Make them all go back to the leather helmets and pads of the 1940s and I get you wouldn't have any more injuries than now, probably less neck and head injuries. Why, you may ask? Because they would not lead with their head anymore. No one would be so stupid as to spear tackle. They would want to hit hard but they would also be just as concerned for their own safety. What we would see is a lot more broken noses, just like the old days.
The NFL had to lay down a major smackdown on them. While everyone wants to see hard hits, no one wants injuries that are permanent.
(OK, except if you're a cowboy, j/k!!!)
Bounties are old. Back in the 90's Buddy Ryan had bounties when he was coaching the Eagles and probably before that.
I love it. You've been warned numerous times to cut out what you're doing, but chose to ignore the warnings and go about business all willy nilly. What do you think was going to happen when Roger Goodell gets a hold of you? He definitely brought the sledgehammer down on New Orleans.
As a Saints fan and having been born in NOLA, I know my opinion is tainted. But I think the penalty is too harsh. I don't recall there being an over abundance of cheap shots by Saints defenders. Percentage wise, probably less fines were handed out to the Saints defense than the Steelers. The bounty system was wrong and a firm penatly is warranted. The defense didn't hurt an QB so much that he was put on injured reserve. Hit a couple hard enough to come out of the game temporarily, but nothing overly vicious. No concussions that I recall.
My own opinion is that Coach Payton should have been suspended for 8 games. An entire year is overkill.
On a side note, if Jeremy Shockey ratted out on the Saints as has been reported. I'd hate to be that guy. Saints play Panthers twice a year, I don't think any blood money will be necessary for the Saints D to pound him into the ground.
When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser. Socrates They were offering pay to injure players. There is the problem. The NFL has instituted several rules to put an end to what they consider dirty or unethical playing. Paying players to injure or take some one out of the game certainly fits that definition.
Certainly improved pads and helmets has allowed for certain kind of hits and tackles to evolve in the sport. Players wouldn't consider doing those in the past because they were just as likely to injure themselves in the process.
this has been going on since the 50's , anyone remember some of the Oakland Raider teams ? they never even got their hands slapped.... I can see a lawsuit coming on this one.
Don't forget the fines and suspensions listed have nothing to do with the players that acted on these "bounties" to date. There is more retribution to come.
The NFL isn't done quite yet....
The league should be tough on this. Football is a violent game, intimidation is a factor and players will get hurt. To hit a guy go hard (but clean) so maybe next play he is more worried about getting hit than catching the ball is fine, part of the game. But to try to intentionally injure someone, maybe end his career or worse is rediculous and should not be tolerated.
Its like fighting in hockey. It has and always will be and should be part of the game. But when you hit a guy with the stick, thats not part of the game. Thats assault. I beleive a few guys have been prosecuted too.
When I played football I did try and hit my opponent as hard as I could. We loved to congratulate each other on "slobberknocker' hits that made a guy drool or vomit. But I don't remember any of us intentionally wanting to knock a guy out of the game. I remember a few times, some where an opponent was left in a very vulnerable position (leg twisted or in such a way that he could be injured) and I did my best to pull up or miss hitting him where it would actually injure him. And I have been at the receiving end of some brutal hits. In HS when I played flanker I was the receiver that always got called on to catch the ball over the middle and that was when I received the worst hits. I have been staggered where I could barely get to my feet and I vomited from hits a few times myself. Other than those times I caught TD passes, it was more fun playing linebacker on defense. I loved playing football! Loved it!
I never ever had a coach encourage us to hurt an opponent. They always told is that giving it all and hitting hard prevented injuries. From what I remember most injuries came late in the game when someone was getting very tired and not going all out. Often a fresh player off the bench did the deed, though it wasn't intentional.
I bet the suspensions and fines in the NFL will put and end to the bounty system. I hope it does.
I definitely think this is one time where ten teams were doing it and one got caught. I also agree that the hammer came down as hard as it did- in part, at least- because they were warned and then went ahead with it anyway.
I think it's a fine line, really, in a sport where we celebrate the big hits, and where defensively it's certainly in their interest to remove the main threat from being effective. Nevertheless, the line is still there, and they got what they deserve for it. The league will have enough headaches in the coming years regarding the dire after-effects of all the hard hits, without teams putting f***ing blood money out to take guys' heads off. Whether or not guys actually got injured, and how many, is wholly beside the point and a matter of trivia. The intent was there.
If not for the tragic loss of life quality involved, I'd love to see Payton and Williams' reaction to one of their linebackers causing a spinal injury, or major head trauma. Wanna high five now, a**holes? No? Why not? This is what you wanted, right?
Bounties in the NFL??? ... Oh Hell there goes half of the defensive playbook in the AFC North and NFC North.
I will have to say the Pittsburgh Steelers don't have 'illegal bounties'. They let the NFL know when they 'smack the taste' out of someone's mouth.
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