Four Players Suspended (Bounty)

[oldunclemark]

Sometimes, good people get put into bad situations. And sometimes they have to make the choice to do the right thing.

And sometimes, they pay the price for doing the right thing.

It happens and there are people who do the right thing and then there are people who do not see why they should have to

And they don't do the right thing.......and they blame someone else.

If the NFL is to accomplish it's goal of decreasing injury to players then everybody who played a part in this has to pay a price.

That's just part of making this thing right.

Robert is wrong, I'm sorry that he sees it as "just playing football'

But saying that you fear for your job........is just not a valid argument

I could not agree more..

I cant believe the players union is OK with players targeting other players for 'knockout' injuries

That just amazes me at their blindness...

In 20 years..they'll all sue the NFL over concussions like Godell hit them in the head...

[oldunclemark]

NFL Network (Steve Wyche) reports Vilma could be out of football and possibly retire after his one-year suspension.

He should have received a lifetime suspension..

This breaks the moral code of football brotherhood..

To knock the other players out (husbands and fathers) to the extent that they are carried off...???

The Saints were VERY lucky.

Everyone involved could have been suspended, fined and then prosecuted...

[Poster X]

Someone should sit all of these guys down and ask them if all the nonsense was worth it... I would have suspended anyone involved in the bounty program for lack of a better term for the full season.

[BrentMc11]

Sometimes, good people get put into bad situations. And sometimes they have to make the choice to do the right thing.

And sometimes, they pay the price for doing the right thing.

It happens and there are people who do the right thing and then there are people who do not see why they should have to

And they don't do the right thing.......and they blame someone else.

If the NFL is to accomplish it's goal of decreasing injury to players then everybody who played a part in this has to pay a price.

That's just part of making this thing right.

Robert is wrong, I'm sorry that he sees it as "just playing football'

But saying that you fear for your job........is just not a valid argument

Maureen your point is so well taken.

One thing that I believe is that players know the 'life expectancy' of a NFL (Not For Long) career is 3.4 years. That is why we see them saying it is "just football." Boy do I wish I could have had 3.4 years in the sport that I love.

Goodell has drawn the line in the sand on safety. From here forward that line shalt not be crossed!!

[chad72]

http://msn.foxsports...nts-made-050312

Payments were made, the above article talks about the evidence available. If the NFLPA and players want evidence, they will get it and if the evidence gets out, they will stand to lose more in the public eye. To me, Goodell is protecting them just enough from the public eye so that he can make his case for public safety in the midst of lawsuits prevalent against the NFL, and mitigate the effect on Saints players by punishing only 4.

Who wants to bet that Gregg Williams, in order to come clean, has ratted out a lot of specific details about the case in signed testimonies? I bet Gregg Williams is back in the league after 2 years.

[ColtsPRIDE11]

http://msn.foxsports...nts-made-050312

Payments were made, the above article talks about the evidence available. If the NFLPA and players want evidence, they will get it and if the evidence gets out, they will stand to lose more in the public eye. To me, Goodell is protecting them just enough from the public eye so that he can make his case for public safety in the midst of lawsuits prevalent against the NFL, and mitigate the effect on Saints players by punishing only 4.

Who wants to bet that Gregg Williams, in order to come clean, has ratted out a lot of specific details about the case in signed testimonies? I bet Gregg Williams is back in the league after 2 years.

I hope not!

[Gavin]

I bet 1 year

[Betty27_1]

I have to wonder if these same players defending the guilty parties would be singing the same tune had they been on the receiving end of the bounty hits.

[Gavin]

well for the most part its not players that were targeted that are complaining, its players that have moved on and retired

[Quantum88]

I am truly disappointed that players would make injury of another player something to be paid for. I am truly surprised that there were so many written records that the NFL got their hands on. I am not surprised at the hypocritical attitude being displayed by the NFLPA. The commissioner got it right and the suspensions are merited.

[Peyton and Eli fan]

I saw on someone's twitter today (can't remember who - one of the legal types from ESPN maybe) that Hargrove admitted to having the bounty system.

[Malakai432]

What a "classy" organization the Saints are. Wonder what the penalties for bounty gate #2 involving Loomis will be??????

