Saints Penalties are Upheld and Joe Vitt Sitting Pretty

In an announcement that surprised nobody, Commissioner Goodell has upheld the suspensions he originally handed down to the New Orleans Saints. I know that the Saints had every right to challenge and appeal the ruling, but did they really think that they would get anything major changed? I know that there is talk of the Saints receiving the 2013 second round pick back, but I expect them to still pay a heavy fee for their actions. I have to give Goodell props for sticking to the punishment. The Saints better prepare for a rough year. It also appears that Parcells is out of the running to be the interim head coach for the Saints and it appears that assistant head coach/linebackers coach Joe Vitt is who the team is leaning towards.

NFL Destroys Saints

The NFL has handed down the punishment for the Saints as an organization and coaches. These are historic punishments from the NFL, of that there is not question. Commissioner Roger Goodell threw the book at the Saints, as they rightly deserved. Former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has been suspended from the NFL indefinitely, with a review of his actions at the end of the year. Head Coach Sean Peyton has been suspended for one year, the first head coach to be suspended by the league in its history.  The team as a whole was fined $500,000 and had their 2012 and 2013 2nd round picks removed. GM Mickey Loomis has been suspended for the first 8 games of the season. These punishments are severe, with the ability to destroy an organization with one act. I have to commend the NFL for taking such strong action against the Saints and this system. Yes, I know that football is a contact sport and one based to an extent on violence, but there is a clear line between playing the game with a physical nature and purposely trying to hurt a person. Bounties have been an issue within the league over time, but the league has made its stance on the issue of player safety well known. The Saints knew what they were doing was wrong, yet they continued to operate this system. The league needed to send a message, and send a message they did. The league has yet to announce punishments for individual players, but I expect them to be just as harsh.