Today we finally got the news. We waited for the schedule to be released. We waited for Coach Sean Payton to say his goodbyes. We even waited for the Draft to finish up before the New Orleans Saints found out the fate of their players most heavily involved in the Bounty Gate scheme orchestrated by former defensive coordinator Greg Williams. And today we got answers...
Jonathon Vilma... done for the season without pay.
Anthony Hargrove... 8 games. He doesn't even play for the Saints anymore. Neither does Scott Fujita who is suspended for three games. And current Saint Will Smith is banned 4 games. I just called Will Smith a Saint. That's ironic.
Certain words come to mind immediately. Ouch. Damn. That sucks (ok phrases come to mind). But are you really surprised? I'm not. Are you ticked off? You shouldn't be. Do you think it's too much? It's not. And all of these suspensions including Head Coach Sean Payton, former defensive coordinator Greg Williams, and GM Mickey Loomis have very little to do with bounties.
What did Aaron just say? This has nothing to do with bounties and hurting players?
Yes that's correct. I even underlined it for you!
The players and coaches did not get the hammer laid down because they were trying to hurt guys. Everyone in the NFL is trying to hurt the other player. There is nothing better for a defensive player than a pancake lay the other guy flat out on the field kind of hit. And if that other guy doesn't get up? Even better. You did your job and then some. That was called an A+ in grade school.
Everyone who wants to whine about 'where's the proof?', and 'why did they get more than spygate?' doesn't get it. These suspensions are about obeying the law and respecting the request of an authoritative figure. Think about this for a moment...
You're driving down the interstate. The speed limit is 55 but you're doing 65. And so are the other 900 cars around you. You all blow past a state trooper. How many get pulled over? None. All is well and everyone is moving along evenly. But then that guy comes blasting through doing 70 weaving in and out of cars. On come the siren and lights and a court date is issued. Why did that guy get pulled? Because he took a little lead way that was offered and ran crazy with it. Get it?
That's the New Orleans Saints. Do guys on other teams try to hurt you and hit you as hard as possible? Yes! Were there cash kitties and small wagers going on around the league for guys who accomplished something first in a game or season? Absolutely. The NFL is full of the most ego driven athletes in the world. They are always trying to one up each other. But then the New Orleans Saints went and took this game that the front office was allowing everyone to play at an equal level and blew it up. They did 90 through a field of cars travelling 55 in a 45.
AND THE STATE TROOPER TRIED TO LET THEM OFF WITH A WARNING!
Roger Goodell knew this was going on. He told the Saints to stop. Not only did they not stop but they hid it from him. They did not disclose all the details when asked directly about it. So put yourself in Goodells shoes. You know someone is breaking the rules and you have given them a warning to stop. It's like you tell your kid to stop kicking the back of your seat while driving. It's funny the first few times. Then Dad is screaming at the top of his lungs and little Johnny is going to bed without dinner. Did Johnny deserve to not get fed just for kicking the back of Dad's seat? All kids kick the back of the seat. That doesn't seem right. But Dad told him to stop and it ended on a breaking point. The Saints (little Johnny) and Goodell (Dad) hit their breaking point. And not only will Jonathon Vilma not get dinner. He can't leave his room. For twelve months.
And Jonathon Vilma isn't little Johnny. Neither is Sean Payton, Mickey Loomis or anyone else involved. They are adults. They knew they shouldn't be doing this. They were told not to do this. And yet they still did it. So if Goodell feels like he has to treat everyone like children and throw some weight around, so be it! Maybe these guys will finally grow up now that they have been smacked down by the league.
So don't think these suspensions have anything to do with bounties or hurting players. They have everything to do with observing the status quo, listening to an authoritative figure and doing what your told. And not pissing off Dad.
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