alexonfyre

With all due respect, you have to have your head buried pretty far in the sand to think that Goodell isn't about to throw the book at us. Particularly when his statement specifically said the penalty "should include heavy fines, loss of draft picks and suspensions."

AsylumGuido

I'm expecting our losing 2nd and 3rd round picks this year, at least, and the 1st next year. Payton and Loomis should get four games a piece and the max fine of $500K. The franchise gets hit with at least $500K, as well. Vilma gets a six game suspension, Fujita (I know, he's not still with us) gets four. Gregg Williams gets a lifetime ban.

The Saints get banned from prime time games for 2012.

SloMotion

That's the m'fer at the bottom of all this. And I think a 'Peter King' voodoo doll thread may be in order ...

SaintsBro

I would like to see Gregg Williams get a lifetime ban...but I think a lifetime ban would depend upon how much the league decides to further investigate details of his time at the Redskins, Titans, etc., which I don't think they are very inclined to do AT ALL right now. They've proved their point with the Saints, and spreading this investigation to other teams and coaches is a Pandora's box they DO NOT want to open because the scandal will NEVER end if they do. I think they give Williams fines and a 1 or 1 1/2 year suspension that is juuuuust big enough to make his position in St. Louis untenable, so the Rams have no choice but to part ways with him before he ever coaches a single game or scrimmage in St. Louis. I forget his name right now but they already have another guy on their defensive staff with the Rams, who has been a DC before, so they won't be completely at a loss.

I also don't see them banning the Saints from prime time games because, again, that's punishing the innocent -- Benson -- by affecting his bottom line. The Saints have amazing ratings every time they play in prime time --one of the best draws in the whole sport -- and the league is not going to mess with that too much. The national interest to watch the Saints on TV is still there, even with the scandal -- now people will be watching the games to hear juicy details about the "bounties" and to look for dirty hits (that aren't there). The NFL will probably scale the Saints back to maybe 2-3 prime time games like a normal team, but I don't see them banishing them completely from prime time for the year -- too much money unrelated to the Saints (networks, TV ratings, etc) would be at stake. Plus I get the feeling that NBC really loves the Saints on their Sunday night schedule, and would be mad if the league took that away.

skymike

Theres no rule that says they have to allow us to be competitive.

I can see the hammer coming down. This is when you need to
bring out your character. We're going to be up against it. Drew
and co. need to get their heads out of the bank vault and prepare
themselves.

Mardigras9

Fall guys, it's gonna hurt.

hagan714

he loves to create drama. he is still a bone head who rights for a sports mag that is written like peoples mag. no article can be longer than the stand time a person sits in on the toilet. if you run out of tp use the article for something useful

WhoDat!656

But Goodell is still going to have to temper his ruling with allowing the Saints to be competitive during his punishment.

SaintsBro

EXACTLY. He can't just go around wreaking vengeance like Atillah the Hun...because EVERYONE including his own statement has said that Tom Benson is innocent in all this. And he CANNOT punish Tom Benson's bottom line, for something Benson is innocent of, and he CANNOT punish the fans in the stands at the Dome, for something they had no control over and are also innocent of. Whatever the punishment, it's going to have to be a lot more nuanced and careful than a lot of people right now might think.

OldMaid

Yes, there will be something. Goodell has to do something. We all can't say it enough that this was stupid. Thanks GW. Glad you are gone. Saints got caught. Take a punishment with class. Move on.
March 25 is owner's meeting.
Guido, I do not think it will be that severe.
Goodell AND the owners will come up with something.