New reports are showing that the payoff system that the Saints were running had been going on since the 2009 season. Reports show that Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams (now with the Rams), was supporting this system. Worse, it appears that coach Sean Payton not only knew about it, but let it happen. It is reported that players were payed between $1,000 to $1,500 dollars for knocking out players or causing them to be carted off the field. Thousands of dollars were payed out, with the pool reaching its highest point ($50,000) during the 2009 playoffs . It makes the hits on Brett Favre and Kurt Warner look all the worse. The fallout from this is going to be unbelievable. Coaches' careers are going to be ruined, players' integrity and reputations destroyed, and the NFL's feel good franchise forever tarnished.
This kind of action is absolutely disgusting. The saddest part of this is that little kids looking up to these players have to go through seeing their hero fall. Kids look up to these players as heros, seeing them as good guys. To do something like this can only send a bad message to kids. With actions like this, we ask ourselves where sportsmanship has gone in youth sports. Need we look any further?
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