re: Having a bounty but not actually injuring anyone illegally gets you a year

1) The NFL ordered the Saints to stop the bounty system after the 2009 NFC CG.

2) You claim that the punishment was for continuing the bounty system after being told to stop it.

3) The NFL, in their announcement of the punishment, said this:

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The specific discipline was determined by Commissioner Roger Goodell after a thorough review of extensive evidence corroborated by multiple independent sources. Under Article 46 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and the standard NFL Player Contract, a player is subject to discipline by the commissioner for conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in the NFL. The discipline imposed today for such detrimental conduct is as follows:



n Scott Fujita (now with the Cleveland Browns) is suspended without pay for the first three games of the 2012 regular season. The record established that Fujita, a linebacker, pledged a significant amount of money to the prohibited pay-for-performance/bounty pool during the 2009 NFL Playoffs when he played for the Saints. The pool to which he pledged paid large cash rewards for “cart-offs” and “knockouts,” plays during which an opposing player was injured.



n Defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove (now with the Green Bay Packers) is suspended without pay for the first eight games of the 2012 regular season. Hargrove actively participated in the program while a member of the Saints. Hargrove submitted a signed declaration to the league that established not only the existence of the program at the Saints, but also that he knew about and participated in it. The evidence showed that Hargrove told at least one player on another team that Vikings quarterback Brett Favre was a target of a large bounty during the NFC Championship Game in January of 2010. Hargrove also actively obstructed the league’s 2010 investigation into the program by being untruthful to investigators.



n Will Smith of the Saints is suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2012 regular season. Smith, a defensive end, assisted Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams in establishing and funding the program during a period in which he was a captain and leader of the defensive unit. Multiple independent sources also confirmed that Smith pledged significant sums to the program pool for “cart-offs” and “knockouts” of opposing players.



n Linebacker Jonathan Vilma of the Saints is suspended without pay for the 2012 NFL season, effective immediately per league policy for season-long suspensions. The investigation concluded that while a captain of the defensive unit Vilma assisted Coach Williams in establishing and funding the program. Multiple independent sources also confirmed that Vilma offered a specific bounty -- $10,000 in cash – to any player who knocked Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner out of the 2009 Divisional Playoff Game and later pledged the same amount to anyone who knocked Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre out of the 2009 NFC Championship Game the following week (played on January 24, 2010). Vilma is eligible to be reinstated after the Super Bowl in 2013.

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In short, THEY ONLY REFERENCED THE 2009 GAMES THAT OCCURRED PRIOR TO THE LEAGUE'S ORDER TO SHUT THE PROGRAM DOWN.

Have you wondered, just for a second, why only 4 players, instead of the 22-27 previously cited, are suspended? Have you not wondered why they didn't cite anything from 2010 or 2011?

The fact that you have no rebuttal other than the party line (and that you seem to have joined this site just today so that you can talk about this topic) tells me that you know that your position is invalid.

Actually, they NEED to pimp this as a player safety issue, because of the lawsuit they're facing.

THAT'S why Goodell is over reacting to this right now. No other reason.

Junior Seau's suicide isn't helping the NFL's defense right now...

They are screwed. I think we will see major changes in the next 5-10 years. Depending on some potential rulings it could do some serious damage to the league financially.

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Didn't Kurt Warner get hurt?

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From a completely legal hit.

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They have no obligations whatsoever to do so. This isn't a trial. The NFL is a benevolent dictatorship with 32 rooting interests. You play by the commissioners rules and the rules of the NFL, or you don't play. These players knew what they were doing was wrong and kept doing it. Now they want to come out and act like "Oh everyone does it" or "It's not bad" or "I shouldn't be punished".

You did the crime, you do the time. If you don't want to be punished, then follow the damn rules.

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except you are dealing with the NFLPA here. That is fine for the coaches suspensions, but the NFLPA has the power to fight this

so why you say it isn't a trial, I fully expect this to end up in court

I actually think its better for the Saints if our 2 players remain suspended. I hope this doesn't drag on