NFL suspends 4 Saints players

[achiro]

For the bounty stuff

[achiro]

Jonathan Vilma banned for year

ESPN.com news services | May 2, 2012
The NFL suspended four players for their roles in the New Orleans Saints' bounty system, including linebacker Jonathan Vilma for the entire 2012 season.

In addition to Vilma, defensive tackle Anthony Hargrove was suspended eight games, defensive Will Smith four games and linebacker Scott Fujita (now with the Cleveland Browns) three games.

A league investigation found that from 2009-11 New Orleans coaches and players put together a bounty system that paid out improper cash bonuses for hits aimed at knocking opposing players out of games. The NFL says as many as 27 Saints participated.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell already has suspended Saints coach Sean Payton for the 2012 season and fined the team $500,000. Saints former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is suspended indefinitely, New Orleans general manager Mickey Loomis begins an eight-game ban after the preseason, and interim coach Joe Vitt begins serves his six-game suspension at the same time.

Payton's suspension began April 16 and runs through the Super Bowl, which, incidentally, is in New Orleans. During that time, Payton may not even have casual, non-football conversations with anyone on any NFL team without at least notifying the league office.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

[Bourbon St Sooner]

Well, we know for sure where Curtis Lofton is going to play this year. I feel bad for Vilma. He loses a whole year's pay and it's not like he can do this for years down the road like the coaches.

Will Smith - man we're going to miss that half a sack he would provide in those 4 games.

[swardboy]

Will Smith - man we're going to miss that half a sack he would provide in those 4 games.

Bounty Sucker?

[Bourbon St Sooner]

Well he is a Suckeye

[OULenexaman]

I would think it would have been more than 4......is Roger done yet?

[BBQ Man]

Do you think this will slow down bounties?

[badger]

While my thoughts immediately went to a player losing an entire year's pay and time off an already fairly short profession, my sympathy for someone purposefully trying to physically injure those old fart quarterbacks that are probably going to need assistance pooping by age 50 is extremely limited.

[OULenexaman]

How do you feel about Anthony Hargrove......8 games and he's a Packer now.

[Curly Bill]

Do you think this will slow down bounties?

Suspend these guys and hit em in the pocket book? Yeah, they understand that and will adjust accordingly - something I'm sure the commish knows.

[LVSOONER15]

Lofton is going to start!!

[jk the sooner fan]

nice of the league to wait till after the draft to announce this! :)

[BoulderSooner79]

It will be interesting to see if they get reduced suspensions from the appeal process. The commish made it pretty clear the coaches/execs had little chance of relief and they didn't get any. But the players have the union behind them.

[badger]

How do you feel about Anthony Hargrove......8 games and he's a Packer now.

The Neffel really doesn't create a sense of loyalty among players or fans, does it? Sign a player, cut a signed player. Hold out for a contract, hold out after you sign a contract. So, it is what it is.

[OULenexaman]

But you would think the GM would know this was a possibility.

[Seamus]

Vilma went to the U. I cannot feel sorry for him.

[Curly Bill]

Vilma went to the U. I cannot feel sorry for him.

Kinda what I'm thinking as well.

[Bourbon St Sooner]

Lofton is going to start!!

He was going to start anyway. It was just a matter of whether it was going to be inside or outside. Loomis definitely made the right call here. Can't wait to see CL patrolling this middle of the Saints D.

[Statalyzer]

I wonder if the suspension would have been greater had they came a few days later, given all the attention the Junior Seau situation is drawing to the long-term effects of injuries.


But the players have the union behind them.

Which is sort of backwards, the players should be pissed at these guys too.