"Bounty Gate" or the Intentional Injury Bonus Prog

[Mr. Broken]

The NFL has conducted an investigation of the New Orleans Saints players and coaches and found them guilty of blatant violations of the leagues anti-bounty rules. Simply put teams are not allowed to offer bonuses to defensive players that encourage them to intentionally injure members of opposing teams. Details are still coming out, but the NFL has released certain specific details as to the violations, and some players and coaches have been directly identified as the violators.

From the 2009 through the 2011 seasons the players were able to bonus $1,000 for causing an opposing player to be carried from the field.

$1,500 for injuring an opposing player to the point that the player had to leave the game.

Now let me say I have nothing against the Saints, I think this is shady "bush league" stuff ,but I firmly believe that this takes place all over the league, and that the NFL wouldn't have to dig very hard to find it.

I have noted in other threads activities, and trends that I found to be suspect. For instance I found it odd that in 3 of the last 4 games between the Browns, and Steeler's five offensive starters have been targeted, and then eliminated from games by concussions caused by intentional headshots. 4 of the 5 concussions were caused by the same player, Steelers LB James Harrison. Josh Cribbs, Owen Marecic, Mohamed Massoquoi, and Colt McCoy were all treated to the crown of his helmet. Now I'm not saying that Harrison was payed to eliminate these players, what I am saying is that their injury, and elimination was intentional. If the NFL is going to crack down on the Saints, and not deal with the rest of this wide spread problem, then they will have done nothing at all.

[sgt.null]

my guess - fines and at least one lost draft choice. gregg williams needs to be suspended - say four games. payton at least 1-2.

[jelerak]

Based on the defensice performance from the 49ers playoff game, Williams must have ran out of money well before kick off.

[Mr. Broken]

It is now my belief that the NFL will as a league deeply regret ever opening this Pandoras box. The more they dig the more they find, and once this entire story is told, it will change the league forever.

[sgt.null]

my guess is they slam the Saints as a lesson to everyone else. and I think it is likely that Williams is suspended an entire year, effectively ending his coaching career.

[Mr. Broken]

It is not clear what if any punishment the league will bring against the players involved in the "Pay for Performance" scheme. That said Browns LB Scott Fujita has now been implicated in this scandal. Fujita has openly admitted that he payed bonuses to teammates, but only for sacks , interceptions, and special teams tackles inside the 20. Fujita also denies EVER having payed an injury bounty.

[sgt.null]

i expect fines for the players. can you imagine the NFL suspending some 20 odd players? this thing is going to be a mess.

[Mr. Broken]

As I've said before I have nothing against the Saints, but to anyone still defending them, you need to understand that they were warned, asked by the league to put a stop to this, and they just didn't. When my children act up, they get spoken to, when they disobey they get punished.

[sgt.null]

Gregg Williams has got to go. he admits to setting this up everywhere he has been. Saints dodged a bullet with him by letting him go.

what is really going to hurt them is the lost draft pics. they could be losing Nicks, Colston, Porter and others. hard to replace them.