Saints admit to 'bounty' program

cnn.com ^ | 3/7/12 | CNN Wire Staff

[ColdOne]

(CNN) -- The New Orleans Saints admitted Tuesday to paying bonuses for hits that would knock opposing players out of a game, vowing the practice won't be repeated.

Saints Head Coach Sean Payton and General Manager Mickey Loomis said they take "full responsibility" for the practice, which they said "happened under our watch."

"These are serious violations, and we understand the negative impact it has had on our game," Loomis and Payton said in a statement issued Tuesday evening.

"Both of us have made it clear within our organization that this will never happen again, and make that same promise to the NFL and most importantly to all of our fans."

[Mad Dawg]

That’s morally disgusting.

[BenLurkin]

http://www.johnspeedie.com/healy/badteam.wav

[Vendome]

The intent to cause harm and organize wholesale violence against individuals is a crime and and out to be prosecuted.

Not investigated.

Arrests, Prosecution and Sentenced.

Additionally, the individuals marked for these assaults should sue as should the owners of the respective teams.

[Parmenio]

Payton and Loomis should be banned from football for life.

[al_c]

Heavy fines should be placed on the organization.

I thought this kind of crap normally came out of Washington or Philly. I guess the Saints won’t be a team I’ll root for next season.

[GeronL]

What is their punishment?

[The Cajun]

Payton and Loomis should be banned from football for life.

Lots of people down here are truly pissed, I know I am and haven't followed football that much in 5-6 years.

[Democrat_media]

Yeah CNN can be believed/ sarcasm

[Democrat_media]

The intent to cause harm and organize wholesale violence against individuals is a crime and and out to be prosecuted.

Do you all believe when the media said the same thing about Palin in the giffords shooting? They lied then . You all are quick to trust the media.

When the media say it’s up I know it’s down.

Where’s the BP oil “disaster” now, global warming?

[fastkelly]

All sports teams do this at every level. In high school our Defensive players had a $100 pool to take out the star all conference running back for an opposing team.

[Haiku Guy]

All sports teams do this at every level. In high school our Defensive players had a $100 pool to take out the star all conference running back for an opposing team.

It is the coach's job to detect and prohibit such practices, not to administer the system.

How the coaches could fail to get together and come to an understanding that they will not cheap shot the opposition if the opposition agrees not to cheap shot them boggles my mind.

[dfwgator]

This is why the NHL allows fighting, without allowing it, you would have bounties all the time in hockey. Fighting is the great equalizer. Same in baseball with the brushback pitch...a guarantee that for the most part, pitchers know if they plug somebody, the other team will get revenge.

[ScottinVA]

All sports teams do this at every level. In high school our Defensive players had a $100 pool to take out the star all conference running back for an opposing team.

Same here. When I was in high school, Coach offered us steak dinners for every opposing team's helmet we could crack during a game.

[ScottinVA]

To clarify, that was in 1973-74. Helmet cracking is verboten now.

[GonzoGOP]

This goes outside football. You can't take contracts out on somebody. Doesn't matter the method, it is illegal. Not against the rules of football, illegal. There is a difference and that needs to be the key here.

As for the "Everybody does it" well you deal with that by the same method as speeding. Everybody does it, and if you get caught you pay the ticket. New Orleans got caught. Now they need to take their medicine. At a minimum those responsible need to never again set foot in a football stadium.

[starlifter]

I'll bet that makes you proud.

[SoldierDad]

The Saints’ Superbowl trophy needs to be taken away from the team then.

[rawhide]

What concerns me is the coach and gm were not smart enogh to realize this was illegal to begin with. Tells me that the ‘win at all costs’ trumps everything, including illegal activities.

[rawhide]

Agree!