New Orleans Saints Scandal Thread

[Giantsfan1080]

Goodell has recused himself and Paul Tagliabue has stepped in to take control of the Saint scandal.

[cmarq83]

I'm going to laugh when Tagliabue affirms Goodell's decisions, and the players take this to yet another round of appeals. Honestly I have no idea who is right in this situation, but I do find it comical that some people think that this whole situation is some elaborate plot to screw the Saints over.

[CJSchneider]

Originally Posted by cmarq83

I'm going to laugh when Tagliabue affirms Goodell's decisions, and the players take this to yet another round of appeals. Honestly I have no idea who is right in this situation, but I do find it comical that some people think that this whole situation is some elaborate plot to screw the Saints over.

You mean that guy who was Commissioner in 1996?

http://draftcountdown.com/forum/show...1&#post3154931

[Bert Macklin]

Originally Posted by cmarq83

I'm going to laugh when Tagliabue affirms Goodell's decisions, and the players take this to yet another round of appeals. Honestly I have no idea who is right in this situation, but I do find it comical that some people think that this whole situation is some elaborate plot to screw the Saints over.

Tags loves us. He saved us from Benson moving us to San Antonio.

[SaintsMan]

Tags works for the lawfirm that's fighting the players in court right now and has a strong relationship with Goodell. Good way of not showing bias to the courts!!!!! Idiot

[Complex]

Jimmy Kennedy Slams Goodell

Former Minnesota Vikings defensive lineman Jimmy Kennedy, identified as a "whistleblower" in the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal, called NFL commissioner Roger Goodell a liar in regard to his role in the league's investigation.

Kennedy issued a lengthy statement Friday in response to a recent memo the NFL gave to all teams that listed him as the person who originally told former Vikings coach Brad Childress in early 2010 that the Saints had a bounty on Brett Favre in the 2010 NFC title game.

More on ESPN.com
Former Minnesota Vikings defensive lineman Jimmy Kennedy had some harsh words for Roger Goodell in regard to his handling of the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal, writes Kevin Seifert. Blog

• NFC South blog
"The commissioner of the NFL recently distributed a memo to all 32 NFL teams regarding the alleged Saints bounty program that contained blatant lies about me, thereby adding me to the list of men whose reputations and character have been irreparably damaged by the shoddy, careless, shameful so-called investigation behind this sham proceeding," the statement read. "Roger Goodell identifies me as the 'whistleblower' who approached former Viking coach Brad Childress about an alleged bounty on Brett Favre in the NFC Championship Game.

"That is a lie. I had no knowledge about any alleged bounty to reveal to anyone, and I never informed anyone that I did. Contrary to the false information disseminated by the NFL, coach Childress approached me and asked me if I knew anything about such an allegation, and I told him the truth: I did not. I had no knowledge of any such alleged bounty."

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in response that, "Jimmy Kennedy and Brad Childress were interviewed separately by our office as part of the investigation. We are confident of the accuracy of the information that has been disclosed."

Kennedy also reiterated that he never discussed the Favre bounty with the NFL.

"Roger Goodell also states that I was interviewed by the NFL about the alleged bounty. That is another lie; I was never interviewed by the NFL, unless the NFL considers two 30-second conversations when I told NFL Security that I had no knowledge of any such allegations 'interviews.' I certainly do not," Kennedy said.

"After the second phone call that I received from NFL, in which I once again told the person that I had absolutely no knowledge of any alleged bounty, I called my agent, who then retained an attorney for me. We informed the NFL Security person that further contact with me should occur through my attorney, and interestingly, we never heard from the NFL again."

Previously, Kennedy vehemently denied via Twitter he had knowledge of any bounty on Favre. The NFL had said former Saints defensive end Anthony Hargrove, suspended in the scandal, informed Kennedy about the bounty on Favre.

"The third lie that Roger Goodell told about me is perhaps the most upsetting because it involves a man for whom I have great respect and affection, Anthony Hargrove," Kennedy said. "The NFL states that Anthony Hargrove told me about the alleged bounty on Brett Favre. That is an utter lie; it simply never happened. I never discussed an alleged bounty with Anthony Hargrove before, during or after the NFC Championship Game. The only discussion I have had with Anthony about the alleged bounty occurred when we recently spoke about the NFL's egregiously flawed and unjust investigation and proceeding.

"I am not one of the players who has been officially disciplined by the NFL as part of this sham, but I now know that I too have been damaged by the NFL's complete disregard for truth and integrity."

Cliffs: Goodell says Jimmy was one of the whistle blowers.
Jimmy is saying Goodell is full of **** and didn't snitch and doesn't know anything about the scandal.
Angry Souless Ginger now rescues himself from bounty scandal.

