Bountygate Thread

[Shamrock]

Adam Schefter ‏ @AdamSchefter Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
Sean Payton suspended one year. Mickey Loomis 8 game and $500,000 fine. Saints fined $500,000 and a second round pick in 2012 and 2013.


Jason La Canfora ‏ @JasonLaCanfora Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
Saints fined $500K and Sean payton suspended w/o pay for the 2012 season. Mickey Loomis suspended w/o pay for 8 games...

[Shamrock]

Jason La Canfora ‏ @JasonLaCanfora Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
Payton's suspension begins April 1, saints assistant head coach Joe Vitt suspended w/o pay for 6 games

Gregg Williams suspended indefinitely.

[sabre]

As expected, Commissioner Roger Goodell has hit the Saints hard for the bounty system that was employed for three seasons.

Per a league source, Sean Payton has been suspended for the full year.

Gregg Williams has been suspended indefinitely.

Mickey Loomis has been suspended for eight game.

[Shamrock]

Jason La Canfora ‏ @JasonLaCanfora Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
So, indeed, the punishments were every bit as severe as most thought were possible. And player discipline still to come

Albert Breer ‏ @AlbertBreer Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
NFL announces heavy sanctions: $500K, two picks for Saints. Year for Payton. 8 games for Loomis. Indefinite for Williams. Wow.

Jason La Canfora ‏ @JasonLaCanfora Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
So Saints don't pick til the 3rd round in April, and will be picking without Sean Payton around, as his suspension starts April 1

[abernardojr]

Nice. They earned it.

[abernardojr]

And you know the Saints fans are going to somehow try to justify the permissibility of the bounty system. It's funny but sad reading about how they try to say they did nothing wrong.

[Shamrock]

NFL Press Release

NFL Announces Management Discipline in New Orleans Saints ‘Bounty’ Matter

Commissioner Roger Goodell notified the New Orleans Saints today of the discipline that will be imposed on team management for violations of the NFL’s long-standing “bounty” rule that endangered player safety over a three-year period.

Discipline for individual players involved in the Saints’ prohibited program continues to be under review with the NFL Players Association and will be addressed by Commissioner Goodell at a later date. The program included “bounty” payments for “knock-outs” and “cart-offs,” plays on which an opposing player was forced to leave the game. At times, the bounties even targeted specific players by name.

The NFL’s extensive investigation established the existence of an active bounty program on the Saints during the 2009, 2010, and 2011 seasons in violation of league rules, a deliberate effort to conceal the program’s existence from league investigators, and a clear determination to maintain the program despite express direction from Saints ownership that it stop as well as ongoing inquiries from the league office.

“We are all accountable and responsible for player health and safety and the integrity of the game,” Commissioner Goodell said. “We will not tolerate conduct or a culture that undermines those priorities. No one is above the game or the rules that govern it. Respect for the game and the people who participate in it will not be compromised.”

“A combination of elements made this matter particularly unusual and egregious,” Commissioner Goodell continued. “When there is targeting of players for injury and cash rewards over a three-year period, the involvement of the coaching staff, and three years of denials and willful disrespect of the rules, a strong and lasting message must be sent that such conduct is totally unacceptable and has no place in the game.”

Full press release gif

[Rek]

Heh.

I think the biggest is Payton being gone. Wonder how much that'll affect things.

[abernardojr]

Some of their fans are worrying about Loomis being suspended and messing up contract negotiations too

[WootMonkey]

Oh and Brees won't play for Franchise Tag.

Solid offseason for the Saints, headshot.