I am waiting for the fallout on players.
The past year, I have praised Vilma. He was working on his career - post NFL - as a D-coordinator.
GW was grooming him to follow in the footsteps of players like Kevin Greene...
The hammer is gonna come down on Vilma.
This would be a mistake by the NFL. There should be no player suspensions because they were out there (playing) with a bounty edict. These games were played and they are over. After every game tape is reviewed by the league, any dirty play that was not flagged during said game is open for a fine if discovered. Just ask Steelers Linebacker James Harrisson. I'm fairly sure, though not positive, a Saint or 2, probably more was fined in this regard while the bounty program existed. That was their fine, penalty. To now "retry" them so to say, because we now know they were playing with "an intent to cause harm" would be wrong. It is actually the very nature of the game itself to cause harm. This is tackle football. Not 2 hand touch or flag. The same league that now may be looking to suspend players who have not already been fined for their actions, uses these very same players to market themselves. If any Saint were fined after a game for a late or uneccessary hit during the time of this bounty, that would be the only case I think the league should have for suspension. I have been around the sport of football for over 30 years as a player, coach, official, administrator, and official again, while all this talk of bounties seems very dirty it is not new. And unfortunately will not end. Bounties will continue, flags will fly, during the season in the sports section on Wednesdays will be small passages of fines for dirty, unnecessary hits. We will wonder if the burden of the fine will be lessened by a bounty collected by the player. I love this game, it is the nature of it, I accept it, when on the field in an "official" capacity I try to change it, what little I can. As watered down as the game has become, it is still violent, players will get hurt, careers will be ended. It won't always be because of a bounty or even dirty play. Most injuries are usually "freakish" in nature, and alot of "dirty" play(er)s are more likely (stupid) decisions. I sincerely hope there is minimal player suspension and only for what I have already mentioned.
(This very difficult for me. I believed in Sean Payton. I know better than thinking this could have contributed to Steve Gleason's quick decline and diagnosis of ALS. However, so many ask if my motorcycle crash contributed the diagnosis of MS less than a year later. Arai reported my helmet compression was 3/4 inch. The helmet saved my life and my brian was hit harder than any NFL player would take....)