NFL: Saints Bounty System

[mdrake34]

Hey Guido, you were right, it was happening on other teams. Other teams coached by Gregg Williams!
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/764413...s-bounties
The NFL will investigate claims that the Washington Redskins had a bounty program when Gregg Williams was the team's defensive coordinator, The Washington Post reported Sunday.

The NFL on Friday said an investigation by its security department found that Williams and several New Orleans Saints players employed an illegal bounty system, financially rewarding defensive players for big plays, including knocking opponents out of games during the 2009-11 seasons. After details of the NFL's probe were released, five former Redskins, including defensive end Phillip Daniels, and a former coach told The Washington Post that Williams had a similar system with Washington.

Antonio Pierce: 3/4 Listen

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The newspaper reported that it was unclear if the Redskins would be held accountable if the NFL determines the team operated a bounty program under Williams, when he was the team's defensive coordinator from 2004 to '07.

Matt Bowen, who also played for Williams in Washington, wrote about the bounty system in a column for The Chicago Tribune on Friday, saying that he didn't regret taking part in the program.

"You do what he (Williams) wants: play tough, push the envelope and carry a swagger that every opponent sees on tape. When you lined up against us, you knew we were coming after you. It was our gig, our plan, our way to motivate, to extra-motivate," Bowen wrote for The Tribune.

Daniels defended his Williams when he talked about the program with The Post.

"I think it is wrong the way they're trying to paint (Williams)," Daniels told the Post. "He never told us to go out there and break a guy's neck or break a guy's leg. It was all in the context of good, hard football."

Daniels told the Post it was his understanding that Williams started the "bounty" program with money collected from fines for players being late for practices and meetings.

Daniels told the Post the most money he ever received was $1,500 for a four-sack game against the Cowboys in 2005.

Joe Gibbs told the newspaper that he was unaware the team had a bounty system when he was the head coach.

More from ESPN.com

The Saints "bounty" story is worse than the Patriots' "Spygate" incident, and New Orleans and Gregg Williams should be severely penalized, writes John Clayton. Story

If the Saints were out to harm others and team officials did nothing, look for Roger Goodell to throw the book at the Saints, writes Pat Yasinskas. Blog

Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is known for his aggressive defenses. Mike Sando looks at what allegations that Williams was privy to a "bounty" system could mean for his new team. Blog

• Sando: Williams' future | Warner talks
• NFL Nation: Blog thread

Meanwhile, former Buffalo Bills safety Coy Wire told The Buffalo News that Williams promoted bonuses for injuring opponents while he was the head coach in Buffalo.

"There was financial compensation," Wire told the newspaper, which also cited three other anonymous defensive players who confirmed the existence of a bounty program during Williams' time with the Bills.

The NFL said between 22 and 27 Saints defensive players were involved in the team's bounty program and that it was administered by Williams, with the knowledge of coach Sean Payton. In some cases, the amounts pledged were both significant and directed against a specific opposing player, including former quarterbacks Brett Favre and Kurt Warner, according to the league's investigation.

The findings, corroborated by multiple independent sources, have been presented to commissioner Roger Goodell, who will determine the appropriate discipline.

Williams, now the St. Louis Rams' defensive coordinator, apologized for the Saints' program in a statement released Friday.

"I want to express my sincere regret and apology to the NFL, (Saints owner) Mr. (Tom) Benson, and the New Orleans Saints fans for my participation in the 'pay for performance' program while I was with the Saints," Williams said in the statement. "It was a terrible mistake, and we knew it was wrong while we were doing it. Instead of getting caught up in it, I should have stopped it. I take full responsibility for my role. I am truly sorry. I have learned a hard lesson and I guarantee that I will never participate in or allow this kind of activity to happen again."

Goodell has advised the Saints that he will hold proceedings to determine potential discipline against the team and the individuals involved, and confer with the players' union regarding the appropriate punishment. That discipline could include fines, suspensions and the forfeiture of draft choices.

In the Saints' program, "knockouts" were worth $1,500 and "cart-offs" $1,000, with payments doubled or tripled for the playoffs. The NFL said the pool amounts reached their height of $50,000 or more in 2009, the year the Saints won the Super Bowl.

Trevor Pryce, who played on the defensive line for the New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos, told The New York Times that bounty programs are common in the NFL, with players pledging cash to reward big plays in a game.

