I often wonder if people outside of this sport actually remember that the players chose this sport. Its not like somebody had a gun to there head. Rest assured they took there licks in Highschool and college football. Why should the pros be any different? This is a contact sport last I checked. I'll bet those guys out there that play rugby are just laughing there asses off. Maybe Goodell is getting paid to ruin the NFL because it has grown so popular?

This is just ammo for the SAINTS to go out this year and win it all out right. This way there would be no doubts that the SAINTS are champions. !!!WHO DAT!!!! The NFL is turning into a bunch of sissy's if you ask me. If a player is afraid to make a hit it completely hinders them from giving it there all. Each player has the fine they are going to get in the back of there minds when they are on the field now. I wonder if the fans can protest the league rules on this? This mine as well be two hand touch football. Go out there, take your hits, and be a man about it. Isn't that what footbal was all about?

How come every time I go to nfl.com i have to hear what Kurt Warner thinks? Shouldn't he be feeding some children in a third world country or something.

The league need something to talk aboutthere's nothing going on right now. This is another reason we need to sign Nicks back so he can protect Brees.

If you ask me, I bet it was Knicks who ratted! He is unhappy with the negotiations and knows he is going to be franchised. He has publicly stated he did not want that to happen. Just a thought.

But who would be happy about being tagged?

Maybe Nicks will get stiches?

Exactly. The media is so bored with all this Peyton Manning talk, they're grasping straws with this story.

Honestly, I'm very disappointed by this. I know that we couldn't get to a quarterback to save our lives the last two years, but the fact that we went out there trying to intentionally hurt people is disappointing. And yes, I understand that a lot of teams do this... but that doesn't make it right. I hope the NFL takes it out on us via heavy fines and even suspensions.

Why? Its what all defensive players try to do, as long as its a clean it.

WFAN in NY is predicting the NFL will take away the franchise tag for us this year in addition to this years second and next years first...I dont have a link cause it was talk radio...Mike Francessa usually knows his stuff...god i hope he is wrong

That would just be crazy.

I understand that the punishment NE got from their spygate was harsh and, therefore, many believe that the Saints should also be harshly punished for this. But, the spygate gave NE a direct advantage in their games , and it can hardly be said that this bounty bullsh*t gave the Saints a competitive edge.

It's more about the principle, and I don't think principle should be punished as heavily or more so than a concrete action.

Guess it wasnt Nicks because Brees was franchised instead. I doubt it was anybody who is currently on the roster. Most likely a bunch of has been players who were weede out over the past 3 seasons.

What happens if they take the franchise tag away ths year? Does that mean Brees is no longer under a franchise tag?

I have no problem with the Saints being punished for not following the rules. The problem is that the media is driving this into a frenzy. What proof have we seen? All we have is a "report" from the NFL Security Staff. Who are they? What proof? Show us this proof. We have already "convicted" the entire Saints Team, staff and to an extent its fans with out any evidence being provided. Williams admitted his part, but no one else has said a thing. Who are these "unnamed sources" that provided all 18,000 documents to the NFL. Everyone is saying that Loomis and Payton new and did not stop it. How do we now that they did not do what the commissioner requested of them? What if they did tell Williams and the players to stop and they continued behind the backs of Loomis and Payton, I know "every coach should know what their team is doing", just like every mother and father should know where their 17 year old daughter is at midnight and who she is with. Things happen behind the coaches backs that they do not know about, any one who thinks or says other wise is kidding themselves.
The term I keep hearing from all the commentators is that the commissioner wants to "protect the shield", well thats great, but what about the name of the innocent? The team as a whole is being condemned for the actions of a few. Did Drew Breese tackle Brett Favre? Did Chris Ivory hit Steve Smith? So how can the media and fans of opposing teams say that the entire team is guilty?
I am just not completely sold on the idea of punishing innocent people, I believe that is called a "dictatorship" and last time I checked I thought we lived in a country that was based on democracy. If this so called evidence proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that certain individuals participated in a "bounty" system then they need to be punished. The punishment should be hard but fair. Unfortunately, I do not think it will be fair. The commissioner will want to use the Saints as an example, and there in lies the problem. Using them as an example to other teams can not be considered fair by anyone with an ounce of integrity.
The commissioner will be mad because he perceives that the Saints disrespected him and in order to save face he will dish out the punishment. The punishment should be set by the league owners, NOT the commissioner. If anyone was disrespected it was them, they and the players are the "shield" not the commissioner.

As for what the punishment should be:
1: Williams should be banned from football the entire 2012 Season, fined $250,000.00
2: Depending on the extent of the involvement by the players the fines should range from
$10,000.00 to $50,000.00, with a minimum of (2) two game suspension and a max of (6) game suspension. However these would need to be staggered because the supposedly amount of players involved.
3: If Payton is proven to have known then he should be fined $250,000.00 and a (4) game suspension and not be allowed to coach the team at all doing those four games.
4: If Loomis is proven to have known then he should be fined $300,000.00 and suspended from being involved with the team for (4) games as well.
5: The Organization as a whole: $1 Million, a 1st and 2nd round pick in the 2013 draft as well as no prime time games (unless playoffs) for two seasons.

