wasn’t because Favre got the hell beat of him, that would have happened whether or not the bounties were there.

By: jikkle49

jikkle49 — Wed, 02 May 2012 21:17:44 +0000

I would like to hear the evidence before I give an opinion on the matter but I would venture to guess that it probably is strong as I can’t see Goodell knowing full well the players were going to fight it would make such a harsh without having strong evidence to back it up.

By: dallas001

dallas001 — Wed, 02 May 2012 21:03:20 +0000

Just a question.. Do you really want to go to court over something that the players may have CONSPIRED to do ?? Leave that can of worms alone !!!

By: cwmorga

cwmorga — Wed, 02 May 2012 20:43:17 +0000

@cash804 says: May 2, 2012 2:07 PM

These idiotic fans can’t even see the writing on the wall…before the dust settles, Favre and Warner WILL SUE Vilma and/or the Saints organization.

Watch out Week 1…HTTR!!!
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Well this certainly won’t help Warner’s case now will it, a$$hat?

Kurt Warner: “I never felt that there was anything illegal. I don’t believe they were ever trying to hit me low or hit my head.”

As far as week 1, the Redskins in the Superdome. The Saints will eat RG3′s lunch.

By: vikingamericann

vikingamericann — Wed, 02 May 2012 20:42:26 +0000

ravensgrl | May 2, 2012, 2:01 PM EDT
If this goes to a federal court, they are opening themselves up for a federal investigation that could include criminal charges. This is going to get interesting……

Ravensgrl I’m guessing you did not pass the government HSA in Maryland. There is this thing called civil cases which doesn’t involve criminal charges. Then there is this other thing called the 5th amendment which allows you not to provide criminal evidence against yourself. You seem as well educated as a Steeler fan.

By: lnfinite

lnfinite — Wed, 02 May 2012 20:39:07 +0000

If they did the crime, they should do the time. Coaches suspended and the players appeal? Pathetic, I bet their defense will be we were just following orders.

By: Hammerjacker

Hammerjacker — Wed, 02 May 2012 19:31:34 +0000

I love how all the Saints fans and Patriot haters are uniting to revive (what was already way misunderstood and overblown by the general public to begin with) “Spygate”. Acting like Spygate was as bad or worse than Bountygate is hilarious for two reasons. 1. Its comically inaccurate. 2. Even if it were true, would it bring Payton and Vilma back for this season?? Whatever helps you sleep at night I guess.

By: tipstopten

tipstopten — Wed, 02 May 2012 19:25:52 +0000

This is where the Union needs to back the Commissioner, if the Union back the players
in this and they win, then all of management should get off also. They were taking money
late gangsters to make a “hit” to get them out of the game and maybe take away their career. The
punishment dealt out should have been much harder than what they got.
JCT

By: eaglebobby

eaglebobby — Wed, 02 May 2012 19:23:31 +0000

Mr Florio, how come you don’t have Dan Wetzel’s story on Yahoo.com, where the NFL says it has proof the bounty system existed and who was part of it–that proof was provided in a written statement by Anthony Hargrove one of the suspended players. Maybe instead of being a shill for those that were suspended, you should be running with these stories.

By: panther17

panther17 — Wed, 02 May 2012 19:22:37 +0000

They don’t account against the cap if they accept their punishment without appeal. If they appeal, they account against the cap until the appeal process is finished. They also get to play but you don’t get that extra space to make Money Man Brees happy or sign other players.

By: lolb23

lolb23 — Wed, 02 May 2012 19:15:18 +0000

wiley16350 says: May 2, 2012 1:24 PM

Every time I read comments on here I find it hard to believe that people can be so stupid.
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Well Wiley, if it’s “everytime” it’s probably you son, and not everybody else.

Here you write this:

2. The Saints superbowl win should not be questioned and doesn’t deserve an asterik. The bounties had very little to do with them winning a championship.

By: marcel85

marcel85 — Wed, 02 May 2012 19:14:36 +0000

it’s get ready to rumble.

By: genericuser8888

genericuser8888 — Wed, 02 May 2012 19:03:22 +0000

The NFL has actual videotape of Ndamukong Suh pushing a players head into the ground and stomping on his arm. He initially came out and denied this behavior was wrong, even when faced with video. His was suspended 2 games without pay.

The NFL has actual video of Albert Haynesworth stomping on a helmet-less player’s head. The player had to have stitches. Haynesworth’s penalty was 5 games without pay.

Jonathon Vilma’s actions are not on video tape. All the evidence presented so far seem to show that his actions caused no on-field cart offs or injuries of any type. His penalty is a full year suspension.

Stay classy NFL.

By: kchiefsfan

kchiefsfan — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:47:15 +0000

There will be no federal court. What will the players answers be when they are asked if they participated in a bounty program? What do you think all the coaches, mainly Gregg Williams, will say in court? You can lie to a Commissioner, but you can not lie to a federal judge. Barry Bonds? Roger Clemens? I hope it does go to court, we will get to hear all the details of what took place and the Saints will look like tools. In the end, these players could end up being banned from playing football. Saints fans, back your players and your organization and push this to the highest level. Will be the biggest mistake ever. On a side note, I actually “liked” the Saints, they were exciting to watch. Tragic story.

By: saintsvstheworld

saintsvstheworld — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:41:39 +0000

jluns000…just to be clear…you are talking about the Panthers right? I think of all the teams on our schedule…we are worried least about the week 2 Panther game. I respect your faith in Cam Newton though…all those numbers he put up were great and all but unless he turns them in to Ws…no one cares. Panthers will get swept by the Saints…again!

