El Guapo
Cheesehead
First things first, I've been a big believer that the NFL's punishments related to the Saints bounty program were justified. I'm not sure that they'd ever find a smoking gun, such as a ledger, but believe that the sworn statement of the defensive coordinator was sufficient evidence.
However, my opinion is swaying after reading the following article:
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...-with-reggie-white-paying-teammates-for-hits/
I guess that I never heard of Reggie White's "Smash For Cash" program during the 1996 Super Bowl run. Specifically, I'm struck by the NFL's ruling that pay-for-performance programs were fine “as long as players use their own money, amounts are not exorbitant and payments aren’t for illegal hits.”
White gave teammates money for big hits, which sounds very close to what Jonathon Vilma is accused of doing. The Saints might have called it cart-offs and what-not, but those are just the results of plays. They didn't pay money for clips, crack-backs, hits to the helmet, or any illegal plays.
I'm tempted to agree with the NFLPA that there is a very thin line between paying for "big hits" and paying for "cart-offs." Both have the intent to injure. Why else would you want a big hit? It's to make the other players timid and/or knock them out of games.
My opinion is swaying because there doesn't seem to be much difference between what they allowed previously and have now penalized the Saints for doing. What is the tangible difference?
However, my opinion is swaying after reading the following article:
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...-with-reggie-white-paying-teammates-for-hits/
I guess that I never heard of Reggie White's "Smash For Cash" program during the 1996 Super Bowl run. Specifically, I'm struck by the NFL's ruling that pay-for-performance programs were fine “as long as players use their own money, amounts are not exorbitant and payments aren’t for illegal hits.”
White gave teammates money for big hits, which sounds very close to what Jonathon Vilma is accused of doing. The Saints might have called it cart-offs and what-not, but those are just the results of plays. They didn't pay money for clips, crack-backs, hits to the helmet, or any illegal plays.
I'm tempted to agree with the NFLPA that there is a very thin line between paying for "big hits" and paying for "cart-offs." Both have the intent to injure. Why else would you want a big hit? It's to make the other players timid and/or knock them out of games.
My opinion is swaying because there doesn't seem to be much difference between what they allowed previously and have now penalized the Saints for doing. What is the tangible difference?