Thats what I don't get.

Payton was suspended because there was a pay for performance program being run in the locker room, everyone admits that. The league told the Saints to stop it. Payton didn't stop it and told the investigators that he didn't know anything about it. The league provided an e-mail that was forwarded to him that said the sender would kick in to the pot.

So he's suspended for allowing the pay for performance program to continue and lying to investigators.

Whether Vilma, Fujita, Smith or Hargrove contributed money to or participated in the pool doesn't change what Sean's being punished for.

Now, that being said...an entire years suspension with the threat of more, is ridiculous when compared to a two game suspension for stomping on a player when he's laying on the playing field or using your helmet to try to remove the head of an opposing receiver or quarterback.

I think you got the Payton situation wrong.

When I think back to March and the announcement of the suspensions, the reports that came out where that Payton was "suspended for his involvement in a pay-to-injure program". The NFL could not have suspended Payton for a pay for performance program, as at worst it constitutes a salary cap violation, outside Goodell's jurisdiction, not punishable by suspensions.

As to what Payton said or didn't say, no one really knows. The only thing we do know, is that Payton issued a statement saying that, being the HC, he takes responsibility for "whatever happened" (paraphrasing). It was the media that speculated Payton lied to Goodell, and that was why he was suspended. But we don't know what the NFL asked Payton anything, or what was asked, or what is it that Payton actually said.

As to the allegations that the NFL warned the Saints about anything, no one in the Saints organization has acknowledged that actual warnings occurred, or how they were given, or to whom.

You're right.

It was "pay for injure" I should've written it that way because to us they aren't the same but I don't think anyone else recognizes that difference. All that's important to anyone is that there was money being given out when a player got knocked out of a game. Whether it was a legal hit doesn't make a difference to anyone or whether "knock outs" and "cart offs" were just a tiny part of a much bigger pool doesn't change what people think. Heck the fact that nobody even got injured from it, doesn't seem to change anything.

I don't know who got warned or what their response was, or more to the point what the league claims happened, but the league suspended Payton, Vitt, and Loomis for lying and encouraging the assistant coaches to also lie when he told them to "make sure our ducks are in a row". And lying when he claimed he was unaware of a bounty program.

But my point was that Payton is being punished for something different than what they're trying to hang on Vilma therefore I don't think that the outcome in Vilma's case will have much of a bearing on Payton's punishment.

That is what the media speculated. No one really knows what Payton's letter of suspension says, and I am assuming there has to be one.

Payton said he didn't lie and that's good enough for me. We all know Roger is a known liar. Just ask Jimmy Kennedy!