This isn't anything new or unique to the Saints. College teams used to give helmet stickers for big hits. I'd be more surprised if a team didn't have something like this, although I doubt that coaches are as involved elsewhere as they appear to have been in New Orleans.

Think of it this way--how many defensive players have left the Saints (or Redskins since it's now coming out that Williams had a similar deal in place in Washington)?  Why are we just hearing about it now?

The only thing that kept players from disclosing this is that their new team was likely doing the exact same thing. The Saints just got caught.

"The only thing that kept players from disclosing this is that their new team was likely doing the exact same thing. The Saints just got caught."

That's the same logic Patriots' fans used to dismiss SpyGate. I'm just sayin' ...
The Raiders had a setup back in the '70s where the DBs would earn "points" for a limp-off and a carry-off, but I don't think there were any financial considerations.

"Yeah, but there's a pretty significant distinction ... Spygate is a completely different animal because at no time was it considered acceptable."

Absolutely. My point was the "everyone else is doing it" excuse from Belichick's ball washers belongs in the meadow with the rest of the bullshit. There may indeed have been teams who taped other coaches' signals, but not less than a week after the commissioner issued an edict telling them they ought not to be taping other coaches' signals.

"I think the NFL has to punish and punish hard on this issue."

I'm not going to hold my breath. Goodell actually did the Patriots a favor with his "punishment" over Spygate. "Geez, all we have to do is write a check, and we lose a first round pick in the draft? So we don't have to overpay the 32nd best rookie and we can still use that money to go out and sign a veteran free agent?"
If you want to punish NFL teams, have them turn in their trophies. Or reduce their salary cap.

Around here, the belief is that Williams is going to be suspended at least a year.

The Rams will avoid punishment because Williams hasn't actually done any work for them.  I think the Saints are going to get hit pretty hard.  The salary cap reduction is an interesting idea.  I doubt it will happen though.  I do expect the Saints to lose draft picks.

Miklasz ran the numbers today on his show and Greggggg Williams' defenses weren't fined for many illegal hits.

• During Williams' time as head coach at Buffalo from 2001-2004, the Bills' defense incurred no fines for dirty hits. None. Granted, this was an earlier time, and back then the NFL didn't make a big deal out of dirty hits. The game has changed since then. But still: no fines. A few of those old Bills have said there was a bounty system in place, set up by Williams. That may have been true, but the NFL didn't see any activity that warranted a fine.
• Williams was Washington's defensive coordinator between 2004-2007. In those four seasons, the Redskins were fined six times, total. Six times in 64 regular-season games? Geez, someone call the FBI. What a crime spree.
• In his only season (2008) as the DC in Jacksonville, the Jaguars were fined one time by the NFL.
• Next stop, New Orleans. In 2009 the Saints were fined one time during the regular season. One. Time. Now, there was undeniably some rough stuff in the NFC Championship Game; the Saints clearly crossed the line in some of their hits on Minnesota QB Brett Favre. The NFL fined four Saints players for their hits in that game; three involved Favre.
• In 2010, the Saints were fined three times. The three "illegal" hits were made on quarterbacks. Only nine teams of the league's 32 teams were fined fewer times than the Saints.

Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/bernie-miklasz/bernie-bytes-bounty-probe-raises-questions-about-nfl/article_58456dd0-679d-11e1-a3b5-0019bb30f31a.html#ixzz1oNFrtVEB

I've helped coach my son, Bob's, football team for each of the last 3 seasons.  He's currently in 6th grade.  Last season, he played outside linebacker on defense.  During our second to last game, the opposing team ran a sweep to his side, he took a poor angle to the ballcarrier, tried to make the tackle from behind and the running back broke the tackle.  After the play was over, I was all over him from the sideline about not getting his head in front of the ball carrier and tackling through the runner.  One thing I know about Bob--when I get on him, he gets pissed and when he gets pissed, his intensity goes off the charts.

Two or three plays later, the same running back is running off-tackle toward Bob who read the play the whole way.  Bob was about to bury his shoulder pad into the kid's ribs, when the kid decided to try to lower his pads/helmet and run through Bob.  Bob didn't have time to get lower, and his shoulder pad hit directly on the top of the kid's helmet, and he tackled through the runner.  The collision knocked the kid pretty close to unconscious, and he didn't return to the game.

Football is a violent game.  From an early age, coaches encourage kids to hit the opponent as hard as possible.  The only difference is that rather than hand Bob cash, I probably let him pick where we went for lunch.

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tkihshbt wrote:

• Next stop, New Orleans. In 2009 the Saints were fined one time during the regular season. One. Time. Now, there was undeniably some rough stuff in the NFC Championship Game; the Saints clearly crossed the line in some of their hits on Minnesota QB Brett Favre. The NFL fined four Saints players for their hits in that game; three involved Favre.

I think that game comes to mind when this subject broke headlines.  Maybe more for me because I am a Vikings fans.  Still it was clear they were going after him trying to injury him.  It is one thing to play hard.  It is another thing to direct your play to hurt someone.  Maybe Im just being a selfish fan pissed that the closest the Viking are going to come to a Super Bolwn in my life time has past, twice.

Just think about how disappointed Roger Goodell will be, now that he doesn't have Al Davis to kick around anymore.

man, he even suspended the GM... How in the fuck do you suspend the GM????

artie_fufkin wrote:

Williams suspended indefinitely. Payton suspended for a year. Saints stripped of 2nd round draft choices this year and next, plus a fine of five hundred large.

I think it shows some nuts by the NFL.  Payton is a pretty big name and a media favorite.  It is kind of funny to me because I was sick of hearing about him.  Maybe that is just because he was big talk a few years ago when the Saints made the super bowl.


The Rams are the ones who really got hosed.  they were not even involved and lost a coach.

Not really. Even if Williams wasn't technically a Ram I would be rolling my eyes at the NFL and media acting indignant. My god, this is the same league THAT PROMOTES VIOLENCE. ESPN is the network that airs JACKED UP. The NFL has done little for players who risked their health for this league and now everyone is freaking out because of a pregame speech?!