[RunItUpTheGut]

The NFL came down hard on the New Orleans Saints on Wednesday.

Saints coach Sean Payton has been suspended for one year, former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was suspended indefinitely, general manager Mickey Loomis was suspended for eight regular-season games, the team was fined $500,000 and lost two second-round draft picks (one in 2012 and '13) as a result of a bounty program conducted by the team during the 2009-11 seasons.

Details of an NFL investigation released at the beginning on March reported that the Saints' bounty program gave thousands of dollars in payoffs to players for hits that knocked targeted opponents out of games. The NFL said the amounts reached their height in 2009, the season the Saints won the Super Bowl.

The league said between 22 and 27 Saints defensive players were involved in the program.

Williams, now defensive coordinator of the Rams, has admitted to and apologized for running the program.

Payton and Loomis apologized and took the blame for violations that "happened under our watch," but not until almost a week after the NFL pointed to them for failing to stop the program.

Goodell has frequently taken a hard line on any action that threatens player safety. He suspended Detroit's Ndamukong Suh for two games for stomping on an opponent last season; banned Pittsburgh's James Harrison for one game after a series of flagrant hits that culminated in a collision with Cleveland quarterback Colt McCoy's helmet; and has ramped up the amount of fines for what the league terms "egregious hits."

Goodell fined the New England Patriots $250,000 and their coach, Bill Belichick, $500,000 for the Spygate scandal in 2007, when the team was caught illegally videotaping the Jets' sideline. New England also was stripped of a first-round draft pick.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/771813...r-bounties

[FBALL]

The Hammer has fallen!

Greg Williams suspended indefinitely!

[judgementday]

This is a lot worse than I thought it would be........harsh

[vundy33]

Wow...Payton suspended for a year? Way to long for him I think.

But goes to show why we have rules.

[nky]

This could take years for the Saints to recover from. Almost like the death penalty in college sports.
Well I just the Aint's are back
[Image: http://cdn.tss.uproxx.com/TSS/wp-content.../aints.jpg]

[vundy33]

Well, after I seen the ESPN interview with Roger Goodell, I don't think it's too long of a suspension...

[zaga_fan]

Well, after I seen the ESPN interview with Roger Goodell, I don't think it's too long of a suspension...

I didn't see it.
What was said?

I know this is a stiff penalty...
but when word of something like this gets out you had to know Roger Goodell was going to come down hard.

[Spud6]

Alright BGR family, I've lived under a rock lately.

What in the world is this over?

[vundy33]

I didn't see it.
What was said?

I know this is a stiff penalty...
but when word of something like this gets out you had to know Roger Goodell was going to come down hard.

He gave pretty much the exact reasoning...watch SportsCenter at 11pm bro or whenever the game goes off, I'm sure they'll have a bit of it on there.

Sean Payton's was so tough because he lied, repeatedly, to the league about the whole thing, and instructed others to lie about it. I can understand the league being very pissed about that.

[vundy33]

Alright BGR family, I've lived under a rock lately.

What in the world is this over?

lol man, the bounty thing! The Saints defense had a bounty system set up for a small bonus to go to guys who knocked certain players out of games, or got/caused fumbles/INT's, ect.

[GetChili]

I didn't think he would get suspended that long. Don't mess with Goodell.

[OffTheHook]

WOW this is harsh!

[RunItUpTheGut]

To be completely honest, i still see nothing wrong with the "bounty" system. Its football. As long as the hits are clean, whats the difference.

[judgementday]

To be completely honest, i still see nothing wrong with the "bounty" system. Its football. As long as the hits are clean, whats the difference.

It was my understanding that the problem with the bounty system is you received a bonus for injuring and/or knocking someone out of the game.

[WALL2WALL]

Deserved it!

[RunItUpTheGut]

It was my understanding that the problem with the bounty system is you received a bonus for injuring and/or knocking someone out of the game.

This is why i hate ESPN.
I had heard it was just who knocked somebody out with a clean hit, which is fine, its football. If you make a clean hit and injure somebody and they pay you more because of it then thats fine by me.

The only thing that would be wrong is if they were paying players to go out and hit someone dirty to specifically injure them.

[vundy33]

The wrong part is getting paid to try your best to jack someone up so bad that they leave the game. Simple as that. Doesn't matter if the hits are clean or not...just opens up a whole new can of worms that shouldn't be opened. It's trashy and doesn't belong in the NFL...

[judgementday]

This is why i hate ESPN.
I had heard it was just who knocked somebody out with a clean hit, which is fine, its football. If you make a clean hit and injure somebody and they pay you more because of it then thats fine by me.

The only thing that would be wrong is if they were paying players to go out and hit someone dirty to specifically injure them.

I personally think it is OK to offer incentives to players to motivate them to play more aggressive.

From the articles I have read, the bounty system included and encouraged illegal hits.

[vundy33]

I'm cool with incentives for certain plays, like fumbles forced/recovered, INT's, sacks, ect. But not for putting a player out of the game...there's always that one dumbass that messes up a good thing by going way to far, and the NFL has alot of those types.

[NEWARKCATHOLICFAN]

I think he got what he deserved, but have to wonder if the commish will give the same fair treatment to the players, who he finds guilty of this NFL CRIME.

[rallo316]

I hope he does