SmashMouth

The next time the NFL does an investigation, it should be done properly. The league announced in March that the New Orleans Saints had run a program offering financial rewards for injuring opposing offensive players. Saints coaches — most notably Sean Payton (one-year ban) — and front-office members were hit with fines and suspensions. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell then levied harsh penalties upon four Saints players he claimed were implicitly involved.

The problem: That wasn’t exactly true.

After months of appeals and legal wrangling, Goodell’s predecessor Paul Tagliabue was brought out of mothballs to review the case. Tagliabue overturned the suspensions, but not before irreparable damage was done to the reputations of Jon Vilma, Scott Fujita, Will Smith and Anthony Hargrove.

With so much of the investigation never made public, it’s impossible to determine just how much of the NFL’s case was legitimate. We do know that Goodell is in for a rude welcome when he heads to New Orleans in late January for Super Bowl XLVII festivities.

NFL year in review: Quabterbacks and controversy - NFL News | FOX Sports on MSN

Boutte

I keep hearing things like, glad it's over, let's put it behind us etc. Personally I hope we never let this go till Goodell's reputation is (rightfully) destroyed and the League formally apologizes to the players and coaches who's careers and reputations have been damaged and most importantly the to us the fans.

SaintsBro

I love/hate how NOW everyone is suddenly saying this about Bountygate, and WE'VE been saying it all along since day one.

It's incredibly frustrating, and instead of doing the billboard like people were talking about, I think we should go down to the Dome with signs and Saints gear for an anti-Goodell demonstration, out on Poydras as people are filing into the Dome for the Super Bowl, I'd do that in a heartbeat.

SmashMouth

I think someone is working on FURG tshirts or something ...

Vrillon82

if I was Goodell, I would watch my back in New Orleans.

OldMaid

I agree with Boutte and others about this case.

Thing is when these things happen, all is a day late and dollar short now. 2012 is O-V-E-R. People heard what they heard, that is other NFL fans of other teams and the media, and they ran with it. They heard what they heard in August.
Too late now to recall it all. You cannot recall time. You cannot recall what people heard.
Quilty until proven innocent is the truth.
Yes, I agree, a public NFL apology would ok to restore some reputations back.
The big brouhaha of it lasted for months and people took that and ran with it. How many times this year before Saints' games, hearing this over and over and over and again....?

Goodell won this battle and war.

RailBoss

I think a peaceful welcome wagon would be a good choice. Believe me he will be well secured and won't be sticking around to long. I think Mike Cerullo is the guy that needs to look over his shoulder.

OldMaid

This guy Mike Cerullo, what does he do for a living?

He will NEVER find a job on a pro team or college team. Maybe high school. What happens in the locker room/company building-camp, stays there. He broke so many rules right here.
Correct me if I am wrong.

I am wrong as far as college goes.
He is a program aid at UConn
Michael Cerullo Profile - UCONNHUSKIES.COM - The Official Website of the University of Connecticut Huskies

QBREES9

OldMaid he left UCONN for Princeton.

stickman

He helped take down the Saints. That should get him a job in Atlanta if no where else.