Comments on: “Smash for Cash” video shows that pay-for-performance was accepted in 1996

By: barrywhodat

barrywhodat — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 22:48:51 +0000

Most of the negative responses toward The SAINTS are written by people who hate them, people ignorant to The TRUTH or just pure idiots, there is no truth anywhere showing the SAINTS trying to hurt fellow players in the nfl. It justs a myth that goodell wrongly created and spread, it never happened, as a fan I didn’t see it, but neither did the referees, or the announcers, or the league office, or mostly the SAINTS FANS, in your ignorance you can say we’re in denial, but in truth it’s you who’s in denial. You still believe the first thing you heard in March, but it can’t be proved, and the reason why because its NOT TRUE, if you don’t believe go look at the facts not something writte, or dicussed by writer, radio host, sport shows, espn, etc… Who are all making they’re cash off their personal cash cow the nfl.

By: shlort

shlort — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 19:31:44 +0000

looks like the dreaded asterisk should be put on every team that ever played a game!.. lol.. I cant believe fans made such a big deal about the Saints “scandal” when every team did it until the NFL said it violated te salary cap (which it doesnt because the teams arent paying it). No wonder all the Saints players and coaches are POed about it.

By: jimmysee

jimmysee — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 14:30:31 +0000

Ah the good old days — when men were men and the ladies were happy for it!

By: pauliepennino

pauliepennino — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 13:57:35 +0000

does anybody get that the suspensions are about more than the bounty system? (I’d argue way more) They’re about the fact that a lot of people lied over and over to investigators about it? I have never read the CBA or an NFL contract, but I suspect somewhere in those documents lies language about personal conduct and to me, that would include conduct during an NFL Security investigation, the equivalent of Loss Prevention and Risk Management for working folks like me.

By: bosspower

bosspower — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 13:43:25 +0000

I dnt believe this case was handled properly by Goodell. Brett Favre and Kuret Warner were named in the report and meetings and court proceedings took place but not one time did they subpeona Favre and Warner and examine what they felt about the situation. I mean they were the focal points. The whole case is built around them, so Y not include Favre and Warner in the investigation process, and/or Legal proceedings? On the Appeals Proceedings I hope these 2 players are called in. The NFl says they are the victims, so like a victim of any crime they should take the stand and tell their side of the story. If Favre and Warner dnt feel like Victims then where is the crime???? If they do feel like victims then carry-on with the sharing of Allegded Evidence.

By: commonsensedude

commonsensedude — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 13:35:20 +0000

“Smash for Cash?” Another reason to “Wish for a new Commish.”

By: thejuddstir

thejuddstir — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 13:21:59 +0000

Red herrings………….let’s never confuse pay for performance with pay to injure. We all know Drew Brees needs an explanation of this but everyone outside of Louisiana understands perfectly well.

By: pobreezy

pobreezy — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 13:13:14 +0000

this it the ACTUAL statment that everyone paraphrases from sean payton:

“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 happened and, as head coach, take full responsibility. Finally I want to thank (Saints owner Tom Benson), our players and all Saints fans for their overwhelming support.”

context is all you can use to relate this statement to pfp or pfi.
most saints haters see this as an admission of a bounty program whereas, if you heard interviews after this statement was released, sean payton was vehemently against the term “bounty” used to describe their program under question. he, as well as joe vitt and end every other player/coach completely deny a bounty program. always has.
but i guess if they did it would have shown on the field, right?
that’s why they had the highest causing of injury of any team.
oh wait… they had the second lowest….

By: joetoronto

joetoronto — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 12:04:30 +0000

Junior Seau: “It’s not the money. It’s the ego.”

In the end this is why the coward killed himself, his ego.

By: brianjoates

brianjoates — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 11:57:23 +0000

Of course many things have changed since 1996, but everytime the league makes changes they have them documented so all parties know of the changes moving forward.

So, if the league was okay with an unwritten rule in 1996 and they have now decided that the unwritten rule is not okay, did the league ever document that the cash incentives given out beyond their normal pay is illegal?

Any program that is arranged to end another mans career should be banned.

By: gingerkidboston2012

gingerkidboston2012 — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 08:10:56 +0000

1996 was 16 years ago not 2 or even 5 years ago. Let’s not act like the film was made last year. And let’s also not pretend that these current NFL aren’t aware of what they are doing and the consequences for it. Unless they’re really that dumb. Then they should be treated like children. Just waiting for the day Vilma turns 50 and tries to sue the NFL because can’t remember his own name while he’s soiling his depends.

By: wolfmanpatriot

wolfmanpatriot — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 07:22:46 +0000

uglynora says: Oct 19, 2012 6:12 PM

Nobody EVER warned the players. The coaches were told to stop with the bounties. Goodell was told there were no bounties and he did nothing. Two years later, he decided, without ever documenting a rules change, that this kind of behavior was illegal and should be punished.
================================
PLUS, Goofell does not have the authority to change rules. Only the owners 2/3 majority votes can do this.

By: RUAHORNH8R

RUAHORNH8R — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 06:02:52 +0000

So what!!!! Blacks couldn’t vote in 1960 , we grow up & things change! What’s your point?