[21isSuperman]

And it just keeps getting worse for the Saints:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d828ecdb1/article/saints-williams-told-anthony-hargrove-to-play-dumb-?module=HP11_headline_stack

Former Saints defensive end Anthony Hargrove was instructed to deny the existence of a bounty program by Saints assistants Gregg Williams and Joe Vitt in 2010, according to a signed declaration Hargrove submitted to the NFL.

--

When will it end?

[Nadine]

And it just keeps getting worse for the Saints:

http://www.nfl.com/n..._headline_stack

Former Saints defensive end Anthony Hargrove was instructed to deny the existence of a bounty program by Saints assistants Gregg Williams and Joe Vitt in 2010, according to a signed declaration Hargrove submitted to the NFL.

--

When will it end?

The fact that that signed document was put forth in support of the argument that "They told me to do it" bothers me.

Players continuing to complain about player suspensions bothers me

NFL needs to stand strong

[Thewholefnshow28]

The fact that that signed document was put forth in support of the argument that "They told me to do it" bothers me.

Players continuing to complain about player suspensions bothers me

NFL needs to stand strong

He was talking more towards the cover up. They basically said if you want a job next year you will need to help cover things up. He was not saying they told me to do bounties or anything like that. From what I have read and heard about the investigation is that at no time did the coaches tell these players they had to be part of the bounty. Now they did say they had to be part of the cover up.

It is easy to sit here on a message board with a secure job and look down on a guy like Hargrove who covered it up. To him it was cover it up or lose his job. With how competitive the job market is in the NFL it could mean his career is over. God knows what rumors Williams would put out there to ruin his reputation. I am sure coaches talk and if Williams said some bad things about Hargrove then that would cause other coaches to view him the wrong way.

What I just cannot fathom is how other players have defended the ones who put money up to hurt other players. Reading Mathis's tweets just makes me think he did not excel well at English and reading comprehension.

[Nadine]

He was talking more towards the cover up. They basically said if you want a job next year you will need to help cover things up. He was not saying they told me to do bounties or anything like that. From what I have read and heard about the investigation is that at no time did the coaches tell these players they had to be part of the bounty. Now they did say they had to be part of the cover up.

It is easy to sit here on a message board with a secure job and look down on a guy like Hargrove who covered it up. To him it was cover it up or lose his job. With how competitive the job market is in the NFL it could mean his career is over. God knows what rumors Williams would put out there to ruin his reputation. I am sure coaches talk and if Williams said some bad things about Hargrove then that would cause other coaches to view him the wrong way.

What I just cannot fathom is how other players have defended the ones who put money up to hurt other players. Reading Mathis's tweets just makes me think he did not excel well at English and reading comprehension.

It's still not ok to me

Speaking as someone whose husband is facing unemployment after working hard for 30 years to provide both employment and health insurance to his employees.

Economy finally swallowed us up. We don't point fingers, we suck it up and deal

Sorry but the coverup was wrong and is not a defense of any sort to me.

sure, he could have lost his job.........that happens to whistle blowers too

The players association should be more concerned with protecting whistle blowers

[JoKeR]

Glad to see Mathis's concerns are towards those who actually, you know, may have had their careers put at risk because of the injuries caused by the bounties.

Great priorities.

He's telling it like it is though. We've all watched Mathis play he isn't dirty, he's making a solid point.

[JoKeR]

I loath that there were bounties to try and injure players instead of just beating them straight up....

That said, the players should not be punished worse than the coaches and F.O. Greg Williams is the 1 who set this culture up, actually he just expanded the culture that's always been in the NFL. What really got the Saints org in trouble is they ignored the NFLs warnings to stop this crazy practice.

I would have suspended Vilma 8 games. That's enough to send a message

[Peyton and Eli fan]

I loath that there were bounties to try and injure players instead of just beating them straight up....

That said, the players should not be punished worse than the coaches and F.O. Greg Williams is the 1 who set this culture up, actually he just expanded the culture that's always been in the NFL. What really got the Saints org in trouble is they ignored the NFLs warnings to stop this crazy practice.

I would have suspended Vilma 8 games. That's enough to send a message

I agree. losing one year is a lot worse for a player who might only have a 7-10 year career as opposed to a coach who could have a 30 year career. I also think that they have a right to see the evidence against them. There needs to be evidence that there was pay for injury, not just pay for performance to justify a full season suspension for a player.