[SaintsMan]

http://whodatwarriors.com/2012/09/16...iece-by-piece/

[Bert Macklin]

Tagliabue affirms factual findings of Commissioner Goodell...concludes Hargrove, Smith, Vilma "engaged in conduct detrimental" and vacates all player discipline. "Unlike Saints' broad organizational misconduct, player appeals involve sharply focused issues of alleged individual player misconduct in several different aspects. 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."

https://twitter.com/gregaiello

[Grizzlegom]

Yea, I've been reading all this. Basically, Tags says there is more than enough evidence to say they did it but won't suspend them and holds Saints coaches/organization accountable.

[Bert Macklin]

Originally Posted by Grizzlegom

Yea, I've been reading all this. Basically, Tags says there is more than enough evidence to say they did it but won't suspend them and holds Saints coaches/organization accountable.

Because the coaches can't fight back like the players. It's ********.

[MetSox17]

Originally Posted by Bert Macklin

Because the coaches can't fight back like the players. It's ********.

Maybe because your coaches are dirty little scumbags?

[Bert Macklin]

Originally Posted by MetSox17

Maybe because your coaches are dirty little scumbags?

Yeah we're not the patriots.

[MetSox17]

Originally Posted by Bert Macklin

Yeah we're not the patriots.

Yeah, the Patriots actually have a good team.

[Bert Macklin]

Originally Posted by MetSox17

Yeah, the Patriots actually have a good team.

Which has nothing to do with this conversation but our Super Bowl says differently.

[MetSox17]

I was wondering how long it would take for you to say that. Took one post longer than i expected.

[Saints-Tigers]

Originally Posted by MetSox17

Maybe because your coaches are dirty little scumbags?

I don't really care about players or teams personalities, but it's funny that a Cowboys fan would go anywhere tooting the character horn. Especially given that your squeaky clean upper management is going to be on their knees slurping our "scumbag" coach to bring him to your organization ;)

I don't understand. They're basically saying the players did it, but they won't show the evidence and also won't suspend them? Lol.

[vidae]

I don't get how any rational human being with a brain can believe that the coaches and players did nothing here.

[Saints-Tigers]

Originally Posted by vidae

I don't get how any rational human being with a brain can believe that the coaches and players did nothing here.

I don't think anybody believes that, I think everyone is wondering why the Saints are the only team getting blasted with draft pick loss, losing your coach for the whole year, and multiple players suspended. Other players came out admitting it goes on in other places, or even implicated people like Gregg Williams doing it in Buffalo and Washington. Why no fines for everyone?

It's obvious the Saints knew about it, but they were trying way too hard to make a harsh example out of the Saints, now they got egg on their face, and they're trying to backpedal and save face.

[Saints-Tigers]

I find the NFL’s contentions lacking in merit. In dealing with pay-for-performance pools that appear comparable to Fujita’s pool, the League has emphasized club responsibility for ensuring player compliance with League policies, and has disciplined clubs - - but not players - -
for non-compliance. For example, in separate instances involving the Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots in 2007 and 2008, the League fined the clubs $25,000 or less, without disciplining any player. Notably, the 2007 discipline letter to the Patriots stated that:

You have confirmed that a number of Patriots’ players
were in violation of this rule [prohibiting bonuses paid by players
to their teammates as a reward for game performance]. Fine
money assessed and collected by the players was distributed as
rewards to players for achieving an onfield incentive during a
game.

. . . While the Patriots’ players emphatically denied that
rewards were offered for targeting specific players or for taking
them out of the game, this issue underscores the importance of
prohibiting these types of bonuses; if an injury does occur, the
mere existence of a specific bonus for onfield performance against
a particular team invites unnecessary speculation that a player or
players may have been a target for overzealous defenders.
As you have acknowledged, it is the club’s responsibility to
inform its players of the parameters of the rule and monitor their
compliance.

Accordingly, the NFL’s decision to suspend a player here for participating in a program for which the League typically fines a club certainly raises significant issues regarding inconsistent treatment between players and teams.

From page 17 of the report. The last line is what I'm stuck at. I don't think Goodell has some certain vendetta against the Saints, but I can't help but think he would go after one of the less spotlighted teams to make an example before he would go against one that has a ton of media members that would make a big stink about it.

Very inconsistent treatment. We were given a death sentence for a crime that usually results in a ticket and a warning.

[wogitalia]

Paul just comes up with the most neutral response to make this go away and allow everyone to feel like they were right...

For Goodell and his immense and out of control ego he told him that he was right in his judgement that the players were involved.

For the players he took away the punishment.

Both sides get to walk away feeling they were right.

Of course... the Vilma defamation case was always the most interesting part of it all and that is ongoing and realistically this result doesn't change anything on that front.