NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced today the suspensions for the Saints players allegedly involved in the so called “Bounty Gate” affair. You will recall, unless living in a cave somewhere for the past several months that the league has come down quite hard on the New Orleans Saints for former Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams encouraging his players to injure select opponents for pay.
Jonathon Vilma was suspended for the entire 2012 season, Anthony Hargrove was given Eight games, Will Smith four and Scott Fujita three games.
The players association has already vowed to fight this.
Original Story:
http://www.mtrmedia.com/2012/05/roger...
Original Story:
http://www.mtrmedia.com/2012/05/roger...
I have been a football fan for over 40 years. I, the fan(s) represent a large percentage of how the NFL makes money.
Please take note that if someone paid money to another person or group of people to do great bodily harm to another human being and the task was done by this person or group of people. Then the laws of our states and our nation is clear, the person that put up the money would be prosecuted, the person who performed the physical assault and accepted the money would be prosecuted, and likely sued by those who were assaulted; and since this is a business and the management arm of the business knew it was happening, and encouraged it, then they would also be prosecuted in a court of law.
1.) I would like to know why none of the players who did the damage or injury to other players have not being punished?
2.) I would like to know why the Attorney Generals and or the Senate does nothing to punish the people who have severely tarnished the game of football.
We have Senate hearings on doping, and gambling in sports and have prosecuted people for laws that were broken. This is worse than doping and gambling, this is intentional assault and battery for profit. What they have done is like paying a hitman to take someone out.
A professional football players career is very short and what was done to intentionally injure players and get paid for it, is aggregious and takes away from the "SPORT" of football. A sport which is already inherently violent and rough.
I completely agree with paying for incentives for defensive players and even players on offense. I can see paying extra for interceptions, tackles, tackles for loss, quarterback sacks, forced fumbles, fumbles recovered, ect... This is good management and incentive to do a good job. It is not paying to intentionally injure someone and put them out of the game.
When I watch football and I see a great play made, a great tackle, a professional athlete doing his job by the rules of the game. Then I stand and cheer. When I see a player lying on the ground injured I feel empathy for that player. When I hear that a team, it's management, and it's players are purposely causing great bodily harm and assault on another player for profit or at the direction of their management it just make me sick.
It is the responsibility of each NFL owner and management representative to do what ever is possible to see that each and every player is kept safe from harm to the best of their ability. That is why they have rules and improved equipment. Fair Play should be paramount. Tens of millions of children, teenagers, and adults watch football and expect it to be played equally fair by every team and player.
I just would like to see outside intervention instead of the NFL business doing the investigation and handing out the punishment. The NFL is just covering their behinds for upcoming law suits. This will help restore the reputation of the NFL as a whole.