New Orleans Saints Saga - players now suspended

[dave1]

One player Jonathan Vilma suspended for a whole season!

Coach suspended for a year!

Too harsh? Me thinks too lenient!

They should have revoked the teams licence for one season - ala Melbourne storm. Make them play for no points.

They have penalised the coach - players but not the team.

[Johnny Canuck]

Coaches and players are enough. The message has been sent.

Great move by the NFL. Harsh penalties.

The big thing is Dave, the mastermind of it all is no longer with the team.

[TheAwesom1]

I'm sorry the whole thing is BS. Its been happening in football for years and they decided to just slam a team out of nowhere. Vilma should have got fined and same with players. The Defensive Coach you can ban. The Headcoach got way too much.

[meh]

I'm sorry the whole thing is BS. Its been happening in football for years and they decided to just slam a team out of nowhere. Vilma should have got fined and same with players. The Defensive Coach you can ban. The Headcoach got way too much.

Have you actually seen some of the hits they are talking about?!? Your comments are even more assinine than north making the top 4.

[PeteyD]

There are issues with how the payments were handled as well as what they were for.

[Johnny Canuck]

I'm sorry the whole thing is BS. Its been happening in football for years and they decided to just slam a team out of nowhere. Vilma should have got fined and same with players. The Defensive Coach you can ban. The Headcoach got way too much. It has been happening for years so they so take it easy on The Saints? The head coach was fully aware of what was happening, why should he escape punishment? He is the man in charge and the one that had the power to stop it.Fining athletes that make millions would have little to no effect. Great move by Goodall. This will be much more of a deterrent than fines would.

[dave1]

Coaches and players are enough. The message has been sent. Great move by the NFL. Harsh penalties.The big thing is Dave, the mastermind of it all is no longer with the team. He got a year! I think 5 years would have been more appropriate.....A year. Coaches would give that up for a championship - 5 year ban $300,000 fine.....

[Johnny Canuck]

Gregg Williams, the mastermind, is suspended indefinitely.

[idgolfguy]

Bingo!

[Ronny]

And he was signed by the rams before this all came out! They now need to find a new defensive coach.

[TheAwesom1]

QB's are way too protected as it stands atm. The NFL is becoming Flag Football

[Johnny Canuck]

QB's are way too protected as it stands atm. The NFL is becoming Flag FootballYou are clueless. Do a little research into the long term effects of head injuries, particularly relating to football.Honest question, how many gridiron games have you played in your life?I am guessing zero.

[TheAwesom1]

You are clueless. Do a little research into the long term effects of head injuries, particularly relating to football.Honest question, how many gridiron games have you played in your life?I am guessing zero.

Heres the difference. Players go back into games with concussions and sometimes aren't even diagnosed. Thats the difference.

[Yossarian]

What is the difference?

[TheAwesom1]

What is the difference?

If a player gets hit they get hit. if they get Concussed the out of the game now. Thats the right way to go. However in the old days players used to go out with concussions and didn't even know it. Today they have a concussion test and Huge Medical staff on the sideline. Didn't have that back then. I just think they need to be carefull of not ruining the game. The players know the risk when the sign up and play.

[TheAwesom1]

Before we know it the every nfl game will be like last years pro bowl.

[Johnny Canuck]

So what particular rules do you disagree with?

[TheAwesom1]

So what particular rules do you disagree with?

I strongly disagree with the Saints player getting 1 year ban. That is wrong. Maybe a few games but not a whole season.

[Johnny Canuck]

What rules do you disagree with regarding the protecting of the quarterback?

What do you think is a suitable punishment for a player that helps organise and fund a program to injure other players?

[PeteyD]

Linebacker's job is to lay waste to people. You think Ray Lewis does not go out to kill people?

[PeteyD]

this would be the main issue:

Participation by players in any such program is prohibited by the NFL Constitution and Bylaws, the standard NFL Player Contract, and the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

[Johnny Canuck]

Linebacker's job is to lay waste to people. You think Ray Lewis does not go out to kill people?No one is debating this.

[PeteyD]

Looking further into it, I really want to see just what the details are. Fair bit of speculation about pools of over $50k. The $1000/$1500 amounts are not a hell of a lot, but to a player on base salary a $50k windfall is a hell of a lot. Again it comes back to the payments being specifically prohibited.

Some other interesting things.

Payton is suspended for the 12 months without pay, costing him around 6 million.
Same for the 4 suspended players (although the amounts are less).

With the league being sued by ex players for failing to protect them, there doesn't appear to be much option but to come down hard on this. Still nothing like the NCAA death penalty.

[dave1]

You are clueless. Do a little research into the long term effects of head injuries, particularly relating to football.Honest question, how many gridiron games have you played in your life?I am guessing zero. X 2

[TheAwesom1]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1177226-cris-carter-admits-to-receiving-money-for-bounties-during-nfl-career

now a WR

[Johnny Canuck]

And?

Interesting read though.

[PeteyD]

Interesting revelation, WR wants help from lineman to keep a LB from turning him into jelly.