"It's pretty much standard operating procedure," the retired Pryce told the newspaper. "It made our special teams better. I know dudes who doubled their salary from it. Trust me, it happens in some form in any locker room. It's like a democracy, the inmates governing themselves."

Former Jets and Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Kris Jenkins, however, said bounty systems being rampant in the league would be news to him, telling The Times that he must have been playing "my whole career with blinders on."

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark took to Twitter, not to condemn the Saints' bounty program but to criticize the "snitch" that ended up causing trouble for the team.

"Whoever is snitching on the Saints D should be ashamed of themselves. No one was talking about the "bounty" when they got paid. #shame," he wrote.

Information from ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter and The Associated Press was used in this report.

[swanlee]

(03-04-2012 10:51 AM)AsylumGuido Wrote:  The team didn't put up the money. The Bounty programs are run by the players. It is their own money from kangaroo court fines and such. They also add money to the pot to be eligible for the payouts. First fumble recovery gets $250, first interception gets $500, first sack gets $750, etc. This is called "pay for performance" and is against the rules, of course.

That's not what the reports are saying, Coaches, and other personnel put up money also. Please don't act like you got inside info cause you don't we can all read the same reports going around official sources.

Face it the Saints are fucked and are going to get serious penalties against them, nothing you say changes that so now would be the best time to just not say anything regarding the issue

[AsylumGuido]

(03-04-2012 06:00 PM)swanlee Wrote:  That's not what the reports are saying, Coaches, and other personnel put up money also. Please don't act like you got inside info cause you don't we can all read the same reports going around official sources.

Face it the Saints are fucked and are going to get serious penalties against them, nothing you say changes that so now would be the best time to just not say anything regarding the issue

I know they'll get severe penalties. The team will be fined, the coaches will be fined (max allowed is $500,000) and there could be coaching suspensions and the loss of a first round pick or more. There's only so much that are within league bylaws for punishment. And I I doubt ownership would be too keen on getting much more severe than that knowing it will eventually come back to bite them too.

And, whilehile severe, I truly doubt any of this would "fuck" the Saints.

[Drathdon]

(03-04-2012 06:10 PM)AsylumGuido Wrote:  "fuck" the Saints.

Now you're getting it!

[papachaz]

y'all keep feeding the damn troll, he keeps coming back.

i'm 100% with Beef, the respect factor was lost long ago, and yet some still don't think he's a troll. SMH

[Anomaly]

(03-04-2012 09:35 PM)papachaz Wrote:  y'all keep feeding the damn troll, he keeps coming back.

i'm 100% with Beef, the respect factor was lost long ago, and yet some still don't think he's a troll. SMH

You're a mod, bring the pain.

[mdrake34]

Anyone else not buying that after Benson discovered this, ordered it ceased, that he no longer noticed it was going on?

[motorcityfalcon]

'Bounty' sanctions must be severe to protect NFL's image

By Michael Lombardi NFL Network
Front Office View
Published: March 4, 2012 at 06:54 p.m.
Updated: March 4, 2012 at 08:46 p.m.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82...nfls-image

[Beef]

Coy Wire just got done with an interview on Mahem. He said that Williams sponsored this same program in Buffalo. It was a combination of pay for performance and also bounty hunting to cause injuries on purpose. However, it was player funded completely. Sorta. Players would get fined by the coaches and team leaders for mistakes or bad performance or whatever and toss that money into a kitty. Then that's where the reward/bounty money would come from.

He said many of them knew it was wrong but the pack mentality peer pressure and the demand from coaches to do these things or lose your job takes over and you either play ball or get blackballed. He regrets being a part of it and is ashamed.

He doesn't solely blame Williams though as every coach in Buffalo supported it and none of the players said no to being a part of it. And some players even instigated and made and paid bounties out of their own pockets. Mostly defense, but some offensive players paid defensive players for taking out someone on the other team's offense.

Ultimate responsibility falls on the coach for promoting it, encouraging it, and continuing to allow it even after being told by the NFL to stop it. Lieing about it to Goodell is what's going to bring the wrath.

Coy also said the Falcons never participated in anything like this while he was here. Maybe rewards for good plays, but absolutely no bounty hunting.

[Dale4Saul2Red0]

It's not all Williams fault at all, but I do see him being the fall guy here.