Paul Tagliabue wipes away player suspensions in New Orleans Saints bounty case

nola.com ^ | December 11 | Larry Holder

[loucon]

Former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue made a drastic change in the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal Tuesday as the NFL announced all suspensions and penalties for Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma and defensive end Will Smith, along with former linebacker Scott Fujita and defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove, have been vacated.

[loucon]

I think this opens more problems for the NFL head office than it puts to rest.

[Cowboy Bob]

I guess the NFL just wants to reinforce the "thug" mentality. It must be good for business.

The NFL encourages behavior like this. Uniforms with "gang colors," trash talking by the players and dancing in the end zone, etc.

It used to be only the Okland Raiders behaving like this, now its the entire league.

[Right Wing Assault]

My interest in these thugs was ‘vacated’ some years ago.

[rawcatslyentist]

>"dancing in the end zone"

The people paid for a minstrel show. Let em dance. Give em a mic and let em sing too!

[redgolum]

Kind of funny since they are talking of banning kick offs now.

[relictele]

It’s a day late and dollar short attempt to split the baby.

The NFL’s terse comment ‘we accept the findings’ reveals that they are massively pi**ed off about the result, but they’re the ones who called in a third party.

Bizarrely, Tagliabue complained about ‘coaches interference’ - but there wouldn’t be any bounties if the coaches didn’t offer them in the first place!

By focusing on the players, the NFL shifted into bully mode by going for the enlisted men rather than the officers. Yes Williams is gone and Payton suspended but there were always aspects of a witch-hunt involved.

[LibLieSlayer]

I gave up on baseball after the first strike... then the black racist gangs took over basketball... now the nfl is crumbling... and one day we will be left with only Professional Flag Football. The left has even screwed up NASCAR so badly that I gave up on it too. One positive side to this is that I spend more time with my family, friends and with GOD.

LLS

[LibLieSlayer]

I wasn't kidding when I said this will eventually lead to Professional Flag Football. Baseball will be a Big League T-Ball game.

LLS

[John W]

Would seem to be application of the “Just following orders” defense.

[SoFloFreeper]

That’ll teach ‘em.

The NFL is the new NBA.

[jughandle]

American sports will be shunned and eventually finished. Soccer will dominate, so we are more like the rest of the world.

[Cen-Tejas]

.....ditto!............haven’t watched a start to finish NFL game since “jerry” bought the cowboys and fired Landry!

[Resolute Conservative]

Surprised? Take the money out of pro sports as well as government.

[Uncle Ivan]

But don’t dare let a conservative buy a franchise.

[steve8714]

What a pussy.

[LibLieSlayer]

I am more of a Rollerball fan... roller skates, motorcycles, cannon balls and last man left alive wins.

LLS

[oh8eleven]

Tagliabue said ... "My affirmation of Commissioner Goodell's findings could certainly justify the issuance of fines.
However, this entire case has been contaminated by the coaches and others in the Saints' organization."
Soooo, the coaches & staff came up with the policy and those poooor players were forced to injure and maim the other players.
Just another example of union thuggery at work ... with Tagliabue's blessing no less.

[montag813]

This was Roger Goodell’s bizarre jihad. He really must resign now.

[cornfedcowboy]

I gave up on baseball after the first strike... then the black racist gangs took over basketball... now the nfl is crumbling

---

Well their is always hockey!.................oh wait, I take that back.

[yldstrk]

just a bunch of criminals