By: joe6606

joe6606 — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:40:39 +0000

“Colonel Jessep said he ordered the Code Red What did we do wrong?….We did nothing wrong!”

By: mdd913

mdd913 — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:38:38 +0000

virgiltab says: May 2, 2012 1:56 PM

@saintsvstheworld says:
May 2, 2012 1:04 PM
Actually I love it…Vilma gone without pay and Smith for 4 games without pay only frees up the cap space to sign Brees long-term.
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Just because they don’t play doesn’t mean they don’t count against the cap. haha.

Typical Saints fan!!

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They don’t count against the cap, moron. Look it up, if you have the ability to read.

By: saintsvstheworld

saintsvstheworld — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:37:31 +0000

virgiltab…you must not understand. The suspended players are so without pay. This means the Saints won’t pay them. This means that they will have an equal amount more to spend on other players…typical viqueen fan.

By: sloppydogg

sloppydogg — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:34:20 +0000

AHHH jluns275 you mad bro, get over it you ask for justice now you have it tell you girlie team to buckle up the boys are coming for them……………

By: jluns275

jluns275 — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:28:47 +0000

Good luck with those appeals you scumbags.
Per the CBA agreed to by the NFL team owners & the NFLPA, the appeals will be (and may ONLY be) heard by the commissioner.
Roger Goodel will take about 5 seconds to rightly deny the appeals.
NFLPA agreed to the CBA & will be held to it.
Scumbags don’t even care about the rights of the targeted players who presumably were union members in good standing at the time. I’d love to see the targeted players sue their own union for selling them out.
Typical union behavior.
Scumbags.

By: jgedgar70

jgedgar70 — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:28:28 +0000

So they’re all going with the “deny, deny, deny” defense. That didn’t work so well for Payton, Loomis, Williams and Vitt. Doubt it will work for the players.

I think we all know how the court process will work. The players will file suit in Minneapolis. They will win. The NFL will appeal to the court in St. Louis. The St. Louis court will side with the NFL. I just hope they move as quickly with this as they did the lockout lawsuits.

Whether it’s done by the start of the season or not, the Saints are going to get steamrolled by the Panthers.

Week 2 – Panthers race to 49-7 lead on the Saints, then put the backups in and the Saints get 2 garbage-time TDs, but lose, 49-21.

By: metrocritical

metrocritical — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:24:14 +0000

To simplify, let’s paraphrase an old classic:

Breaking rules in the Superdome, I fought the law and the law won, I fought the law and the law won

I wanted to supplement my income, I fought the law and the law one, I fought the law and the law won

We cheated and circumvented the salary cap, now my career is done, though this was the best job I’ll ever have, I fought the law and the law won, I fought the law and the law won…

By: nolarules

nolarules — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:16:48 +0000

wish they would just accept their punishment and move on. appeal to the NFL, lose of course and move on. Bringing in Feds is going to accomplish nothing except possibly getting themselves in deeper trouble then they already are (IRS).
The Saints have been served and the rest of the NFL has been notified. Suspensions are no longer of the 2 games for intentionally stomping on another player variety. Season long suspensions are coming for those sorts of actions.

By: vetdana

vetdana — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:14:20 +0000

9 12
renhoekk2 says:
May 2, 2012 12:56 PM
Interested what their legal argument will be. Bounty programs are against League rules. They ran and participated in a bounty program.

My co worker [Attorney] told me that”you can sue anybody…for anything.”…but…whether you collect anything.. is an entirely different matter !

By: chandler1

chandler1 — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:10:04 +0000

Criminals in jail appeal all the time. Nothing new here.

By: cash804

cash804 — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:07:41 +0000

Why does NO’s pain bring me so much pleasure?!

These idiotic fans can’t even see the writing on the wall…before the dust settles, Favre and Warner WILL SUE Vilma and/or the Saints organization.

Greg Williams WILL testify AGAINST his former team and players to salvage any chance of returning to the NFL.

Keep whining Saint’s fans…it’s pathetic AND hilarious!!!

Watch out Week 1…HTTR!!!

By: stevem7

stevem7 — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:03:37 +0000

The very fist thing the NFL needs to do is get a new Commissioner. Roger Goddell has NOT been good for this sport. Imagine, he will choose who can speak for who and he’ll make the judgement on the appeal of his own ruling? The Players need to go on strike until a new commissioner is installed because this one is bad for the sport.

By: ilovefoolsball

ilovefoolsball — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:02:39 +0000

hairpie says:
May 2, 2012 1:24 PM
Remember when the Patriots quietly accepted their excessive penalty and moved forward? yeah, me too… that was awesome.
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Remember when the Patriots only got draft picks and fined $$ and didn’t get anyone suspended for not even one game and then the evidence was destroyed by GODdell’s cronies so that no one could ever question him on it, and then the Patriots never won another Superbowl after spygate?
Yeah me too…that was awesome.

Not at all a Patriot hater, actually after the Saints the Patriots are my second favorite team. I saw Tom Brady win his first Superbowl in the Superdome in person, but to act like Belichik did something noble by not appealing his penalties when they were literally a slap on the wrist compared to what the Saints got is absurd and frankly, not very well thought out.

By: ravensgrl

ravensgrl — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:01:25 +0000

If this goes to a federal court, they are opening themselves up for a federal investigation that could include criminal charges. This is going to get interesting……