By: bgrab1

bgrab1 — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 04:53:21 +0000

The Greg Williams speech was the pre game banter that is heard in just about every teams locker room in the NFL. It was a motivational speech with nothing mentioned in it at all about paying to injure someone. The pay for performance program the Saints were running actually penalized players for injuries or penalties resulting from big plays. The Saints were actually one of the least penalized defenses in the league at the time the NFL claims this bounty situation went on.

Nothing to see here but Brad Childress getting all but hurt because his team got beat and then making up lies to “Viking Fan Boy” Roger Goodell

By: ilovefoolsball

ilovefoolsball — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 04:03:37 +0000

It’s exhausting reading so many misguided comments saying “There’s a difference between paying for plays and injuries”.

The difference is that ALL Saints players and coaches have denied providing or offering payment for injuring another player.

The statements from Payton and Loomis that so many people loooove to point to as proof of admittance make no mention ever of any kind of “bounty” program. They only accept responsibility for having a pay for performance program under their watch.

Furthermore, ZERO New Orleans players injured opposing players.

Please drill a hole in your thick skulls and pour some knowledge in there.

By: mgifford15

mgifford15 — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 03:37:13 +0000

This is one of those stories that started out very interesting, but has now turned into the most annoying, overhyped stories of all time. Truth is New Orleans messed up, and crossed the line. The players involved have been punished, and if they weren’t over the hill, they would take the punishment like men. And now, we’re bringing up stories from 1996? Really? When it boils down to it, it’s a story about a defensive coordinator that has since moved on, two over aged, over hyped linebackers and a qb who does nothing but rip the league that has made him a millionaire beyond his wildest dreams. Advice to the saints players, coaches, and any others involved in the organization…nut up and take the punishment. God next season can’t come soon enough. Hearing about all these players whining has become beyond annoying.

Signed,

Who dat?

Annoyed nfl fans

By: tarr123

tarr123 — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 02:46:17 +0000

Commissioner please proceed…..

By: daveman8403

daveman8403 — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 02:43:13 +0000

I would say it is relevant because he is now presiding over the appeals.

By: Dave61548

Dave61548 — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 02:35:35 +0000

You guys aren’t getting it. All the things brought up that have changed in he last 16 years were RULE changes. There have been NO rule changes about incentive programs. The Saints had a pay for performance program just as described in this article, there have Ben no rule changes to prohibit it, yet now suddenly the NFL wants to change the rules. It is absurd that things have gone his far – never should have been an issue to start with.

By: jharmon64

jharmon64 — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 02:25:30 +0000

Yawn

By: brokentreehousemusic

brokentreehousemusic — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 02:05:41 +0000

Huffington Post has the video.

By: blacknole08

blacknole08 — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 02:01:20 +0000

@hor2012

He didn’t have to say the word “bounty.” He needed to save face and downplay what actually happened. Still, the fact is that he took full responsibility for what happened and also stated that he supported the NFL’s position on player safety. Why would he make that statement if player safety was not involved?

His response sounded self-incriminatory and seems like an admission to something sinister if you ask me.

By: bathroomben7

bathroomben7 — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 01:49:03 +0000

Anyone who’s not a bandwaggoning, in denial, fly-by-night Saints fan can clearly see there is a difference between this case in 1996 and what the Saints were doing. The key phrase is “intent to injure.” Rewarding someone for a big hit is ok, encouraging and rewarding someone for purposefully hurting somebody is not. End of story.

By: imcmillan

imcmillan — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 01:48:39 +0000

Playing for big plays is not the same as the Saints paying players for injuring other players. It is like saying performance incentives in a player’s contract today is the same as what the Saint were doing in the bounty program. Pretty big difference IMO.

By: louisianafootballfan

louisianafootballfan — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 01:45:50 +0000

This is relevant to the current argument because unlike horse collar tackles, spearing, hitting the QB in the head, the rules have never been changed to eliminate pay for performance programs. By the logic people are using here, I could be pulled over by the cops and told, “What you’re doing isn’t technically illegal, and I used to think it was OK, but I don’t really like it now, so guess what. You’re going to jail”. For those of you saying it’s a different league since 1996, sure, you’re right. Make the rules reflect that, and then punish people for breaking them.

By: cheddarrob

cheddarrob — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 01:29:46 +0000

As I hav said from day 1. It’s all a publicity stunt by Goodell.

By: vikingamericann

vikingamericann — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 00:55:33 +0000

“tdshouldbeinthehall | Oct 19, 2012, 6:32 PM EDT
I don’t know about anybody else but my wife’s beaver doesn’t seem to work much.”

It worked very hard for me.

By: fansinceshea

fansinceshea — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 00:49:31 +0000

Does June Cleaver know about this???

By: Xenu D. Alien

Xenu D. Alien — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 00:38:20 +0000

The former Commissioner working under the old CBA was ok with it. And? This is relevant to the current agreement how?

By: btredway

btredway — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 00:36:17 +0000

you could also hit a defenseless WR 16 years ago too… A lot of research and education on long term effects from injuries has made the NFL clean the game up, rightfully so whether the fans like it or not. I think this is a moot argument.