New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma has been suspended without pay for the entire 2012 season by the NFL, one of four players punished for participating in a pay-for-pain bounty system. Defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove, now with the Green Bay Packers, is suspended for eight games this season; Saints defensive end Will Smith is barred for four games; and linebacker Scott Fujita, now with the Cleveland Browns, will miss three games. All of the suspensions are without pay. NFL suspends 4 players for Saints' bounties *| ajc.com
If they didn't accept money, they shouldn't be punished. How many games will the Saints win this year? I'm going with 7.
Well... I heard talk on the radio the other day that the NFL was investigating game film. I wonder what information that is going to give them. I mean how are you going to be able to say, "Yeah, right there he is trying to hurt him. Guilty." Just seems stupid.
I do not understand why the players were suspended. Two are with new teams which means they also get penalized.
fugita has always claimed he never got any money or participated so i'm not sure why he is on the list.
How the hell can you tell the difference between aggressive defensive play and secretly trying to hurt someone.
wetzel just tweeted they only went after the guys who organized and funded it or the ones that lied about being part of it (which i suppose might indicate my fugita is on the list).
Only thing I can think of is a guy like Vilma, who is a superb tackler, obviously diving at a knee or a borderline late shot at the whistle.
And when Ben Roethlisberger dives at a defensive ends knee we'll applaud him for gritty team-play. It's such a hypocritical league.
He is a nicer looking Bud Selig. James Harrison speaks the truth about this guy all day every day if anyone cares to listen.
a borderline late shot at the whistle is baloney. It's a late shot. It's about winning ballgames and making the opposing team suffer, especially the qb. A blatant late hit, yeah as a dive at the knee. This thing has always been way overblown in my book and the power hungry nutjob Roger Goodell continues to take it further out there. Every team the Saints face is told to make Drew Brees suffer and make him hurt. It's freaking football. Bounties exist with every competitive defense. I would bet my life earnings that the Ravens and Steelers Ds have had bounty systems in place.
Was it even a significant amount of money? Seems like almost more of a fun little competitive element than actual financial incentive. Kind of like a five dollar NCAA bracket. Cool if you win, oh well otherwise.