Justice is Done

I have talked enough about this topic, but I am truly relieved that the NFL has stuck to its guns over the bounty scheme issue. National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell upheld the one-year suspension he gave New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton for trying to cover up a bounty program that paid players bonuses for injuring their opponents. Payton, 48, appealed the suspension, set to begin on April 16, last week. Goodell handed down the decision -- the stiffest punishment ever imposed on an NFL team and its leadership -- on March 21 after he said Payton lied to the NFL about the program. The commissioner also upheld a $500,000 fine on the Saints, the loss of two draft picks, a half-season suspension for General Manager Mickey Loomis and a six-game ban for assistant Joe Vitt. To do less than this would have been capitulation and cowardly. All credit to you Roger.

Snitchgate

I meant to write about this BS when I first heard about it but unfortunately time did not permit. Apparently current Carolina Panthers tight end Jeremy Shockey was outed by former Buccaneers and Raiders defensive end as the "snitch" in the sordid "Bounty Affair" currently embroiling the New Orleans Saints. I say apparently because I didn't see the original tweet where Shockey was blamed. I don't know if Shockey did tell the NFL or not, and frankly it doesn't matter who did. The whole point of the matter is that whoever did so, did exactly the right thing, and deserves a medal for courage and conviction.

Bounties offered by the New Orleans Saints, and if I hear correctly, by other teams as well, are simply despicable. Completely against the mores and norms of society and what should be totally illegal in the microcosm that is professional sport. So to brand someone a snitch Mr Sapp, and I use the term loosely, is just asinine. Warren you should be ashamed of yourself. You obviously think that the bounty program is a legitimate part of the NFL. WRONG. You should be admitting that a bounty on an opponent is sadly pathetic and out of step with what you supposedly stand for, sportsmanship. Time to change your tune.

Following on from this story the Commissioner of the National Football League, Roger Goodell, stated in rebuttal that, he didn't just classify Sapp's naming of Shockey as "inaccurate," he also said it was inaccurate to name a single "snitch" and that it was several sources who provided the information to the league office. Goodell didn't fire Sapp from the NFL Network, which would have been just, so maybe Warren will have more time to think before opening his mouth again without engaging his brain. Not that Warren is the only human ever to do that.

Goodell also handed out some very appropriate punishment for some of the officials at the center of "Bountygate", Gregg Williams has been suspended indefinitely and I admit I would not be unhappy if he never coached in the NFL again. Sean Payton, the heretofore well-respected coach of the Saints, has been suspended for a year. How the Saints are going to cope with that is beyond me right now. For me personally, my respect for Payton and soft-spot for the Saints has well and truly disappeared.

Bounty Hunting

Having played and watched many different kinds of football (rugby union, rugby league, Australian Rules and American), all can be equally hard hitting, But I still cannot come to terms with professional teams, not only advocating, but paying players to injure and maim opponents. I am floored that in this day and age such gladiatorial pursuits are being allowed to occur, but to find that such practices are widespread is appalling.We are not in Rome, two thousand years ago, with bear baiting and  thumbs turned down by some mediocre aristocrat with the arbitrary ability to decide life or death. Football at its best is tough enough anyway, without some head hunter, trying to rip your limbs off. I am touched that Brett Favre is willing to forgive, but bounty incentives have no place in modern sport, PERIOD. End of discussion. Gregg Williams and all other coaches like him, in whatever sport, should be not only fired, but completely banned from ever coaching again.

Here are some links to the better coverage of this appalling issue:

• "Pay for Pain: Why the Bounty Scandal Looks Terrible for the NFL", Sean Gregory, TIME.
• "Saints looking at severe punishment for bounty system", Peter King, Sports Illustrated.
• "Payton, Loomis remain silent as Saints bounty investigation widens", Dob Banks, Sports Illustrated.
• "Breaking down the potential legal fallout of Saints' bounty system", Michael McCann, Sports Illustrated. 
• "Evasiveness of Saints GM, coach detailed in league summary", Steve Wyche, NFL.com.