SAINTS' BOUNTY SCANDAL: WHAT'S THE PROPER PUNISHMENT?

[NYGRealityCheck]

Charging a humongous fine against the team and counting it against the team's 2012 salary cap would be nice...

Taking away draft picks would be appropriate. Suspending Greg Williams long-term would be unfair to the Rams organization as they would have to start looking for a new D-coordinator all over again. I'd say Williams will just end up with a historic fine.

[jomo]

[quote user="giantman8493"]If the saints did it maybe some other teams did.[/quote]Check the Titans under Fisher for that one.

[THE_New_York_Giants]

Williams gets expelled from the NFL, Saints lose 1,2,3,4 draft picks in next 2 drafts. Sean Payton gets $1 mil fine, Saints cap lowered by 10 mil.
That'd be my punishment if I were comish. Set the standard for any future offense like this.

[THE_New_York_Giants]

Williams gets expelled from the NFL, Saints lose 1,2,3,4 draft picks in next 2 drafts. Sean Payton gets $1 mil fine, Saints cap lowered by 10 mil.
That'd be my punishment if I were comish. Set the standard for any future offense like this.

[lawl]

The problem with taking a bunch of picks from the Saints is that it punishes the Saints fans just as much as anyone and the fans of the team had nothing to do with this at all.</P>

[jhamburg]

[quote user="lawl"]

The problem with taking a bunch of picks from the Saints is that it punishes the Saints fans just as much as anyone and the fans of the team had nothing to do with this at all.</P>[/quote]

Wow seriously?

By this logic suspensions are unfair too since they punish the fans.

Anytime you punish the franchise you punish the fans indirectly. There has to be some accountability.

[Blue daddy]

This is not unheard of. I think nothing will become of it.

[ShakeNBake]

[quote user="bLuereverie"][quote user="BlueSanta"][quote user="bLuereverie"]Eh, the main issue is the Saints were incredibly stupid enough to organize a transparent extracurricular payment system that exceeds the salary cap.

Players cloud incentives for teammates through dinner, electronics, jewelry etc. all the time.

I'll wait till I hear details of how they were trying to hurt players. Headhunting occurs on every team.[/quote]

Your stating opinion and supposition as fact.

You have no idea what goes on on every team. I very seriously doubt every team doesnt have a bounty system. I would argue they are quite rare judging by the player's reaction to this info.

I know the NFLPA is reeling from this scandal because it undermines their argument that it is the LEAGUE, not the players, that have been negligent in the healthcare and safety of players. When a story like this comes out, that it is in fact the players not only actively trying to hurt each other but PAYING for it, the Players association arguments go out the window.

When you have players injured by the supposed "bounty" Saints now consulting attorneys with possible litigation to follow, I think that says that headhunting is in fact NOT the norm. If some players are that disgusted, how could
it be?
[/quote]

I'm not saying every team had a pay per injury bounty. But player rewards is nothing new, nor is it really taboo as it is seen as nothing more than informal incentive amongst teammates. i.e. Packers D getting BestBuy giftcards for holding rival Peterson under 100 yards.

The difference between the Saints is the issues started above the players with their coaching staff knowing and participating, using money taken from player fines, as well as the fact they were warned by the NFL but continued to do so.[/quote]

I think Goodell should drop the hammer on the Saints because the coaches were involved, especially Gregg Williams for being involved not only with the Saints but the Skins too. I agree with what you're saying about bounties in general though, they happen more frequently than people realize.