Shop Online
Archive for the ‘NFL Scandals’ Category
The Saints Go Marchin’ in…to Jail?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=5RuqjDsYCyQ
The biggest offseason story in the NFL could be taking a darker turn as New Orleans Saints players could be facing criminal charges.
The NFL Player’s Association warned various Saints players that their “bounties” on certain NFL quarterbacks such as Kurt Warner and Brett Favre could be viewed by the law as assault and advised to seek out attorneys. The league’s reports show that as many as 27 players were involved in the bounty gate scandal dating back to 2009. Over the past three seasons, the Saints defense have been known for a more ruthless and aggressive approach to the game that may have helped them win a Superbowl back in 2010.
Gabe Feldman, a law professor at Tulane and specializing in Sports Law, does not think the Saints players have much to fear however.
“They’re difficult cases to bring, because it’s hard to prove the injury was caused by a tackle with specific intent to injure, rather than a regular tackle,” Feldman detailed. “We all know injuries are a part of football. There can’t be legal liability anytime there is an injury. Otherwise, you can’t have football.”
The NFL has already taken action with the administration responsible for Bounty Gate. On March 21st, much to the surprise of the sports community, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sentenced out the largest penalty in the history of the NFL by suspending New Orleans head coach Sean Payton for the entire 2012 football season. Not only that, but general manager Mickey Loomis was suspended for eight regular season games, assistant coach Joe Vitt for six and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams for at least one full season. On top of that, the entire Saints organization was punished with the loss of several draft picks and a fine of 500,000 dollars. Nothing yet either has been decided in how the players involved will be punished.
The Irsay Connection
It may not be included in a Ripley’s Believe It or Not museum, but the connection between the Colt’s QB Peyton Manning – Colt’s Owner Jim Irsay situation, and the former Colt’s QB Johnny Unitas – former Colt’s Owner Bob Irsay (Jim’s father) situation is particularly uncanny. Both QB’s are NFL Hall of Famer’s (Manning universally recognized as a future HOFer), arguably the best QB’s of all time, spent the majority of the careers with the Colts, (Manning 14 seasons, Unitas 16 seasons), and were fondly remembered by the fanbase as the face (Sheriff) of the Colt’s franchise throughout their tenures.
In a way this connection is less coincidence, and closer to the old addage “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”. Both father and son owners saw an aging QB, and a promising young QB that could replace them. Read More >>
Gregg William’s “Boondock” Saints Scandal Is Worse Than Spygate…
As bad as the infamous New England Patriots’ Spygate case was in 2007, no one got hurt except teams that lost close games. Placing a bounty on opponents is far worse.
According to an NFL investigation, New Orleans Saints players were rewarded from 2009-2011 for inflicting injuries on opposing players that resulted in them being removed from a game. A knockout was supposed to reward a defender $1.500; a “cart-off” was worth $1,000.
This story couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Saints. The NFL wants to change the culture of the game by eliminating cheap shots and curtailing concussions. Retired players who suffered concussions in the NFL are suing the league. Studies continue to show how concussions cause more long-term damage than anyone in this sport realized. Read More >>
Deal Or No Deal? Franchise Tag Most Likely For Hawk’s Lynch.
The Seahawks have slightly more than a week remaining to get a deal done with free agent running back Marshawn Lynch. If the Seahawks and Lynch cannot come to terms on a new contract by March 5, the Seahawks have the option of tagging him their “franchise” player, which would virtually assure Seattle would retain Lynch’s services.
If the Seahawks apply the franchise tag to Lynch, any other team signing him to an offer sheet would have to compensate Seattle with a pair of first-round draft choices, absurd compensation, particularly for a running back, and especially for one already in the second half of his NFL career.
Seattle’s other option is to use the “transition” tag on Lynch. In this event, the Seahawks would not be entitled to draft picks if Lynch signed an offer sheet with a competing club, but they would be able to match that offer. A match would ensure that Lynch, Seattle’s leading rusher the past two seasons, would remain a Seahawk. Read More >>
Look Who’s Talking Now
If you like “A 6-5, 230 pound quarterback, with a laser rocket arm” maybe Peyton Manning isn’t for you…
Football scenery in Indianapolis has shifted into the apocalyptic over the past two year. The Indianapolis Colts finished the NFL season with an overall 2-14 record; giving them the proud ownership of the 1st overall pick in the NFL Draft. And it just so happens that Andrew Luck, college football’s most highly touted quarterback prospect since (Indy’s own) QB Peyton Manning, will be foregoing his senior season at Stanford, and entering the 2012 draft.