All the fines should be put in a fund to assist with the development of safer equipment for the players and to assist the retired players who need it.

Well you can't take away the Franchise tag since the deadline is Monday, lol.

So Bree's is safe.

I don't think you can technically suspend a GM for games since he has no impact on a game per say. But you can hold the team accountable for what an owner or GM does by taking draft picks away.

I am ok with losing a draft pick or two. I don't know if taking one away from next years draft is fair. If you want to penalize a team do it now and get it over with don't keep it over their heads that long having them to wait to finish the punishment so to speak.

No prime time games!!! That won't happen the Networks will have something to say about that.

Euphoria: Suspending the GM "without pay" is more of what I was trying to say. I am sure his 4 week salary is pretty up there and he would miss it.
As for the draft picks, if they took a first from New England, at the minimum we will loose a first and since we do not have one this year, they will take it next year.
As for the prime time games, if you replace the Saints with a good enough game, the networks won't care. Especially if this gets out of hand and advertisers get involved.

One source close to Roger Goodell tells SI.com's Peter King that the commissioner's reaction to initial reports about the Saints' bounty program was, "God forbid this is true. This will be earth-shattering."

"This is a seminal moment in the culture change we have to make," said the high-placed source close to Goodell. "This has to stop now. Every team needs to hear the message that we're in a different era now, where this appalling behavior is going to end." The Saints can't expect leniency. King believes Goodell will come down hardest on Rams DC Greg Williams, Saints coach Sean Payton, GM Mickey Loomis, and MLB Jonathan Vilma, "in that order." All four, and perhaps more Saints defensive players, should expect multi-game suspensions.

Source: SI.com

No forfeiture of draft picks would be very nice if that's the extent of it.

If this is "earth-shattering" to Roger Goodell, then he is a clueless moron and has no business being NFL commissioner.

If true, I apologize for defending nearly all of his actions in the past. I apparently was just as clueless about him as he is about the NFL.

Ok, here is my thought. GW has done this everywhere he has coached. If the Saints lose picks the so should the Titans, Bills and Skins. I think GW should be suspended for a year. Maybe fine the teams he coached 500k. Baseball did not fine or take away picks from the Reds when pete rose bet........:doh:

Once again Danno, you hit the nail on the head. Goodell has to be one clueless moron if he believes this is "earth-shattering".

How long has he been involved in football prior to become the one wearing a glass slipper? He has to know about this, He's covering his own ass somehow,
"Deep in a press box he's passing a $20.00 under the table to watch James Harrison lay out some poor ass brown player." He knows this.........I'm onto his ass.

Being that he never played a single down in the NFL, it's not that surprising. He's probably never step foot into a pre-game locker room either. I wouldn't be shocked if in the near future, Goodell starts giving fines for cussing or smack talking on the field.

I only know rugby players laugh at the pads. That's a big difference in the two sports.
Football evolved from rugby when they wanted to change the rules about having a forward pass and wearing protection. No, I'm not talking about sex.:o

Loomis to come down hard on the saints...
 

One source close to Roger Goodell tells SI.com's Peter King that the commissioner's reaction to initial reports about the Saints' bounty program was, "God forbid this is true. This will be earth-shattering."

"This is a seminal moment in the culture change we have to make," said the high-placed source close to Goodell. "This has to stop now. Every team needs to hear the message that we're in a different era now, where this appalling behavior is going to end." The Saints can't expect leniency. King believes Goodell will come down hardest on Rams DC Greg Williams, Saints coach Sean Payton, GM Mickey Loomis, and MLB Jonathan Vilma, "in that order." All four, and perhaps more Saints defensive players, should expect multi-game suspensions.

so with the investigation of all G.W.s former teams, will Goodell discipline them too? :rolleyes:

Amen! It would be a farce if he just threw the book at the Saints considering that this is a Gregg Williams problem more than it is a Saints problem. However, suspending Payton, Loomis, and Vilma seems pretty fair considering their involvement.

Saints will be singled out and hammered!! We ruined the pretty boy Farve, oh, favree or whatever the hell the spelling is, we fouled up the commish's little Super Bowl plan a couple years ago and now he's po'd and is gonna make sure he get's to make the last point.

they are already investigating Gregg Williams' former teams, gonna be hard to single us out...

I can't agree with that - the league wanted the Saints in the SB game, because it was the ultimate Cinderella story after all the hardship NO and the gulf area had suffered.

That was the storyline they were going with and it was pretty clear from all of the promos they were running back then.

That's what I beginning to wonder, had Goodell ever played a competitive sport or was he just a suit? I'm almost afraid to look it up for what I will find ...