Tags Vacates Suspension of Saints Players...

Time to bring Back Hargrove? There's no stopping us now!

quote:

Originally posted by Talkin2Phil:
Time to bring Back Hargrove? There's no stopping us now!

THIS

Countdown for Drew Brees to be a smug bastard in 3...2...1...

quote:

Originally posted by Fedya:
Countdown for Drew Brees to be a smug bastard in 3...2...1...

Good call!

Wow, the Goodell and the NFL were able to take reprehensible conduct by these guys and actually make them the victims. I think the owners eventually have to decide if Goodell is the best front man for the NFL.

what a whole lot of hullabaloo about nothing.
lawyers made out alright I'm sure....
thanks for the freaking idiot circus ride Badell.

Tags should drive a stake through Goddell's kickoff kapers idea and send out a quick memo about what really constitutes a "defensless receiver".

Might as well have an adult clean up as many loose ends as possible before he get's on a plane out of town.

quote:

Originally posted by Fedya:
Countdown for Drew Brees to be a smug bastard in 3...2...1...

You rang??

CBS Story

From the article referencing Drew Brees' Twitter feed:

Congratulations to our players for having the suspensions vacated. Unfortunately, there are some things that can never be taken back

The Saints "they are what we thought they were..."

Ginsberg: Vilma still plans to pursue his defamation suit vs. Goodell, via @AlbertBreer

Does this mean the NFLPA is going to issue a statement that contradicts what they said earlier, that they wouldn't accept Tagliabue's decision, and they wanted an "impartial" observer?

I would imagine the NFL should go after the federal judge they hired to review the evidence. This judge should have been able to realize that the evidence was "tainted"?

What a total mess!

‏@adbrandt
Money quote from Tagliabue: "Over many years a a culture mutated into the deeply misguided Program of the New Orleans Saints."

@adbrandt
Blaming of coach worked here: "Hargrove was under tremendous pressure to follow the chain of command in order to keep his job."

So what's Goodell's future as commissioner? Will the owner's still give him a vote of confidence?

Peter King made the argument that the decision vindicates Goodell as well. He states that Tags found that there was ample evidence of the bounty scheme, but the players shouldn't be punished, because they were following "orders" from their superiors. To me, it sounds like BS. If these were kids, I can see that, but they are grown men.

Lots of bonu$e$ tied to playing time & performance so I can see a player following the orders of his coach/boss. Plus, it had been going on for years and even Tags noted Over many years a culture mutated. I took this to mean HE knew about the programs when he was commish and did nothing previously as it was somewhat self-policing (player-v-player). When the coaches got involved is when it became an issue. Coaches are ostensibly looked on as aligned with ownership in league discussions (i.e. labor disputes).

I don't know. The evidence was there that the bounty program existed definitely and was encourage/ordered by Williams, but the evidence which players actually contributed to and/or were rewarded from the bounties was flimsy at best. The testimony of a disgruntled former employee that included slips of paper that may or may not have been related to bounties. Goodell acted on flimsy evidence and then decided he should be the one to hear the appeal about the judgement that he had already made. It made zero sense and whether these players were/are scumbags or not, they still deserved a fair, impartial judgement. Sounds like someone other than Goodell reviewed it and decided he was wrong.

What I don't understand is why players need an incentive in the first place. I've always assumed that defensive players were trying to know their opponents out of the game. If you'd ever watched Chuck Bednarik or Deacon Jones play, you'd think the same thing.

quote:

Originally posted by Boris:

quote:

Originally posted by Tdog:
...lawyers made out alright I'm sure...

Bastards.
I'd like to know just how much the league has spent on their 'legal counsel'. I can easily see where they have paid for hundreds of hours, both before and after the suspensions were announced. Apparently, they have also assured themselves future hours defending their fine work in court.
I bet they just love Goodell!
I wonder how Kraft and Jones feel about him spending their revenues in that way?

Sometimes I wonder if Goodell is as good as everyone says he is?

Goodell is doing a tough, thankless job.

However, things like fines on "defenseless receivers" when the defender makes a textbook tackle with shoulder to the mid-section of the receiver, need to stop.

Taking away kickoffs? Just STFU already. I think Goodell said that to take the focus off the murder/suicide in K.C. (JMO).

Like everything else....it is time....to put this whole sordid affair behind us & move along.