This unique situation wouldn’t be tracking proverbial substance across the ground if Manning hadn’t sustained a severe neck injury that caused him to miss the entire 2011-2012 season, and is currently putting the future of his playing career in doubt. A $28 million contract option bonus due from the Colts to Manning on March 8th would give the Colts financial justification to part ways with the QB. And the strategic advantage of drafting the young Andrew Luck could make the ”rebuilding” phase of the talent-ridden franchise all the more smooth. (Let’s be honest, all the prime-time Colt’s games last year we’re not fun to watch). Read More >>
The Visible Spectrum
… Another year, another championship featuring a team from New York or Boston. Some years, if we’re lucky though, us spectators get the special benefit of watching two of America’s largest sport markets duke it out in the same championship game. When the right side of this coin flips, this media Supernova can leave us sport’s fans outside the market left behind in the massive glare of the oncoming media onslaught. Outside of the happenings of Upper East Side of the United States, time begins to crawl, in a unobservable manner where our attention slowly, but forcibly, approaches the day of the game. Minor news regarding team’s organizations, player’s injuries, fan reaction and strategic speculation may seem to stretch on for days. From their perspective, everything outside of their market’s big game comes to a stand-still, no passing news surrounding buzzer beaters, college upsets and player trades and signings can penetrate through the realms of their metropolitan pride. When these media Supernovas happen, we’re all subject to a cosmic censorship of the sport. Read More >>
NFL’s Con-fessional Bowl
Let me give you a scenario, and you can tell me if it seems like something you’d enjoy watching. The scenario involves a group of athletes voted to play in an all-star game. Fans have a certain number of votes per each position, and may cast an unlimited number of ballots - representing what is supposed to be 1/3 of the total vote for athletes. These athletes that eventually get voted in get to travel, usually with their family’s, to Honolulu, HI a week before the all-star game. Keep in mind these athletes are still recovering from a full 16 game season of hitting, tackling, lifting and rehabbing. The athletes will get to lounge around in 80-90 degree weather, practice a little bit with their fellow conference all-stars, play pranks on each other, converse, surf, and talk about who is going to win their sport’s champ
ionship the next week. Doesn’t sound half bad for the athletes, does it?
This scenario I’m describing is the NFL Pro Bowl, a game held (as of the past few years) a week before the Super Bowl. It is the only major sports all-star game that garners lower T.V. ratings than its regular season games. Players are voted in based on what could essentially be equated to a popularity contest. Coaches for each conference are automatically selected from the teams that lost the NFC and AFC title games, coaching teams, with usually, a good percentage of players opting out of the game for various reason, some related to injuries sustained during the regular season, some because their respective team is the one playing in the Super Bowl the following week… And if you’re Randy Moss, back before the game was held after the Super Bowl, you’ll opt out of playing, cause the week before your New England Patriots ended up losing the Super Bowl. Hawaii was just not motivating enough.
Peyton Manning in Seattle?
The rebuilding of the Indianapolis Colts’ franchise is well under way, but one question persists: Will it involve the NFL franchise’s very foundation?
As the Colts move from what was to what will be, the future of quarterback Peyton Manning remains uncertain. Owner Jim Irsay holds Manning’s fate with the Colts in his hands and will make the call by March 8 when a $28 million option bonus is due.
In an exclusive interview with Indianapolis Star columnist Bob Kravitz, the NFL‘s only four-time MVP touched on several topics, including how things have changed at the team complex. That, by the way, is where he continues to rehab from Sept. 8 neck surgery that forced him to miss the 2011 season.
“I’m not in a very good place for healing, let’s just say that,” Manning said. “Everybody’s walking around on eggshells. I don’t recognize our building right now. There’s such complete and total change.”
The day after the Colts ended the season 2-14, Irsay fired vice chairman Bill Polian and vice president/general manager Chris Polian. He replaced them with general manager Ryan Grigson.
On Jan. 17, Irsay and Grigson fired coach Jim Caldwell and most of his coaching staff.
So many individuals key to the Colts’ long run of success—115 wins from 2000-09, a league record for a decade; a league record-tying nine consecutive playoff appearances; two trips to the Super Bowl, including a win over Chicago in Super Bowl XLI—no longer are around.
Entries (RSS) and Comments (RSS).
The views, opinions and information are unofficial, independent and are not otherwise affiliated or represent the views or opinions of Custom Authentic Jerseys not any team, league or organization.
Recent Comments