OK. YOU'VE CONVINCED ME!!!!
MY INNER WOLF IS RISING FROM OUTER SHEEPSKIN!
WHAT DO I DO AND...
WHO DO I EAT FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!

Thats ok....Goodell placed these suspensions on the Saints because he knew they would still win the superbowl this year, even if they lost their players and coaches. He probably made a deal with the Saints behind the scenes while he was in Benson's office that would create a large ammount of off season publicity for the NFL, and help the Saints to sell more tickets and merchandise. On top of that he will put in place a systematic referee system that helps the Saints to win all of their games. How much you wanna bet that somebody says that if the Saints go all the way this year? Stupid commissioner.

Totally agree. I don't know how much more there is to say about it, so I don't blame anyone, either, if they don't want to keep talking about it, but it should not be forgotten. The public needs to be reminded, at least every once in a while, of the dictatorial methods Roger uses to run the league. Because it can happen to their team when they least expect it, and eventually if enough pressure is kept on Goodell, he will have to face the music.

Right now it's just us Saints fans, and that won't be enough. All these other wuss fans around the league need to get a clue and stop being stereotypical "I don't care what happens, as long as it isn't my team" people. I have been saying for years that Roger was ruining the league, long before stupidgate.

Agree 110%. I want people to stand up and publicly recognize that there has, thus far, been exactly ZERO evidence offered by Roger that pins a single person to any action that is worthy of even a third of the punishment he's handed down.

RECOGNIZE that this is a play by Roger to show the NFL as an entity that truly cares about player safety. It's hog wash. It's manufactured. It's trumped. It simply should NOT be allowed to continue.

CBA be damned. The players should strike if that is their only recourse.

Yeah, when all is said and done and it's all not the crimes of the century it's been made out to be, I hope as much effort by fans & the media that was put into villifying the Saints in the courts of public opinion will be spent vindicating New Orleans as well ... but that'll never happen.

Nice read, thanks.

My Tin-foil hat Thoughts are..
1.Superbowl in New Orleans
2.League doesn't make enough money especially in Small market's to risk the home team playing in it.
(For one, Hotel/Motel's will not benefit, concessions wont benefit, parking wont benefit, thus the stadium will not make out well if Hometown fan's get the luxury to sit home instead of going to events, concerts etc that are thrown before gameday.)
It's all about money in the end.
The League seem's fearful the Saints made it an inkling close to the Big dance last year something reminiscent to the 2008-2009 Season.
That fear built up and instead of cracking down on the Saints during a season in which the Superbowl was to be played in Indy, they waited for the right opportunity to make sure they knock us down at the knee's to do whatever they can in their power to keep us from playing in this Season's Superbowl which is in New Orleans "Ironically"..

They knew about all of what was going on for 3 YEARS!!!
It's seems to coincidental they decided, hmm if we punish them now (2011) they might send them on a rallying cry to the Superbowl in 2012-13 so lets hold off til the Superbowl in New Orleans.

GREAT JOB!

Yeah, just realized picking 3 numbers without the moneyball nets you $7 ... I'm on a roll!

Yep, to be honest, like I said...talking about hitting the head is the only bad part I see with the Saints coach...the rest may be dirty, but its football and I have no doubt most if not all teams talk about the dirty stuff too.

All teams do it, always have, always will. Any team will do what they can to get an advantage over another team.

That said, NOTHING will happen to the Giants. Goodell will turn the other cheek and act like it never happened.

To be honest, even on the Lions site, they don't think that your coach's comments are all that bad. Just normal football strategizing and pumping up...until he gets to talking about deliberately hitting the head and making it go sideways and what not. That is the only part they should be caring about. But since they are under the microscope right now, they and the media (ESPN and what not) will find anything they can to make things sound worse than they really are. I think targeting an old injury is dirty, but I don't think its anything out of the ordinary.

Thanks. A fresh perspective is just what I needed.

I won 2 bucks.

Now I have to look for someone to sue to become a millionaire... pooper.

I get your point on the lies and cover. My only issue is the severety of the penalties when compared to the big picture of infractions in the NFL. Vick commited a Federal offense and also lied. He should have been banned for life. Same goes for the 49ers and the Pats, they cheated and lied to the NFL for years. They were fined and picks taken but nobody was suspened but the Saints have three coaches suspened along with the fines and picks. This is not justice. Thing is, of all these infractions the Saints bountygate had the least amount of damage to the NFL. Vick ruined the Falcons, the 49ers and Pats, no telling how many cities they robbed of glory. What was the impact by the Saints? There is not one example of a player being carted off the field and removed from the game with an illegal hit.

I respect your opinion, and your desire to be objective. But, I don't think we as fans have been as short sighted as you may think. In fact, I don't think we've been short sighted at all, with the exception of a few crazy people, perhaps. I completely agree that Roger had to punish the Saints, but I think Gregg Williams' suspension along with all the fines would have sent enough of a message.

Instead he trashes the head coach for a year, the general manager for half the year, takes away picks and continues to ignore other bounty programs around the league, with the assumption that they are less severe, even though he has yet to investigate them. That isn't justice.

No, not the NHL too! ... but this is what professional sports is coming to ... do you play the game as it was intended or do you protect yourself from lawsuits? We live in a litigious society, be prepared for all professional, contact sports to go the way of professional wrestling ... it'll all just be scripted entertainment ... "and in this corner" ...

Well said, this is just Goodell's opportunity to cover the league's behind in the upcoming 'safety' lawsuits, nothing more. I said it once, I'll say it again ... the only thing the Saints did differently then any other team in the league was they used the terms, "cart-off" and "knock-out" in regards to their player pools.

i wish i could write something beautiful as that. toshay.