This whole situation reminds me of watching the Saints in the 90s. *Leading through the first half* "Man we are doing really great, now how are we gonna screw this up" *3 4th Quarter INTs and a safety later* "Yep, that's about right"

Roger Goodell is slowly changing the game to flag football.

That isn't a fair comment for this situation.

You don't pay a player to hurt another player... you pay them to play football.

I think its pretty easy to figure out who got paid for the knock outs are carted off bonus'...

No one.

There were not player taken out or carted off during these games. Close calls but most of the hits to them were legal hits.

However just because a player didn't get the money doesn't ok the situation.

You sure do, get back to work....

Locker Room conversation:

Player 1: Alright, big hits, you get $500 for lighting someone up on film. You get an extra G if they don't come back into the game

Player 2: If they get hurt?

Player 1: Nah, just out of the game

Player 2: What if they need the cart?

Player 1: Yeah, no bonus if they get the cart

Player 3: But hey, I knocked him out didn't I? If I hit him hard and he needs the cart, that ain't my fault, especially if it's clean...

Player 1: Fine...you get a G for knocking someone out, but you only get half if they need the cart. Now money in the hat! Le' go!

Yeah, I understand that just because the program was in place is a violation, but what I'm trying to grasp is the seriousness of the allegations if nobody was ever actually 'carted off' or 'knocked out'. It can't be an assault/battery type thing, more of a non-contractual bonus payments type thing.

I'm not thinking it's going away and realize it will hurt for some time, I'm just thinking the Saints are getting fried by the media for something (cart-off/knocked-out) that basically never happened. The payments did, the incentive program did, but the injuries or payment for injuries, did not.

It's like being convicted for thinking about committing a crime without actually doing it.

.... I got a headache ....

Or being convicted of conspiracy to commit a crime...which usually carries the same penalties as the crime itself...

... that sucks, didn't know they could do that. Guess I don't hang around enough lawbreakers, :lol: .... j/k.