OT: Sean Payton suspended for ENTIRE YEAR...

per Schefter. Wow.

That's too much if you ask me. Who cares about the bounty? I don't. Hell, I would love for my team to do it.

And another thing, I'm tired of hearing about how they need to do more about preventing injuries. BS. These are grown men making millions of dollars, and they know the risks that go along with their chosen profession. If they don't want to risk concussions or injuries, get a different job. End of story.

I completely agree with your second point. Almost every single one of us would assume that risk to collect that paycheck. They know the risk they're taking.

On the other hand, I do like Goodell coming down hard in this situation. Without getting into the argument of this particular situation, I like a commissioner with brass balls. The most popular professional sports league in the world needs a leader like him.

fishgoblue22 wrote:

That's too much if you ask me. Who cares about the bounty? I don't. Hell, I would love for my team to do it.

And another thing, I'm tired of hearing about how they need to do more about preventing injuries. BS. These are grown men making millions of dollars, and they know the risks that go along with their chosen profession. If they don't want to risk concussions or injuries, get a different job. End of story.

Makes enough money to have someone maliciously intend to injure them or end their season or career.

I'll disagree with that.

They make plenty of money to get hit and hit hard an hit cleanly. This is about dirty play more than aggression.

I'm one of the first to say "They get paid enough......." but, again, no one gets paid enough to get hurt intentionally. (Unless you're a boxer or MMA dude or dudette I guess.)

The bounty was never for dirty play. It was for knocking a guy out with clean hits. Again, this is a PC move and a PC move only.

I'm not a PC guy and I think it sucks.

Basically Payton's coaching career in NO is over. The team is pretty much forced to fire him or go with an interim guy and destroy the season.

What about the players that willingly took part? Shouldn't they be suspended for the season?

The NFL is out of control on the discipline side of things.

PC?

Politically Correct

Duh. My bad.

fishgoblue22 wrote:

The bounty was never for dirty play. It was for knocking a guy out with clean hits. Again, this is a PC move and a PC move only.

I'm not a PC guy and I think it sucks.

Basically Payton's coaching career in NO is over. The team is pretty much forced to fire him or go with an interim guy and destroy the season.

What about the players that willingly took part? Shouldn't they be suspended for the season?

The NFL is out of control on the discipline side of things.

Clean hits maybe. After all the reviews that have been made the hits didn't appear to be exactly "clean".

But we could argue this forever and, well, it just isn't that important to me. lol

fish- I in no way mean this to be offensive but do you honestly know what you are saying? You think money replaces health? The NFL is trying to limit the number of head injuries that result in playing football. Bones mend, muscle strains heal, but head injuries are FOREVER. Not much is known about head injuries and I hate to say this but the general public is completely oblivious to the results of head injuries. Nothing can replace your health, I love Michigan Football (yes I know that this particular thread is about the NFL) but players health is much more important. Your saying that the players know the risks is untrue, no they don't. Are you saying that you can put a price on your life?

I know what I'm saying, and no one forces these grown men to play a game. They know the risks involved.

Just like I knew the risks involved with a military career. I did it because I loved it. When my best friend was killed, I knew it could happen. I've been shot at, I've seen men seriously injured from enemy fire. We were excited about not only combat, but we made a few extra bucks while in a combat zone. If I didn't want the risk, I would have changed careers.

And you imply that players don't know the risks involved. Well shame on them if they don't. We all know concussions can happen, if the player is ignorant of what could happen to him, then that is his fault.

Players are aware of concussions, et a.l but they do not KNOW what life is like after sustaining such an injury. That is the point that I was trying to make, you make think you know but you really have no idea. I've seen lives devastated via head injuries. And it's not just the injured person whose life is altered forever, EVERY person that has ever interacted with someone who sustains a head injury. Granted, the closer the person is the greater the impact will be (i.e. a parent, sibling, spouse is assuredly going to have a larger amount of grief than your 2nd-grade classmate who you have only seen twice in your life since then but you get my point).

It isn't just players not knowing the risks involved, it's everyone. The human brain is an immensely powerful thing that no one can possibly claim to even know much about.

People play sports for fun and, in the cases of the truly talented and blessed, to make a living. Examine that statement, "make a living". What good does all of that money do you if you can't live to appreciate it?

And in closing, comparing sports to the military is like comparing apples to oranges. Sports is a game, nothing more. It's entertainment. The military OTOH is more about life. You fight to right injustices, no one keeps score, although if you die you lose. There are no official reviews, personal fouls, or regulations of any kind. War is the real deal, I have immense respect for the military, whether you want to admit it or not you joined and served for a reason. Sure, you knew the risks involved but your belief in serving for that purpose out-weighed those risks.

Sports are fun, but what you did in the military was important. Thank you.

Wow the whole year eh???? Wow.

I don't have then energy to argue the other points so I will just leave it with a final...wow.

Yes, this was a strong message saying that this type of behavior will not be tolerated. I do however, wonder how this would have played out if one of the NFL darlings (read Green Bay, New England, etc.) would have been caught doing it. Heck, for all we know they have but it was swept under the rug. IMHO this was a move for both safety and to appease the Players Union. Many former players are now beginning to feel the effects of the game.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/22/sports/football/nfl-delivers-harsh-punishment-to-saints-over-bounty-program.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120322

2nd, great discussion, and I think we will not agree, no problem with that.

However, back to Payton, do you think NO will be forced to fire him? I think his coaching career, at least with the Saints, is over. How can a team go into a season with year long interim coach? And, the Assistant HC was suspended for 6 or 8 games too.

I can not say for sure but yes it would make sense for the Saints to fire Payton after this season. They must wait to fire him until after the season so that he can serve his suspension, I think but am unsure.

Regardless, the Saints will go through this season with an interim coach. Although maybe I'm wrong about the suspension not being served if Payton is fired, who knows?

You do bring up a good question, what will Payton do next? I also believe that Payton is done in NO. But where is his next stop? I don't see another NFL team trying him out right off the bat. With the fact that he didn't control his team I don't think College would be a possibility at first either. Maybe the CFL for a couple of years? Wow, how the mighty have fallen because of one thing. Don't get me wrong, Payton will Coach again but he simply has to re-serve his time (not as much though).

I agree, I think he will have to start over and repay his dues.

fishgoblue22 wrote:

I agree, I think he will have to start over and repay his dues.

See, we can agree...

I am not sure if he will be fired. A year is rough but the guy is a super bowl winning coach. If NO does fire him rest assured he will be HC somewhere else.

I'm with Willie. I think he'll be there next year.